Dario Franchitti wins the Indy 500

Dario Franchitti won his second Indianapolis 500 on Sunday after dominating the race and his team owner Chip Ganassi made history, becoming the first owner to win the Indy 500 and NASCAR’s Daytona 500 in the same year.

Although Franchitti had the strongest car, he had to wait out several drivers who opted not to make a late pit stop with the leaders. Eventually, though, those drivers -- who included defending race winner Helio Castroneves -- were forced to pit for fuel and Franchitti regained the lead for good.

With his wife, actress Ashley Judd, rooting him on, Franchitti crossed the finish line under a caution flag because of a vicious crash involving Mike Conway and Ryan Hunter-Reay two laps from the end. Then Franchitti took the traditional drink of milk given to the winner at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“It’s just as good the second time,” said Franchitti, who won his first Indy 500 in a rain-shortened race in 2007. Jamie McMurray, a driver on Ganassi’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team, won the Daytona 500 in February.

Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon, two former Indy 500 winners, finished second and fifth, respectively. Marco Andretti finished third and Alex Lloyd was fourth.

Castroneves was trying to become only the fourth driver to win four Indy 500s, but his day was spoiled when he stalled his car after he made a pit stop on Lap 143. Until then, he had been running in the top five. He finished ninth.

Danica Patrick finished sixth after starting 23rd and struggling for much of the 200-lap race.