Sun May 29, 2005 10:05 PM BST
INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Dan Wheldon won the Indianapolis 500 for Andretti Green Racing on Sunday to become the first British winner since Graham Hill in 1966.
Vitor Meira of Brazil finished second with Brian Herta, also of Andretti Green, coming third. Danica Patrick, who became the first woman to lead the race, was fourth.
"This has been a dream," said an emotional Wheldon after swigging the traditional bottle of milk in Victory Circle.
"I've been thinking about this ever since I first came here in 1999. I've loved the Indy 500 since I was a little kid in England."
Wheldon took the lead for good on lap 194 of the 200-lap race but his victory was almost overshadowed by a daring fuel gamble by Patrick, bidding to become the first woman to win America's classic auto race in its 89th edition.
Early in the race Patrick, making her first start at the 2.5 mile oval, stalled in the pits and slipped back to 16th.
However, she battled back to the front only to spin on a restart with 40 laps to go. Her front wing was damaged but the stop for repairs gave her time for a full methanol fuel fill.
Wheldon, who started 16th, and the other race leaders had to pit one more time with about 28 laps to go allowing Patrick to take the lead.
Her Rahal Letterman team, knowing fuel was tight, gambled on a yellow flag but the caution did not come when she needed it.
After Wheldon took the lead seven laps from home Patrick faded to fourth place as she had to conserve fuel to finish.
The 23-year-old Patrick fought back tears after the race, saying, "For a second I thought we were going to win".
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Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.
