Dixon settles for second at Indy 500

Scott Dixon has claimed his third runners-up spot in the Indianapolis 500 after a late crash denied him a shot at securing victory

The Kiwi led for 111 laps of the 200-lap race – putting him third on the all-time Indy 500 career laps led list – but had to settle for finishing behind winner Takuma Sato as the action finished under a yellow flag.

Dixon was in second place with four laps to go when Spencer Pigot suffered a heavy crash near the back of the field.

IndyCar officials declined to wave a red flag leaving Dixon, the five-time IndyCar champion who had dominated the race and was chasing his second Indy 500 win, visibly disappointed.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver was maintaining the pressure on Sato late in the race and doubts his rival would have had enough fuel to go the distance if the race had run green until the finish.

“Definitely a hard one to swallow for sure. We had such a great day,” Dixon says. “First time I've seen them let it run out like that. I thought they'd throw a red.

“It's hard when it slips away like that. We were definitely in the right seat, I think we had the mindset and fuel to get to the end.”

Dixon leads the championship standings on 335 points, ahead of Josef Newgarden on 251. The IndyCar series is next in action with a double-header at Madison, Illinois, on August 29 and 30.