Kanaan Wins the Indianapolis 500

Written for CLNS Radio.

For 11 years, Tony Kanaan went to Indianapolis with hopes of winning the Indianapolis 500, but every year something went wrong and he was kept out of victory lane.  On Sunday afternoon, he was finally able to break through and win the Indianapolis 500.

Tony Kanaan drives under Marco Andretti (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Kanaan started 12th, but he quickly worked his way to the front and took the lead on lap nine.  He ran up front most of the day, but it was not an easy race to win.  This year's race nearly doubled the old record for lead changes, with the lead changing hands 68 times among 14 drivers.  

Kanaan also had a good luck with him in the car on Sunday.  9 years ago, he gave a little girl his lucky medal before she went in for surgery.  The girl, now 24, mailed the medal back to Kanaan, and it was with Kanaan in the car during the race.

When Kanaan was in victory lane, he couldn't find the words to describe how he felt after winning the race that had eluded him his whole career.

"I'm speechless," Kanaan told ABC.  "Finally I'm going to put my ugly face on that trophy."

Rookie Carlos Munoz finished second, and was followed by Ryan Hunter-Reay.  Hunter-Reay was leading when the race restarted after a late-race caution, but he was passed on both sides by Kanaan and Munoz.  Kanaan was leading when the final caution of the race came out just two laps from the finish.  The race never went back green, and Kanaan won the race under caution.

Here are the unofficial results:

1. Tony Kanaan

2. Carlos Munoz

3. Ryan Hunter-Reay

4. Marco Andretti

5. Justin Wilson

6. Helio Castroneves

7. AJ Allmendinger

8. Simon Pagenaud

9. Charlie Kimball

10. Ed Carpenter

11. Oriol Servia

12. Ryan Briscoe

13. Takuma Sato

14. Scott Dixon

15. Ana Beatriz

16. Tristan Vautier

17. Simona De Silvestro

18. EJ Viso

19. Will Power

20. James Jakes

21. James Hinchcliffe

22. Conor Daly

23. Dario Franchitti

24. Alex Tagliani

25. Graham Rahal

26. Katherine Legge

27. Townsend Bell

28. Josef Newgarden

29. Sebastien Bourdais

30. Pippa Mann

31. Buddy Lazier

32. Sebastian Saavedra

33. JR Hildebrand