Castroneves wins third Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - Pole sitter Helio Castroneves captured his third Indy 500 on Sunday, giving team owner Roger Penske a record 15th trip to Victory Lane.

The win capped a stunning return to the famed Brickyard by the charismatic Brazilian, who was driving in just his third race since being cleared of tax evasion charges that could have landed him in prison.

Castroneves, a back-to-back winner in 2001 and 2002, became just the sixth driver to claim a hat-trick of 500 wins.

Briton Dan Wheldon, the 2005 Indy champion, settled for second and Danica Patrick was third to record the best ever finish by a woman in an Indy 500.

(Editing by Ed Osmond. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)