Rate the Race - 107th Indianapolis 500

[donthaveanickname]

9.5
Awesome wheel to wheel, hold your breath racing but I do hope it will be less chaotic next year. Especially that last crash in the back of the field was unnecessary.

Still so glad the only casualty of the Rosenqvist/Kirkwood crash was a Chevy Cruze.

 

[kkfan91]

9.5 I was wildly entertained by it. From Tony Kannan having what to me is the definitive pass in the grass to the wild racing it was fun. The end was kind of awkward end of a Xfinity series plate race feel to it.

 

[Blaze]

9.5 agreed.

 

[Greg]

9.0

I was going to rate it a 9.5 and I would still call it a classic. But I am giving it a slight deduction for the events during the last few laps.
But there are a lot of damned if you do and damned if you don't factors as well. The **** happens fast and I am sure the intensity for RC was hellacious even during the red flag what to do next conversations.

Indianapolis has historically done a great job with it, I think they will learn a lesson and draw up some more concrete(unpublished) protocols on what's best to do in similar future circumstances.

 

[Doc Austin]

The 500 is always a 10.

 

[Mispeedway15]

10. Glad I was there. That blocking down the straight was insane. Also Newgarden’s move from 3rd to 1st is one of the best passes I’ve ever seen in person

 

[TexasRaceLady]

9.9 A teensy deduction for scaring me half to death with that swerving toward the end of pit wall.

 

[Tony_K]

9 only because I got annoyed by the red flags. Not anyone's fault but a perfect 10 if the last laps could've played out without interruption.

 

[DIDIT]

9.9
Had to deduct .1 because of the last red flag.

 

[Speedbowl14]

8

 

[Zerkfitting]

9
I thought the last red flag was unnecessary but on the flip side, Newgarden's celebration in the stands was pretty cool.

 

[SneakySwede]

9

I get the idea of a red flag in the last 15 or 20 laps(especially in the biggest race of the year), to allow the chance at seeing the race finish under green… after 1-2 red flags in the closing 20 laps, if another yellow comes out with especially 4 laps to go… end it under yellow.

Congratulations to newgarden. He was bad fast today. His No-Tow speeds from the first practice session made it clear they had something to show us this year. He was incredible on all the restarts. I knew it would be tough for Marcus to fend him off during the last lap.

Incredible racing to the wire. Loved it all.

 

[Tumbleweed]

10

if ever there was a 10, this race was it. Plenty of action and excitement but with no serious injuries.

Erricson is making it widely known that he thinks the way the race ended was mucho bad, dangerous, unfair, etc. and I guess that's a natural feeling in his case. I hope his PR team is cautioning him to start soft-pedaling the complaining though.

On the other hand, ending an Indy 500 race under caution when it happens absolutely sucks. I'm glad they didn't do it this time.

 

[Dwayne]

9, Very good race, as for the comment about being less chaotic, Indy is famous for being chaotic...lol Lots of big crash restarts, losing the race because you passed the pace car on a restart, or wiping out on the parade lap, lots of chaos...lol I love Indy!!

 

[racer8]

9

 

[HoneyBadger]

9.

Didn't like the one lap shootout. This isn't NASCAR.

 

[sdj]

9

Loved the one lap shoot out.

 

[Hotrod]

10 always for a last lap pass for the win.
All that carnage and no one hurt. Very thankful

 

[Charlie Spencer]

Just watched it. I agree with those saying the last red was unnecessary, and I say that as a Newgarden fan. I'm not so sure the second red was required to safely clean the track either.

 

[Doc Austin]

First, thank God that tire hit a cheap car.

It was a very sloppy race. It was great for a while, but then all hell broke out. This is not being critical. This is being real because sometimes races go this way. As long as no one gets hurt, enjoy the chaos! It's the Indianapolis 500. What did you think was going to happen?

But, if you wanted a sure-fire formula for utter chaos, having 17 cars on the lead lap lined up nose to tail with 14 laps left in the Indianapolis 500 would be a good start. There was a lot of crazy driving even before that, and then it all went bonkers.

The one lap shoot out was surreal. I don't believe that has ever happened in Indycar. This was sudden death overtime in the Indianapolis 500. I really enjoyed it, but I can't take many more of those.

 

[JW1]

It was pretty great. As long as Rossi didn't win after he tried to run me down with his scooter in St Petersburg 2 years ago. And look at him now. Acting like nothing happened. Well I don't forget, Alexander. You've got the Jinx now buddy!!