 | |||||
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | Indy Racing League | ||||
| Season | 2006 IndyCar season | ||||
| Date | May 28, 2006 | ||||
| Winner |  Sam Hornish Jr. | ||||
| Winning team | Penske Racing | ||||
| Average speed | 157.085 mph | ||||
| Pole position | Sam Hornish Jr. | ||||
| Pole speed | 228.985 mph | ||||
| Fastest qualifier | Sam Hornish Jr. | ||||
| Rookie of the Year | Marco Andretti | ||||
| Most laps led |  Dan Wheldon (148) | ||||
| Pre-race ceremonies | |||||
| National anthem | Members of United States Armed Forces | ||||
| "Back Home Again in Indiana" | Jim Nabors | ||||
| Starting command | Mari Hulman George | ||||
| Pace car | Chevrolet Corvette | ||||
| Pace car driver | Lance Armstrong | ||||
| Starter | Bryan Howard | ||||
| Honorary starter | Sugar Ray Leonard | ||||
| Estimated attendance | 250,000 (estimated) | ||||
| TV in the United States | |||||
| Network | ABC | ||||
| Announcers | Marty Reid, Scott Goodyear, Rusty Wallace | ||||
| Nielsen ratings | 5.0 / 14 | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
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The 90th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 28, 2006. Sam Hornish Jr. won from the pole position. It was Hornish's first and only win at Indianapolis, and the record fourteenth Indy victory for Penske Racing. Hornish would later win the IndyCar Series championship, the second driver in a row to sweep the Indy 500 and season championship in the same season.
In one of the most dramatic finishes in Indy history, 19-year old rookie Marco Andretti took the lead with three laps to go, after passing his father Michael Andretti on the outside of turn one. Marco Andretti battled Sam Hornish Jr. over the final two laps, holding off the challenge until the final straightaway. On the final lap, Hornish passed Marco Andretti about 450 feet from the finish line to take the win. It was the first time a driver successfully made a pass for the lead on the final lap for victory in the 90-year history of the event.
The margin of victory was 0.0635 seconds - just over one car-length - which was the second-closest finish in Indy history at the time. (As of 2019, it is the third-closest). Hornish had earned the pole in qualifying with a four-lap average of 228.985 mph (368.516 km/h), and second place Marco Andretti was unanimously voted the Rookie of the Year. Defending race winner and defending IndyCar champion Dan Wheldon dominated much of the race, leading 148 of the 200 laps. However, a small tire puncture forced him to make his final pit stop earlier than planned, which coupled with an untimely caution period, saw him slip to fourth at the finish.
The race was sanctioned by the Indy Racing League and was part of the 2006 IndyCar Series season. With a high temperature of 89 °F (32 °C), it was one of the hottest days on record for the running of the Indy 500. Rain and cold temperatures washed out the first weekend of time trials, and washed out or delayed numerous days of practice. Race weekend, however, was sunny with no precipitation.