Racing through the years: 2002 Indianapolis 500

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The 2002 Indy 500 featured one of the most controversial finishes in race history. As the race entered the final laps, defending champion Helio Castroneves was leading and trying to conserve fuel to make it to the finish. This allowed  the chasing Paul Tracy to close in on Castroneves.

With two laps to go, Tracy attempted to pass Castroneves on the backstretch and as they went into turn three.

Meanwhile, on a different part of the track, a crash occurred between Laurent Redon and Buddy Lazier, bringing out the caution.

Tracy and his team felt he had completed the pass prior to the yellow flag being shown; however race officials determined that Castroneves was still the race leader when the caution was displayed. Castroneves navigated his way around the track to take the checkered flag.

After the race Castroneves celebrated once again by climbing the fence with his team before being overcome with emotion.

“This is not the same as last year,” Castroneves said. “I had in front of me much more of a challenge, and I didn’t know if I (should) lift off (the throttle) or keep going.”

Tracy was understandably frustrated after the race.

“I didn’t have a great car today, but in the end, I caught Helio on the last lap and I passed him on the back straightaway going into (turn) three,” Tracy said. “I passed him around the outside and came around and they said it was under yellow. But I didn’t see it, the green was still up in my eyes. I saw the green and we’re going to protest and see what happens because I feel I was ahead of him when it went yellow.”

Tracy’s team did protest the result, but the protest was denied. After an appeal of the protest, the ruling was upheld and Castroneves declared the winner.