page_title: 2011 Indianapolis 500
section_title: Event news
hierarchical_section_title: 2011 Indianapolis 500 / Event news
caption_attribution_description: English: IZOD Presents Hot Wheels Fearless at the 500 where Tanner Foust from Team Hot Wheels sped down a 90-foot ramp, suspended on a 10-story high door and jumped across the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's infield inside the fourth turn.
context_page_description: The 95th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 29, 2011. The race was part of the 2011 IZOD IndyCar Series season. The track opened for practice on May 14 and time trials were held from May 21 to 22. Alex Tagliani won the pole position, and the race was won by Dan Wheldon. It was his second Indy 500 win after the 2005 race, and the last win of his racing career. It was the first of two Indy victories for car owner Bryan Herta.
  American rookie J. R. Hildebrand of Panther Racing took the lead with two laps to go. As the leaders were cycling through pit stops, Hildebrand was nursing a car very low on fuel. He was attempting to stretch his tank to the finish line and hold on for an unexpected victory. It would have been the first Indy 500 win for Panther Racing, after three consecutive runner-up finishes, and two series championships. On the final turn of the final lap, Hildebrand went high to pass the slow car of Charlie Kimball. He drifted wide and crashed into the outside wall. As his wrecked car coasted down the front straight, Wheldon slipped by in the final 1,000 feet to take the victory.
context_section_description: On February 21, the Speedway announced the start time for the race would be 12 noon EDT (UTC-04), one hour earlier that it had been scheduled from 2006–2010.
  The 100th anniversary Indy 500 Celebration of Automobiles was held the weekend of opening day. It was a classic/antique car show and contest featuring automobiles linked to race and to the city of Indianapolis from 1911–1961.
  Staind headlined the annual Carb Day concert on Friday May 27, with special guest Papa Roach.
  On April 5, Donald Trump was named the driver of the Chevrolet Camaro SS pace car. However, after mounting criticism of Trump, and a Facebook campaign to oust him from the position, he announced he was stepping down from the honor due to business and time constraints. He was replaced by four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A. J. Foyt.
  On the morning of the race, a special auto stunt was performed in the infield. For "IZOD Presents Hot Wheels Fearless at the 500", a mystery stunt driver (later to be revealed as Tanner Foust) from Team Hot Wheels sped down a 90-foot ramp, suspended on a 10-story high door and jumped across the track's infield inside the fourth turn.
  The national anthem was performed by Seal and Kelly Clarkson, accompanied by David Foster on piano.
  All of the 269 living Indy 500 veteran drivers were invited to attend the race. At least 161 attended during race weekend (including the 28 veteran drivers that qualified for the race) and upwards of 175 attended throughout the entire month of May. A total of 21 of the 27 living winners of the Indianapolis 500 attended the race. Those in attendance included:
  Dario Franchitti, Hélio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Dan Wheldon, and Buddy Rice who drove in the race
  A. J. Foyt, Bobby Rahal, Rick Mears, Arie Luyendyk, and Mario Andretti who were team owners or had team-related duties
  Johnny Rutherford and Al Unser, Jr. who worked as officials
  Eddie Cheever and Kenny Brack who worked in broadcasting
  Gil de Ferran, Buddy Lazier, Emerson Fittipaldi, Tom Sneva, Bobby Unser, Al Unser, and Parnelli Jones also attended, taking part in various special pre-race activities.
  Danny Sullivan made an appearance at the track during May but had to leave prior to race day due to a previous commitment.
  Those not attending included Juan Pablo Montoya, who was at Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600, Sam Hornish, Jr., who was also in Charlotte for the Nationwide Series race; Jim Rathmann, who was in poor health and could not travel; Gordon Johncock and Jacques Villeneuve.
  In the days leading up to the race, a special list entitled The Greatest 33 was compiled from a panel of experts and fan voting, to establish the best drivers of the first century of the event.
caption: Tanner Foust from Team Hot Wheels sped down a 90-foot ramp, suspended on a 10-story high door and jumped across the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's infield inside the fourth turn.
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