Montoya takes $2.4m for Indy 500 win

Juan Pablo Montoya received $2,449,055 in an awards ceremony for his victory in the 99th Indianapolis 500 after the Colombian won the fourth-closest finish in race history.

Montoya, whose only other Indy 500 triumph came as a rookie in 2000, took the lion's share of the overall purse of $13,397,315 for his Sunday triumph over 200 laps at the 2.5-mile (4km) Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.

Montoya edged reigning IndyCar series champion Will Power of Australia by 0.1046 of a second at the checkered flag after the two and fourth-place Scott Dixon of New Zealand exchanged the lead five times over the final 11 laps.

The 15-year gap between Indy 500 wins for Montoya is a race record. The South American's total of only nine laps led is third-fewest for any Indy 500 winner after the late Dan Wheldon of England led only one in 2011 and Joe Dawson led only two in 1912.

Power took home $792,555 for his career-best runner-up effort while American Charlie Kimball, who surged late to finish third, won $564,055.

Dixon, the pole-sitter and 2008 Indy 500 winner, took $615,805, including $100,000 for winning the pole.

Dixon led the most laps of any racer Sunday with 84, having also led the most race laps in 2008, 2009 and 2011. Only Mario Andretti and Louis Meyer have matched Dixon is leading the most laps in four Indy 500 starts.

Colombian Gabby Chaves qualified 26th and finished 16th in his first Indy 500 start to claim the Rookie of the Year award. He finished with $399,055.
Source: AFP