INDIANAPOLIS — Story by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Road to Indy photo —
They said there would never be another finish closer than the incredible four-wide run to the line that punctuated the 2013 Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Dean Stoneman proved that statement breakable on Friday afternoon, winning the 2016 edition of the race in a stunning photo finish with Ed Jones and scoring his second consecutive Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires victory in dramatic fashion.
In a one-lap shootout — where Jones actually passed Stoneman to lead the penultimate lap as the green flag waved — Stoneman settled into the draft and made his move down the backstretch. He charged to the outside of the Carlin driver entering turn three and kept his foot in the gas, using the momentum of the high side to power ahead exiting the final corner and hold off Jones for the win by a scant .0024 of a second.
The finish eclipses Peter Dempsey’s shock win in 2013 for the closest finish in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history.
For Stoneman, the finish is a remarkable turnaround after his incredible comeback from cancer. The 25-year-old Englishman was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2011, just months after he won the Formula Two championship and appeared to be on the open-wheel fast track. After battling and beating the aggressive disease, which saw at one point more than 250 tumors in his body, Stoneman said Friday’s win was the ultimate memorable moment.
“It was bloody close,” Stoneman emphasized in victory lane. “It was just a fantastic finish on the last lap. When Ed came past me, I thought it was all over at that point. But I went in around the outside of turn three and I saw it start coming back, I knew I had to keep pushing all the way to the line.”
“To be in a hospital bed five years ago and now, to be able to race here and win this race is truly amazing. This will be a great memory, that I came here and won on the road course and then again on the oval, especially during the 100th running of the Indy 500 … it really is a dream come true. I don’t know how we’re going to celebrate just yet, but this day will be one to remember, that’s for sure.”
Jones started from the pole after qualifying was rained out on Thursday, leading the early stages before the field was slowed on lap three after Kyle Kaiser crashed hard into the ouside wall exiting turn four. Once the field returned to racing action, Jones’ first challenge on the day came from talented Andretti Autosport rookie Dean Stoneman, who battled side-by-side with Jones for the lead on lap eight before assuming command on the front of the draft at the 10th round.
Two laps later, two talented young guns and pre-race favorites — Zach Veach and R.C. Enerson — made contact in turn two while battling for third that saw Veach bounce off the outside wall but keep going as he scrubbed off speed. The damage was done, however, as Enerson had to make a trip to pit lane and Veach faded back through the top 10, ending any hopes either had of claiming the victory.
