INDIANAPOLIS — It's the Indianapolis 500, not the Indianapolis 500-plus. That hasn't changed, even after Indy Car officials took some grief for it a year ago.
But while Indy Car hasn't followed NASCAR in adopting a policy of adding laps to the end of a race in an attempt to guarantee a green-flag finish, Indy officials might have used a slightly different — but still unprecedented — way to accomplish a similar outcome on Sunday.
When Townsend Bell crashed near the end of Sunday's Indianapolis 500, spreading debris all over the track and damaging a wall, Indy Car officials decided to red flag the race. A red flag brings the race to a complete halt, instead of having cars continue to run laps behind the pace car.
"It was a tough one," said team owner Michael Andretti. "I was thinking, 'Here we go. It's the first time it's happened in 98 years. Now because it's the first time it happened in 98 years, it's going to work out wrong for us.' I was a little disappointed at that point. I understand why they did it. It is all about the fans still. In the end it really worked out well."
Once the debris was cleaned up and the wall was repaired after a delay of a little more than 10 minutes, the race restarted. Ryan Hunter-Reay fought off Helio Castroneves and won by 0.06 of a second, the second-closest finish in Indy history.
WINNER: Ryan Hunter-Reay wins Indianapolis 500
CASTRONEVES: Denied a fourth Indy 500 crown again
"It was tough to deal with the red flag," Hunter-Reay said. "Just sitting there in the car thinking that we have a great shot at it, just have to keep your head about you. I wanted to win so badly at that point. "
Indy Car officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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