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Indy 500 notes: Juan Pablo Montoya recovers from mid-race mishap to finish sixth

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Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya finished sixth after it appeared he was destined for a long day.

Driving for Team Penske, Montoya started 18th and ran out of fuel just before a pit stop that shuffled him back in the pack.

“From there to come back to where we finished was great,” the Colombian said. “The car was really good at the end of the race.

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“I told the guys on the last stop, ‘Let’s take a swing’ [with adjustments] and we did and the car came to life,” he said. “I would have liked to have had some more laps at the end.”

Montaya won the Indy 500 in 2000 when driving for Chip Ganassi Racing and 2015 for Team Penske

Bourdais returns

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Sebastian Bourdais returned to the speedway only one week after a vicious crash in practice that left the French driver with a broken hip and pelvis that required surgery.

Bourdais, 38, walked into the track’s media center on crutches and then said he plans to recover quickly enough to race Sept. 17 in the IndyCar season finale at Sonoma Raceway.

“I have no intention to let this incident stop my career,” he said. “It’s just going to be a game of patience and trying to make sure I’m ready when it matters.”

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Bourdais, who drives for Dale Coyne Racing, lost control of his No. 18 car and slammed nearly head-on into the outside wall at more than 200 mph. He was replaced for Sunday’s race by Australian James Davison, who finished 20th.

james.peltz@latimes.com

Twitter: @PeltzLATimes

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