2018 Indy 500 countdown: 7 years ago – 2011 Indianapolis 500

With just seven days to go until the 2018 Indianapolis 500, let’s take a look back at the 2011 Indy 500, which took place seven years ago.

When 199 of the 200 laps of the 95th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2011 had been completed at the four-turn, 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana, Dan Wheldon, who started the race in sixth place, had not led a lap.

In fact, it looked as though he would finish the race in second place for the third consecutive year, as he was well behind race leader J.R. Hildebrand as Hildebrand rounded turn three on the final lap of the race.

But Hildebrand infamously wrecked in turn four, allowing Wheldon to pass him and win the race for the second time in his IndyCar career. He won the race under caution ahead of Hildebrand, who still crossed the finish line in his damaged car to finish in second place.

Here is a video of that crazy finish.

Wheldon’s last-lap pass of Hildebrand to win the 2011 Indy 500 made him the only driver in Indy 500 history to win the race after leading only one lap in what was just the second race in Indy 500 history during which the race was won on a last-lap pass. Sam Hornish Jr. also passed Marco Andretti on the last lap to win the 90th running of the Indy 500 in 2006.

Hildebrand led only seven laps, but he needed to lead the eighth to win the race and become the first rookie winner of it since Helio Castroneves won it as a rookie back in 2001 in the 85th running of the event.