KEY POINTS:
INDIANAPOLIS - Rain washed away New Zealand driver Scott Dixon's chances of winning the Indianapolis 500 yesterday.
Dario Franchitti won the shortened race after a risky fuel strategy paid off at the rain-hit Brickyard.
After a cut tyre forced Franchitti into an early pitstop, his team loaded the
Scot's car with a full fuel load, gambling he would be able to stay out until the next rain delay while his rivals would have to pit.
With storm clouds closing in on the 4km oval, a multi-car crash involving Franchitti's teammate, Marco Andretti, sealed the win for the Scotsman as driving rain brought out the chequered flag with 166 of the scheduled 200 laps completed.
Dixon, who started from fourth position in the No 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda, finished second.
The result moved him into the series lead, but Dixon said not winning yesterday felt hollow.
He said the car slid about after the race was halted temporarily and when it was flagged short of the scheduled 200 laps, he was gaining on the leader.
"I think I was closing on Dario right before rain ended the race," he said.
"I think we had enough speed to get Dario."
Franchitti said the team's gamble paid off.
"We rolled the dice [on our pit strategy]. I can't believe it, to be a member of this club is fantastic," he said.
"When I first came here I didn't understand what this race meant. Now I think I have half an idea of what it means to win this race."
It was Dixon's best finish in five Indianapolis 500s.
He pitted just one lap after the race restarted after a three-hour rain delay. He and Franchitti were among cars that pitted on lap 115 under caution.
"I came in a lap early just because my car was sort of out of tyres, sort of skating and we had traffic," Dixon said.
He had led the race three different times for a total of 11 laps. At one stage he dropped to 12th position.
"I'm disappointed. Finishing second is definitely great and means a lot coming this high up the grid and at such a great place and against such great competitors.
"But I just wanted to race to the end and maybe have enough speed for the last 20 laps.
"Coming back out after the first rain [stop], the track was so green that we had no grip with the car and had to come through the pack."
Dixon said it was unfortunate for the 300,000 fans the way the race ended.
"It was so bad for the fans ... just destroyed everybody's day. Nobody wants to stop halfway through the race."
Franchitti moved to the front on lap 155 after leader Tony Kanaan and defending champion Sam Hornish jnr were forced to make late pitstops for fuel.
The 34-year-old steered clear of a series of late crashes that brought out caution flags, allowing him to conserve fuel as the rain steadily approached.
He crossed the finish line in driving rain before pulling into the victory lane where he was greeted by a kiss from his actress wife Ashley Judd.
CHEQUERED FLAG
D. Franchitti (Scot) 2hr 44min 03.5608sec
S. Dixon (NZ) 0.3610sec behind
H. Castroneves (Brazil) same lap
S. Hornish (US) sl
R. Briscoe (Australia) sl
S. Sharp (US) sl
T. Scheckter (South Africa) sl
D. Patrick (US) sl
D. Hamilton (US) sl
V. Meira (Brazil) sl
IRL standings:
Dixon 184 points
D. Wheldon (England) 183
Franchitti 181
Castroneves 171
T. Kanaan (Brazil) 151
- NZPA, REUTERS