Scheckter

INDIANAPOLIS -- Rookies, true wet-behind-the-ears newcomers, are not supposed to have it easy in the Indianapolis 500.

Plenty of people had been telling that to Tomas Scheckter for the past month. He listened but didn't necessarily agree.

As if to prove others wrong, Scheckter seemingly brought the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and 32 competitors to their knees for nearly half of Sunday's race.

With 27 laps remaining, Scheckter's Red Bull Cheever Racing team mapped out its strategy for a final pit stop -- in, out, on to victory.

Then, true to its reputation, the Speedway swiftly and soundly taught the 21-year-old South African that nothing -- especially victory -- comes easy in the world's most famous race.

Cruising with a nearly 10-second lead over his nearest competitor, Scheckter never got a chance to make that final pit stop, crashing hard while exiting Turn 4. His dreams of victory were sent skidding down the front straightaway in a crumbled heap and a 26th-place finish.

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

"The car just went straight, I had no control over it whatsoever," Scheckter said. "I just got immediately a lot of understeer and hit directly into the wall. I don't want to say something broke now unless I'm for certain. We'll go back and have a look at it."

The crash ruined what had been an outstanding run for Scheckter, who led a race-high 85 of 200 laps.

"The most important time to be up front is the last lap and I wasn't, so it all means nothing," said Scheckter, the son of 1979 Formula One world champion Jody Scheckter. "You don't want to lead, you want to win. I wouldn't mind if I didn't lead one lap until the last one."

To the casual observer, it will look like just another "did not finish" for the Indy Racing League's most talented -- and crash-prone -- newcomer. The accident at Indianapolis was his fourth in five events, including three in a row. Scheckter, however, said Sunday's crash was different because it most likely was caused by a mechanical problem.

"If I really felt this was my fault, I would be very angry," Scheckter said. "But I think it was out of my control."

Even with the crash, Sunday could be classified as the strongest performance of Scheckter's brief IRL career. Starting from the inside of the fourth row, Scheckter powered his way into the front pack after only 20 laps. He caught a break when a caution period -- for a crash involving Greg Ray -- came out just as he entered the pits.

When the other leaders came in four laps later, Scheckter assumed the first of four leads.

A break may have helped him get to the front, but a powerful Infiniti engine kept him there, surrendering the lead only until the completion of pit stop cycles.

"I was just cruising," Scheckter said. "I could pass people when I wanted, I could pull away when I wanted. It came easy."

Easy? At Indianapolis?

"When everything is good, it does feel easy," Scheckter said. "I just got into a rhythm and we were flying."

Scheckter said that while he was disappointed with his finish, his performance Sunday showed doubters he will be a force to be reckoned with in the IRL.

"I have to carry on and try to win some race," Scheckter said. "I have to carry on and try to win some races. For sure, we can win races. I've shown here today I can lead laps when I want. I can go through the field when I want. We just need to lead on the last lap, that's all. We've got the speed, we just need to put the whole thing together."