Full Throttle

Dan Wheldon has become the first Briton to win the Indianapolis 500 since Graham Hill in 1966 in a race that will forever be remembered for the drama created by Danica Patrick.

Although the 89th running of the Indy 500 ended under a caution flag after Sebastien Bourdais smacked the wall on lap 198 of 200 it should not detract from the emotion and drama that played out at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on a hazy day in Indiana.

Wheldon made the vital pass on rookie sensation Patrick with just seven laps remaining and was just holding off Vitor Meira and Bryan Herta when the final yellow flew.

Patrick, who survived a stall on pit road and a wild spin that wiped her nosecone off and eliminated several leading contenders, finished a history-making fourth after becoming the first women to ever lead the Indy 500. Patrick passed Wheldon on the final restart with ten laps remaining and held on for three laps despite trying to conserve fuel. Slightly earlier the 23 year-old rookie sensation had also led laps 173 to 187 before being passed by Wheldon just as the sixth caution flag of the day waved on lap 187.

Former Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier finished a superb fifth with Dario Franchitti sixth, Scott Sharp seventh and defending IRL Champion Tony Kanaan eighth.

As soon as I locate quotes from the after race press conference I will post them.