Kanaan surges, but Franchitti leads Indy 500 with 50 laps left

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Tony Kanaan made a remarkable surge to the front, but Dario Franchitti still held the lead with 50 laps remaining in the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

Kanaan, who drives for the Andretti Autosport team and has never won the Indy 500, had started next to last, in 32nd, after having qualifying troubles at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But he steadily moved through the field and was third behind Franchitti, the 2007 Indy 500 winner, and Marco Andretti.

Pole-sitter Helio Castroneves of Team Penske was running in the top five, but he lost precious seconds when he stalled the car after making a late pit stop.

And another Penske driver, Ryan Briscoe, also was contending for the win, but he crashed into the wall coming out of the fourth turn on Lap 148.

Danica Patrick climbed to 12th after starting 23rd. She’s a teammate of Kanaan’s and Andretti’s at the team of Andretti Autosport.

Brazilian driver Raphael Matos was running as high as third before he spun and slammed the wall on Lap 72.

-- Jim Peltz in Indianapolis