Late Fuel Push Decided 2010 Indianapolis 500

A run of green-lap flags at the close of the Indianapolis 500 pressed the leading racers to push the brink of their fuel mileage. It was a gambit that favored Dario Franchitti and snakebit Brazilian fan favorite Tony Kanaan.

Second-place finisher Dan Wheldon may have been denied a shot at first because of a caution on the final lap caused by the wreck by Ryan Hunter-Reay and Mike Conway, but as Pop Off Valve notes, one of the key storylines was Kanaan forcing his way from the 33rd starting position to second place, only for a fuel shortage forced a splash-and-go that plunged him to an 11th place finish.

Race favorite Helio Castroneves was also felled on a stall coming out of a late pit which dropped him to 9th overall after he had been hovering around the top five throughout most of the race.

Conway was transported by helicopter to Methodist Hospital was what was revealed to be a broken right leg. A number of spectators were treated after being contacted from debris from the crash, but none suffered more than minor injuries.

Ryan Briscoe, Raphael Matos, Sebastian Saavedra, Bruno Junquiera and Davey Hamilton also dropped out after their cars took heavy contact.

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