Courtsey of InRacingNews.com
SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Simona de Silvestro was named the 2010 Indianapolis 500 Chase Rookie of the Year Monday as part of the annual awards banquet following the historic event.
De Silvestro started 22nd and drove the No. 78 HVM Racing entry to a 14th-place finish, the last car on the lead lap. It was her best finish of the year in only her second career oval start.
“This is such an honor to be selected for this award. I’m humbled and so grateful to those who saw it fit for me to earn this,” said de Silvestro, a native of Switzerland. “This whole Indy 500 experience has been so much fun and so rewarding. I can’t thank enough my team, as well as my manager Imran Safiulla, HVM Racing’s Keith Wiggins, my sponsors, and my parents for all helping me get where I am today. I will work my hardest this year to show that I am deserving of this award.”
Fellow rookie Mario Romancini finished one position ahead of her in 13th, but the Rookie of the Year award is decided by a panel of media members and does not always go to the top-finishing rookie.
De Silvestro follows last year’s award winner Alex Tagliani, as well as respected racers Mario and Michael Andretti, Rick Mears, Jacques Villeneuve and Nigel Mansell as winners of the award.
She is the third female driver to win the award, following Danica Patrick (2005) and Lyn St. James (1992).
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