Larson Makes Valient Effort at Indy

It was delayed by over four hours due to inclement weather; but once the skies cleared, the sun returned…and so did the 300,000 fans who came from far and wide to watch the most exciting spectacle in race – the Indianapolis 500!

Looking to the “the double”, NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson vowed to stay in Indy and run the 500 and risking his chance to run both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600.

Drama begins even before the green flag with one car on pit road with some steering issues.

Baseball Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr drives the pace car for today’s race.

After setting a new record for the pole of 234.2mph, Scott McLaughlin brings the field down for the green flag start of the race.  McLaughlin gets his “yellow submarine” out in front for the lead to start the 108^th Indianapolis 500.

Big crash on the first lap involving four drivers from the back of the field. 

Scott McLaughlin brings the field down for the restart on lap nine.  Kyle Larson has trouble on the restart and drops through the field to 14^th.

The restart is under review. 

Lap 23, the caution flag comes out for a second time when the only female driver in the race Katherine Legge has a smoking car.

Much of the field comes down pit road for service with Scott McLaughlin easily winning the race off of pit road and holding on to his lead.

IndyCar rookie Kyle Larson set a new record for a rookie in the race.  He began the race in fifth place but a mistake on the first restart after a caution dropped Larson back to 14^th.

He restarts in 15^th place after the second caution flag of the race.

The third caution flag of the race comes out on lap 28 after a four wide battle going into turn one.  The rains cleaned any rubber laid down on the track and after a four hour delay, the drivers are anxious to get moving.

Conor Daly brings the field down for the green lfag restart on lap 33 with Scott McLaughlin putting his yellow submarine back out in front.  Drivers and getting four wide.

Kyle Larson is in 14th place.

Lap 37, Conor Daly takes the lead but will have to make a pit stop soon.  Kyle Larson is still back on 14^th and hasn’t moved up in the field.

Lap 40 of 200, Kyle Larson is in 1eth place over five seconds behind the leader.

Lap 41, Kyle Larson passes Graham Rahal for 12^th.

Now under five seconds behind the leader, Kyle Larson is slowly moving his way through the field and is now in the top 10 on lap 44.

Lap 50, six drivers are out of the race with Scott McLaughlin out in front.  Kyle Larson is up to ninth place.

The caution flag comes out on lap 56.  Kyle Larson is now in eighth place.

Drivers come down pit road with Alexander Rossi edging out Scott McLaughlin for the lead.  Kyle Larson comes out in 10^th place.

Conor Daly brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 65 with Kyle Larson in t0th place.  Drivers are four wide with Scott McLaughlin out in front.

Kyle Larson is now in ninth place, less than two seconds behind the leader.

Lap 70, Kyle Larson is in 10th place, three and a half seconds behind the leader.

Lap 74, Kyle Larson holds on 10^th place, nearly four seconds behind the leader.

Lap 81, Kyle Larson is now in eighth place with four time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves behind him.

Lap 85, Scott McLaughlin leads the race with Kyle Larson in eighth place nearly three and a half seconds back.

The caution flag comes out on lap 86 when Colton Herta wrecks from second.

Drivers come down pit road for serviced.

Approaching halfway, the race must end by 8:15 by local law.  There are no lights at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The green flag comes out on lap 91 with Rinus Veekay in the lead; Kyle Larson in in 10^th place.

After his crash, Colton Herta is getting back in the car and will rejoin the race.

Lap 94, Kyle Larson is now in ninth place nearly three seconds behind the leader.

Lap 99, Kyle Larson is now in eighth place after leader Rinus Veekay makes a pit stop.

Lap 100, halfway, Kyle Larson is one of six rookies to start the race with half of them already out of the race.  While Larson has chosen to remain at Indianapolis and complete the race; he fully intends to end the night in his number five Hendrick Motorsports car at Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Xfinity Series driver Justin Allgaier is taking over for Larson while he is in Indianapolis.

Ryan Hunter-Reay brings out the sixth caution flag makes a run through the grass after making contact with another car.

Drivers come down pit road for service.  Conor Daly’s headrest has come loose and has to have it adjusted while on pit road.

Kyle Larson has entered the top six; the first time since the start of the race.

Josef Newgarden brings the field down for the green falg restart on lap 113.  Scott McLaughlin passes Newgarden for the lead.

Lap 114, Marco Andretti spins out and hits the wall to bring out the seventh caution of the race.

So far, one-third of the race has been run under the caution flag.

Scott McLaughlin brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 118; Kyle Larson is in sixth place.

There are 23 cars still on the track; all of them are on the lead lap.

At nearly 7pm local time, the drivers have never been on the track at Indianapolis this late.

Lap 124, Kyle Larson holds on to sixth place behind Alex Palou; nearly two seconds behind the leader.

Lap 127, last year’s winner Josef Newgarden retakes the lead; Kyle Larson continues to run in sixth place.

Lap 130, leader Josef Newgarden comes down pit road for service.  He reports a vibration.  Other drivers come down pit road for service including Kyle Larson.

Kyle Larson will have to serve a pass through penalty after speeding on pit road.

The penalty puts Larson back in 22^nd place one lap down.

With less than 70 laps remaining in the race, the drivers up front are getting very aggressive with frequent swapping of the lead.  Scott Dixon leads the race.

Many of the drivers are in fuel conservation mode.

Just 55 laps remain in the race with Kyle Larson back in 22^nd place after a penalty.

The caution flag comes out on lap 147 when Will Power spins out and this the wall.

Fifty to go, Kyle Larson is one lap down in 21^st place.

Kyle Larson takes the wave around and now back on the lead lap.

Scott Dixon brings the field down for the green flag restart on lap 156.

After a three way battle for the lead, Alexander Rossi takes the lead.

Lap 166, teammates Pato Oward and Alexander Rossi continue to battle back and forth for the lead.  Kyle Larson is mired back in the field in 21^st after having to serve a pass through penalty for speeding on pit road.  He is back on the lead lap but has been unable to advance his position.

The sun is beginning to set and is causing some major glare issues for the drivers.

Lap 170, drivers begin making the final green flag pit stop.

Leaders are in a fierce battle for position as the laps count down.  Still needing to make a pit stop, Kyle Larson is in second place.

As the sun goes down, the temperatures on the track also drop; changing the track as the laps wind down.

Twenty to go, Kyle Larson leads the race but has yet to make a pit stop.

With 16 to go, Kyle Larson makes his pit stop.  He returns to the track in 19^th place.

With 14 to go, the battle for the lead continues with Alexander Rossi in the lead and Josef Newgarden in second.  Kyle Larson is in 18^th.

Setting a new record, 16 drivers have led the race so far today.

Ten to go, Josef Newgarden leads the race.  If Newgarden can make it two in a row, he will earn a big bonus of over $400,000.

Five to go!  Kyle Larson is in 18^th place.  Josef Newgarden has the lead but Pato Oward passes for the lead.  The 25 year old Mexican driver is IndyCar’s most popular driver.

The track temperature has dropped to just 89 degrees!

Ten miles to go! Josef Newgarden is back in front.

Josef Newgarden takes the white flag.

Pato Oward passes Josef Newgarden for the lead.

Josef Newgarden passes Pato Award to win the race for the second year in a row!  It is the first time in 22 years that a driver has won the race back to back.  Car owner Roger Penske earns Indy 500 win number 20.

Newgarden is jumping rails and fences to head into the crowd to celebrate with the wildly cheering fans.

Kyle Larson finished his first Indianapolis 500 in 18^th place.