INDIANAPOLIS — In the early going of the Indianapolis 500, Bobby Rahal advised his driver to show a little patience.
If only Takuma Sato had been listening on the last lap Sunday.
The Japanese driver was perfectly positioned when the white flag came out - right behind leader Dario Franchitti. Second was definitely the place to be for the final trip around the 2 1/2-mile oval, these new Indy cars designed in such a way that a trailing driver knew he could slingshot to the front like he had a rocket attached to rear wing.
“The catbird seat,” ABC analyst Scott Goodyear called it.
Turns out, Sato got a little greedy - the very thing Rahal counseled him against over the radio during the opening stages of the race, when the ex-Formula One driver realized the strength of his car and started darting all over the track to get past anyone in his way.
On that final lap, Sato spotted a narrow opening going into turn 1. Franchitti didn’t give an inch. Sato got below the white line at the bottom of the track, a treacherous place to be. The rear end began to slide, touching Franchitti’s wheels at more than 200 mph.
Franchitti managed to keep control of his machine, speeding off to take the checkered flag for his third Indy 500 win. Sato careened into the outside wall, crawling out of his battered machine for the mandatory ride to the infield care center about the time Franchitti was going past on his victory lap.
The hard hit didn’t cause any injuries.
Sato sure was hurting, though.
“I was going for the win,” he said. “Very disappointed.”
All day long, the first turn was the most difficult to navigate. All the big wrecks happened going into that corner or coming out of it. That’s why runner-up Scott Dixon, Franchitti’s teammate and the guy with the best view, was baffled by Sato picking that spot for his daring move.
“I don’t know why he didn’t wait any longer,” Dixon said. “I really don’t.”
Rahal, winner of the 1986 Indy 500, knows an IndyCar driver has a split-second to make his move. When Sato decided he had the momentum and room to pull off the pass, there was no turning back.
“Takuma drove just a beautiful race,” Rahal said. “I have no problem with what he tried to do. It’s the last lap of the Indianapolis 500, and if you see an opportunity, you have to go for it.”
No matter who won, this was a thrilling ride for American open-wheel racing, a sport that was fractured by dueling series during the 1990s.
On this day, there were a record 35 lead changes and the quality of the racing over the closing laps was downright exhilarating.
Hey, folks, this was just as exciting as NASCAR on its best day.
For everyone but Sato, that is.
Sports, Pages 22 on 05/28/2012