This page will contain discussion groups about indy 500, as they become available.Indianapolis 500Indianapolis 500, 1994The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, frequently shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, is an American automobile race held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. First known and held as the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race in 1911, "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," or simply "Indy," is one of the oldest and richest motorsport events in existence, and the largest single-day sporting event worldwide in both on-grounds attendance and international audience (recent estimates placing the latter in excess of 320 million). The event lends its name to the "IndyCar" class of formula, or open-wheel, race cars that have competed in it and has been broadcast live over radio on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network since 1952, and televised on ABC Sports since 1965, with live flag-to-flag coverage beginning in 1986. In May 2005, the race celebrated its 60th consecutive year of uninterrupted occurrence. HistoryThe Early YearsCover of Speed Age magazine, showing start of first Indianapolis 500 raceThe Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex was built in 1909, and hosted a smattering of small events before the promoters decided to focus on one major event and it was paved with 3.2 million bricks urged by principal Carl G. Fisher. The creation of a 500 mile (804.672 km) race allowed the track to rapidly acquire a privileged status for automobile races. The first "500" was held at the Speedway on Memorial Day, May 30, 1911, with Ray Harroun piloting a Marmon "Wasp" -- outfitted with his invention, the rear-view mirror -- to victory. This victory is depicted in a limited edition bronze sculpture entitled "The Wasp" by American automotive artist Stanley Wanlass. 80,200 spectators paid $1 admission, and an annual tradition had been established. Although the first race was won by an American driver at the wheel of an American car, European makers such as the Italian Fiat or French Peugeot companies soon developed their own vehicles to try and win the event, which they did from 1913 to 1919. However, after World War I, the native drivers and manufacturers regained their dominance of the race, with the engineer Harry Arminius Miller setting himself up as the most competitive of the post-war builders. His technical developments allowed him to be indirectly connected to a history of success that would last into the mid-1970s. Miller and OffenhauserIn the early 20s, Miller built his own 3.0 litre (183 in³) engine, inspired by the Peugeot Grand Prix engine which had been serviced in his shop by Fred Offenhauser in 1914, installing it in the back of Jimmy Murphy's Duesenberg and allowing him to win the 1922 edition of the race. Miller then created his own automobiles, which shared the 'Miller' designation, and which were powered by in turn by supercharged versions of his 2.0 and 1.5 litre (122 and 91 in³) engine single-seaters, winning four more races for the engine up to 1929 (two of them, 1926 and 1928, in Miller chassis). The engines then won another seven races until 1938 (again two of them, 1930 and 1932, in Miller-designated chassis), then ran at first with stock-type motors before later being adjusted to the international 3.0 liter formula. However, in 1935, Miller's former employees, Fred Offenhauser and Leo Goosen, had already achieved their first win with the soon-to-become famous 4-cylinder Offenhauser or "Offy" engine. This motor was forever connected with the Brickyard's history with a to-date record total of 27 wins, in both naturally-aspirated and supercharged form, and winning a likewise record-holding 18 consecutive years between 1947 and 1964. European IncursionsHot Rod magazine cover showing a Granatelli Lotus Turbine IndyCar, 1968In the meantime, European manufacturers, gone from the Indianapolis 500 for nearly two decades, made a brief return just before World War II, with the competitive Maserati 8CM allowing Wilbur Shaw to become the first driver to win consecutively at Indianapolis in 1941. With the 500 having been a part of the World Drivers' Championship between 1950 and 1960, Ferrari made a discreet appearance at the 1952 event with Alberto Ascari, but European entries were few and far between during those days. In fact, it wouldn't be until the Indianapolis 500 was removed from the calendar that Europeans made their return, with Australian Jack Brabham driving his slightly modified F1 Cooper in the 1961 race. In 1963, technical innovator Colin Chapman brought his Team Lotus to Indianapolis for the first time, attracted by the large monetary prizes, far bigger than the usual at a European event. Racing a mid-engined car, Scotsman Jim Clark was second in his first attempt in 1963, dominating in 1964 until suffering suspension failure on the 47th lap, and completely dominating the race in 1965, a victory which also interrupted the success of the Offy, and offering the 4.2 litre Ford V8 its first success at the race. Offenhauser too would join forces with a European maker, McLaren, obtaining three wins for the chassis, one with the Penske team in 1972 with driver Mark Donohue, and two for the McLaren Works team in 1974 and 1976 with Johnny Rutherford. This was also the last time the Offy would win a race, its competitiveness steadily decreasing until its final appearance in 1983. American drivers kept on filling the majority of entries at the Brickyard for the following years, but European technology had taken over. Starting from 1978, most chassis and engines were European, with the only American chassis to win during the CART era being the Wildcat and Galmer chassis in 1982 and 1992. Ford and Chevy engines were built in the UK by Cosworth and Ilmor, respectively. World SeriesAfter foreign cars became the norm, foreign drivers started showing up at the Indianapolis 500 on a regular basis, choosing the United States as their primary base for their motor racing activities. Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi was one of American single-seater racing's most successful drivers in the 80s, but other names known from Formula One, such as Italian Teo Fabi and Colombian Roberto Guerrero, were able to obtain good outings as well. However, it wasn't until 1993 that reigning Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell shocked the racing world by moving to the United States, winning the PPG CART IndyCar World Series title and only losing the 500 in his rookie year because of inexperience with green-flag restarts. European-born or, at least, -bred drivers became a regular fixture of Indianapolis in the years to follow. Organizational IssuesAt the end of the 1995 season, the Indianapolis 500 was transferred to its fourth regulations ruling body since its inception. At its very beginning, the race was organized under the auspices of the AAA (American Automobile Association), alongside the National Championship, but the USAC (United States Auto Club) took over in 1956, when it became the motor racing sanctioning authority in the United States, after AAA pulled out in order to concentrate on its membership program aimed at the general motoring public. Due to control issues of monetary prizes and regulation amendments in the 1970s, the team owners banded together and formed CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams), which started organizing the Indycar World Series in 1978. However, the Indianapolis 500 sided with USAC for the next several years and became the only high-level race the body still sanctioned once its own Championship series was discontinued the next year, and the race was temporarily removed from the championship calendar, although the same cars and drivers were in attendance. The stand-off was eventually diffused and the race became part of the CART calendar in 1983. Although the race only payed the same points as any of the other races it was by far the highest-profile event of the championship, with the largest purse of the year. Despite the CART/USAC divide, from 1983 to 1994 the race was run in relative harmony, with CART and USAC occasionally disagreeing over the technical regulations. However, in 1994, IMS owner Tony George announced that he planned to remove the race from the CART series and make it the centerpiece of a new series, to be called the Indy Racing League (IRL). Opinions varied on his motivations, with his supporters sharing his disapproval of Indy's lack of status within CART when it was obvious that it was the series' flagship, the increasing number of foreign drivers with big bank accounts forcing professional American racing drivers away, and the decreasing number of oval-track races in the series, while his detractors accused George of throwing his weight around and playing politics with the race and its heritage just for a power play furthering his own interests at the expense of the sport overall. With an eye towards the skyrocketing popularity (and profitability) of NASCAR, the IRL was to share some of that series' emphasis on capital-A Americana, with more up-and-coming American drivers and fewer imported established champions, more oval races and fewer road courses (and especially fewer city street races, with their lack of revenue-generating grandstands), less technical sophistication and expense, and more positioning as a racing series for the whole family to enjoy. This last point was symbolized by the IRL holding its first-ever race at the new oval track at Disney World, but the event was slightly marred by the clearly audible agony of Eliseo Salazar, whose leg had been pierced by a suspension arm broken when he crashed during the race. In its first season in 1996, the IRL attracted mainly little known and inexperienced drivers, smaller teams, slower cars, and widespread ridicule as "replacement players". Both pundits and fans alike predicted success for CART and failure for the IRL, but the IRL played its hole card, the "25 and 8" rule; George announced that 25 of the 33 starting positions at Indianapolis would be reserved for the top 25 cars in the IRL points race, effectively leaving only eight entries for teams who had not competed in the first two IRL races. CART's reaction to this move was to announce a competing race, the U.S. 500, to run on the same day as Indianapolis. Nevertheless, the showdown between the U.S. 500 and Indianapolis 500 ended in something of a tie; relative unknown American Buddy Lazier, a driver who had however qualified for the race five years previous, won a competitive but crash-marred Indianapolis, while the CART race had to be delayed when the front-row drivers collided at the start and triggered a mass pile-up, somewhat spoiling their carefully chosen public pose as the "old pros". The U.S. 500 never generated much in the way of fan interest or TV ratings associated with a "big-time" race; it was moved from being directly opposite the Indianapolis 500 on the same day and then discontinued altogether. Since the IRL had decided that their "crown jewel" should be the climactic last race of the season, the 1996 IRL season consisted of only three races; the Disney World 200 in January, the Phoenix race in March, and the Indy 500 in May. The next race, in New Hampshire in July, began the 1997 season. However, this confused fans who were used to the universal early-spring-through-late-fall season used by almost all motorsports organizations; worse, it did not meet the needs of corporate sponsors, whose budget sheets ran on the fiscal year. Therefore in September, the IRL changed their season back again to the standard early-spring-through-late-fall; however, since the 1996 season was now officially concluded and the 1997 season had already officially begun, this caused the 1997 season to run for 17 months, from the New Hampshire race in July of 1996 through the Las Vegas 500K race in November of 1997. This marathon season coming right after the three-race 1996 season did not help IRL's image as a bunch of amateurs and beginners. Finally, in 1998, IRL's calendar once more fell into sync with the rest of the automotive world. In 1997 George made his next move and specified new technical rules for less expensive cars and "production based" engines that outlawed the CART-spec cars that had been the mainstay of the race since the mid-1970s. For the next few years almost all of the CART teams and drivers did not compete in the race. While this situation allowed many American drivers to participate in an event they might otherwise have been unable to afford, the turbulent political situation and the absence of the many of the top IndyCar drivers, the big-name sponsors and faster CART-spec cars casting something of a shadow over the race; it was certainly arguable that to the average fan the replacement of at least fairly-well-known foreign drivers by almost-unknown American ones was not perceived as a real gain. In 2000 Chip Ganassi, while still racing in the CART ChampCar World Series, made the decision to return to Indianapolis with his drivers, the 1996 CART champion Jimmy Vasser, and the 1999 CART champion Juan-Pablo Montoya. On race day Montoya put on a dominating performance, leading 167 of the 200 laps to win. The defeat was somewhat humiliating for the IRL teams, with the Ganassi team's advantage primarily being pit stops that were frequently several seconds quicker than their main rivals. Yet the real winner was George, who had brought back one of the CART teams, and its sponsor, to race with the IRL cars. A year later, Roger Penske, historically CART and Indianapolis' most successful team owner, also came back to Indianapolis and won. For 2002, Penske and Ganassi became permanent entrants in the IRL, with many other former CART teams joining them in switching sides. In 2003 Honda and Toyota switched their engine supply from CART to the IRL. CART went bankrupt shortly following, with its rights and infrastructure purchased by remaining car owners. NASCAR Drivers in the 500Prior to 2005, a few NASCAR drivers would be able to compete double duty racing the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, which takes place the same day, just after the race. In order to make it on time, drivers usually caught a helicopter directly from the Speedway to take them to the Indianapolis International Airport, flew into Concord Regional Airport, and even then they barely make it in time to race. Notable drivers include Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, and John Andretti. Stewart competed double duty in 1999 and 2001, but contract limits restricted him from doing so in 2004. Gordon has done it the most number of times; in 2004 the rain caused him to have to hand over driving duties to fellow driver Jaques Lazier. In 2000 Gordon missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600, which started pace laps when the Indianapolis 500 finished. Gordon, being a team owner, just placed P.J. Jones in his car and finished the Indianapolis 500, receiving no drivers points as Jones started the race but getting owners points. For 2005 the start of Indianapolis was pushed up to improve national television air-time, thus preventing NASCAR drivers to be able to compete at Indy and Lowe's on the same day; Indiana moving to the statewide use of Daylight Savings Time means that the starting times of the races are likely to remain too close for drivers to compete in both races on the same day in the foreseeable future. Stewart is the only driver to complete the full 1100 miles (1770 km) for 600 laps in both races on the same day. TraditionsDue to the longevity of the Indianapolis 500, a number of traditions have developed over the years.For many fans, these traditions are almost as important as the race itself, and they have often reacted quite negatively when the traditions are changed or broken. Pre-raceAn explosive is set off, traditionally, at 5 a.m. to signal the opening of the grounds to spectators. However, in 2006, with the race being moved to a 1 p.m. start, because of Indiana moving to daylight savings time, the gates will open at 6 a.m. In remembrance of Memorial Day, the Purdue University All American Marching Band plays "Taps", and aircraft from the United States military do a fly-by.When multiple aircraft are used, they often execute the missing man formation. Jim Nabors sings Back Home Again in Indiana, accompanied by the Purdue Marching Band. The call for engine start is made by stating "Gentlemen, start your engines!" When women drivers are competing, the call is amended to "Lady and Gentlemen" or "Ladies and Gentlemen". Wilbur Shaw, President of the Speedway from 1946-1954, was probable coiner of the phrase and recited the command during those years. Tony Hulman himself did it from 1955-1977. From 1978-1980 and 1982-1996, the call was made by his widow Mary Fendrich Hulman, who died in 1998 at the age of 93. Her daughter, Mari Hulman George did it in 1981, and has now done so since 1997. On occasions when rain has forced delay or postponement of the race after either the race has begun or the initial command has been given (1967, 1973, 1986, 1997, 2004), an amended command, "restart your engines," has been given; in 1986, this restart command was given by Tony George. In 2004, the restart of the race after a rain delay was given by longtime announcer Tom Carnegie. RaceThe cars begin the race three cars to a row in a rolling start.Most other automobile races have two cars in a row. Tom Carnegie is the track announcer for the race. Having called the race since 1946 on the public address system, he is best known for his lines, "He's on it!" (signalling the start of a qualifying attempt), "It's a new track record!" (when a driver surpasses either a one- or four-lap track record in qualifications), and "He's slowing down on the backstretch!" Post-RaceA long-standing tradition of the Indianapolis 500 is for the victor to drink a bottle of milk immediately after the race. This practice first began in 1936 after victor Louis Meyer asked for a glass of buttermilk, his favorite drink, and afterward became ritual as milk companies became sponsors of the race purse and handed a bottle of milk to the winner to promote their product, a sponsorship of currently $10,000 now paid out by the American Dairy Association. Among Indycar drivers, Emerson Fittipaldi is infamous for drinking orange juice after his 1993 victory, before he drank the customary milk. A bas-relief sculpture of the winner's face, along with his name, average speed, and date of victory is added to the Borg-Warner Trophy. A smaller replica of this trophy has been officially presented to the winner after the race since 1988. However prior to that, for decades, winners usually had a relica made for them. The winner has been given one of the pace cars, or a replica of it if the pace car is not street legal, since 1936. MemorabiliaMany people promote and share information about the Indy 500 and its memorabilia collecting.The National Indy 500 Collectors Club is an independent active organization that has been dedicated to support such activities. Based out of Indianapolis, they include an experienced membership available for discussion and advise on Indy 500 memorabilia trading and Indy 500 questions in general. Records
Firsts
Year-By-Year
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Based out of Indianapolis, they include an experienced membership available for discussion and advise on Indy 500 memorabilia trading and Indy 500 questions in general. In the Eastern rite churches, all the bishops of an autocephalous church elect successor bishops, thus serving as an electoral college for all the episcopal sees. Many people promote and share information about the Indy 500 and its memorabilia collecting.The National Indy 500 Collectors Club is an independent active organization that has been dedicated to support such activities. Ecclesiastical electoral colleges abound in modern times, especially among Protestant and Eastern rite churches. The winner has been given one of the pace cars, or a replica of it if the pace car is not street legal, since 1936. Nations with Electoral College systems outside the United States include Estonia, France (for the Senate), Hong Kong, India, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Madagascar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Trinidad and Tobago. However prior to that, for decades, winners usually had a relica made for them. Formerly in Brazil, during it's military rule period, the president was elected by the Electoral college made by the senators, deputies, state deputies and law-makers in the cities. A smaller replica of this trophy has been officially presented to the winner after the race since 1988. The college consists of three equally weighted sections: the votes of Labour MPs and MEPs; the votes of affiliated trade unions and socialist societies; and the votes of individual members of Constituency Labour Parties. A bas-relief sculpture of the winner's face, along with his name, average speed, and date of victory is added to the Borg-Warner Trophy. Another type of electoral college is used by the British Labour Party to choose its leader. Among Indycar drivers, Emerson Fittipaldi is infamous for drinking orange juice after his 1993 victory, before he drank the customary milk. In Germany and India, the members of the lower house of Parliament together with an equal number of members from the state parliaments elect the President of the Republic, whilst in Italy the presidential electoral college is composed of the members of both houses of Parliament and three members elected by each of the regional assemblies. This practice first began in 1936 after victor Louis Meyer asked for a glass of buttermilk, his favorite drink, and afterward became ritual as milk companies became sponsors of the race purse and handed a bottle of milk to the winner to promote their product, a sponsorship of currently $10,000 now paid out by the American Dairy Association. constitution. A long-standing tradition of the Indianapolis 500 is for the victor to drink a bottle of milk immediately after the race. The short-lived Confederate States of America provided for election of its president in virtually the same manner as set forth in the U.S. Having called the race since 1946 on the public address system, he is best known for his lines, "He's on it!" (signalling the start of a qualifying attempt), "It's a new track record!" (when a driver surpasses either a one- or four-lap track record in qualifications), and "He's slowing down on the backstretch!". For example, the President of Finland was elected by an electoral college between 1919 and 1987. Tom Carnegie is the track announcer for the race. Similar systems are used or have been used in other presidential elections around the world. The cars begin the race three cars to a row in a rolling start.Most other automobile races have two cars in a row. Electoral College for details. In 2004, the restart of the race after a rain delay was given by longtime announcer Tom Carnegie. See U.S. On occasions when rain has forced delay or postponement of the race after either the race has begun or the initial command has been given (1967, 1973, 1986, 1997, 2004), an amended command, "restart your engines," has been given; in 1986, this restart command was given by Tony George. The electors generally cast their votes for the winner of the popular vote in their respective states. Her daughter, Mari Hulman George did it in 1981, and has now done so since 1997. Each state has a number of electors equivalent to its total Congressional representation, with the non-state District of Columbia receiving three electors. From 1978-1980 and 1982-1996, the call was made by his widow Mary Fendrich Hulman, who died in 1998 at the age of 93. The United States is the only example of an indirectly-elected executive president using an Electoral College, made up of electors representing the 50 states. Tony Hulman himself did it from 1955-1977. Some nations with complex regional electorates elect a head of state by means of an electoral college rather than a direct popular election. Wilbur Shaw, President of the Speedway from 1946-1954, was probable coiner of the phrase and recited the command during those years. Since 1059, it has had exclusive authority over papal elections. The call for engine start is made by stating "Gentlemen, start your engines!" When women drivers are competing, the call is amended to "Lady and Gentlemen" or "Ladies and Gentlemen". In the Pope's case, the system of people and clergy was eventually replaced by a college of the important clergy of Rome, which eventually evolved into the College of Cardinals. Jim Nabors sings Back Home Again in Indiana, accompanied by the Purdue Marching Band. However, due to various reasons, such as reducing the influence of the state in church matters or removing the laity's voice in the matter, the electing power moved to the clergy alone and then, in the case of the Western Church, to only a college of the canons of the cathedral church. In remembrance of Memorial Day, the Purdue University All American Marching Band plays "Taps", and aircraft from the United States military do a fly-by.When multiple aircraft are used, they often execute the missing man formation. Initially, the entire membership of a particular church (both the clergy and laity) elected the bishop/chief presbyter. start, because of Indiana moving to daylight savings time, the gates will open at 6 a.m. Christianity also used electoral colleges in ancient times, but not until late antiquity. However, in 2006, with the race being moved to a 1 p.m. While most other Germanic nations went to a strictly hereditary system by the first millennium, the Holy Roman Empire could not, and the King of the Romans, who would become Holy Roman Emperor or at least Emperor-elect, was selected by the college of prince-electors from the late Middle Ages until 1806. to signal the opening of the grounds to spectators. Thus Pelayo needed to be elected by his Visigothic nobles before becoming king of Asturias, and so did with the Frankish nobles in order to become the first Carolingian king. An explosive is set off, traditionally, at 5 a.m. Ancient Germanic law stated that the Germanic king led only with the support of his nobles. Due to the longevity of the Indianapolis 500, a number of traditions have developed over the years.For many fans, these traditions are almost as important as the race itself, and they have often reacted quite negatively when the traditions are changed or broken. Electoral colleges are an ancient institution. Stewart is the only driver to complete the full 1100 miles (1770 km) for 600 laps in both races on the same day. Many times, though, the electors are simply important persons whose wisdom, it is hoped, would provide a better choice than a larger body. For 2005 the start of Indianapolis was pushed up to improve national television air-time, thus preventing NASCAR drivers to be able to compete at Indy and Lowe's on the same day; Indiana moving to the statewide use of Daylight Savings Time means that the starting times of the races are likely to remain too close for drivers to compete in both races on the same day in the foreseeable future. Often these electors represent a different organization or entity with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way. Jones in his car and finished the Indianapolis 500, receiving no drivers points as Jones started the race but getting owners points. An electoral college is a set of electors who are empowered as a deliberative body to elect someone to a particular office. Gordon, being a team owner, just placed P.J. In 2000 Gordon missed the start of the Coca-Cola 600, which started pace laps when the Indianapolis 500 finished. Gordon has done it the most number of times; in 2004 the rain caused him to have to hand over driving duties to fellow driver Jaques Lazier. Stewart competed double duty in 1999 and 2001, but contract limits restricted him from doing so in 2004. Notable drivers include Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, and John Andretti. In order to make it on time, drivers usually caught a helicopter directly from the Speedway to take them to the Indianapolis International Airport, flew into Concord Regional Airport, and even then they barely make it in time to race. Prior to 2005, a few NASCAR drivers would be able to compete double duty racing the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, which takes place the same day, just after the race. CART went bankrupt shortly following, with its rights and infrastructure purchased by remaining car owners. In 2003 Honda and Toyota switched their engine supply from CART to the IRL. For 2002, Penske and Ganassi became permanent entrants in the IRL, with many other former CART teams joining them in switching sides. A year later, Roger Penske, historically CART and Indianapolis' most successful team owner, also came back to Indianapolis and won. Yet the real winner was George, who had brought back one of the CART teams, and its sponsor, to race with the IRL cars. The defeat was somewhat humiliating for the IRL teams, with the Ganassi team's advantage primarily being pit stops that were frequently several seconds quicker than their main rivals. On race day Montoya put on a dominating performance, leading 167 of the 200 laps to win. In 2000 Chip Ganassi, while still racing in the CART ChampCar World Series, made the decision to return to Indianapolis with his drivers, the 1996 CART champion Jimmy Vasser, and the 1999 CART champion Juan-Pablo Montoya. While this situation allowed many American drivers to participate in an event they might otherwise have been unable to afford, the turbulent political situation and the absence of the many of the top IndyCar drivers, the big-name sponsors and faster CART-spec cars casting something of a shadow over the race; it was certainly arguable that to the average fan the replacement of at least fairly-well-known foreign drivers by almost-unknown American ones was not perceived as a real gain. For the next few years almost all of the CART teams and drivers did not compete in the race. In 1997 George made his next move and specified new technical rules for less expensive cars and "production based" engines that outlawed the CART-spec cars that had been the mainstay of the race since the mid-1970s. Finally, in 1998, IRL's calendar once more fell into sync with the rest of the automotive world. This marathon season coming right after the three-race 1996 season did not help IRL's image as a bunch of amateurs and beginners. Therefore in September, the IRL changed their season back again to the standard early-spring-through-late-fall; however, since the 1996 season was now officially concluded and the 1997 season had already officially begun, this caused the 1997 season to run for 17 months, from the New Hampshire race in July of 1996 through the Las Vegas 500K race in November of 1997. However, this confused fans who were used to the universal early-spring-through-late-fall season used by almost all motorsports organizations; worse, it did not meet the needs of corporate sponsors, whose budget sheets ran on the fiscal year. The next race, in New Hampshire in July, began the 1997 season. Since the IRL had decided that their "crown jewel" should be the climactic last race of the season, the 1996 IRL season consisted of only three races; the Disney World 200 in January, the Phoenix race in March, and the Indy 500 in May. 500 never generated much in the way of fan interest or TV ratings associated with a "big-time" race; it was moved from being directly opposite the Indianapolis 500 on the same day and then discontinued altogether. The U.S. 500 and Indianapolis 500 ended in something of a tie; relative unknown American Buddy Lazier, a driver who had however qualified for the race five years previous, won a competitive but crash-marred Indianapolis, while the CART race had to be delayed when the front-row drivers collided at the start and triggered a mass pile-up, somewhat spoiling their carefully chosen public pose as the "old pros". Nevertheless, the showdown between the U.S. 500, to run on the same day as Indianapolis. CART's reaction to this move was to announce a competing race, the U.S. Both pundits and fans alike predicted success for CART and failure for the IRL, but the IRL played its hole card, the "25 and 8" rule; George announced that 25 of the 33 starting positions at Indianapolis would be reserved for the top 25 cars in the IRL points race, effectively leaving only eight entries for teams who had not competed in the first two IRL races. In its first season in 1996, the IRL attracted mainly little known and inexperienced drivers, smaller teams, slower cars, and widespread ridicule as "replacement players". This last point was symbolized by the IRL holding its first-ever race at the new oval track at Disney World, but the event was slightly marred by the clearly audible agony of Eliseo Salazar, whose leg had been pierced by a suspension arm broken when he crashed during the race. With an eye towards the skyrocketing popularity (and profitability) of NASCAR, the IRL was to share some of that series' emphasis on capital-A Americana, with more up-and-coming American drivers and fewer imported established champions, more oval races and fewer road courses (and especially fewer city street races, with their lack of revenue-generating grandstands), less technical sophistication and expense, and more positioning as a racing series for the whole family to enjoy. Opinions varied on his motivations, with his supporters sharing his disapproval of Indy's lack of status within CART when it was obvious that it was the series' flagship, the increasing number of foreign drivers with big bank accounts forcing professional American racing drivers away, and the decreasing number of oval-track races in the series, while his detractors accused George of throwing his weight around and playing politics with the race and its heritage just for a power play furthering his own interests at the expense of the sport overall. However, in 1994, IMS owner Tony George announced that he planned to remove the race from the CART series and make it the centerpiece of a new series, to be called the Indy Racing League (IRL). Despite the CART/USAC divide, from 1983 to 1994 the race was run in relative harmony, with CART and USAC occasionally disagreeing over the technical regulations. Although the race only payed the same points as any of the other races it was by far the highest-profile event of the championship, with the largest purse of the year. The stand-off was eventually diffused and the race became part of the CART calendar in 1983. However, the Indianapolis 500 sided with USAC for the next several years and became the only high-level race the body still sanctioned once its own Championship series was discontinued the next year, and the race was temporarily removed from the championship calendar, although the same cars and drivers were in attendance. Due to control issues of monetary prizes and regulation amendments in the 1970s, the team owners banded together and formed CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams), which started organizing the Indycar World Series in 1978. At its very beginning, the race was organized under the auspices of the AAA (American Automobile Association), alongside the National Championship, but the USAC (United States Auto Club) took over in 1956, when it became the motor racing sanctioning authority in the United States, after AAA pulled out in order to concentrate on its membership program aimed at the general motoring public. At the end of the 1995 season, the Indianapolis 500 was transferred to its fourth regulations ruling body since its inception. European-born or, at least, -bred drivers became a regular fixture of Indianapolis in the years to follow. However, it wasn't until 1993 that reigning Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell shocked the racing world by moving to the United States, winning the PPG CART IndyCar World Series title and only losing the 500 in his rookie year because of inexperience with green-flag restarts. Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi was one of American single-seater racing's most successful drivers in the 80s, but other names known from Formula One, such as Italian Teo Fabi and Colombian Roberto Guerrero, were able to obtain good outings as well. After foreign cars became the norm, foreign drivers started showing up at the Indianapolis 500 on a regular basis, choosing the United States as their primary base for their motor racing activities. Ford and Chevy engines were built in the UK by Cosworth and Ilmor, respectively. Starting from 1978, most chassis and engines were European, with the only American chassis to win during the CART era being the Wildcat and Galmer chassis in 1982 and 1992. American drivers kept on filling the majority of entries at the Brickyard for the following years, but European technology had taken over. This was also the last time the Offy would win a race, its competitiveness steadily decreasing until its final appearance in 1983. Offenhauser too would join forces with a European maker, McLaren, obtaining three wins for the chassis, one with the Penske team in 1972 with driver Mark Donohue, and two for the McLaren Works team in 1974 and 1976 with Johnny Rutherford. Racing a mid-engined car, Scotsman Jim Clark was second in his first attempt in 1963, dominating in 1964 until suffering suspension failure on the 47th lap, and completely dominating the race in 1965, a victory which also interrupted the success of the Offy, and offering the 4.2 litre Ford V8 its first success at the race. In 1963, technical innovator Colin Chapman brought his Team Lotus to Indianapolis for the first time, attracted by the large monetary prizes, far bigger than the usual at a European event. In fact, it wouldn't be until the Indianapolis 500 was removed from the calendar that Europeans made their return, with Australian Jack Brabham driving his slightly modified F1 Cooper in the 1961 race. With the 500 having been a part of the World Drivers' Championship between 1950 and 1960, Ferrari made a discreet appearance at the 1952 event with Alberto Ascari, but European entries were few and far between during those days. In the meantime, European manufacturers, gone from the Indianapolis 500 for nearly two decades, made a brief return just before World War II, with the competitive Maserati 8CM allowing Wilbur Shaw to become the first driver to win consecutively at Indianapolis in 1941. This motor was forever connected with the Brickyard's history with a to-date record total of 27 wins, in both naturally-aspirated and supercharged form, and winning a likewise record-holding 18 consecutive years between 1947 and 1964. However, in 1935, Miller's former employees, Fred Offenhauser and Leo Goosen, had already achieved their first win with the soon-to-become famous 4-cylinder Offenhauser or "Offy" engine. The engines then won another seven races until 1938 (again two of them, 1930 and 1932, in Miller-designated chassis), then ran at first with stock-type motors before later being adjusted to the international 3.0 liter formula. Miller then created his own automobiles, which shared the 'Miller' designation, and which were powered by in turn by supercharged versions of his 2.0 and 1.5 litre (122 and 91 in³) engine single-seaters, winning four more races for the engine up to 1929 (two of them, 1926 and 1928, in Miller chassis). In the early 20s, Miller built his own 3.0 litre (183 in³) engine, inspired by the Peugeot Grand Prix engine which had been serviced in his shop by Fred Offenhauser in 1914, installing it in the back of Jimmy Murphy's Duesenberg and allowing him to win the 1922 edition of the race. His technical developments allowed him to be indirectly connected to a history of success that would last into the mid-1970s. However, after World War I, the native drivers and manufacturers regained their dominance of the race, with the engineer Harry Arminius Miller setting himself up as the most competitive of the post-war builders. Although the first race was won by an American driver at the wheel of an American car, European makers such as the Italian Fiat or French Peugeot companies soon developed their own vehicles to try and win the event, which they did from 1913 to 1919. 80,200 spectators paid $1 admission, and an annual tradition had been established. This victory is depicted in a limited edition bronze sculpture entitled "The Wasp" by American automotive artist Stanley Wanlass. The first "500" was held at the Speedway on Memorial Day, May 30, 1911, with Ray Harroun piloting a Marmon "Wasp" -- outfitted with his invention, the rear-view mirror -- to victory. The creation of a 500 mile (804.672 km) race allowed the track to rapidly acquire a privileged status for automobile races. Fisher. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex was built in 1909, and hosted a smattering of small events before the promoters decided to focus on one major event and it was paved with 3.2 million bricks urged by principal Carl G. . In May 2005, the race celebrated its 60th consecutive year of uninterrupted occurrence. The event lends its name to the "IndyCar" class of formula, or open-wheel, race cars that have competed in it and has been broadcast live over radio on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network since 1952, and televised on ABC Sports since 1965, with live flag-to-flag coverage beginning in 1986. First known and held as the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race in 1911, "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," or simply "Indy," is one of the oldest and richest motorsport events in existence, and the largest single-day sporting event worldwide in both on-grounds attendance and international audience (recent estimates placing the latter in excess of 320 million). The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, frequently shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500, is an American automobile race held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. Indianapolis 500 year by year. Indianapolis 500 Firsts. Indianapolis 500 Records. |