Beta Theta Pi wins 63rd Little 500

It was a sprint finish between the pole-sitters and the defending champions Saturday afternoon in the 63rd running of the men's Little 500. The pole-sitters prevailed.

Beta Theta Pi's Will Kragie edged Delta Tau Delta's Paul Smith at the finish line as Beta won its first Little 500 since 1964 in front of a packed Bill Armstrong Stadium.

In the final few laps, Beta led by a wide margin, however by lap 197, Delta Tau Delta had closed in enough to take the lead. On lap 198, Beta went for an exchange as Kragie replaced Tom Laser, and Delta Tau Delta had increased its edge.

With Delts leading through lap 199, Kragie continued to close the gap through turns one and two of the final lap. By turn three, Beta had taken the lead, and though Delts would continue to vie for the title, it was not enough in the end.

Following Delta Tau Delta was Phi Delta Theta far behind in third place, followed by the spring series champions Cutters in fourth and Black Key Bulls in fifth.

The unofficial full 33-team standings is posted below:

1. Beta Theta Pi
2. Delta Tau Delta
3. Phi Delta Theta
4. Cutters
5. Black Key Bulls
6. Sigma Phi Epsilon
7. Sigma Nu
8. Phi Gamma Delta
9. Theta Chi
10. Kappa Sigma
11. Wright
12. Gray Goat
13. Lambda Chi Alpha
14. Sigma Chi
15. Delta Upsilon
16. Forest
17. Phi Kappa Psi
18. Sigma Alpha Epsilon
19. Hillel
20. Air Force
21. Phi Kappa Sigma
22. Pi Kappa Phi
23. CSF
24. Cru
25. Alpha Epsilon Pi
26. Delta Chi
27. Delta Sigma Pi
28. Alpha Tau Omega
29. Collins
30. Evans Scholars
31. Kappa Delta Rho
32. Sigma Alpha Mu
33. Pi Kappa Alpha

- Jordan Littman