Blink-of-an-eye difference worth $1.7M

INDIANAPOLIS—Sam Hornish Jr. more than doubled his career winnings, and runner-up Marco Andretti took home more money than either his father or grandfather ever won in the Indianapolis 500.
       Hornish beat the 19-year-old Andretti by less than seven-hundredths of a second on Sunday—the second-closest margin in Indy history—and that blink-of-an-eye difference was worth $1,744,855 (€1,368,000) to Hornish from a record purse of $10.5 million (€8.2 million).
       The prize package, which included $9.5 million (€7.5 million) from the Indy Racing League, more than $900,000 (€705,000) in accessory awards and $90,000 (€70,500) in lap prizes, was announced on Monday night at the annual victory dinner. The previous record was $10.3 million (€8 million) last year.
       Hornish, whose best finish in six previous starts was 14th, raised his career total to more than $3.46 million (€2.7 million).
       The career record is more than $6.1 million (€4.8 million) by retired two-time winner Arie Luyendyk Sr., and the record for a single race is $1.76 million (€1.4 million) by Buddy Rice two years ago.
       Marco Andretti won $698,505 (€547,500), the second-highest for a nonwinner.
       The most his father, Michael Andretti, ever won in one race was $607,753 as the runner-up in 1991; the most his grandfather, Mario, ever won was $368,063 for finishing ninth in 1987. The only victory for the Andretti family in 55 combined starts was by Mario in 1969, when first place paid a measly—by today’s standards—$206,727. All but five of the 33 starters on Sunday topped that.
       Michael Andretti, who came out of a two-year retirement to drive in his son’s rookie race, earned $480,105 (€376,000) for third place. Dan Wheldon, who won for Andretti Green Racing last year, switched to Ganassi Racing this season and finished fourth. The English driver’s prize of $566,405 (€444,000) included $66,600 (€52,200) for leading 148 of the 200 laps.
       Brazil’s Tony Kanaan, the third Andretti Green driver among the leaders, finished fifth and earned $340,405 (€267,000). Ganassi’s Scott Dixon of New Zealand pocketed $361,005 (€283,000) for sixth, Andretti Green’s Dario Franchitti of Scotland won $307,905 (€241,000) for seventh, and Rahal Letterman’s Danica Patrick received $285,805 (€224,000) for eighth. AP