Michael Andretti's team finally got over its May curse.
The rain waited Sunday to give Danica Patrick a second chance, and James Jakes waved off his qualifying try, giving Marco Andretti one more shot to make the Indianapolis 500.
Patrick and Marco Andretti took advantage of the good destiny and qualified for the centenary anniversary race at the Brickyard.
Patrick placed a four-lap average of 224.861 mph after it appeared like she might not even get to qualify on Bump Day. Andretti showed an even more clutch functioning in the final run of the day, going 224.628 to bump his way back onto the 33-car grid.
"It was either going to be into the wall or into the show," the 24-year-old son of the team owner said. "It was a bummer that we were in this position."
Perhaps it should have been gestated - given the family history at Indianapolis.
Marco Andretti's grandfather, Mario, won the 1969 Indy 500 but never gained Victory Lane again. Michael, conducted more laps at Indy than any other non-winner, and Marco wound up as the 500 runner-up when Sam Hornish Jr. passed him in the closing yards of the 2006 race.
But as much dismay as the Andrettis have endured at this 2.5-mile oval, this might have been their worst month ever at Indy.
Andretti Auto sport’s five-car stable fought to reach the top of the speed charts all week, then aroused in deep trouble Saturday. It took 10 qualifying attempts to get a single car, John Andretti's No. 43, into the May 29 race.
The rain waited Sunday to give Danica Patrick a second chance, and James Jakes waved off his qualifying try, giving Marco Andretti one more shot to make the Indianapolis 500.Patrick and Marco Andretti took advantage of the good destiny and qualified for the centenary anniversary race at the Brickyard.
Patrick placed a four-lap average of 224.861 mph after it appeared like she might not even get to qualify on Bump Day. Andretti showed an even more clutch functioning in the final run of the day, going 224.628 to bump his way back onto the 33-car grid.
"It was either going to be into the wall or into the show," the 24-year-old son of the team owner said. "It was a bummer that we were in this position."
Perhaps it should have been gestated - given the family history at Indianapolis.
Marco Andretti's grandfather, Mario, won the 1969 Indy 500 but never gained Victory Lane again. Michael, conducted more laps at Indy than any other non-winner, and Marco wound up as the 500 runner-up when Sam Hornish Jr. passed him in the closing yards of the 2006 race.
But as much dismay as the Andrettis have endured at this 2.5-mile oval, this might have been their worst month ever at Indy.
Andretti Auto sport’s five-car stable fought to reach the top of the speed charts all week, then aroused in deep trouble Saturday. It took 10 qualifying attempts to get a single car, John Andretti's No. 43, into the May 29 race.
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