Caleb Armstrong claims Little 500 win on final lap
May 25—ANDERSON — New Castle's Caleb Armstrong led only one lap Saturday night, but it was the one to bring him victory in the 76th Little 500.
Armstrong passed his cousin Dakoda Armstrong on the final lap with an inside move entering Turn 3.
Dakoda Armstrong appeared headed to his first victory when the race was slowed twice by caution flags in the final 10 laps.
Caleb Armstrong started ninth in the field and ran inside the top 10 for the entire race.
Dakoda Armstrong appeared to have used the right pit strategy and was able to show he had a dominant car as pitfalls knocked out several top contenders.
Dakoda Armstrong led 108 of the final 109 laps but finished second with Kody Swanson coming home in third.
The caution flag waved on Lap 487 when Bobby Santos III spun on the back straight, creating a shootout to the finish with Dakoda Armstrong in the lead chased by Caleb Armstrong and Swanson.
The 13th caution flag waved on Lap 498 when Kyle O'Gara and Tony Main tangled on the front straight, which kept the outcome of the race unknown.
Dakoda Armstrong started from the outside of the front row and charged into the lead at the start, pacing the first 85 circuits.
Dakoda Armstrong ran with the lead pack throughout the race and had flawless pit stops to put him into contention for the victory.
Anderson's Colin Grissom, a late entry for the race Friday, earned rookie of the year honors with a 12th-place finish after starting 28th.
A pivotal moment in the race took place when leader Jake Trainor, looking for a repeat victory, was caught up in a Lap 390 incident with a lapped car and came to a stop against the Turn 4 wall.
Trainor was the only driver on the lead lap after not stopping for his final pit stop on Lap 327, but the driver on the move was Dakoda Armstrong, getting back on the lead lap on the 379th circuit.
The race was red-flagged on Lap 416 when leading rookie contender Jackson Macenko crashed in Turn 4, which set up the run to the checkers.
It was a slow start to the 76th running of the Little 500 with the red flag waving on Lap 1 when Scotty Adema crashed into the third-turn wall.
There were six caution periods in the first 100 laps, with Dakoda Armstrong leading the first 85 circuits.
Pole-sitter Emerson Axsom then took the lead and gave way to Davey Hamilton Jr. on Lap 173.
Hamilton lost the lead on Lap 176 when he was involved in an incident with rookie Anthony Nocella and Tyler Roahrig.
Shane Hollingworth took the point when all the leaders pitted at that point in time and gave way to Swanson on Lap 228 after making his first of two required pit stops.
Swanson led until Lap 334 when the leaders pitted, which gave the lead to Trainor.
Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.
