Castroneves runs near-perfect race, ends 2nd again at Indy
By MICHAEL MAROT, Associated Press
May 28, 2017 3:32 PM CDT
Helio Castroneves, of Brazil, drives through the first turn during the running of the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, May 28, 2017, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)   (Associated Press)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Helio Castroneves knew he needed a perfect race to win the Indianapolis 500 from the No. 19 starting spot.

He almost did it — again.

After barely avoiding two crashes, he failed to make the go-ahead pass on the second-to-last lap of Sunday's race and the three-time Indianapolis 500 champion wound up settling for his third runner-up finish. The Brazilian also finished second in 2003 and 2014.

Castroneves was 0.2011 seconds behind Japan's Takuma Sato, and it came on his eighth attempt to get a record-tying fourth 500 win.

Still, it was the brightest moment on the 500 schedule for the usually strong Team Penske. The five-driver pack struggled over the previous two weeks in practice and qualifying.

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