Favorite Indianapolis 500 Moments

[Paul Pless]

Danny Sullivan spins in front of Mario Andretti then goes onto win the 1985 event.

http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/photo/build_photo_ims.php?photo_id=13999&size=med

[Donn]

Pit passes for 20+ years, meeting all the drivers, riding in the pace car several times and even driving a few of the cars.

[carlg]

Went to the time trials in the early '60s the first year that the Ford V8s appeared. I remember hearing someone blipping the throttle on one of those and hearing it scream. Compared to the old Offenhausers it was just incredible. Sent shivers down my back. Then when it got on the track....wow!

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

THE MAN - from Berwickshire.
http://eis.net.au/~bramwell/indytrophy65.jpg

And Chapmans finest piece of lateral thinking

[Paul Pless]

P.I.Stazzer Newt,

I'll give you yours and raise you one ornery assed Texan:

http://www.foytracing.com/AJFoyt/photos/indy64.jpg

last win at Indy by a front engined car, it was a horrible raceday though...

[Keith Wilson]

How 'bout this one: The Paxton turbine car from 1967 that led for 197 laps, then broke something minor but essential. They changed the rules the next year to outlaw it.

http://www.texastransams.com/images/2004tan/0148indy_stp.jpg

[Gary E]

Went to the time trials in the early '60s the first year that the Ford V8s appeared. I remember hearing someone blipping the throttle on one of those and hearing it scream. Compared to the old Offenhausers it was just incredible. Sent shivers down my back. Then when it got on the track....wow!

I was there too.... but the one I heard was a Chevy...I think

Made the little Offy sound like a little whimper by comparison...

Remember the NOVI ??? another car that roared


And the rubber hitting us in the face as the cars passed is in turn one.... today I doubt you'd get within 20 ft of where we were then. No fence, just that low wall and we were right on it.

[Ross M]

Pretty tough to beat the Spin & Win, Paul :)

A favorite of mine was the 1991 finish. Michael Andretti passes Mears on the outside :eek: . Next lap, Mears passes Andretti on the outside and holds it for his 4th 500.

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/build_photo_ims.jpg

For the Miller/Novi/Offy buffs: The Miller Offenhauser Historical Society Picture & Sound Gallery (http://www.milleroffy.com/Photo%20&%20Sound%20Gallery.htm#Sounds)

Ross

[Paul Pless]

Pretty tough to beat the Spin & Win, Paul :)


Bobby Rahal's 1986 win was pretty memorable. Instantly Rahal became my biggest racing hero and remained so for a long time. He was, and remains, truely a class act. Wish he had had more luck with Honda, first time around.

[John E Hardiman]

What fame gives it also takes...Indy 1973....:( I can still recall both crashes.

And why wouldn't Indy allow the '55 Chrysler 300-C sedans to race (10 mph faster than the Offy roadsters), then limited the CI to 272...;)

[Nick Scheuer]

Rudy Vukovich won with his "pedal to the metal" of one of those classic Meyer Drake-powered RWD cars.

Moby Nick

[Ken Hutchins]

In my collection of stuff I have a video of the race history, my favorite is a statement by a French driver after one of the early races
"I could not have won if it were not for the good wine"
he consumed a half dozen bottles of champagne during the race while driving.:eek: :D

[Ross M]

The Penske PC-23:


http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/pc23.jpg

And the Penske's Ilmor 500i - the engine nobody expected:

http://mysite.verizon.net/res1ub0g/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/img_0339.jpg

[formerlyknownasprince]

The Indianapolis establishment gradually realized the writing was on the wall as Brabham and his team principal John Cooper had shown that the days of front-engined roadsters were numbered.

Go the Aussie - changed the regime in America yet again

[DrakeChristensen]

My favorite 500 memory: We were standing behind some barricades in gasoline alley right where the drivers & entourages walk through to pit road to mount up just before the race. AJ Foyt comes walking past. My buddy Patrick ducked under the barricade, walked right up beside him, put his arm around AJs shoulder, held out a camera in his other hand and snapped a picture of the two of them.

I find the races forgettable but the event is something to remember.

[Katherine]

First crash in lap 2. A couple drivers now have some free time.

[Ross M]

Helio out on lap 110 :mad:

[Ross M]

I'm thinking Tony Kanaan is nicely placed for a podium - if it can't be my second favorite Brazilian, maybe it can be my third :p

[Katherine]

Talk about close finishes!

[S/V Laura Ellen]

Nice move at the finish.

[Ross M]

Boy, I really thought Hornish had thrown it away on the second to last lap in turn 4. What a finish!

Edit: Looks like it was really turn 3 :o

[S/V Laura Ellen]

Boy, I really thought Hornish had thrown it away on the second to last lap in turn 4. What a finish!

Hornish said the same thing in the post race interview.

[Katherine]

Not a bad finish for the youngest Andretti.

[S/V Laura Ellen]

must be a good gene pool for racing!

[John B]

How did Dixon do ? ( no coverage here)

[S/V Laura Ellen]

Katherine: What do you make of Michael Schumacher's loss of pole position for the F1 Monaco Grand Prix?

[Katherine]

Sorry, didn't catch the Monaco race.

[Ross M]

How did Dixon do ? ( no coverage here)

Scott finished 6th, on the lead lap. It seemed to me did not receive much coverage today; much of the attention was focused on his team mate Dan Weldon.

FWIW, Speed TV's (http://www.speedtv.com/articles/auto/)online coverage is usually pretty good. I think most of the information is put together by Racer Magazine's staff.

Ross

[Katherine]

So just how many cars couldn't uhook their fuel filler hoses and took out crew members with them?

[Ross M]

So just how many cars couldn't uhook their fuel filler hoses and took out crew members with them?

Two many :D

That should receive a stop & go penalty, IMO. Much bad business...

[John B]

Thanks Ross.

[Katherine]

I think they just got a drive through this time. At least one of the pit crew looked like he took a pretty good beating in the first incident.

[Paul Pless]

Best race in years! Too bad its basically a spec-racer series...
...oh well, we can always hope.

Whatya think, does Marco have a future in this game?;)

Oh yeah, that chic, Danica, she's no fluke either.:D

[formerlyknownasprince]

Katherine: What do you make of Michael Schumacher's loss of pole position for the F1 Monaco Grand Prix?

Seeing that Katherine didn't answer ...........

I think Schuie is a stinker of a sportsman - and has been for years - eg t-boning other drivers (twice) to stop them winning. The last GP I went to was in '96 - and I declined an invite to the '97 race principally because of his lack of sportsmanship.

AND - I'm not going to buy a Ferrari this year because of what he did at Monaco! (I am looking at an M5 Beemer this Saturday though!)

Ian

[John B]

Ian, an M5!!Do you have corners over there.:D

[Paul Pless]

AND - I'm not going to buy a Ferrari this year because of what he did at Monaco!

ROFLMAO!!! maybe you should send a letter to Jean Todt. I feel sure that he will do whatever is in his power to retain you as a valued customer.:D