Kanaan

INDIANAPOLIS -- Tony Kanaan thought he saw a shiny spot on the track immediately ahead of him. But at 225 miles per hour, seeing potential danger and having time to avoid it are two entirely different things.

Kanaan learned the hard way Sunday, slipping through an oily patch and backing his Hollywood G Force into the turn 3 wall at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"That's the price you pay to lead the race -- you're the first one to hit the oil," said Kanaan, who finished his first Indianapolis 500 in 28th place after leading for 23 of the first 89 laps.

Helio Castroneves went on to become the first two-time Indy 500 winner since Al Unser in 1971, edging Paul Tracy in a controversial finish under caution.

"I saw it," Kanaan said of the oil, which apparently came from the car of pole-winner Bruno Junqueira. "But when I saw it, I tried to avoid it and my right rear hit the oil and spun me out."

How far away did he see the danger?

"Obviously not far enough," Kanaan said with a chuckle.

Until the crash, Kanaan was in a group of pace-setters that included Junqueira, Tomas Scheckter and Scott Sharp. Kanaan, who is in his fifth season in the CART series, said he was confident in his chances, calling it one of the best cars he ever drove.

"When the car is good, you have a lot of time to see a lot of things and my car was awesome, so I saw a lot of things I never thought I could in a race car," he said.

Kanaan started fifth and took the lead on lap 64 when Scheckter pitted. He surrendered the top spot two laps later on his own pit stop but stayed among the leaders.

His second time at the front of the 33-car field came on lap 70 and lasted until his crash. He was opening a sizable lead over teammate Felipe Giaffone at the time.

"You guys were watching the race, it speaks for itself," Kanaan said. "I was walking around Indianapolis. It was great. The only thing better than that is to go to the finish line.

"At least I can say I led a few laps in the 500 and it wasn't because somebody's engine let go or somebody let me by. I earned it. I passed everybody and that was it. It was a blast."

Kanaan, whose only career victory came in a 500-mile race at Michigan International Speedway, was philosophical about Sunday's early departure.

"Everything happens for a reason," he said. "I haven't found out what the reason was. I can watch it through lap 90 when I see the tape delay and I'll get back on that.

"It could be worse. I'm here in one piece. There are a lot more good things in life. At the end of the day, it's just a race."

Kanaan admitted he might not be so nonchalant once the reality of the situation sinks in.

"I don't think I'm realizing how bad it is until tonight probably," he said. "It's definitely unfinished business. I'll come back next year and try again."