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Indy 500 results: Helio Castroneves won, acquitted of tax evasion

May 24, 2009

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Helio Castroneves won the Indianapolis 500 auto race Sunday for the third time, nearly 2 seconds ahead of Dan Wheldon of England. Castroneves, a Brazilian driver, was acquitted of tax evasion charges in the United States, became the ninth driver to win the Indianapolis 500 three times.

"This is the best month of May ever," Castroneves told reporters, referring to his acquittal in Miami on federal tax evasion charges last week, UPI reports.

Danica Patrick, IndyCar spotlight-stealer and one of only a handful of female drivers on the pro circuit, finished third, topping her previous best Indy 500 performance of fourth in 2005, with Townsend Bell and Will Power rounding out the top-five finishers. Ashley Judd's hubby, Dario Franchitti, who won the race in 2007, finished seventh.

The 34-year-old Brazilian led the race's final 58 laps and gave team owner Roger Penske his 15th Indy 500 victory. Castroneves also won the high-profile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2001 and '02.

Castroneves was acquitted of income-tax evasion last month, with a jury deadlocking on five other counts, including conspiracy. On Friday, prosecutors opted to dismiss the five charges.

Two days after federal prosecutors dismissed the remainder of their tax-evasion case against him, the 34-year-old Brazilian racecar driver and Dancing With the Stars champ won his third Indianapolis 500.

"I want to climb the fence!" Castroneves, whose signature celebratory move has earned him the nickname "Spiderman," said as he pulled into Victory Lane.

And then he did, jumping along with his pit crew onto the fence along the main grandstand.