The Stanford Racing Team’s robotic car was first across the finish line in Victorville, Calif. Saturday, but “Junior” is taking home second place in the final event of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Urban Challenge.

Although the robotic car designed by Stanford Electrical Engineering Prof. Sebastian Thrun and his team crossed the finish line minutes ahead of Carnegie Mellon University’s entry in the 60-mile race under urban conditions, the robotic cars did not all begin the race at the same time, and “Junior” got a head start.

The Carnegie Mellon team will take home the $2 million first prize, but Stanford’s team won’t be returning to the Farm empty handed. Second place in the event, the culmination of the third annual DARPA robotic car challenge, is worth $1 million.

In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Thrun praised both teams, which secured the top prizes out of a field of 11 finalists culled from 36 teams that qualified for the semifinals of the event.

“Two robots have made it back through 60 miles of urban traffic,” Thrun told The Chronicle shortly before Virginia Tech’s car crossed the finish line to take third place. “They made history.”