Thank you to every fan that watched and supported us throughout the entire Month of May. Whether you tuned in online to watch Fernando Alonso’s first ever Indy car test or you cheered on Takuma Sato as he crossed the yard of bricks, you have been with us throughout one of the most historic months we have had as a team and for that, we are thankful.
Thank you to every single crew member, engineer and staff member that helped us build six cars for the first time in team history. It wasn’t easy and we only pulled it off because you gave your blood, sweat and tears to make sure that every single car made it on track for every session. You spent hundreds of hours analyzing data and making our cars the fastest in the field of 33, which paid off in a big way.
Thank you to our amazing partners who have been with us at every turn. We could not do what we do without your unwavering support. A very special thanks to Ruoff Home Mortgage who joined us the week before the big race and found themselves celebrating a victory. Thank you for believing in us and in Takuma.
Thank you to everyone at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Verizon IndyCar Series for once again making the Indianapolis 500 the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Every year you put on the largest single-day sporting event in the world and every year it is bigger and better than the year before. We are honored to represent this great race at the dawn of a new Indy 500 century.
Thank you to Honda Performance and Development for giving us the power we needed to win back-to-back Indianapolis 500s. In both races, you gave our drivers and teams the edge that they needed to take the checkered flag and we look forward to chasing more Verizon IndyCar Series wins this season with Honda by our side.
Thank you to McLaren for not only making an incredible return to the Indianapolis 500 but choosing to do it with us. It was an privilege to work with all of you over the past month and we hope we showed you what Hoosier hospitality and IndyCar racing are all about. You will always have a home in Indianapolis.
Thank you to the entire Michael Shank Racing family; through historic circumstance we became partners to field the No. 50 car. We took great pride in being part of the first Indy 500 for such a high-class team, and we are inspired by your incredible racing spirit. We join everyone in hoping that this race was the first of many for MSR in the Verizon IndyCar Series and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Thank you to Alexander, Marco, Fernando, Ryan and Jack for giving everything you had both on and off the track. The amount of hard work and dedication you gave to everything this month was nothing short of spectacular. While only one driver could win the race, all five of you helped to make it happen by working toward a common goal.
Thank you to all the fans and media in Japan. You have supported Takuma Sato since he made the switch to INDYCAR in 2010. You’ve been there every step of the way and at every race with Takuma. This win was for you.
Lastly, thank you to Takuma Sato. You did it. You poured your heart, your intensity and every bit of your focus into every practice session, every qualifying lap and every minute of the 101st Indianapolis 500. You drove a smart, aggressive and downright beautiful race to become the first Japanese driver to win the Indy 500. That’s an honor that will be yours forever. We look forward to seeing your face on the Borg Warner Trophy.
Thank you everyone. Let’s do it all again next year.