In a classic rookie mistake that might haunt him for the rest of his life, race leader JR Hildebrand crashed his race car just one turn away from winning the Indianapolis 500.
Hildebrand crashed into the outer wall on the final turn allowing Dan Wheldon to claim vivtory at America’s most prestigious race.
JR Hildebrand was just a few seconds from winning the race when he tried to pass another rookie driver, Charlie Kimball, in the fourth turn, and instead slammed into the outside wall.
“I caught him in the wrong piece of track,” the 23-year-old Californian said. “I got up in the marbles and that was it.”
Hildebrand’s crumpled car slid across the finishline in second place but only after Dan Wheldon passed him to win this year’s Indy 500
“I just felt a lot of relief. It’s an incredible feeling,” Wheldon said. “I never gave up.”
You can watch the final lap and crash in the video below:
Follow on twitter @TFLcar or watch latest car
review videos on YouTube.
