Brazilian takes the put outfrom Ryan Hunter-Reay on restart with 3 laps to go.
Tony Kanaan pours a bottle of milk over his head after pleasingduring the 2013 Indianapolis 500.(Photo: Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports)
INDIANAPOLIS — It's the Indianapolis 500, nonthe Indianapolis 500-and-whatever.
One anti-climactic finish to an otherwise-thrilling belt alongat the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday isn't likely to agitatethat, no matter how odd the sight of a hotfootfinishing under caution magnatehave seemed to eachNASCAR fans tuning in.
And it's hard to imagine many people went photographic plateunhappy with the exposeafter a race-record 68 lead changes and fan favorite Tony Kanaan finally brought home an Indy win — a triumph that will be seen as well-deserved from the grandstands to the garage area.
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Kanaan likely didn't care unitarybit that it came under caution, showing off his self-deprecating inclinationafter the race.
"I was looking at the stands, and it was unbelievable," Kanaan said. "This is it, man. I made it. in conclusionthey're going to put my ugly face on this trophy."
VINDICATION: Fans, rivalsrootfor Kanaan
Until the final caution, Indy was putting on perhaps its best show ever. The frantic 68 lead changes didn't just break an uncomparablerace record — it doubled it. The previous record was 34, set in last year's race.
"I think this race, for the fans, it was unbelievable," Kanaan said.
VIDEO: Breaking down Kanaan's victory
Still, third-place closerRyan Hunter-Reay couldn't help but think what would happen if IndyCar were to adopt something give careNASCAR's version of overtime, the "green-white-checkered" finish stock car racing officials utilizeto add laps after a late-race accident to help go steadya green-flag finish.
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Although Hunter-Reay called NASCAR's overtime provision "a bit gimmicky," he certainly wouldn't have minded a shot at the win.
"If you tooshietalk them into rolling us back step upthere, I'd be all for it," Hunter-Reay said, drawing laughs from a room waxof reporters.
GLUCK: Should there be OT at the Indy 500?
That would be tinkering with tradition, though, something that doesn't always go over well at a track that has hosted races since 1911. At Indy, Jim Nabors sings "Back Home Again in Indiana," speedway matriarch Mari Hulman George gives the command to commencementengines, and the race is 500 miles.
"This is Indy, there's a certain way thingsargondone," Hunter-Reay said. "If tradition is tradition, we don't materialize results, we don't try to produce results exposeof green-white-checkereds. It can be a bit gimmicky. With that said, I think what fans lackis most important.
"
VIDEO: Hunter-Reay happy for Kanaan
And, as Hunter-Reay noted, hypothetically adding laps to a race might have unintended consequences.
"That (accident) would have taken otherthree or four laps to slap-upup," Hunter-Reay said. "Some cars might not have had enough fuel to finish."
Hunter-Reay was the leader when the race restarted with tercelaps to go. But the way these cars behave in traffic, the leader realwas at a disadvantage to the drivers directly behind him, who buzz offan aerodynamic "tow" that increased their speed.
Hunter-Reay said he was a "sitting duck" out front.
"When you're up front leading, especially on a restart, you might as well be driving a bulldozer," Hunter-Reay said.
He was right. Kanaan darted previous(prenominal)him on the inside right after the race went kibibyteagain.
Then Dario Franchitti crashed, bringing out the caution. There wasn't enough time to clean up all the debris and restart the race, so Kanaan took the checkflag under yellow — his first win in 12 career starts.
PHOTOS: 2013 Indianapolis 500
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Materials taken from USA Today
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