Juan Montoya may have been classified as a rookie in the 84th Indianapolis 500, but he should not have.

Montoya had never raced at the 2.5-mile oval track before, but his prior racing experience should have expelled him from the rookie roster. Montoya won the 1999 CART championship driving for Chip Ganassi.

Montoya’s great performance took away from the stellar performances of true rookies in the race.

Airton Dare was running in the top three before losing an engine on lap 127.

Jacques Lazier started well back in 26th place, and climbed his way to a 13th place finish.

Sarah Fisher was running in the top 15 when she was involved in an accident with Lyn St. James on lap 74. She is a very young, talented driver who is destined for superstardom.

Current Busch Grand National stock car racer, midget and sprint car superstar Jason Leffler was running near the front most of the race, but succumbed to finishing 17th after losing radio contact with his crew on lap 70. Roger Penske, famed Indy 500 car owner mentored Leffler in his first 500. Penske’s eagle eyes lock in on young talents like Leffler. The fantastic careers of Al Unser Jr.and Rick Mears started with Penske.

The Indianapolis 500 is not just a race; it is a tradition, a spectacle, and is the largest single-day sporting event in the United States.

400,000 spectators gather in Speedway, Indiana each year for the festivities of Memorial Day weekend. Millions others watch at home on television.

Every racer’s dream is to win at the Brickyard, to chug milk in victory lane and kiss the Borg-Warner Trophy.The Indy 500 is the greatest spectacle in racing, and the greatest spectacle in all of sports.