Some of them ran with a high likelyhood of achieving the dream again through most of the race
Ryan Hunter-Reay:
https://ryanracing.com/indianapolis-500-race-report-2017/
ORIOL SERVIA, No. 16 Manitowoc Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “I had a great car. In the first stint, we went backwards but then we changed the car a little bit and I think the Manitowoc car was a rocket ship. I felt so confident on restarts; we had the pace. To end the race this way is just a shame. Only one person is happy at the end of the day at this place of the 33 drivers. I was aggressive but clean all race. When (James) Davison outside he just closed, closed, closed on me and I had nowhere to go. I turned as much as I could, I was off the throttle. It just did one little move and we touched and that was it. It is what it is; you cannot go back in time unfortunately. I’m just so pleased with the effort of everyone on the team. We never gave up at the beginning and we just had an amazing pace. I’ll be back. I’m going to win this race one day, I am!”
Fernando Alonso: After starting on the second row, in fifth, and dropping to ninth in a fuel mapping miscommunication, Alonso charged past 2016 race winner Alexander Rossi for the lead. He passed cars at will, from any line on the track he chose, and executed with precision in the pits. Overall he led 27 laps, the third most of any driver on Sunday afternoon. “It was nice to have this competitive feeling, even leading the Indy 500, you know,” Alonso said. “I was passing, watching the tower, saw the 29 [his car’s number] on top of it. I was thinking at that moment if Zak or someone from the team was taking a picture because I want that picture at home.”