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A primary car that caught fire, a back-up that had been an ‘EV mule’, and a quarter-mile of fuel away from glory. Ryan Hunter-Reay tells The Race just how close he came to a major Alex Palou upset at the Indy 500
In one of the most compelling stories of this year’s Indianapolis 500, Ryan Hunter-Reay, a former champion, was poised to win his second Indy 500 in a dramatic turn of events. Leading for 48 laps, he was set to come out ahead of the pack on the final stop, giving him a strategic advantage over his competitors.
However, Hunter-Reay’s hopes were dashed when he ran out of fuel just before his scheduled pit stop on lap 169, preventing his car from restarting. Despite meticulous planning and a strong performance, he missed out on a shot at victory by a mere quarter mile due to the fuel shortage.
Adding to the drama, just days before the race, Hunter-Reay’s primary car caught fire during practice, forcing him to switch to a back-up car that had previously been used as an ‘EV mule’ for pit stop drills. The team worked tirelessly to convert the spare car into a race-ready vehicle overnight, facing additional challenges with a last-minute leak check on an icy track.
Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Hunter-Reay expressed disappointment but acknowledged the unpredictable nature of racing, emphasizing the fine margins between success and failure at the highest level of competition.
