Beyond the Flag
Fansided

2018 Indy 500 countdown: 9 years ago – 2009 Indianapolis 500

ByAsher Fair|
INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 24: Helio Castroneves, driver of the #3 Team Penske Dallara Honda, leads the field at the start of the IRL IndyCar Series 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24, 2009 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS - MAY 24: Helio Castroneves, driver of the #3 Team Penske Dallara Honda, leads the field at the start of the IRL IndyCar Series 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24, 2009 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

With just nine days to go until the 2018 Indianapolis 500, let’s take a look back at the 2009 Indy 500, which took place nine years ago.

For the third time in his IndyCar career, Helio Castroneves started the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana from the pole position. He did so in the 93rd running of the race back in 2009.

Also for the third time in his IndyCar career, Castroneves went on to win the race at the four-turn, 2.5-mile oval track.

However, Castroneves had never previously done so after starting from the pole position. He became the second driver in a row to win the race after starting from the pole position since Scott Dixon did so the year before.

More from IndyCar

Castroneves won the race after holding off second place finisher Dan Wheldon by 1.982 seconds. Danica Patrick finished in third, which is the highest finish for a woman in Indy 500 history.

With 66 laps led in the race, Castroneves won the race despite the fact that another driver, Dario Franchitti, led more laps than he did with 73 laps led.

Aside of Castroneves and Franchitti, just two other drivers combined to lead the other 61 laps of the race. Those two drivers were Scott Dixon and Ryan Briscoe. The race only featured a total of six lead changes among those four drivers.

The race also featured a total of eight caution flag periods for 61 laps. Of the 33 drives who entered the race, 20 finished it. Of the 20 drivers who managed to finish the race, 19 finished it on the lead lap. The only driver who finished the race but did not do so on the lead lap was Milka Duno in 20th place, and she finished it just one lap behind the rest of the field.

Alex Tagliani advanced a field-high 22 positions over the course of the race. After starting all the way back in last place, 33rd place, on the outside of the 11th and final row on the starting grid, he ended up finishing all the way up in 11th.

Here is the full broadcast of the 2009 Indianapolis 500.

Next: Top 10 IndyCar drivers of all-time

Tune in to Beyond the Flag tomorrow at 10:00 am ET for a recap of the Indianapolis 500 race that was held eight years ago in 2010 since there will be just eight days to go until this year’s running of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” at that time. The 2018 Indy 500 is set to be broadcast live on Sunday, May 27 starting at 11:00 am ET on ABC.