Second-place not enough for Andretti
INDIANAPOLIS — Second place is a bummer.
Marco Andretti's runner-up finish in the Indianapolis 500 was worth a whole lot of money, more than his father or grandfather ever made, in fact. He also was the rookie of the year — no surprise there — but the 19-year-old driver had his sights set higher.
And if the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway track were about a car-length shorter, he would have won.
"Obviously, it's pretty special," Andretti said Monday night, when he was became the fourth member of his family selected the race's outstanding rookie. "I was actually pretty nervous in the month, and I definitely wanted to come away with this (award), but I knew if I set my goals even higher and tried to win the race that good things will follow, and hopefully it will."
The purse from Sunday's race was a record $10.5 million. Winner Sam Hornish Jr., who came from behind and edged Andretti by 0.0635 seconds at the finish line, took home $1,744,855 million.
Andretti won $698,505, the second-highest for a non-winner.
The most Andretti's 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. His uncle, Jeff Andretti, had his best payday with $167,490 as a rookie in 1991.
Big deal.
"I finished second. It doesn't mean anything to me," Marco said of the money. "First place is different.
"It's a bummer," he said.
Hornish, who also received the Scott Brayton Award at Monday night's victory dinner, was far more emotional than the young Andretti.
"It's unbelievable," Hornish said, his voice cracking. "The past two days have been the best days of my life. I can't think of anything better than to be here, especially to go out there and race with 32 of the best race car drivers in the world.
"This is the greatest race track in the world. It's the thing that dreams are made of," he said.
The prize package included $9.5 million from the Indy Racing League, more than $900,000 in accessory awards and $90,000 in lap prizes. The previous record purse was $10.3 million last year.
The Brayton Award is named for the late driver who was killed in practice after winning the pole in 1996.
"I would have thought yesterday would have been the biggest days of my life," Hornish said. "But it's things like this that really mean a lot ... because you don't have any choice. It's something other people see in you."
Hornish, whose best finish in six previous starts was 14th, raised his career winnings to more than $3.46 million.
The record is more than $6.1 million by retired two-time winner Arie Luyendyk Sr., and the record for a single race is $1.76 million by Buddy Rice two years ago.
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 Sunday topped that.
Michael Andretti, who came out of a two-year retirement to drive in his son's rookie race, earned $480,105 for third place. Dan Wheldon, who won for Andretti Green Racing last year, switched to Ganassi Racing this season and finished fourth. His prize of $566,405 included $66,600 for leading 148 of the 200 laps.
