It was a triumphant yet disappointing day for Roger Penske. Roger Penske is the owner of two Indy Racing League teams and two NASCAR Nextel Cup teams.
Sam Hornish Jr concluded a fulfilling week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after winning the pole for the big event, and then following up with a dramatic win, and indulged himself in the traditional big gulp of 'milk'. Why punish the winner of the Indianapolis 500 by giving him milk to drink. I'm sure water, or Gatorade would suffice.
But anyway, Hornish won the Indianapolis 500 after passing third generation driver Marco Andretti on the final straightaway and winning by a margin of 0.063 of a second.
The win did not come easy for Sam Hornish Jr, as he was not the man to beat for the majority of the afternoon. Chip Ganassi Racing's Dan Wheldon by far led the most laps throughout the afternoon.
Hornish would serve a drive-thru penalty after a pit road miscue on lap 151.
"Once [the pit incident] happened, the question became, how do you fight back?" Hornish said. "We made good decisions, we saved fuel and got a yellow when we needed it."
Hornish and his Penske Racing team would fight back and on the lap 197 restart, he was fourth behind Marco Andretti and his father Michael Andretti, and Scott Dixon. Hornish methodically bypassed Dixon and the elder Andretti, and had to rally to pass Marco Andretti just yards away from the checkered flag.
Sam Hornish Jr is now etched into Indy Car prominence.
His Penske Racing teammate wasn't as fortunate, as Helio Castroneves would finish the Indianapolis 500 in 25th position. His misfortune was overshadowed by Hornish and his victory.
While Roger Penske and his organization were on top of the world Sunday afternoon, they were irrefutably humbled just hours later in Charlotte, North Carolina for the NASCAR Nextel Cup Coca Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
His two Nextel Cup drivers Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch continued their dreadful seasons after finishes of 35th and 39th. Ryan Newman lost control of his car on lap 48 and spun around. Newman's Dodge Charger was unscathed and he rallied back into the top fifteen with less than one hundred laps to go, but a wheel bearing issue sent him behind the wall.
Kurt Busch's evening never got off the ground as he would also lose control of his car on lap 67. Busch's Dodge Charger was severely damaged and he spent hours behind the wall while his team repaired the mutilation.
It seems as if Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch are immune from good fortune. Busch is currently 19th in the Nextel Cup standings and Newman is 22nd.
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