The 87th Indianapolis 500 was held at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United State ...
in
Speedway, Indiana
Speedway is a town in Wayne Township, Marion County, Indiana, United States. The population was 11,812 at the 2010 U.S. Census. Speedway, which is an enclave of Indianapolis, is the home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
History
Speedway was ...
on Sunday, May 25, 2003. Two-time defending champion
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves (; born Hélio Alves de Castro Neves; 10 May 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He has won the Indianapolis 500 a record-equalling four times: in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021. He won the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona with Wa ...
won the
pole position
In a motorsports race, the pole position is usually the best and "statistically the most advantageous" starting position on the track. The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the rac ...
and was trying to become the first driver in Indy history to win
three in a row. With 31 laps to go, however, Castroneves was passed by his
Penske
Penske Corporation, Inc. () is an American diversified transportation services company based in Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan. Roger Penske is the chairman of the privately held company, and Rob Kurnick is the president.
Holding ...
teammate
Gil de Ferran
Gil de Ferran (born November 11, 1967 in Paris, France) is a French-born Brazilian professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car champion driving for Team Penske and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 5 ...
, and the duo finished 1st–2nd, with de Ferran winning his first Indy 500. The race was sanctioned by the
Indy Racing League
The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of ...
and was part of the
2003 IndyCar Series season
The 2003 IRL IndyCar Series brought some of the biggest changes in its history. The league adopted the name IndyCar Series, after a settlement with CART prohibiting its use had expired. Several former CART teams brought their full operations to ...
.
For the 2003 season, the series adopted a new chassis package and saw the introduction of
Toyota
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
and
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
to the field. It was Honda's third period of involvement at Indy. They partnered with the
Judd program in the
1987 race, and was an engine provider in
CART
A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people.
It is different from the flatbed tr ...
in 1990s, entering at Indy in 1994-1995. Toyota, previously an engine provider in
CART
A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people.
It is different from the flatbed tr ...
, however, was making their first ever trip to Indy.
Due to cost issues, and a shortage of engines and drivers, there was considerable concern going into the event that the field might fall short of the
traditional 33 starters. On the final day of qualifying, the field was filled, avoiding a
PR "black eye."
Former
presidents
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
and
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
were in attendance, the first time in Indy history that two former presidents were at the race.
[2003 Indianapolis 500 – Daily Trackside Report] It was the elder Bush's second visit to the Speedway; he previously presided over the opening ceremonies of the
1987 Pan American Games
The 1987 Pan American Games, officially known as the X Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event held in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, on August 7–23, 1987. Over 4,300 athletes from 38 countries in the Americas c ...
, which was held at the track. Rookie
A. J. Foyt IV, racing on his 19th birthday, became the youngest driver ever to compete in the race.
For the first time since the 1970s,
the race was not announced as a sell out. Since 1985, the race was usually sold out by July of the previous year.
As of 2020, the 2003 race was the first and only Indy 500 victory for
Toyota
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
. It also marked the first Indy 500 win for a
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
and/or Asian engine manufacturer.
Background
![2002 IN Proof](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/2002_IN_Proof.png)
The biggest interest story going into the race was the impending retirement of popular veteran
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti (born October 5, 1962) is an American semi-retired auto racing driver and current team owner. Statistically one of the most successful drivers in the history of American open-wheel car racing, Andretti won the 1991 CART PP ...
. Andretti announced that the 2003 Indy 500 would be his final race, and that he would retire from driving immediately after, to focus on team ownership. (Note that
Andretti Andretti is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Surname
* Mario Andretti (born 1940), Italian-born American father of the prominent Andretti racing family:
** Michael Andretti (born 1962), son of Mario
*** Marco A ...
came out of retirement and returned to drive at Indy in
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
-
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
.)
Despite the open wheel "split" continuing into what was now its eighth season, nearly all of the top
CART
A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people.
It is different from the flatbed tr ...
-based teams entered at Indy for 2003. It was the fourth consecutive year that CART-based teams entered the Indy 500, and each successive year saw an increased number of participants "crossing over." The 2003 season was a turning point in the "split," as several teams, including
Penske
Penske Corporation, Inc. () is an American diversified transportation services company based in Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan. Roger Penske is the chairman of the privately held company, and Rob Kurnick is the president.
Holding ...
,
Andretti-Green,
Ganassi, and
Rahal pulled out of CART and defected permanently to the
Indy Racing League
The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of ...
on a full-time bases. One of the few holdouts for 2003 was
Newman/Haas Racing
Newman/Haas Racing was an auto racing team that competed in the CART and the IndyCar Series from 1983 to 2011. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed as a partnership between actor, automotive enth ...
.
Paul Tracy
Paul Anthony Tracy (born December 17, 1968) is a Canadian-American former professional auto racing driver who competed in CART, the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series. He is known by the nicknames "PT" and "the Thrill from West Hill" ...
, a key fixture in the controversial
2002 race, also did not enter.
During the spring
Dario Franchitti
George Dario Marino Franchitti, MBE (born 19 May 1973) is a British former racing driver and current motorsport commentator from Scotland. He is a four time IndyCar Series champion ( 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011), a three-time winner of the Indiana ...
of
Andretti-Green Racing was injured in a
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
accident, which sidelined him for most of the season.
Robby Gordon
Robert Wesley Gordon (born January 2, 1969) is an American auto racing driver. He has raced in NASCAR, CART, the IndyCar Series, the Trans-Am Series, IMSA, IROC and the Dakar Rally. He is active in top-tier off road motorsports such as BITD, NO ...
replaced him in the car at Indy, and Gordon planned to attempt the
Indy-Charlotte "Double Duty."
After changes in the rules,
Greg Ray
Gregory Ray (born August 3, 1966) is an American former race car driver.
After winning the SCCA national Formula Atlantic championship in 1993, he moved up to the CART-sanctioned Toyota Atlantic series in 1994.
In 1997 he made his Indy Raci ...
entered and qualified a car carrying the
number 13. It was the first time #13 appeared on a car at the Indy 500 since
George Mason
George Mason (October 7, 1792) was an American planter, politician, Founding Father, and delegate to the U.S. Constitutional Convention of 1787, one of the three delegates present who refused to sign the Constitution. His writings, including s ...
in
1914
This year saw the beginning of what became known as World War I, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip. It als ...
. From 1926 to 2002, usage of #13 was not permitted, and throughout the entire history of the race, was generally
avoided by competitors due to
superstition
A superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-practitioners to be irrational or supernatural, attributed to fate or magic, perceived supernatural influence, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and ...
s.
For the first time ever, a
support race was scheduled for the month of May at Indy. The
Menards Infiniti Pro Series arrived at the Speedway for the inaugural
Freedom 100
The Freedom 100 was an automobile race held annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, as part of the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The event was a support race for the IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500, and since 2 ...
. The race was scheduled for the Saturday of Bump Day weekend.
Mario Andretti crash
Andretti-Green Racing driver,
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
, suffered a radial fracture of his arm on April 15 in a crash at
Motegi. On April 23, the
1969 Indianapolis 500
The 53rd International 500 Mile Sweepstakes was an auto race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Friday, May 30, 1969. It was the third round of the 1969 USAC Championship Car season. Polesitter A. J. Foyt led the race ...
winner
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an Italian-born American former racing driver. One of the most successful drivers in the history of motorsports, Andretti is one of only two drivers to have won races in Formula One, IndyCar, t ...
took over Kanaan's car for a test session.
Andretti retired in
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
, and this was the first time in nine years he had driven a major
open wheel car
An open-wheel single-seater (often known as formula car) is a car with the wheels outside the car's main body, and usually having only one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, Sports car racing, sports cars, Stock car racing, stock ca ...
. If Kanaan was not cleared to drive in enough time, tentative plans were being prepared for Andretti to qualify the car for him.
He would then turn the car over to Kanaan on race day. No firm plans had yet been made though for Andretti to actually drive in the race.
During Andretti's test session, it was noted by many observers that despite his lack of experience in modern Indy cars (which had changed substantially since his retirement in
1994
File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
) and his advanced age (63), he quickly reached competitive speed. During the morning session, he turned a lap of 212.509 mph,
and looked "as if he had never been away." Later in the day, he upped his speed to over 223 mph.
The success of the test created a stir, and speculation grew during the afternoon that Andretti may even attempt to qualify for the race.
With only two minutes left in the session,
Kenny Bräck
Kenny Bräck (born 21 March 1966) is a Swedish former race car driver. Until his retirement from racing, he competed in the CART, Indy Racing League and the IROC series. He won the 1998 Indy Racing League championship and the 1999 Indianapoli ...
crashed in turn one, and the yellow light came on. Andretti entered turn one at full speed, and struck debris on the track from Bräck's crash. The object, identified by some as the rear wing, or possibly a piece of foam from the impacted
SAFER Barrier, pitched the nose of Andretti's car upward, and the car became airborne. The car then went into a rapid double-reverse somersault flip at speeds exceeding 200 miles per hour.
Television footage from the
WTHR
WTHR (channel 13) is a television station in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside low-power, Class A MeTV affiliate WALV-CD (channel 46). Both stations share studios on North Meridian S ...
helicopter-cam showed that the car clipped the top of the debris fence, and was nearly high enough to go over it. The car fell back to the racing surface, slowed by its mid-air tumble, and slid to a stop upright. Andretti walked away from the crash with very minor injuries.
Andretti initially shrugged off the accident, and still contemplated returning to qualify the car in May. A day later, however, he reconsidered.
Race schedule
Practice and time trials
Practice – week 1
Practice opened on Sunday May 4, with roughly 29 car/driver combinations named to the field. That was short of the traditional 33 starters for the race, and there was ongoing speculation around the garage area on who would potentially fill the four open spots. At the onset, drivers were flirting with the 230 mph barrier.
On Tuesday May 6, rookie
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive Wheldon (22 June 1978 – 16 October 2011) was a British motor racing driver who won the 2005 IndyCar Series season, 2005 IndyCar Series Drivers' Championship for Andretti Autosport, Andretti Green Racing (AGR). He won the Indiana ...
(231.108 mph) became the first driver to break the 230 mph barrier. A day later,
Kenny Brack
Kenny is a surname, a given name, and a diminutive of several different given names.
In Ireland, the surname is an Anglicisation of the Irish ''Ó Cionnaith'', also spelt ''Ó Cionnaoith'' and ''Ó Cionaodha'', meaning "descendant of Cionnaith" ...
(231.039 mph) also broke 231 mph.
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive Wheldon (22 June 1978 – 16 October 2011) was a British motor racing driver who won the 2005 IndyCar Series season, 2005 IndyCar Series Drivers' Championship for Andretti Autosport, Andretti Green Racing (AGR). He won the Indiana ...
set the fastest lap of the month on Thursday May 8 at 232.202 mph, the fastest lap run at the Speedway since
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
.
On "Fast Friday" May 9,
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luijendijk (anglicised as Arie Luyendyk; born 21 September 1953), nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," is a Dutch former auto racing driver, and winner of the 1990 and 1997 Indianapolis 500 races. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Spe ...
spun exiting turn one, and hit the outside wall with the back end of the car. The car slid down the track, and hit the outside wall in turn 2 also. Luyendyk suffered a back injury, and soreness in his neck and shoulders. Ultimately, Luyendyk decided to sit out the race, and retired from driving permanently.
Time trials – Pole Day
Pole Day was scheduled for Saturday May 10. During the morning practice session
Billy Boat
William Leonard Boat (born February 2, 1966) is an American former open-wheel driver who raced in the Indy Racing League.
Racing career
Boat began his career in USAC where he won 11 straight Western Series races on his way to the 1995 champion ...
spun out of turn four, and made heavy contact with the safety attenuator at the north end of the pit wall. The car hit with the back end, flew up into the air momentarily, and came to rest against the outside wall on the mainstretch. The energy-absorbing barrier was demolished, but officials stated that the barrier withstood the impact, and worked effectively.
Boat was transferred to
Methodist Hospital for observation, but was eventually released and cleared to drive.
By the time that track crews could replace the barrier, rain began to fall. A violent thunderstorm swept through the area, and washed out qualifying for the afternoon.
Pole qualifying was moved to Sunday May 11. The weather was cool and windy.
Robbie Buhl
Robbie Buhl (born September 2, 1963) is an American former race car driver who competed in the Indy Racing League. He was a color commentator for the IndyCar races on Versus. In 2016, Robbie, along with his brother Tom Buhl, starteBuhl Sport Det ...
was the first car to make an attempt, and he put his car the field with a safe run of 224.369 mph. At 12:30 p.m., rookie
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon (born 22 July 1980) is a professional racing driver from New Zealand, who competes in the NTT IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing. Dixon has won the IndyCar championship six times: in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 202 ...
(230.099 mph) was the first car over 230 mph. At 12:45 p.m.,
Robby Gordon
Robert Wesley Gordon (born January 2, 1969) is an American auto racing driver. He has raced in NASCAR, CART, the IndyCar Series, the Trans-Am Series, IMSA, IROC and the Dakar Rally. He is active in top-tier off road motorsports such as BITD, NO ...
(230.205 mph) took over the provisional pole position.
At 12:55 p.m., rookie
A. J. Foyt IV was attempting to become the youngest driver ever to qualify for the Indy 500. On his first lap, he spun exiting turn 2, did not hit the wall, and slid backwards down nearly the entire length of the backstretch. He was uninjured.
The first trip through the qualifying line was completed at about 1:45 p.m. Several drivers had pulled out of line, waiting for better conditions. At 2:41 p.m.,
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
took over the top spot with a run of 231.006 mph.
At 4:36 p.m., two-time defending race winner
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves (; born Hélio Alves de Castro Neves; 10 May 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He has won the Indianapolis 500 a record-equalling four times: in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021. He won the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona with Wa ...
(231.725 mph) secured the pole position.
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
was bumped to the middle of the front row, and
Robby Gordon
Robert Wesley Gordon (born January 2, 1969) is an American auto racing driver. He has raced in NASCAR, CART, the IndyCar Series, the Trans-Am Series, IMSA, IROC and the Dakar Rally. He is active in top-tier off road motorsports such as BITD, NO ...
held on to the outside of the front row. The day ended with
A. J. Foyt IV completing a run, and
Gil de Ferran
Gil de Ferran (born November 11, 1967 in Paris, France) is a French-born Brazilian professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car champion driving for Team Penske and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 5 ...
, the last car with a realistic shot of the front row, turning in a somewhat-disappointing 228.633 mph, good enough only for 10th starting position.
Practice – week 2
Practice resumed on Wednesday May 14. With nine spots open in the field, unqualified teams began to prepare for the final day of qualifying.
Alex Barron was named to replace
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luijendijk (anglicised as Arie Luyendyk; born 21 September 1953), nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," is a Dutch former auto racing driver, and winner of the 1990 and 1997 Indianapolis 500 races. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Spe ...
in the
Mo Nunn
Morris Nunn (27 September 1938 – 18 July 2018) was an English motor racing team owner and engineer. He founded and ran the Ensign Formula One team in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and later worked for Chip Ganassi's highly successful Champ Car ...
entry. By Thursday, 32 car/driver combinations had materialized.
Among the fastest drivers who had yet to qualify were
Jimmy Vasser
James Vasser Jr. (born November 20, 1965) is an American former racing driver. Vasser won the 1996 CART IndyCar championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series. Vasser was the last American to win the CART champio ...
(228.275 mph) and Alex Barron (227.714 mph). Vasser missed the first weekend of time trials due to his participation in the
Champ Car
Champ Car World Series (CCWS) was the series sanctioned by Open-Wheel Racing Series Inc., or Champ Car, a sanctioning body for American open-wheel car racing that operated from 2004 to 2008. It was the successor to Championship Auto Racing Teams ( ...
German 500.
Time trials – Bump Day
The final day of time trials, Sunday, May 18, opened with nine spots open in the field. During the week, there was considerable concern about the prospects of filling the field to the
traditional 33 starters.
Airton Daré
Airton Daré (born 9 February 1978 in Bauru, Brazil) is a Brazilian race car driver who has competed in the Indy Racing League. Daré began his racing career in jet ski racing in 1990. He won six Brazilian championships, one South American champ ...
and
Vítor Meira
Vítor Meira (born March 27, 1977) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He formerly competed in the IndyCar Series and has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500.
IndyCar Series
2002
After participating in an open test for Panther Racing ...
were named to rides in the morning, meaning there were then nine cars preparing to qualify.
Time trials opened at 12:30 p.m., with
Jimmy Kite
Jimmy Kite (born February 18, 1976 in Effingham, Illinois) is a retired American race car driver. He debuted in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series in 1997 and has competed in 34 IndyCar races, including five Indianapolis 500s. In 2005, he int ...
the first car out. After two fast laps, however, the car stalled with an electrical problem. In the first half-hour, three cars qualified, led by
Jimmy Vasser
James Vasser Jr. (born November 20, 1965) is an American former racing driver. Vasser won the 1996 CART IndyCar championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series. Vasser was the last American to win the CART champio ...
, and the field was up to 27 cars.
Jimmy Kite
Jimmy Kite (born February 18, 1976 in Effingham, Illinois) is a retired American race car driver. He debuted in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series in 1997 and has competed in 34 IndyCar races, including five Indianapolis 500s. In 2005, he int ...
returned to the track, this time qualifying without incident.
Airton Daré
Airton Daré (born 9 February 1978 in Bauru, Brazil) is a Brazilian race car driver who has competed in the Indy Racing League. Daré began his racing career in jet ski racing in 1990. He won six Brazilian championships, one South American champ ...
stalled several times trying to leave the pits, but after repairs, he qualified to fill the field to 29 cars. Just before 2 p.m.,
Alex Barron and
Richie Hearn
Richie Hearn (born January 4, 1971) is an American former racing driver.
Hearn was born in Glendale, California. He ran in the Toyota Atlantic championship for two seasons, winning the title in 1995. In 1996, he began driving for John Della ...
completed runs, and the field was up to 31 cars. Hearn's team acquired a Penske back-up car, and he was safely in the field.
At 3 p.m., there were two spots left in the field. Only two cars remained on the sidelines,
Robby McGehee
Robby McGehee (born July 20, 1973) is an American former race car driver. He competed in the Indy Racing League and won the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award in 1999 after finishing fifth. He then raced for veteran owner Fred Treadway the ...
and
Vítor Meira
Vítor Meira (born March 27, 1977) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He formerly competed in the IndyCar Series and has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500.
IndyCar Series
2002
After participating in an open test for Panther Racing ...
. No other teams were planning on qualifying, although a rumor circulated around the garage area that
Ganassi was considering on wheeling out a backup car for
Jeff Ward. McGehee (224.493 mph) completed his qualifying attempt at 3:30 p.m., leaving only one spot open in the grid. At 4:05 p.m., Meira (227.158 mph) filled the field to 33 cars. At that point, the track was opened for practice, and the track officially closed at 6 o'clock without any other qualifiers.
The series avoided the embarrassment of not filling the field to the traditional 33 cars. The race had not failed to do so since
1947
It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Events
January
* January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country in ...
, when several drivers that were members of ASPAR (the American Society of Professional Auto Racing) threatened to boycott the race over the purse size.
Nonetheless, some members of the media chastised the effort, later nicknaming the afternoon "Fill Day" rather than the traditional ''Bump Day''. During the television coverage,
Bob Jenkins
Robert F. Jenkins (September 4, 1947 – August 9, 2021) was an American television and radio sports announcer, primarily calling Indy car and NASCAR telecasts for ESPN/ABC and later Versus/NBCSN. Jenkins was the radio "Voice of the Indianapoli ...
and
Jack Arute
Jack Arute III ( ; born September 28, 1950) is an American former sportscaster for the NFL and college sports for Sirius XM Radio. He used to be an auto racing pit reporter and college football sideline reporter for ESPN and ABC, and covered the ...
passionately defended the event from its detractors.
[
] Despite pointing out the lack of drama on the final day of time trials,
Robin Miller was among those who suggested that the 2003 field was the deepest talent-wise since the
open wheel
An open-wheel single-seater (often known as formula car) is a car with the wheels outside the car's main body, and usually having only one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have thei ...
"split".
Starting grid
Failed to qualify
*
Scott Mayer (R) (#18) – Failed rookie orientation (replaced by Jimmy Kite)
*
Arie Luyendyk
Arie Luijendijk (anglicised as Arie Luyendyk; born 21 September 1953), nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," is a Dutch former auto racing driver, and winner of the 1990 and 1997 Indianapolis 500 races. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Spe ...
(W) (#20) - Injured in practice crash (Replaced by Alex Barron)
Race summary
Start
The controversy of filling the field the previous weekend fizzled as race day arrived.
Mari Hulman George
Mary Antonia "Mari" Hulman George (December 26, 1934 – November 3, 2018) was the daughter of Tony Hulman, Anton "Tony" Hulman and Mary Fendrich Hulman, prominent Indiana philanthropists and business owners. She was the chairperson of the Indian ...
gave the command to start engines at 10:47 a.m. EST, and all 33 cars pulled away from the starting grid. It would be the final time that the race would begin at the traditional 11 a.m. EST start time.
Polesitter
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves (; born Hélio Alves de Castro Neves; 10 May 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He has won the Indianapolis 500 a record-equalling four times: in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021. He won the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona with Wa ...
took the lead at the start, and led for the first 16 laps. The first yellow came out on lap 9 when
Billy Boat
William Leonard Boat (born February 2, 1966) is an American former open-wheel driver who raced in the Indy Racing League.
Racing career
Boat began his career in USAC where he won 11 straight Western Series races on his way to the 1995 champion ...
stalled in turn two. After the restart on lap 15,
Sarah Fisher
Sarah Marie Fisher (born October 4, 1980) is an American retired professional race car driver who competed in the IndyCar Series, Indy Racing League (IRL, now IndyCar Series) and the Indianapolis 500 intermittently from 1999 to 2010. She also ...
spun in turn three, hitting the outside wall. After pit stops,
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon (born 22 July 1980) is a professional racing driver from New Zealand, who competes in the NTT IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing. Dixon has won the IndyCar championship six times: in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 202 ...
took the lead on lap 17.
First half
Michael Andretti
Michael Mario Andretti (born October 5, 1962) is an American semi-retired auto racing driver and current team owner. Statistically one of the most successful drivers in the history of American open-wheel car racing, Andretti won the 1991 CART PP ...
led 28 laps in the first half, but during a pit stop on lap 98, the car quit with the broken throttle linkage.
On lap 61,
Richie Hearn
Richie Hearn (born January 4, 1971) is an American former racing driver.
Hearn was born in Glendale, California. He ran in the Toyota Atlantic championship for two seasons, winning the title in 1995. In 1996, he began driving for John Della ...
got up in the "marbles" in turn two, hitting the outside wall.
Jaques Lazier
Jaques Lazier (born January 25, 1971) is an American former race car driver. He is the younger brother of 1996 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Lazier and son of former Indy racer Bob Lazier.
Racing career
The younger Lazier ran in U.S. Formula ...
spun to avoid the crash and came to rest on the inside of the track. Both drivers were uninjured.
The lead changed several times in the first half, with
Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter (born 21 September 1980) is a South African former racing driver best known for his time in the IndyCar Series.
Early years
Scheckter was born in Monte Carlo to 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter and his first wife ...
,
Tony Kanaan
Antoine Rizkallah "Tony" Kanaan Filho (born 31 December 1974), nicknamed TK, is a Brazilian racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 6 Toyota Corolla E210 for Full Time Bassani a ...
, and
Jimmy Vasser
James Vasser Jr. (born November 20, 1965) is an American former racing driver. Vasser won the 1996 CART IndyCar championship with Chip Ganassi Racing, and scored ten victories in the series. Vasser was the last American to win the CART champio ...
each taking turns in the lead.
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves (; born Hélio Alves de Castro Neves; 10 May 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He has won the Indianapolis 500 a record-equalling four times: in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021. He won the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona with Wa ...
and
Gil de Ferran
Gil de Ferran (born November 11, 1967 in Paris, France) is a French-born Brazilian professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car champion driving for Team Penske and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 5 ...
were running in the top 5 most of the way.
Second half
Tomas Scheckter
Tomas Scheckter (born 21 September 1980) is a South African former racing driver best known for his time in the IndyCar Series.
Early years
Scheckter was born in Monte Carlo to 1979 Formula One World Champion Jody Scheckter and his first wife ...
led from laps 101-128, with
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves (; born Hélio Alves de Castro Neves; 10 May 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He has won the Indianapolis 500 a record-equalling four times: in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021. He won the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona with Wa ...
close behind in second. On lap 127,
Airton Dare
Airton (also known as Airton-in-Craven) is a small village and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England, situated north-west of Skipton. The village had a population of 175 according to the 2001 Census, increasing to 2 ...
crashed in turn 2, bringing out the caution, and the leaders all made pit stops. Castroneves beat Scheckter out of the pits and took the lead.
Gil de Ferran
Gil de Ferran (born November 11, 1967 in Paris, France) is a French-born Brazilian professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car champion driving for Team Penske and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 5 ...
was in third. On lap 135 restart, de Ferran passed Scheckter for second place.
At lap 150, Penske teammates Castroneves and
Gil de Ferran
Gil de Ferran (born November 11, 1967 in Paris, France) is a French-born Brazilian professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car champion driving for Team Penske and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 5 ...
were still running 1st-2nd. Castroneves was looking to put himself in position to win his third "500" in a row. The leaders made their final pit stops on laps 165-168. After the sequence of green flag stops, Castroneves and de Ferran were again running 1st-2nd.
On lap 169, leader Castroneves was hung up behind the lapped car of
A. J. Foyt IV down the backstretch. While it was not captured by TV cameras, earlier in the race
A. J. Foyt IV had come down and made contact with Castroneves while being lapped in Turn 2. This perhaps led to Castroneves following A. J. Foyt IV through the 2nd turn allowing de Ferran to make the pass for the lead going into turn 3.
On lap 172,
Robby Gordon
Robert Wesley Gordon (born January 2, 1969) is an American auto racing driver. He has raced in NASCAR, CART, the IndyCar Series, the Trans-Am Series, IMSA, IROC and the Dakar Rally. He is active in top-tier off road motorsports such as BITD, NO ...
stopped on the track with a broken gearbox. The yellow came out, but none of the leaders pitted. Gordon immediately departed the grounds, and flew to Charlotte for the
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, originally the World 600, is an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on a Sunday during Memorial Day weekend. The first race, held in 1960, was also the first on ...
.
With 25 laps to go, the green came back out with de Ferran leading, and Castroneves in second.
Finish
On lap 182,
Scott Sharp
Scott Sharp (born February 14, 1968) is an American professional racing driver in the United SportsCar Championship. He is the son of six-time SCCA champion Bob Sharp. Sharp is best known for his years as a competitor in the Indy Racing League.
...
brushed the wall in turn 4, then crashed in turn 1. After the cleanup, the green came back out on lap 186. One lap later, however,
Dan Wheldon
Daniel Clive Wheldon (22 June 1978 – 16 October 2011) was a British motor racing driver who won the 2005 IndyCar Series season, 2005 IndyCar Series Drivers' Championship for Andretti Autosport, Andretti Green Racing (AGR). He won the Indiana ...
spun in turn three, hit the outside wall, then the car flipped over and landed upside-down. Wheldon was not injured.
During the caution for the Wheldon crash,
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon (born 22 July 1980) is a professional racing driver from New Zealand, who competes in the NTT IndyCar Series for Chip Ganassi Racing. Dixon has won the IndyCar championship six times: in 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 202 ...
, who was running in the top ten, was weaving back and forth on the mainstretch to warm up his tires. He began to do it too vigorously, and brushed the inside wall. The car was too damaged to continue.
The green came out with six laps to go.
Gil de Ferran
Gil de Ferran (born November 11, 1967 in Paris, France) is a French-born Brazilian professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car champion driving for Team Penske and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 5 ...
held off
Hélio Castroneves
Hélio Castroneves (; born Hélio Alves de Castro Neves; 10 May 1975) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He has won the Indianapolis 500 a record-equalling four times: in 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2021. He won the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona with Wa ...
by 0.2290 seconds to win his first Indianapolis 500. After the race, Castroneves coaxed de Ferran to climb the catch fence on the mainstretch, mimicking his own traditional post-race victory celebration. de Ferran ended up retiring at season's end, becoming the fourth Indy 500 winner to retire as a reigning "500" champion.
The "curse of the Indy three-peat" prevailed again as Castroneves failed to achieve victory. His three-race career record of 1st-1st-2nd, however, established an Indy record for a driver's first three starts. Castroneves' second place tied
Al Unser
Alfred Unser (May 29, 1939 – December 9, 2021) was an American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser Jr. He was the second of four men ( A. J. Foyt, himself, Rick ...
's 1970-1971-1972 effort of 1st-1st-2nd.
Box score
= Former Indianapolis 500 winner; = Indianapolis 500 rookie
*C
Chassis
A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...
: D=
Dallara
Dallara is an Italian race car manufacturer, founded by its current President, Gian Paolo Dallara. After working for Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and De Tomaso, in 1972 in his native village of Varano de' Melegari (Parma), Italy he created "D ...
, P=
Panoz
Panoz is an American manufacturer of sports automobiles founded in 1989 as Panoz Auto Development by Dan Panoz, son of Don Panoz. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, the Panoz Esperante, and the Panoz Avezzano.
Pan ...
*E
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power gen ...
: C=
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
, H=
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles, and power equipment, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan.
Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, reaching a product ...
, T=
Toyota
is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
*All cars in the 2003 Indianapolis 500 used
Firestone tires.
*This was the first of three
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
s for Toyota, and their only win in the race.
Broadcasting
Radio
The race was carried live on the
Indy Racing Radio Network.
Mike King served as chief announcer. The booth crew had a new look for 2003. Longtime driver expert
Johnny Rutherford
John Sherman "Johnny" Rutherford III (born March 12, 1938), also known as "Lone Star JR", is an American former automobile racing driver. During an Indy Car career that spanned more than three decades, he scored 27 wins and 23 pole positions in 3 ...
left the crew to take over the position of pace car driver during caution periods. Joining King in the booth were two newcomers,
Dave Wilson who served as color commentator, and new "driver expert"
Davey Hamilton
David Jay "Davey" Hamilton (born June 13, 1962 in Nampa, Idaho) is a race car driver who competed in the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series and Stadium Super Trucks. He has made 56 series starts and while never winning a race, finished second thr ...
. Hamilton was on a hiatus from driving after his serious crash at Texas in 2001. The broadcast was heard on 555 affiliates.
The 2003 race saw all four turn reporters return to their assigned posts from the previous year. The three pit reporters remained the same, although they swapped their locations along pit road. The 2003 race would be the final 500 on the radio for longtime members Howdy Bell and Chuck Marlowe. Bell once again had the limited role of reporting from the track hospital, while Marlowe covered the garage area as he had since 1989.
Sponsor guests interviewed in the booth included Tim Manganello (
BorgWarner
BorgWarner Inc. is an American automotive supplier headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The company maintains production facilities and technical systems at 93 sites (as of June 6, 2022) in 22 countries worldwide and has around 49,000 emplo ...
), Keith Sirios (
Checkers and Rally's
Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of double drive-thru restaurants in the United States. The company operates Checkers and Rally's restaurants in 28 states, and the District of Columbia. They specialize in hamburgers, hot dogs, fren ...
), and Chevrolet pace car driver Herb Fishel. Other guests interviewed in the pits included Jim Campbell (
Chevrolet
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
) and
Wynonna Judd
Wynonna Ellen Judd or simply Wynonna ( ; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country singers. In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, incl ...
.
Television
The race was carried live flag-to-flag coverage in the United States on
ABC Sports
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
. The on-air crew remained the same from the previous year, with
Bob Jenkins
Robert F. Jenkins (September 4, 1947 – August 9, 2021) was an American television and radio sports announcer, primarily calling Indy car and NASCAR telecasts for ESPN/ABC and later Versus/NBCSN. Jenkins was the radio "Voice of the Indianapoli ...
returning as host, and
Paul Page
Paul Page (born November 25, 1945) is an American motorsports broadcaster who is best known for serving as the play-by-play commentator for the Indianapolis 500 for a total of 27 years across radio and television. Page was the radio ''Voice of th ...
handling the play-by-play duties. It would ultimately be the final 500 on television for
Bob Jenkins
Robert F. Jenkins (September 4, 1947 – August 9, 2021) was an American television and radio sports announcer, primarily calling Indy car and NASCAR telecasts for ESPN/ABC and later Versus/NBCSN. Jenkins was the radio "Voice of the Indianapoli ...
.
For the first time, the race broadcast featured a presenting sponsor. The race was billed as the "Indianapolis 500 Presented by 7-Eleven." The crew called the race for the final time from the booth on top of the Paddock grandstand, for starting in 2004, they would move to the newer television studio inside the Pagoda.
Controversy
On Sunday May 18, the final day of time trials, when there was some question of whether the field would be filled to the traditional 33 cars, television reporters
Bob Jenkins
Robert F. Jenkins (September 4, 1947 – August 9, 2021) was an American television and radio sports announcer, primarily calling Indy car and NASCAR telecasts for ESPN/ABC and later Versus/NBCSN. Jenkins was the radio "Voice of the Indianapoli ...
and
Jack Arute
Jack Arute III ( ; born September 28, 1950) is an American former sportscaster for the NFL and college sports for Sirius XM Radio. He used to be an auto racing pit reporter and college football sideline reporter for ESPN and ABC, and covered the ...
passionately defended the event from its detractors on air.
Afterwards, Jenkins received criticism, mostly for a lack of
journalistic professionalism
Journalistic ethics and standards comprise principles of ethics and good practice applicable to journalists. This subset of media ethics is known as journalism's professional "code of ethics" and the "canons of journalism". The basic codes and c ...
and
objectivity. His statements were considered biased in favor of the
IRL
IRL may refer to:
Places
* Republic of Ireland (ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code)
* Irlam railway station (National Rail station code IRL), England
Organizations
* International Rugby League, the governing body for the sport of rugby league
* I ...
/
IMS, and that he allowed his personal opinions enter his reporting.
During
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
coverage of time trials,
Vítor Meira
Vítor Meira (born March 27, 1977) is a Brazilian auto racing driver. He formerly competed in the IndyCar Series and has twice finished second in the Indianapolis 500.
IndyCar Series
2002
After participating in an open test for Panther Racing ...
filled the field to 33 cars. Arute opened his interview with Meira at 5:17 p.m. EDT by stating:
A minute later, Jenkins replied with:
As the day was coming to a close, the television coverage switched to
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
for the final hour. Jenkins closed the broadcast with the following commentary at 6:56 p.m. EDT:
A minute later, Arute followed:
Jenkins was released from ABC/ESPN at the end of the 2003 season. After a very brief stint covering
CART
A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people.
It is different from the flatbed tr ...
on
Spike TV
Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was o ...
in 2004, and after a single race at ESPN in 2008, he joined Versus (now known as the
NBC Sports Network
NBCSN was an American sports television channel owned by the NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It originally launched on July 1, 1995, as the Outdoor Life Network (OLN), which was dedicated to programming prim ...
) in 2009. It was never announced if the on-air comments were a factor in his release, and Jenkins contends he was never informed if that was the case. Following the 2012 season, Jenkins reduced his schedule to a reserve role that includes Carb Day coverage.
Notes
References
Works cited
*''2003 Indianapolis 500 Daily Trackside Report for the Media''
Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats– Official Site
{{IndyCar Series on ABC
Indianapolis 500 races
2003 in IndyCar
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...