Kimball Surprises as Ganassi’s Top Fighter in ‘500’

Chip Ganassi’s drivers were determined to give their team owner the most ideal present for his 57th birthday Sunday.

Rival team owner Roger Penske had other ideas with Juan Pablo Montoya and Will Power finishing 1-2 in the 99th Indianapolis 500.

That Ganassi’s top driver turned out to be Charlie Kimball probably raised a few eyebrows. When you’re teammates with 2008 Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon and 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, it’s easy to get overlooked.

Kimball had never finished better than eighth in four previous Indy 500 starts, but when Dixon faltered late due to an understeer, the door was open for third place. Kimball took advantage of Dixon lifting off the throttle with two laps to go.

“It was a blast,” said Kimball, 30, an American driver who was born in England but grew up in California. “The guys worked really hard on the car all month. To be so close to winning the pit stop competition on Friday (he was second), then to come close today, I think it makes us all hungrier.”

Kimball started 14th, but steadily moved up the grid. He led the race twice for 10 laps. His third place tied for the fourth-best finish in 70 series starts. His lone win came at Mid-Ohio in 2013.

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