The end of the 2011 Indianapolis 500 was one for the ages, producing heartbreak and elation at the highest levels.
This is a story about JR Hildebrand and Dan Wheldon, drivers connected by a handful of seconds that changed the course of history.
– Marty Reid
ABC’s lead broadcaster
Reid’s call set the stage for a stirring and unforgettable finish to the 100th-anniverary “500,” which occurred 10 years ago in 2021.
Nine different drivers had led to that point, highlighted by the 73 laps of No. 2 qualifier Scott Dixon. But this wasn’t shaping up to be the speed shootout featured in the 2006 race, when Sam Hornish Jr. stormed past Michael and Marco Andretti to win. This was a race of fuel.
Over the final 40 laps, Franchitti, Oriol Servia, Graham Rahal, Dixon and Danica Patrick led the race before Baguette, a relatively unknown Belgian driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, seemed positioned to steal the victory. But when Baguette pulled off Turn 4 for a quick splash of fuel, the table was set.
Because all eyes had been on Baguette, most in the massive crowd hadn’t noticed the late-race climb of Hildebrand, a 23-year-old rookie from Sausalito, California. Hildebrand qualified 12th for Panther Racing and was hoping to become the first true rookie to win the “500” since the 1920s.
Panther Racing was a powerhouse of the era, winning two season titles with Hornish and scoring 15 race wins in its 13-year history. But Panther also was known for second-place finishes in the “500,” scoring its first with Victor Meira in 2008.
Wheldon had started his INDYCAR career with Panther in 2002, and he returned in 2009 and finished second in the “500” to Helio Castroneves. The next year, Wheldon was again strong at Indy, finishing second to Franchitti.
Now, Hildebrand was poised to take Panther one step higher, and ABC pit reporter Rick DeBruhl noted the similarities in team strategies year-over-year.
– ???
– Marty Reid
In those final laps, few were focused on Wheldon, although his car was one of the more beautiful liveries in the modern era of the sport, orange and white in the colors of William Rast, a California-based clothing line co-founded by Justin Timberlake.
Wheldon started sixth, but he hadn’t been part of the series’ preseason publicity because he had left Panther too late in the year to land a full-time ride for the next season. It wasn’t until the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida, that Wheldon announced an Indy-only deal with Bryan Herta Autosport in partnership with Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
Wheldon predicted the team would “hit the ground running” at IMS, which it did with an experienced group led by Allen McDonald. The team’s lineup included Alex Tagliani, who won the pole, and Townsend Bell, who qualified fourth.
Wheldon ran a consistent but unglamorous pace, but he was on a fuel strategy similar to what he had used at Panther – one similar to Hildebrand’s – so he, too, had the speed to overtake others not in such a position. Wheldon stormed past Franchitti and Dixon into second place.
When Hildebrand took the white flag, Wheldon was more than five seconds behind.
Seconds later, ABC caught its first look at Charlie Kimball’s No. 83 car. The rookie was a lap down to the leader and trying to get home with a car low on fuel. By Turn 3 he was in full view of the charging Hildebrand.
Hildebrand closed on Kimball quickly at the north end of the track, so much so that Cheever uttered these fateful words:
"Careful...the traffic."
–Marty Reid
As Hildebrand approached Kimball in Turn 4, the camera showed Hildebrand had both right-side wheels outside the preferred groove. Once next to Kimball, Hildebrand had all four wheels in that dangerous territory where grip isn’t easy to find.
Reid couldn’t get his next words out fast enough. In the blink of an eye, Hildebrand’s car veered to the right, smashing the outside SAFER Barrier.
– Marty Reid
Reid’s quick recall came from similar heartbreak shared by his booth partner. Cheever’s Red Bull Cheever Racing team had fielded Scheckter in 2002, and the rookie’s lead on Lap 173 of the “500” was more than 10 seconds when he similarly drifted high approaching traffic in Turn 4, lost grip and pancaked the wall.
Hildebrand’s car hit the outside wall a second time as it limped down the front straightaway. Kimball kept his car in the low lane to avoid the debris, and he was the first to pass Hildebrand. Then another car did.
Wheldon passed Hildebrand five seconds after the impact, and four seconds after that he crossed the Yard of Bricks for his second “500” victory, easily the more improbable of the two.
– Eddie Cheever Jr.
Herta made that statement in the heat of the moment, even before Wheldon reached Victory Lane. It’s possible Hildebrand wasn’t even out of his damaged car after it came to a humbling rest at pit exit.
While that is a strong statement when considering drivers such as A.J. Foyt, the Unsers, Rick Mears and Mario Andretti, among the many other winners of the race, there are statistics that put Wheldon in that conversation.
His second win came ahead of his 33rd birthday, and he also had the two second-place finishes, a third and a fourth in his nine starts in the “500.” Wheldon led in five races for a total of 235 laps, a figure which still ranks in the top 25.
Wheldon won 16 races and the 2005 championship in his INDYCAR SERIES career. He was the 18th driver in history to win a second “500,” and his wins came with two different teams.
Lionheart’s statistics have immortalized him at Indianapolis.
– BRYAN HERTA
DRIVERS WITH MULTIPLE INDY 500 WINS
Three Wins: Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser, Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti
Two Wins: Tommy Milton, Bill Vukovich, Rodger Ward, Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr., Arie Luyendyk,
Dan Wheldon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Takuma Sato
Four Wins: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
RICK MEARS –30 YEARS
DAN WHELDON - 10 YEARS
The end of the 2011 Indianapolis 500 was one for the ages, producing heartbreak and elation at the highest levels.
This is a story about JR Hildebrand and Dan Wheldon, drivers connected by a handful of seconds that changed the course of history.
– Marty Reid
ABC’s lead broadcaster
Reid’s call set the stage for a stirring and unforgettable finish to the 100th-anniversary “500,” which occurred 10 years ago in 2011.
Nine different drivers had led to that point, highlighted by the 73 laps of No. 2 qualifier Scott Dixon. But this wasn’t shaping up to be the speed shootout featured in the 2006 race, when Sam Hornish Jr. stormed past Michael and Marco Andretti to win. This was a race of fuel.
Over the final 40 laps, Franchitti, Oriol Servia, Graham Rahal, Dixon and Danica Patrick led the race before Baguette, a relatively unknown Belgian driving for Rahal Letterman Racing, seemed positioned to steal the victory. But when Baguette pulled off Turn 4 for a quick splash of fuel, the table was set.
Because all eyes had been on Baguette, most in the massive crowd hadn’t noticed the late-race climb of
Hildebrand, a 23-year-old rookie from Sausalito, California. Hildebrand qualified 12th for Panther Racing and was hoping to become the first true rookie to win the “500” since the 1920s.
Panther Racing was a powerhouse of the era, winning two season titles with Hornish and scoring 15 race wins in its 13-year history. But Panther also was known for second-place finishes in the “500,” scoring its first with Vitor Meira in 2008.
Wheldon had started his INDYCAR career with Panther in 2002, and he returned in 2009 and finished second in the “500” to Helio Castroneves. The next year, Wheldon was again strong at Indy, finishing second to Franchitti.
Now, Hildebrand was poised to take Panther one step higher, and ABC pit reporter Rick DeBruhl noted the similarities in team strategies year-over-year.
– RICK DEBRUHL
– MARTY REID
In those final laps, few were focused on Wheldon, although his car was one of the more beautiful liveries in the modern era of the sport, orange and white in the colors of William Rast, a California-based clothing line co-founded by
Justin Timberlake.
Wheldon started sixth, but he hadn’t been part of the series’ preseason publicity because he had left Panther too late in the year to land a full-time ride for the next season. It wasn’t until the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida, that Wheldon announced an Indy-only deal with Bryan Herta Autosport in partnership with Sam Schmidt Motorsports.
Wheldon predicted the team would “hit the ground running” at IMS, which it did with an experienced group led by Allen McDonald. The team’s lineup included Alex Tagliani, who won the pole, and Townsend Bell, who qualified fourth.
Wheldon ran a consistent but unglamorous pace, but he was on a fuel strategy similar to what he had used at Panther – one similar to Hildebrand’s – so he, too, had the speed to overtake others not in such a position. Wheldon stormed past Franchitti and Dixon into second place.
When Hildebrand took the white flag, Wheldon was more than five seconds behind.
– Eddie Cheever Jr. of JR Hildebrand
Seconds later, ABC caught its first look at Charlie Kimball’s No. 83 car. The rookie was a lap down to the leader and trying to get home with a car low on fuel. By Turn 3 he was in full view of the charging Hildebrand.
Hildebrand closed on Kimball quickly at the north end of the track, so much so that Cheever uttered these fateful words:
As Hildebrand approached Kimball in Turn 4, the camera showed Hildebrand had both right-side wheels outside the preferred groove. Once next to Kimball, Hildebrand had all four wheels in that dangerous territory where grip isn’t easy to find.
– MARTY REID
Reid couldn’t get his next words out fast enough. In the blink of an eye, Hildebrand’s car veered to the right, smashing the outside SAFER Barrier.
– MARTY REID
Reid’s quick recall came from similar heartbreak shared by his booth partner. Cheever’s Red Bull Cheever Racing team had fielded Scheckter in 2002, and the rookie’s lead on Lap 173 of the “500” was more than 10 seconds when he similarly drifted high approaching traffic in Turn 4, lost grip and pancaked the wall.
Hildebrand’s car hit the outside wall a second time as it limped down the front straightaway. Kimball kept his car in the low lane to avoid the debris, and he was the first to pass Hildebrand. Then another car did.
Wheldon passed Hildebrand five seconds after the impact, and four seconds after that he crossed the Yard of Bricks for his second “500” victory, easily the more improbable of the two.
– Eddie Cheever Jr.
– BRYAN HERTA
Herta made that statement in the heat of the moment, even before Wheldon reached Victory Lane. It’s possible Hildebrand wasn’t even out of his damaged car after it came to a humbling rest at pit exit.
While that is a strong statement when considering drivers such as A.J. Foyt, the Unsers, Rick Mears and Mario Andretti, among the many other winners of the race, there are statistics that put Wheldon in that conversation.
His second win came ahead of his 33rd birthday, and he also had the two second-place finishes, a third and a fourth in his nine starts in the “500.” Wheldon led in five races for a total of 235 laps, a figure which still ranks in the top 25.
Wheldon won 16 races and the 2005 championship in his INDYCAR SERIES career. He was the 18th driver in history to win a second “500,” and his wins came with two different teams.
Lionheart’s statistics have immortalized him at Indianapolis.
Four Wins: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears
Three Wins: Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Johnny Rutherford, Bobby Unser, Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti
Two Wins: Tommy Milton, Bill Vukovich, Rodger Ward, Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser Jr., Arie Luyendyk, Dan Wheldon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Takuma Sato
DRIVERS WITH MULTIPLE INDY 500 WINS
– Marty Reid
GODSPEED DAN
1978-2011
