It’s all quiet now at the Speedway
 |
| Indy Pagoda lit up at night |
It’s all quiet now at the greatest sports venue in America, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The crews are done tinkering with the cars, the drivers off to bed early and the maintenance crews are doing their final touches – cleaning up the trash from the past two weeks, and putting a shine on the place before the 350,000 adrenaline junkies come flowing through the gates for the 100th time to witness the greatest spectacle in racing, the Indy 500.
This is the only time anyone will be able to say that they were there to witness history in person – the 100th running. It won’t happen again for another 100 years and I won’t be around to see it, but hopefully I’ll be looking down from above on an even greater spectacle.
For over 100 years hundreds of thousands of people have been coming to central Indiana on the last weekend in May to see the 33 best drivers in the world race for 500 miles at breathtaking speeds in low-slung machines risking their life to win something only 67 men have ever done (some have 2, 3 and even 4 wins).
At 6:00 AM Sunday morning the gun will sound like it always does to signify the gates are open and race fans from all over the world will rush into the giant 2.5-mile stadium to soak in the history, bask in the sunshine, and watch what should be the greatest Indy 500 of all-time.
[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]There will be parades, flyovers, pretty woman, and all the pageantry that precedes the race every year.
The drivers will be paraded around the track to wave to the fans, and the adoring fans will return the wave and cheer the brave men and one woman a final time before they strap on their helmet and wait for the command to start engines.
But not before they say a prayer for the 33 brave souls, and taps will play to honor our fallen,
Of course they'll sing God Bless America, the National Anthem, and of course Back Home Again in Indiana.
Jim Nabors won't be there to sing it this time, his health failing him. It won't be the same without him because no one can ever sing that song better than Jim.
Then Mari Hulman will give the command to start engines and 33 750-HP turbocharged Chevy and Honda engines will come to life.
The balloons will be released and the cars will roll off the grid.
They’ll be three pace laps and then the green flag will drop and 33 drivers strapped in carbon fiber bathtubs sitting four inches off the ground will go barreling into turn 1 at over 200 mph and hope everyone comes out on the other side in one piece.
Sometimes they don’t and months of preparation will end before it really even got started.
There will be burning rubber, crashes, spins and broken machinery.
There will be daring passes, and near misses.
There will be sweat and tears, heated emotions and heartbreak.
And at the end of those 500-miles one driver will emerge above all the rest – the only driver to ever win the 100th running of the greatest spectacle in racing, they're name forever etched in the history books of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It will be special and those of us who got to witness it firsthand, or on TV, will never forget it, even when we're looking down from above at the 200th running a hundred years from now, with a smile still on our face and a twinkle in our eye.
Indy 500 Winners Through the Years
|
Year |
Driver |
Start |
Chassis/Engine |
Avg. MPH |
Team |
|
2015 |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
15 |
Dallara/Chevrolet |
161.341 |
Team Penske |
|
2014 |
Ryan Hunter-Reay |
19 |
Dallara/Honda |
186.563 |
Andretti Autosport |
|
2013 |
Tony Kanaan |
12 |
Dallara/Chevrolet |
187.433 |
KV Racing Technology |
|
2012 |
Dario Franchitti |
16 |
Dallara/Honda |
167.734 |
Ganassi |
|
2011 |
Dan Wheldon |
6 |
Dallara/Honda |
170.265 |
Bryan Herta |
|
2010 |
Dario Franchitti |
3 |
Dallara/Honda |
161.623 |
Ganassi |
|
2009 |
Helio Castroneves |
1 |
Dallara/Honda |
150.318 |
Penske |
|
2008 |
Scott Dixon |
1 |
Dallara/Honda |
143.567 |
Ganassi |
|
2007 |
Dario Franchitti |
3 |
Dallara/Honda |
151.774 |
Andretti-Green |
|
2006 |
Sam Hornish Jr. |
1 |
Dallara/Honda |
157.085 |
Penske |
|
2005 |
Dan Wheldon |
16 |
Dallara/Honda |
157.603 |
Andretti-Green |
|
2004 |
Buddy Rice |
1 |
G Force/Honda |
138.518 |
Rahal-Letterman |
|
2003 |
Gil de Ferran |
10 |
G Force/Toyota |
156.291 |
Penske |
|
2002 |
Helio Castroneves |
13 |
Dallara/Chevrolet |
166.499 |
Penske |
|
2001 |
Helio Castroneves |
11 |
Dallara/Oldsmobile |
141.574 |
Penske |
|
2000 |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
2 |
Dallara/Oldsmobile |
167.607 |
Ganassi |
|
1999 |
Kenny Brack |
8 |
Dallara/Aurora |
153.176 |
A.J. Foyt |
|
1998 |
Eddie Cheever Jr. |
17 |
Dallara/Aurora |
145.155 |
Cheever |
|
1997 |
Arie Luyendyk |
1 |
G Force/Aurora |
145.827 |
Treadway |
|
1996 |
Buddy Lazier |
5 |
Reynard/Ford |
147.956 |
Hemelgarn |
|
1995 |
Jacques Villeneuve |
5 |
Reynard/Ford |
153.616 |
Green |
|
1994 |
Al Unser Jr. |
1 |
Penske/Mercedes |
160.872 |
Penske |
|
1993 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
9 |
Penske/Chevrolet |
157.207 |
Penske |
|
1992 |
Al Unser Jr. |
12 |
Galmer/Chevrolet |
134.477 |
Galles-Kraco |
|
1991 |
Rick Mears |
1 |
Penske/Chevrolet |
176.457 |
Penske |
|
1990 |
Arie Luyendyk |
3 |
Lola/Chevrolet |
185.981 |
Shierson |
|
1989 |
Emerson Fittipaldi |
3 |
Penske/Chevrolet |
167.581 |
Patrick |
|
1988 |
Rick Mears |
1 |
Penske/Chevrolet |
144.809 |
Penske |
|
1987 |
Al Unser |
20 |
March/Cosworth |
162.175 |
Penske |
|
1986 |
Bobby Rahal |
4 |
March/Cosworth |
170.722 |
Truesports |
|
1985 |
Danny Sullivan |
8 |
March/Cosworth |
152.982 |
Penske |
|
1984 |
Rick Mears |
3 |
March/Cosworth |
163.612 |
Penske |
|
1983 |
Tom Sneva |
4 |
March/Cosworth |
162.117 |
Bignotti-Cotter |
|
1982 |
Gordon Johncock |
5 |
Wildcat/Cosworth |
162.029 |
STP/Patrick |
|
1981 |
Bobby Unser |
1 |
Penske/Cosworth |
139.084 |
Penske |
|
1980 |
Johnny Rutherford |
1 |
Chaparral/Cosworth |
142.862 |
Chaparral |
|
1979 |
Rick Mears |
1 |
Penske/Cosworth |
158.899 |
Penske |
|
1978 |
Al Unser |
5 |
Lola/Cosworth |
161.363 |
Chaparral |
|
1977 |
A.J. Foyt Jr. |
4 |
Coyote/Foyt |
161.331 |
A.J. Foyt |
|
1976 |
Johnny Rutherford |
1 |
McLaren/Offy |
148.725 |
McLaren |
|
1975 |
Bobby Unser |
3 |
Eagle/Offy |
149.213 |
All American Racers |
|
1974 |
Johnny Rutherford |
25 |
McLaren/Offy |
158.589 |
McLaren |
|
1973 |
Gordon Johncock |
11 |
Eagle/Offy |
159.036 |
Patrick |
|
1972 |
Mark Donohue |
3 |
McLaren/Offy |
162.962 |
Penske |
|
1971 |
Al Unser |
5 |
Colt/Ford |
157.735 |
P. Jones |
|
1970 |
Al Unser |
1 |
Colt/Ford |
155.749 |
P. Jones |
|
1969 |
Mario Andretti |
2 |
Hawk/Ford |
156.867 |
STP |
|
1968 |
Bobby Unser |
1 |
Eagle/Offy |
152.882 |
Leader Cards |
|
1967 |
A.J. Foyt |
4 |
Coyote/Ford |
151.207 |
Ansted-Thompson |
|
1966 |
Graham Hill |
15 |
Lola/Ford |
144.317 |
J. Mecom Jr. |
|
1965 |
Jim Clark |
2 |
Lotus/Ford |
150.686 |
Lotus |
|
1964 |
A.J. Foyt Jr. |
5 |
Watson/Offy |
147.35 |
Ansted-Thompson |
|
1963 |
Parnelli Jones |
1 |
Watson/Offy |
143.137 |
J.C. Agajanian |
|
1962 |
Rodger Ward |
2 |
Watson/Offy |
140.293 |
Leader Cards |
|
1961 |
A.J. Foyt |
7 |
Trevis/Offy |
139.13 |
Bignotti-Bowes |
|
1960 |
Jim Rathman |
2 |
Watson/Offy |
138.767 |
Ken-Paul |
|
1959 |
Rodger Ward |
6 |
Watson/Offy |
135.857 |
Leader Cards |
|
1958 |
Jimmy Bryan |
7 |
Salih/Offy |
133.791 |
G. Salih |
|
1957 |
Sam Hanks |
13 |
Salih/Offy |
135.601 |
G. Salih |
|
1956 |
Pat Flaherty |
1 |
Watson/Offy |
128.49 |
J. Zink |
|
1955 |
Bob Sweikert |
14 |
KK500C/Offy |
128.213 |
J. Zink |
|
1954 |
Bill Vukovich |
19 |
KK500A/Offy |
130.84 |
H. Keck |
|
1953 |
Bill Vukovich |
1 |
KK500A/Offy |
128.74 |
H. Keck |
|
1952 |
Troy Ruttman |
7 |
Kuzma/Offy |
128.922 |
J.C. Agajanian |
|
1951 |
Lee Wallard |
2 |
Kurtis/Offy |
126.244 |
M. Belanger |
|
1950 |
Johnnie Parsons |
5 |
Kurtis/Offy |
124.002 |
Kurtis-Kraft |
|
1949 |
Bill Holland |
4 |
Deidt/Offy |
121.327 |
L. Moore |
|
1948 |
Mauri Rose |
3 |
Deidt/Offy |
119.814 |
L. Moore |
|
1947 |
Mauri Rose |
3 |
Deidt/Offy |
116.338 |
L. Moore |
|
1946 |
George Robson |
15 |
Adams/Sparks |
114.82 |
Thorne |
|
1945 |
Not Held (WWII) |
||||
|
1944 |
Not Held (WWII) |
||||
|
1943 |
Not Held (WWII) |
||||
|
1942 |
Not Held (WWII) |
||||
|
*1941 |
Floyd Davis/Mauri Rose |
17 |
Wetteroth/Offy |
115.117 |
L. Moore |
|
1940 |
Wilbur Shaw |
2 |
Maserati/Maserati |
114.277 |
Boyle |
|
1939 |
Wilbur Shaw |
3 |
Maserati/Maserati |
115.035 |
Boyle |
|
1938 |
Floyd Roberts |
1 |
Wetteroth/Miller |
117.2 |
L. Moore |
|
1937 |
Wilbur Shaw |
2 |
Shaw/Offy |
113.58 |
W. Shaw |
|
1936 |
Louis Meyer |
28 |
Stevens/Miller |
109.069 |
L. Meyer |
|
1935 |
Kelly Petillo |
22 |
Wetteroth/Offy |
106.24 |
K. Petillo |
|
1934 |
Bill Cummings |
10 |
Miller/Miller |
104.863 |
H.C. Henning |
|
1933 |
Louis Meyer |
6 |
Miller/Miller |
104.162 |
L. Meyer |
|
1932 |
Fred Frame |
27 |
Wetteroth/Miller |
104.144 |
H. Hartz |
|
1931 |
Louis Schneider |
13 |
Stevens/Miller |
96.629 |
B.L Schneider |
|
1930 |
Billy Arnold |
1 |
Summers/Miller |
100.448 |
H. Hartz |
|
1929 |
Ray Keech |
6 |
Miller/Miller |
97.585 |
M.A. Yagle |
|
1928 |
Louis Meyer |
13 |
Miller/Miller |
99.482 |
A. Sampson II |
|
1927 |
George Souders |
22 |
Duesenberg/Duesenberg |
97.545 |
W.S. White |
|
1926 |
Frank Lockhart |
20 |
Miller/Miller |
95.904 |
P. Kreis |
|
1925 |
Peter DePaolo |
2 |
Duesenberg/Duesenberg |
101.127 |
Duesenberg |
|
1924 |
Joe Boyer/L.L. Corum |
21 |
Duesenberg/Duesenberg |
98.234 |
Duesenberg |
|
1923 |
Tommy Milton |
1 |
Miller/Miller |
90.954 |
H.C.S. Motor |
|
1922 |
Jimmy Murphy |
1 |
Duesenberg/Miller |
94.484 |
J. Murphy |
|
1921 |
Tommy Milton |
20 |
Frontenac/Frontenac |
89.621 |
L. Chevrolet |
|
1920 |
Gaston Chevrolet |
6 |
Frontenac/Frontenac |
88.618 |
W. Small |
|
1919 |
Howdy Wilcox |
2 |
Peugeot/Peugeot |
88.05 |
Indianapolis Speedway |
|
1918 |
Not Held (WWI) |
||||
|
1917 |
Not Held (WWI) |
||||
|
1916 |
Dario Resta |
4 |
Peugeot/Peugeot |
84.001 |
Peugeot |
|
1915 |
Ralph DePalma |
2 |
Mercedes/Mercedes |
89.84 |
E.C. Patterson |
|
1914 |
Rene Thomas |
15 |
Delage/Delage |
82.474 |
L. Delage |
|
1913 |
Jules Goux |
7 |
Peugeot/Peugeot |
75.933 |
Peugeot |
|
1912 |
Joe Dawson |
7 |
National/National |
78.719 |
National Motor |
|
1911 |
Ray Harroun |
28 |
Marmon/Marmon |
74.602 |
Nordyke & Marmon |
|
*Davis was relieved by Rose on Lap 72 of the 1941 race. |
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