Kiwi driver Scott Dixon was unable to make an impact at Monday's (NZT) Indy 500, crossing the line in a disappointing 17th place in Indianapolis.
France's Scott Pagenaud claimed the chequered flag at the iconic race, after starting in pole position, duelling late with Alexander Rossi to edge out the American, with Japan's Takuma Sato crossing third.
Placed 18th on the grid, Dixon managed to briefly push his way to the front of the pack and - with fuel conserved - was looking well positioned to crack the top five, until a caution before his fourth stop killed off his momentum.
After a five-car crash on lap 178 saw the red flag raised, Dixon was poised to restart in eighth, as the race turned into a sprint for the top of the podium.
But wing damage forced him to pit again, which consigned him to 12th and he was unable to close the gap any further.
The result is a blow to the 38-year-old's hopes of defending his IndyCar title, as his main rivals all placed in the top five, pushing him from second down to fourth equal on the leaderboard.
A five-time IndyCar champion, Dixon has one Indy 500 win to his name (2008).
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