Indy 500: On this date in 2017 – Takuma Sato gets redemption

By Asher Fair | May 28, 2019

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 28: Takuma Sato of Japan, driver of the #26 Andretti Autosport Honda, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on May 28, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Takuma Sato got redemption for his last-lap crash in the 2012 Indy 500 two years ago today on Sunday, May 28, 2017 by winning the 2017 Indy 500.

Ever since crashing while trying to take the lead of the 2012 Indianapolis 500 from now three-time Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti on the race’s final lap, Andretti Autosport’s Takuma Sato had not experienced much success in the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” heading into the 2017 IndyCar season.

Heading into the 2017 Indy 500, Sato had competed in the Indy 500 seven times in his IndyCar career. His top finishes in these seven Indy 500 attempts were his 13th place finishes in the 2013 Indy 500 and the 2015 Indy 500. His average finishing position in these seven races was an underwhelming 20.14.

But Sato started the 101st running of the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in Speedway, Indiana in a career-high fourth place in his #26 Honda. He had never previously started the race higher than 10th, and his average starting position heading into this race was a disappointing 19.57.

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However, no driver had started the Indy 500 in the top five and won it since Franchitti won it after starting in third place in 2010. In fact, no driver had started in the top 10 and won it since the late Dan Wheldon won it after starting in sixth in 2011.

Sato aimed to change that.

The Japanese driver lived up to his motto of “No Attack, No Chance” over the course of the race’s final 11 laps, which were the 11 laps contested following the race’s final restart. He restarted the race in second place behind Chip Ganassi Racing’s Max Chilton after working his way back through the field after experiencing an issue in the pits earlier in the race.

Sato simply could not pass Chilton, although he nearly passed him on the outside of turn one with nine laps remaining. After losing momentum by failing to pull off this pass, he was passed for second place by Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves in turn three. Castroneves went on to take the lead from Chilton on the outside in turn three with seven laps remaining.

Sato then passed Chilton for second place coming down the front straightaway with just over six laps remaining, at which point he set his sights on the only three-time Indy 500 champion in the field. Coming down the front straightaway with just over five laps remaining, Sato passed Castroneves on the outside.

From that point forward, the lead did not change hands. Sato won the race by 0.2011 seconds over Castroneves, who had to settle for second place in the Indy 500 for the third time in his career and for the second time as a three-time winner of the race. The race featured a total of 35 lead changes among an all-time record 15 drivers. Sato led 17 laps of the race.

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This race was the final Indianapolis 500 prior to the introduction of the UAK18 aero kit, which somewhat limited the passing opportunities in the 2018 Indy 500 and the 2019 Indy 500 due to the aerodynamic changes to the cars. The six lead change totals in each Indy 500 from 2012 to 2017 are all in the top six on the all-time Indy 500 lead changes list.