(Getty Images)

A driver with Formula 1 experience made it to victory lane in the 2017 Indianapolis 500. And it wasn’t Fernando Alonso.

Takuma Sato passed three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves with five laps to go to win Sunday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s the second-straight win for Andretti Autosport and the team’s third in four years.

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Castroneves made a daring pass of Sato with seven laps to go on the outside entering turn 3 but Sato got him back entering turn 1 less than two laps later.

Takuma Sato’s race-winning pass.

It’s the second win of Sato’s IndyCar career and his first since 2013. He made 90 starts in Formula 1 from 2002-2008 before joining the IndyCar Series in 2010. Coincidentally, the only top-three finish of his Formula 1 career came in the 2004 Indianapolis Grand Prix on the speedway’s road course.

Castroneves finished second while rookie Ed Jones finished third.

Honda cars dominated the race, especially the ones of Andretti. But the engine manufacturer’s speed came at a cost. Andretti’s Ryan Hunter-Reay had an engine failure and so did the Chip Ganassi Racing Honda of Charlie Kimball.

And then the engine malaise hit two-time Formula 1 champion and Andretti driver Alonso with 21 laps to go. Alonso, who might have had the fastest car while it was fully functioning, was running in the top 10 when his engine died on the frontstretch.

After starting on the second row, Sato ran up front all day. He even brushed the inside frontstretch wall attempting an inside pass earlier in the race too.

A win for Castroneves would have made him the fourth driver to win four Indianapolis 500s. Since his last win in 2009 he’s finished in the top 10 six times.

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Polesitter Scott Dixon crashed out of the race early in a terrifying incident with Jay Howard. After Howard’s car slid into the wall it came down the track into Dixon’s path. The impact with Howard catapulted Dixon’s car into the air and into the inside wall. Thankfully, both drivers were able to get out of the cars and walk away.

The wreck between Dixon and Howard came in the first half of the race. The second half was plagued by cautions thanks to multiple crashes and debris from cars making contact with each other on restarts. The biggest crash came on the race’s penultimate restart when contact between James Davison and Oriol Servia triggered an incident that also included Josef Newgarden, Will Power and James Hinchcliffe.

The race’s 35 lead changes was down from the 54 lead changes the 2016 race featured. But Sunday’s race had 15 different leaders, the most in Indy 500 history.

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!</s>The century of racing in the Indianapolis 500 is filled with drivers who found disappointment, their dreams of winning the iconic race abruptly shattered by crashes, engine failures, botched pit stops and bad luck.

But sometimes there is redemption at the Brickyard, as Takuma Sato can attest.

The 40-year-old Sato won the 101st running of the Indy 500 on Sunday by holding off a charging Helio Castroneves in the final laps, becoming the first Japanese driver to capture the Memorial Day weekend classic.

His victory came five years after Sato tried to win the race with an aggressive last-lap pass of Dario Franchitti that backfired when Sato lost control and slammed into the wall, enabling Franchitti to capture the win.

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This time it was Sato who enjoyed the Indy 500 victor’s traditions of drinking from a bottle of milk and kissing the strip of bricks at the start-finish line that’s held over from the old surface of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

As he knelt to smooch the surface, Sato also was wearing the winner’s traditional wreath of flowers around his neck — with a Japanese flag draped over it.

“Unbelievable feeling,” Sato said after he climbed from his car prepared by the Andretti Autosport team, which Sato joined this season. “It’s beautiful. I dreamed of something like this since I was 12.”

Sato said what happened in 2012 no longer mattered, but agreed that he felt some redemption.

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“I’m so I happy I made it,” he said. “It’s such a privilege to win here.”

It was Sato’s second career victory in the Verizon IndyCar Series; his first was the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2013, when he drove for A.J. Foyt Racing.

But with an Indy 500 victory, “I know how big this news is going to be tomorrow when they wake up in Japan,” Sato’s team owner Michael Andretti said.

As more than 250,000 spectators looked on, including Vice President (and former Indiana governor) Mike Pence, Sato started fourth in the 33-car field and then, with less than 10 laps left, passed Castroneves for the lead.

“I knew I could do it but I was waiting for the moment and the last few laps there was a moment,” said Sato, who also once drove in the Formula One series.

Then it was up to Sato to keep Castroneves behind Sato’s No. 26 Honda-powered car.

Castroneves, a Brazilian hoping to become only the fourth driver in history to win the Indy 500 four times, tried in vain to pass Sato but couldn’t clear him.

“I did everything I could, trust me, everything I could,” said Castroneves, driver of the No. 3 Team Penske car. “Unfortunately it was just a little bit short.”

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The 42-year-old Castroneves then warmly congratulated Sato and, after noting Sato’s age, quipped that “we get better when we get old.”

Castroneves finished second, rookie Ed Jones was third and Britain’s Max Chilton finished fourth.

Fernando Alonso, the two-time Formula One champion making his Indy 500 debut, ran a strong race until his Honda engine failed with 20 laps left. He finished 24th.

Alonso’s decision to skip Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix and enter the Indy 500 was the talk of the racing world this month, and his showing Sunday further impressed the sport’s fans.

After Alonso’s No. 29 car came to a stop on the front straightaway, the crowd roared and gave him a standing ovation as the Spaniard climbed out and walked back to the pits.

“Obviously disappointed not to finish the race,” Alonso said, but added that “this has been one of the best experiences in my career.”

After starting fifth, Alonso led 27 laps and said that at one point he glanced at the scoring pylon and “saw the 29 on it.” Alonso said he hoped someone took a picture of that moment “because I want that picture at home.”

Sato’s win was the second consecutive Indy 500 victory for Andretti Autosport, which won won last year with then-rookie Alexander Rossi, and its third in the last four years.

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Rossi ran well again Sunday for most of the race and the Californian led 23 laps before finishing seventh.

The rest of the top-10 finishers were 2013 winner Tony Kanaan in fifth, followed by two-time winner Juan Pablo Montoya, Rossi, Marco Andretti (Michael’s son), Gabby Chaves and Carlos Munoz.

The final shootout between the leaders was set up by a multi-car crash with 17 laps left in the 200-lap race that collected the cars of Will Power, James Hinchcliffe and Oriol Servia, among others.

But the scariest crash of the day involved pole-sitter Scott Dixon on Lap 53. His car went airborne and crashed into an inside retaining wall after striking the car of Jay Howard. Both drivers walked away from the crash.

The race narrowly avoided another setback. An hour after Sato’s win, a heavy thunderstorm drenched the Brickyard that briefly knocked out power throughout the facility.

james.peltz@latimes.com

Twitter: @PeltzLATimes

UPDATES:

3 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with additional details of the race and driver quotes.

This article was originally published at 4:15 p.m.</s>Fact: Takuma Sato won the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, becoming the first Japanese driver ever to win the race.</s>Takuma Sato, a 40-year-old driver on Michael Andretti's team, won his first Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

Sato's previous best finish at Indy was was in 2013 and 2015 when he finished 13th in both races.

Photos of the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500

Sato passed Helio Castroneves late and held on for five laps to win.</s>Takuma Sato became the first Japanese driver to win the Indianapolis 500, pulling away in the final laps at the 101st running of the race Sunday. Sato passed three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves with five laps remaining and held on for the victory. Castroneves finished second. It was just the second career IndyCar win for Sato, a former Formula One driver. Fernando Alonso, a two-time Formula One champion, was impressive in his Indy 500 debut, but was forced from the race with 21 laps remaining due to engine problems. Cars made by Honda Motor Co. dominated the race, claiming six of the top 10 spots, including Sato's winning car.</s>INDIANAPOLIS - Takuma Sato became the first Japanese driver to win the Indianapolis 500, holding off three-time race winner Helio Castroneves over the final hectic laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Sato's previous best in seven starts was 13th place. He started from the inside of Row 2 and beat Castroneves by 0.20011 of a second.

Said Castroneves, who was tying to become the fourth four-time winner: "I keep trying. It's unbelievable. I couldn't do what he was doing (on the closing laps)."

Castroneves, who improved 17 places from his startikng position, has finished second three times.

Rookie Ed Jones was third, followed by Max Chilton, Tony Kanaan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Alexander Rossi, Marco Andretti, Gabby Chaves (an improvement of 16 positions from his start) and Carlos Munoz in the top 10.

It's the third win for Andretti Autosport in the past four Indy 500s.

There were 35 lead changes among a race-record 15 drivers.

© Gannett Co., Inc. 2017. All Rights Reserved</s>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Latest on motorsport’s busiest day (all times local):

Takuma Sato has won the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.

The Japanese driver who wrecked on the final lap while dueling Dario Franchitti for the lead in 2012 held off Helio Castroneves over the final laps. He gave Andretti Autosport its second consecutive victory and third in the last four years.

Sato screamed into his radio as he slowed down the front stretch, his Honda engine still under power after three others let go while their drivers were near the front of the race.

Castroneves finished second, followed by Ed Jones, Max Chilton and Tony Kanaan.

Oriol Servia, James Hinchcliffe, James Davison and Will Power are out of the Indianapolis 500 after they were involved in a wreck on a restart with 17 laps to go.

Davison had spent time in the lead after jumping into the car for Sebastien Bourdais, who was hurt in a qualifying crash last weekend. Servia was also at the front late in the race.

Servia appeared to touch Davison from behind in the first corner and both of them slid up into the wall. Hinchcliffe and Power were caught up in the carnage behind them.

Josef Newgarden touched the inside wall with his left front tire while trying to avoid the damage, sliding up the track. But he appeared to avoid any significant contact.

Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso has blown his engine with 20 laps remaining in the Indianapolis 500, the third Honda to explode in the closing laps of the race.

The crowd went crazy for Alonso as he climbed out of his car.

Alonso, skipping the Monaco Grand Prix to run the race, had been fast all month and was near the front all afternoon. But as he tried to work toward the front late in the race, the Honda power that had been pushing for the lead finally let go.

Ryan Hunter-Reay and Charlie Kimball also had Honda engines expire, making nine of them during practice, qualifying and the race on Sunday.

Make that two front-running Hondas that have blown up in the Indianapolis 500.

First, it was Ryan Hunter-Reay who was running near the front when his engine let go. Now, Charlie Kimball is out of the race after running in the top three with 33 laps remaining in the race.

That makes nine Honda engines that have expired during practice, qualifying and the race.

That also put James Davison in front, making him the record 15th race leader. Everyone went to the pits and Helio Castroneves was first off as he pursues his record-tying fourth career win.

Winds are picking up and skies are clouding up about three hours before the start of the Coca Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race.

Forecasts call for scattered thunderstorms through the area starting at 6 p.m. – the same time the green flag is scheduled to wave at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Kevin Harvick and All-Star winner Kyle Busch will start up front. Series points leader Kyle Larson did not attempt a qualifying lap because of inspection issues and he’ll start 39th. Dale Earnhardt Jr., who’ll retire a full-time driver after this fall, begins 19th. Defending 600 champ Martin Truex Jr. will start from the eighth spot.

The trouble Honda has been experiencing all month has bitten Ryan Hunter-Reay.

Honda has been plagued by blown engines ever since teams switched from the road setups for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis to testing on the big oval. James Hinchcliffe’s engine blew on Carb Day and now Hunter-Reay’s engine has let go with 64 laps remaining.

Honda engines have had far more power than Chevrolet this month, but reliability has been a major problem. Hunter-Reay’s was the eighth Honda engine to blow in practice, qualifying and the race.

Buddy Lazier has made hard impact with Turn 2 at the Indianapolis 500.

The 1996 race winner lost his rear end coming into the corner and slid hard into the outside wall, wheels and debris spilling across the track. Will Power was following Lazier and his onboard camera showed Lazier slightly wiggling before the wreck.

Lazier climbed out of his car and was taken to a local hospital.

Lazier has been coming to the Indy 500 every year in his single-car effort, even though he hasn’t been competitive in years. It’s the lure of the place that keeps the former winner coming back.

Helio Castroneves was the leader at the midway point of the Indianapolis 500, using an alternate pit strategy along with the rest of his Chevy-powered Team Penske teammates.

He later led his 5,700th lap, moving him into fifth on IndyCar’s career list.

Castroneves pitted from the lead a few minutes later, sending Alexander Rossi back to the front. He was passed by Ryan Hunter-Reay, and when the former winner went into the pits, Graham Rahal moved into the lead. It was the 13th lead change, one off the Indy 500 record.

It’s been a parade for Andretti Autosport at the Indy 500.

Ryan Hunter-Reay was leading when a caution came out for debris with 119 laps to go. He was followed by teammates Alexander Rossi and Fernando Alonso with fellow teammate Takuma Sato in fifth.

The debris appeared to come off another teammate, Marco Andretti, who was running 10th.

Andretti Autosport has won two of the last three races with Hunter-Reay taking the 2014 edition and Rossi winning it as a rookie last season.

Conor Daly has brought out the second caution of the Indianapolis 500 when he crashed into the wall in Turn 3, and the aftermath of the impact also caught up Jack Harvey.

The incident on Lap 66 came shortly after Scott Dixon and Jay Howard were involved in a massive wreck that forced the race to be halted.

Daly was trying to go around Charlie Kimball on the outside when he touched wheels and shot up the track and into the wall. The debris that scattered behind him is what caught Harvey.

Helio Castroneves narrowly missed the Dixon wreck. He also slipped by Daly’s wreck unscathed.

Dixon’s wreck ended a long streak of caution-free racing that dated to last year’s race. There were no cautions in the Grand Prix of Indianapolis a couple weeks ago, and the yellow flag that flew when Dixon went airborne was the first of the Indy 500.

In all, IndyCar drivers ran 138 consecutive laps in race conditions without a single yellow.

Pole sitter Scott Dixon has been involved in a terrifying wreck and is out of the Indianapolis 500.

Dixon’s car struck the car of Jay Howard, who had slid into the outside wall and then careered back across the track.

Dixon’s car then catapulted toward the inside barrier, where it landed and split in half. Pieces of his car were left strewn across the track in Turn 2 as his car slid to a halt.

Dixon was already moving before his wreck car came to a stop. He got out of the car on his own power to a roar from the crowd and stepped into a waiting ambulance for a trip to the infield care center.

The first 100 miles of the Indianapolis 500 have been dominated by Andretti Autosport.

Defending race winner Alexander Rossi, Formula One star Fernando Alonso and team newcomer Takuma Sato are running away from the field through the first 40 laps. They have already started to pick away lapped traffic as they turn laps of 220 mph.

All three cars are powered by Honda, which has had more power than Chevrolet all month.

The three teammates have begun to jockey for the lead, not racing each other so much as sharing the time at the front. That’s allowing them all to extend their fuel economy.

The first round of pit stops at the Indy 500 left Indianapolis native Ed Carpenter in the front, followed by defending race winner Alexander Rossi and Formula One star Fernando Alonso.

Alonso took his first race lead moments later on Lap 37.

Two-time race winner Juan Pablo Montoya stalled his car when he reached pit road, costing him some valuable time. Jay Howard ran out of gas and had to nurse his car to the pits.

Zach Veach missed his pit box and was assessed a drive-thru penalty.

Tony Kanaan just surpassed the 4,000-lap led mark for his IndyCar career.

In his 20th season, the 2013 Indy 500 champion has roared to the front under cloudy skies and with a stiff breeze blowing off Turn 2. It’s the 13th time in 16 starts at Indianapolis that the Brazilian has led the race, tying four-time winner A.J. Foyt for the race record.

Now, the question is whether Kanaan’s engine can keep him there.

Kanaan is powered by a Honda engine for Chip Ganassi Racing, and there’s been a string of failures for the manufacturer the past few weeks. James Hinchcliffe’s engine was the latest to let go on Carb Day.

Fernando Alonso had no problems with a rolling start at the Indy 500.

The two-time Formula One champion said this week that he hadn’t made a rolling start in a race in 20 years, back when he was driving karts. But starting in the middle of the second row, Alonso took it easy on the traditional three-wide start under the famed Indianapolis pagoda.

He quickly dropped a few spots as the field got to speed, while Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon and Alexander Rossi began jockeying for the lead ahead of him.

Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso is ready for his debut at the Indianapolis 500.

He tells ESPN it is one of the best moments ever to be at one of the world’s greatest races. He also noted that he’s at an experience disadvantage as an Indy 500 rookie.

Still, he was hopeful that the first few laps, first few restarts and first few cautions would help him settle in for a strong run.

“Hopefully I get up to speed as quick as I can,” he said in the final minutes before the green flag.

Alonso was starting fifth, the middle of Row 2.

Angela Brown gave a stirring rendition of “God Bless America” at the first Indy 500 since Florence Henderson died.

Henderson sang the song virtually every year for decades.

As a tribute to Henderson, she was recognized Saturday at the driver’s meeting and a brick with her name on it was placed inside speedway’s museum.

Vice President Mike Pence and wife Karen returned to the speedway for another Indy 500, a longtime family tradition.

“It is a global event,” Pence told ABC. “To be able to be here … is a real joy for us.”

The former Indiana governor left the race prediction to Karen, however, and she went with veteran Ed Carpenter.

“He’s a friend, a hometown boy – and he’s in the front row this year,” she said.

Sebastian Bourdais is at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and, as promised, he’s using crutches.

The Frenchman was involved in a terrifying wreck on qualifying weekend that left him with a fractured pelvis, hip and ribs. He had surgery hours after the accident, was released from Methodist Hospital on Wednesday and is already going through hours of daily rehabilitation .

“I’m feeling great to be here and out of the hospital atmosphere,” said Bourdais, who told The Associated Press on Saturday that he refused to show up in a wheel chair.

Bourdais still can’t put any weight on his right leg for five weeks, but he is targeting he season-ending race at Sonoma to get back in his car. James Davison will start in his place for Dale Coyne Racing on Sunday.

The red carpet is in full swing beneath the famed Pagoda at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and as usual, it’s an eclectic bunch from the worlds of sports and entertainment.

Professional wrestler Ric Flair dutifully went “Wooooo!” for the crowd. Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith stopped by to chat. “The Walking Dead” actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who will drive the pace car for the Indy 500, was a popular selfie choice along with his wife, “One Tree Hill” star Hilarie Burton.

Singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha signed autographs a few hours before she was due to sing the national anthem. Jake Gyllenhall was also hanging around to promote his upcoming movie about the Boston Marathon bombing, accompanied by Jeff Bauman, who authored the best-selling book that inspired the film.

Sebastian Vettel beat his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen to win the Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday and comfortably extend his lead at the top of the standings.

It was the four-time F1 champion’s third win of the season and 45th of his career, as well as Ferrari’s first at Monaco since Michael Schumacher in 2001. Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo finished third ahead of Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas.

Title rival Lewis Hamilton clawed his Mercedes through the field to finish a commendable seventh from 13th on the grid.

Raikkonen started from pole position for the first time in nine years, with Vettel joining him on the front row. Both made a clean start, with Vettel holding off Bottas heading into the first corner.

After Raikkonen and Bottas had both come in for a tire change a few laps earlier, Vettel timed his change to perfection 39 laps into the 78-lap race. When he came back out, he was in front of Raikkonen.

There has been a flurry of activity in the pit lane halfway through the Monaco Grand Prix.

Valtteri Bottas came in first to change the tires on his Mercedes, quickly followed by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. That left Sebastian Vettel in the lead from Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, but Vettel also needed a new set of tires.

He timed his stop perfectly on lap 39 – exactly halfway – and came back out ahead of Raikkonen and into the race lead.

Ricciardo jumped ahead of Bottas, but Ricciardo’s Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen felt far from happy to be back in fifth and used an expletive over race radio.

French driver Esteban Ocon also blasted his team over radio after having to come in for a puncture repair on his Force India car.

Lewis Hamilton is making his way through the field and into the points at the Monaco Grand Prix.

The three-time F1 champion started back from 13th place on the grid after a surprisingly bad performance from his Mercedes in Saturday’s qualifying.

But the British driver has picked up three places and is up to 10th place after 30 laps of the 78-lap race.

Up ahead, Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas was closing in on second-placed Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari. Kimi Raikkonen still leads as he chases his first win since the season-opening Australian GP in 2013.

British driver Jenson Button got a surprise message on the radio just as he was preparing to start the Monaco Grand Prix.

It was from Fernando Alonso, who skipped this year’s Formula One race to run in the Indianapolis 500.

Button came out of retirement for this race to fill in for Alonso. The exchange went like this.

Alonso: “I am sure you don’t want to hear my voice before you start but I just want to say good luck and I will be watching you here.”

“Thanks mate!” Button replied. “I am going to pee in your seat!”

Monaco’s tight 3.4-kilometer (2.1-mile) course is the hardest in F1 to pass competitors.

One of the busiest days in motorsports has arrived.

The Formula One series kicks things off with the Monaco Grand Prix. Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel holds a slender six-point lead on three-time champion Lewis Hamilton. They have two wins each, but Vettel’s Ferrari looks much quicker than it did last year while Hamilton’s Mercedes is not as dominant. Vettel starts the race on the front row alongside teammate Kimi Raikkonen.

The Indianapolis 500 is next, with a special guest this year. All eyes will be on two-time F1 champion Fernando Alonso as the Spaniard makes a one-off debut. He qualified in fifth place for the biggest race on the IndyCar calendar. Scott Dixon is on the pole for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

NASCAR wraps things up Sunday night with one of its biggest races of the year, the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Kevin Harvick is on the pole.</s>INDIANAPOLIS (KMOX/AP)- Takuma Sato has won the Indianapolis 500. The Japanese driver held off Helio Castroneves over the final laps and gave Andretti Autosport its second consecutive victory and third in the last four years.

Castroneves finished second, followed by Ed Jones, Max Chilton and Tony Kanaan.

Sato was one of the Indy Car drivers who came to Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois on May 2nd for a test drive at the track ahead of the inaugural Bommarito Automotive Group 500 race on August 26th.

The night before, Sato and three other drivers met fans, signed autographs, and played racing video games at the Microsoft store at the St. Louis Galleria.</s>Takuma Sato passed Helio Castroneves with five laps to go Sunday to win the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Japanese driver, who wrecked on the final lap while dueling Dario Franchitti for the lead in 2012, managed to hold off Castroneves over the final laps to give Andretti Autosport its second consecutive victory and third in the last four years.



Sato, 40, screamed into his radio as he slowed down the front stretch, his Honda engine still under power after three others let go while their drivers were near the front of the race.



Castroneves was denied a fourth Borg-Warner Trophy, which would have placed the Brazilian alongside A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears as the only four-time victors at the Brickyard. Castroneves was followed by IndyCar rookie Ed Jones, Englishman Max Chilton and 2013 winner Tony Kanaan.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>Takuma Sato of Japan wins the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500

The Japanese driver held off Helio Castroneves over the final laps and gave Andretti Autosport its second consecutive victory and third in the last four years. Castroneves finished second, followed by Ed Jones, Max Chilton and Tony Kanaan.
Takuma Sato of Japan wins the 2017 Indianapolis 500 ahead of Helio Castroneves of Brazil. Sato is the first Japanese driver to win the event.