2012 Indianapolis 500

96th Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning bodyIndyCar
Season2012 IndyCar season
DateMay 27, 2012
WinnerUnited Kingdom Dario Franchitti[1]
Winning teamChip Ganassi Racing
Average speed167.734 mph (269.942 km/h)
Pole positionAustralia Ryan Briscoe
Pole speed226.484 mph (364.491 km/h)
Fastest qualifierAustralia Ryan Briscoe
Rookie of the YearBrazil Rubens Barrichello
Most laps ledUnited States Marco Andretti (59)
Pre-race ceremonies
National anthemMartina McBride[2]
"Back Home Again in Indiana"Jim Nabors (video)[3]
Starting commandMari Hulman George
Pace carChevrolet Corvette ZR1
Pace car driverGuy Fieri[4]
StarterPaul Blevin
Honorary starterIndiana Governor Mitch Daniels[5]
Estimated attendance300,000+ (est.)
TV in the United States
NetworkABC
AnnouncersMarty Reid, Scott Goodyear, and Eddie Cheever
Nielsen ratings4.34[6]
Chronology
Previous Next
2011 2013

The 96th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday May 27, 2012. It was the premier event of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season. For the first time since 1996 all entries featured turbocharged engines,[7][8] and all entries were brand new model-year chassis,[9] as part of the ICONIC Project. This was the first time since 2003, and only the fourth time since 1985, that all cars were a new model-year chassis.

The track opened for practice on Saturday May 12. Time trials were held May 19–20. Ryan Briscoe of Penske Racing qualified for the pole position. The final practice, traditionally dubbed "Carb Day", was held Friday May 25.

Dario Franchitti, who previously won the race in 2007 and 2010, won the event, becoming a three-time Indy 500 champion.[10] On the final lap, second place Takuma Sato challenged Franchitti for the lead in turn one, but Franchitti maintained a low line, forcing Sato's left tires on or over the white line marking the edge of the course.[11] As the two cars were side by side, Sato spun and crashed into the outside wall. Sato finished in 17th, while Franchitti went on to take the victory.[12] Franchitti's teammate Scott Dixon finished second, sweeping a 1-2 finish for Chip Ganassi Racing. The race set an all-time record with 34 lead changes.[13] Franchitti's win represented the ninth consecutive Indy victory for Honda, despite the presence of multiple engine manufacturers for the first time since 2005.

Dario Franchitti won his first Indianapolis 500 with Brembo-equipped brakes. This was the last win of Dario Franchitti's 12 season career. In the penultimate race of the 2013 IndyCar Series in Houston, Franchitti would be involved in a multi-car accident that would prematurely end his career.

  1. ^ "Dario Franchitti (Scotland) is the second foreign driver to win the Indianapolis 500 three times". Indianapolis: Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Retrieved May 28, 2012.
  2. ^ Kightlinger, Cathy (2012-05-09). "Martina McBride to sing national anthem at Indy 500". The Indianapolis Star. Archived from the original on 2012-05-12.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference IMS 05-02-12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Celebrity Chef Tapped To Drive Indy 500 Pace Car". TheIndyChannel.com. The E.W. Scripps Company. 2012-05-03. Archived from the original on 2012-05-14. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
  5. ^ "Daniels To Serve As Honorary Starter For 500". rtv6. 2012-05-23. Archived from the original on 2012-09-12. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  6. ^ "TV ratings increase for Indianapolis 500". FoxNews.com. 2012-05-29. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
  7. ^ Pruett, Marshall (January 12, 2011). "INDYCAR: Greater Relevance with Smaller 2012 Engines". SpeedTV.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2011.
  8. ^ "INDYCAR: 2012 Engine Rules Announced". SPEED. 2010-06-02. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  9. ^ "2012 car strategy embraces innovation". IndyCar.com. 2010-07-14. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
  10. ^ "Indy win puts fifth championship within Franchitti's reach". USA Today. May 27, 2012. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  11. ^ "Scotland's Dario Franchitti dedicates record third win to memory of Dan Wheldon". Daily Telegraph. May 27, 2012. Archived from the original on May 29, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  12. ^ "Rival's Gamble Ends in Crash, and Third Win for Franchitti". The New York Times. May 27, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
  13. ^ "Dario Franchitti earns third Indy 500 win". Washington Post. May 27, 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2012.