Only driver disappointed Hunter-Reay won Indy 500 might be his teammate

By foxsports
Published

INDIANAPOLIS – Defensive driving in the late stages of Sunday’s 98th Indianapolis 500 has led to some cool feelings between third-place finisher Marco Andretti and his Indy 500-winning teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay.

It happened in the closing laps of the race when Andretti tried to pass Hunter-Reay for second place on Lap 196 and Hunter-Reay threw the block.

Hunter-Reay would go on to defeat three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves by 0.0600 seconds in the second-closest Indy 500 finish in history. After the race, Andretti was prickly when he spoke about his victorious teammate at Andretti Autosport.

“Congrats to Ryan, he almost took me out in Turn 3 -- I almost crashed,” Marco Andretti said after the race. “I think if it wasn't for the Indy 500, I was going to be pretty mad at Ryan, but it is for the Indy 500 and he's up there and I'm not. This is as competitive as IndyCar has ever been. I don't care what anyone has to say. We were close, but we never really dominated. Every time we got to the front we got shuffled back. I think we did what we could, but congrats to Ryan (Hunter-Reay). He almost took me out in Turn 3. I almost crashed.”

When interrogated further about the late-race battle, Andretti responded with the same terseness as his original comment.

After Monday morning’s Indianapolis 500 Winner’s Photo at the “Yard of Bricks” at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Hunter-Reay acknowledged he had not spoken with his teammate, who just happens to be the son of the team owner, Michael Andretti.

“It wasn’t a block at all,” Hunter-Reay explained. “He didn’t have the position. His front wing got to my left rear. If he wanted the position, he needed to be higher up there. We always talk about going for the win at the end of the race.

“It’s the Indy 500. It’s all go. There are no manners at that point. We had great, clean racing at the end.”

Michael Andretti admitted to having mixed emotions at the end of Sunday’s race. He was ecstatic that one of his drivers won the Indy 500 – the third time an Andretti-owned car has won the race. But as a father, he was disappointed his son did not finish in Victory Lane.

“As a dad, you want him to be up here,” Michael said. “I can't lie. It would have been so special. But it's special having Ryan here. When it's your kid, it's a different thing. 

“As an owner, I can't be happier with what we had. Marco gave it a heck of a shot. Unfortunately his car just wasn't quick enough there in the end. He drove a really good race, as it seems he always does here. He's one of the best drivers I've ever seen around this place. 

“I just told Marco good job. I could tell he was really upset. I don't blame him. I know the feeling. It's a weird feeling because I really was disappointed for him. I know you only get that many shots. He had a car that was close, just not close enough. Yet I'm so happy and proud of the rest of the team. So it's a weird feeling. 

“As a dad, disappointment.  As a team owner, couldn't be happier.  You have to try to balance those things.”