Alexander Rossi pulls off stunning upset in 100th Indy 500

An Indianapolis 500 rookie who only a few months ago lost his drive in Formula One thanks to sport’s extortionate pay driver rates won the 100 installment of North America’s most famous race in front of almost 400,000 people at the Brickyard. It was Rossi’s first Verizon IndyCar Series victory and he became the first rookie to win the Indianapolis 500 since Helio Castroneves in 2001.

Sunday was just the second oval race of Rossi’s career. “It’s just a huge testament to the great people I have around me”.

Race leader Carlos Munoz was forced to pit with four laps to go for fuel, opening the door for Rossi.

“For half a lap short of fuel.”, he said.

But despite running in the top three to five all day and leading 14 total laps – including Laps 179 to 181, 184 to 190 and 192 to 193 – Newgarden was one of most of the field who needed a late-race splash for fuel inside the final 10 laps. The improbably victory didn’t come with any drama – running on fumes in the last few laps is heart-stopping itself – but somehow Rossi was able to alternately drive fast and save just enough fuel to make it to the checkered flag. I think he had a little bit more straight speed than us, which was going to be hard to overcome.

I’m at a loss for words. “It’s phenomenal. It will change my life, for sure”.

A year ago Rossi was sitting in Monaco to race in the Grand Prix and watched the Indianapolis 500 on television.

Herta, a former open-wheel race vehicle driver, launched his own team, Bryan Herta Autosport, in 2009. And while the world may have seen an unknown rookie ride a fortunate strategy to an improbable win, Rossi himself seemed far more assured of his own talent, certain that there is plenty more success to come.

“One thing is clear to me”, the 24-year-old Colombian said afterward. I didn’t know if I was supposed to drink it all at once.

“I pointed to that auto and said it needs a sponsor”, Andretti said. But a broken rear winglet made his vehicle a handful, and when the pits were delayed opening for an extra lap after the Sato incident, Rahal had to make an emergency stop for fuel only, then had to stop again.

“To be honest, I was going to wing it at the end”, he explained.

The rookie summed up the feelings of everyone watching the race when he proclaimed that he had “no idea how we pulled that off”. We won the damn race.

It just didn’t fall our way. I really think we would have had something for them if we could have gone flat out there at the end and tried to beat them straight up.

“There were moments where I was stoked, moments where I were heartbroken, moments where I was stoked again”.

Somehow, Rossi managed to pull it off, crossing the finish line with his vehicle literally running on fumes before coming to a complete halt short of pit road as he was completing his victory lap. At first glance, Rossi’s story reads more like “beginner’s luck” than “epic journey”. Polesitter James Hinchcliffe finished in seventh. “Bryan came up with an awesome strategy on pit road”. It’s more motivation to go back so that I can do it right this time and be like, ‘see, I got this, I’ve figured it out.’ But no, I honestly haven’t paid any attention.

Hildebrand and required repairs, taking the Brazilian out of contention.

His first race at St. Petersburg in March, when he finished 12th, was “eye-opening”.