The Firestone Indy 400 was an
IndyCar Series
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 o ...
race held at
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is a moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than approximately south of the village of Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is ...
in
Brooklyn, Michigan. The event was most recently held in 2007. From 1981 to 2001, the event was better-known as the Michigan 500, and was held in high prestige. During its heyday of the 1980s, the race was part of Indy car racing's 500-mile
"Triple Crown".
Between 1968 and 2007, Michigan International Speedway hosted a total of 55
Indy car races, including twenty-two 500-mile events. In several seasons, the facility hosted two separate races annually. The races at Michigan became notorious for high speed, being rough on equipment, high attrition, and for devastating crashes. The
1990 race, won by
Al Unser Jr. (189.727 mph) was the fastest 500-mile race in history at the time, a record that stood until 2002.
Two drivers (
Michael Andretti and
Scott Goodyear) won the Michigan 500 twice, while
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 ...
won a 500-mile race and a 400-mile race. In addition, the track has produced many surprise winners, owing much to the frequently high attrition. Twelve drivers have scored their first - and in some cases only - Indy car race win at Michigan.
Race history
USAC
In 1968, American open wheel racing debuted at the circuit with a
USAC 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 Team ...
event. In 1970, USAC returned with what would become a traditional July race date. Indy car owner and promoter
Roger Penske purchased the track in 1972, and it became a mainstay on the calendar.
In 1973, a second USAC race was added to the Champ Car schedule, a fall race usually held in September. Through 1980, all events were either 200 or 250 miles in length, with some events consisting of twin 125-mile races.
CART
In 1979, both 150-mile Michigan races switched to
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 ...
sanctioning.
In 1980,
Ontario Motor Speedway
Ontario Motor Speedway was a motorsport venue located in Ontario, California. It was the first and only automobile racing facility built to accommodate major races sanctioned by all of the four dominant racing sanctioning bodies: United States Aut ...
closed, and thus Indy car racing's
"triple crown" (
Indianapolis,
Pocono,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...
) lost one of its 500-mile races. For 1981, the summer race at Michigan was expanded to 500 miles, replacing Ontario. NBC agreed to broadcast the race live, making it the first Indy race to be broadcast live.
In November 1986,
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
set an Indy car closed-course speed record driving a
March
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March ...
/
Ilmor Chevrolet with a lap of 233.934 mph.
The lap was an Indy car speed record that would stand for a decade.
In 1987, the race began to be sponsored by
Marlboro
Marlboro (, ) is an American brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by Philip Morris USA (a branch of Altria) within the United States and by Philip Morris International (now separate from Altria) outside the US. The largest Ma ...
and became known as the Marlboro 500. On network television, however due to
tobacco regulations, the race was still advertised as the "Michigan 500." From 1988-1991 the race was part of the Marlboro Million, a cash prize awarded to any driver who won the
Marlboro Grand Prix, the Marlboro 500, and the
Marlboro Challenge The Marlboro Challenge was an all-star race in the CART series race held from 1987–1992, sponsored by cigarette brand Marlboro. After 1992, the race was discontinued, in part because Phillip Morris reorganized its race sponsorship after the Mar ...
All-Star event in the same year. The prize was never won.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, the Michigan 500 was traditionally held in late July or early August. In 1994, the
Brickyard 400
The Brickyard 400 was an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The inaugural race was held in 1994 and was the first race other than the Indianapolis 500 to be held at the Indianapolis Moto ...
was scheduled for the first weekend in August, creating a conflict. The Michigan 500 was shifted to the last weekend in July for 1994 and beyond.
In several seasons (1987-1995, 1997),
IROC
International Race of Champions (IROC) was a North American auto racing competition, created by Les Richter, Roger Penske and Mike Phelps, promoted as an equivalent of an American motorsports All-Star Game. Despite its name, the IROC was pr ...
was held as a support race to the Michigan 500. The
Indy Lights
Indy NXT, previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Firestone Indy NXT Series for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a progr ...
series initially did not race at Michigan, but eventually made its first appearance in
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 800, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone on b ...
.
Roger Penske sold the track to
International Speedway Corporation in 1999. Over the next couple of seasons, attendance sharply declined for the CART-sanctioned race. In addition, the fast speeds were again raising safety concerns. The track had expanded its seating capacity (namely for its two
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and h ...
races) and the typical CART crowds of 50,000 spectators looked visibly unspectacular. Despite some of the most competitive CART events in the track's history, largely due to the use of the
Hanford Device, fans continued to stay away. Series officials and track management were able to put together a deal to hold the 2001 race, but talks ceased and the contract was not renewed for 2002.
Indy Racing League / IndyCar
Starting in 2002, the race became an Indy Racing League IndyCar Series event. In addition, the race distance was changed from 500 miles to 400 miles. The race featured wheel-to-wheel racing, albeit at slower speeds than the CART-sanctioned events. In 2002,
Sarah Fisher became the first female driver to pass for the lead under green flag conditions in an Indy-style race.
For 2007, the race had to move dates. The
Brickyard 400
The Brickyard 400 was an annual NASCAR Cup Series points race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The inaugural race was held in 1994 and was the first race other than the Indianapolis 500 to be held at the Indianapolis Moto ...
was moved by
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 ...
up one week, and created a conflict. The scheduling shuffle saw the race placed on the first weekend in August. The result was three races in close proximity (Mid Ohio, Michigan, and
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
) within six weeks of each other. Citing low attendance, and an undesirable date, track management removed the race from the 2008 schedule and beyond. In addition, a twin 200-mile race format was requested, which was rejected by the league officials. As of 2023, the race has not been revived.
Second race
From 1973 to 1986, Michigan held a second Indy car race, the race was always shorter with the 1986 race being 250 miles. This fall race was held each season in September, about two months after the summer race. Following the 1986 CART season, the fall race was dropped from the schedule, leaving the Michigan 500 (in July or August) as the track's lone Indy car event.
In 1996, the CART series revived the second race at Michigan. They created a rival 500-mile race, the
U.S. 500, to be held on the same day as the
Indy 500. The event was discontinued after only one running. However, the moniker "U.S. 500" was kept, and for a period of time used for the traditional July 500-mile race. The name "Marlboro 500" subsequently was switched to the new
500-mile race at
Fontana.
Safety concerns
Safety was always a concern at Michigan, primarily due to the high speeds and
Armco barriers
Traffic barriers (sometimes called Armco barriers,AK Steel (formerly Armco) genericized trademark also known in North America as guardrails or guard rails and in Britain as crash barriers) keep vehicles within their roadway and prevent them from ...
. The steep banking and rough pavement was treacherous on equipment, leading to frequent suspension failures, tire failures, blown engines, and crashes, many severe. Attrition in races at Michigan was always high, particularly in the 500-mile events. Crashes at Michigan ended – or effectively led to the end of – the driving careers of
Chip Ganassi,
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fitti ...
,
Héctor Rebaque
Héctor Alonso Rebaque (born 5 February 1956) is a Mexican former racing driver who raced in Formula One and CART IndyCar in the 1970s and 1980s. He also ran for his own Formula One team called Rebaque in 1978 and 1979.
Racing career
Rebaque pa ...
and
Danny Sullivan
Daniel John Sullivan III (born March 9, 1950), better known as Danny Sullivan, is an American former racing driver. He earned 17 wins in the CART Indy Car World Series, including the 1985 Indianapolis 500. Sullivan won the 1988 CART Championsh ...
. Likewise
Merle Bettenhausen
Merle Bettenhausen (born June 9, 1943) is a former American race car driver. The second oldest member of the Bettenhausen racing family, he is the son of Tony Bettenhausen and the brother of Gary Bettenhausen and Tony Bettenhausen Jr.
Merle's US ...
,
Derek Daly,
A. J. Foyt,
Al Unser Jr.,
Gordon Johncock,
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, ...
and
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 a ...
, among others, all suffered injuries from crashes. After a horrendous crash in 1980 which split his car in two,
Tim Richmond
Timothy Lee Richmond (June 7, 1955 – August 13, 1989) was an American race car driver from Ashland, Ohio. He competed in IndyCar racing before transferring to NASCAR's Winston Cup Series. Richmond was one of the first drivers to change fro ...
soon after quit Indy car racing and switched to the
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and h ...
circuit.
In 1987, a dogleg chicane was hastily built in the middle of the backstretch to slow the cars down, but it was never used in competition. After a couple of practice runs, it was deemed unsuitable, partially due to fear of gearbox failure, being too abrupt, and not necessarily serving its intended purpose. But it was also scrapped due to concern over fans' negative reactions. Instead, officials decided to reduce turbocharger boost for the race.
Despite the numerous serious crashes, no Indy car drivers have ever been killed as a result of crashes at Michigan. In the late 1980s and early 1990, safety upgrades were made the facility. The remaining Armco barriers were replaced with concrete walls, and the track was repaved in 1995. Though the track was still hard on equipment, the number of serious injuries to drivers noticeably declined. In the mid-2000s,
SAFER Barriers were installed in the turns.
In addition to crashes that damaged or ended the careers of drivers, three spectators were killed in a 1998 CART racing incident. The
1998 U.S. 500 Presented by Toyota
The 1998 U.S. 500 Presented by Toyota was the twelfth round of the 1998 CART FedEx Champ Car World Series season, held on July 26, 1998, at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. The race saw a record 63 lead changes due t ...
was marred by a crash on lap 175.
Adrián Fernández
Adrián Fernández Mier (born April 20, 1963 in Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico) is a Mexican former professional race car driver and he was co-owner of the Fernandez Racing team.
Racing career
Early career
Fernández began his career in Mexico by ...
slammed into the outside wall in the fourth turn. His right front wheel was torn off and hurled over the fence into the stands,
killing three spectators (Kenneth Fox, Sheryl Laster, and Michael Tautkus) and injuring six others. Despite improvements made to the catch fencing, subsequent attendance declined greatly over the next few years.
First wins and best-career results
Due to the demanding nature of the course and high attrition, particularly in the 500-mile races, Michigan produced numerous surprise winners and was the site of several first-time winners on the Indy car circuit. During the USAC era, Michigan was site of the only championship car wins for
Ronnie Bucknum
Ronnie Bucknum (April 5, 1936 – April 23, 1992) was an American race car driver, born in Alhambra, California.
Bucknum participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on August 2, 1964. He scored a total of two champio ...
and
Bill Vukovich II, as well as the first career wins for
Tom Sneva
Thomas E. Sneva (born June 1, 1948) is a retired American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1983. He primarily raced in Indy cars, and was named to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005.
A former math teacher from Spok ...
and
Danny Ongais. In the CART era, the Michigan 500 was the site of the first career wins for
Pancho Carter (only career win),
John Paul Jr.,
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fitti ...
,
Scott Goodyear,
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett (born March 24, 1960) is a former American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, CART, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children and are children's book authors.
Pruett started racing go ...
,
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
Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier (born August 13, 1971) is a retired Canadian professional auto racing driver. In the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series, he achieved five wins and 24 podiums, as well as two third place championship finishes in 200 ...
. Furthermore,
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 ...
notched his first career IndyCar win while the race was under IRL sanctioning.
Other "surprise" wins include
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 ...
's 1986 Michigan 500 triumph - his final career victory, and
Scott Goodyear's 1994 win, the lone win for
King Racing
King Racing was a racing team which fielded cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series as well as in CART and the Indianapolis 500. The team was owned by NHRA drag racing driver Kenny Bernstein.
NASCAR
For its entire run in NASCAR’s top series, King ...
in Indy car racing. Along with the first-time winners, a number of other drivers on the Indy car circuit achieved their career-best finishes at Michigan. Drivers include
Dominic Dobson,
Mark Smith, and
Hiro Matsushita, who finished 3rd, 5th, and 6th, respectively in the 1994 race.
Derek Daly, who suffered a devastating crash at Michigan in 1984, scored his final career top five at Michigan in 1989.
Two-time Indy 500 winner
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 Sp ...
twice finished second at the Michigan 500 (1991, 1994). Notably, both instances were with fledgling teams. His second place in the 1994 race marked the only top three ever achieved by the Indy Regency Racing team. The two drivers that won the Michigan 500 twice in their careers (
Michael Andretti and
Scott Goodyear), have a similar footnote in that neither ever won the
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 India ...
. Goodyear finished second twice at Indy, and likewise Andretti's best finish was
only second place.
Past winners
Indy Lights
Indy NXT, previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Firestone Indy NXT Series for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a progr ...
winners
Race summaries
USAC
*1968:
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, ...
won the pole position with a speed of 183.976 mph for the inaugural event at the brand new Michigan International Speedway. A crowd of 55,108 arrived for the 125-lap, 250-mile race on the high-banked oval. The race became a pivotal battle for the
1968 USAC championship, namely between
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, ...
and
Bobby Unser
Robert William Unser (February 20, 1934 – May 2, 2021) was an American automobile racer. At his induction into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1994, he had the fourth most IndyCar Series wins at 35 (behind his brother Al, A. J. ...
. On lap 74,
Mike Mosley was leading when Bobby Unser blew his engine. In a controversial move, Mosley was called into the pits and ordered to relinquish the car to Bobby Unser, in order that Unser could salvage championship points. The move handed the lead to
Ronnie Bucknum
Ronnie Bucknum (April 5, 1936 – April 23, 1992) was an American race car driver, born in Alhambra, California.
Bucknum participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on August 2, 1964. He scored a total of two champio ...
, and put Unser two laps down. Andretti finished second, and Unser brought the Mosley car home third - running enough laps to score 109 championship points for himself, and he ultimately won the championship by a slim margin.
Norton / Michigan 500
*1981: The inaugural Michigan 500 saw only 10 of 37 cars running at the finish. A total of 21 cars dropped out with mechanical failures, and crashes claimed four cars. A massive fire engulfed the pit area of
Herm Johnson Herman Austin Johnson (March 4, 1953 – December 10, 2016), was a driver in the CART Indy Car series, born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He raced in seven seasons (1979–1985), with 35 career starts. He drove in the Indianapolis 500 in 1982 and 198 ...
, stopping the race for over an hour.
Pancho Carter survived the chaos to claim his first and only Indy car victory.
A. J. Foyt suffered a serious compound fracture to his right arm after being pinned against the barrier at the exit of turn tw
*1982:
Patrick Racing teammates
Gordon Johncock and
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, ...
finished 1-2, with Johncock winning by a margin of 15 seconds - a sharp contrast from his victory two months earlier at
Indy
Indy may refer to:
Computing and technology
*Indy (software), used for Internet access to music
*Internet Direct, or "Indy", a software library
* SGI Indy, a computer workstation
Periodicals
*''The Indy'', shorthand for newspapers that include ...
. Andretti won the pole position, but wrecked his car in a practice run, and was forced to start last in a backup car. Driving in pain, and suffering handling difficulties, Andretti was unable to mount a challenge over the final 50 laps. For the second year in a row,
A. J. Foyt was involved in a crash. On restart on lap 147,
Héctor Rebaque
Héctor Alonso Rebaque (born 5 February 1956) is a Mexican former racing driver who raced in Formula One and CART IndyCar in the 1970s and 1980s. He also ran for his own Formula One team called Rebaque in 1978 and 1979.
Racing career
Rebaque pa ...
swerved to avoid a slower car and lost control. He slammed into the path of Foyt, sending Foyt hard into the outside wall.
*1983: A spectacular battle to the finish was besmirched by rain and multiple big wrecks. Rookie
Teo Fabi
Teodorico Fabi (born 9 March 1955) is an Italian former racing driver. He competed in Formula One and sports car racing, and claimed pole position in his rookie year at the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Teo is the older brother of former Formula One d ...
, who had won the pole position at
Indianapolis, followed that up with a pole at Michigan. Heavy rain and severe weather swept through the region on race morning, prompting a delay of the start. On lap 75, Fabi had just slipped by
Gordon Johncock for the lead, with
Kevin Cogan close behind in third. Going into turn three, a CV joint broke on Johncock's car, sending him hard, nose first, into the outside wall. Going high to try to avoid the crash, Cogan was collected in the incident and crashed also. Johncock suffered a fractured ankle and broken kneecap, but Cogan was not seriously injured.
Tom Sneva
Thomas E. Sneva (born June 1, 1948) is a retired American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1983. He primarily raced in Indy cars, and was named to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005.
A former math teacher from Spok ...
was also taken out in the crash after he clipped the car of
Patrick Bedard who spun trying to avoid the crash. On the final lap, race leader
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
was attempting to lap
Chris Kneifel
Chris Kneifel (born April 23, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois), is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1982-1984 seasons with 19 career starts, including the 1983 and 1984 Indianapolis 500, and finished in the top ten 6 ...
down the backstretch but had lost some momentum coming off of turn two. Second place
John Paul Jr. drafted behind, and caught Mears going into turn three. The cars went three-wide as Paul slipped under Mears practically on the apron entering turn three. Seconds later, Mears lost control, spun and hit the outside wall, and was subsequently t-boned by Kniefel as Paul went on to win. It was John Paul Jr.'s first win in an Indy car, and came after he had charged from 6th to 1st after the final round of pits and final restart on lap 219.
*1984: The 1984 Michigan 500 was memorable for both its close finish, and for some of the most violent crashes in the history of the event.
Phil Krueger
Phillip Eugene Krueger (born June 22, 1951 in Milwaukee, WisconsinESPN coverage of the 1983 CART Indycar Budweiser Cleveland Grand Prix) is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in 9 seasons (1981–1986, 1988–1989, an ...
and
Chet Fillip
Chet Fillip (born April 4, 1957), is an American former racing driver best known for driving in the CART series. Fillip raced stock cars and a modified during his teens and early twenties at Arena Park Raceway in Lubbock, Texas. His father Marvin ...
both crashed hard around the halfway point of the race; Kruger was knocked unconscious but Fillip walked away; both drivers recovered.
Chip Ganassi lost control coming out of turn two on lap 147, collecting
Al Unser Jr. The two cars crashed hard into the infield guardrail, with Ganassi's car being launched into the air and tumbling upside-down along the backstretch infield, disintegrating into separate bits. Unser walked away with only minor injuries, but Ganassi was critically injured, and the accident curtailed his driving career. Polesitter
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, ...
led the first five laps but dropped a cylinder and fell a lap down.
Tom Sneva
Thomas E. Sneva (born June 1, 1948) is a retired American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1983. He primarily raced in Indy cars, and was named to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005.
A former math teacher from Spok ...
emerged as the leader late in the race, but Andretti had worked his way back to the front by lap 205, when Gary Bettenhausen spun in the middle of turn three. Howdy Holmes hit Bettenhausen's car and went partially underneath it. Bettenhausen's car spun on top of Holmes's car and nearly took Holmes's head off. Behind them, Bobby Rahal, who was leading the race, hit the brakes and was hit from behind by Al Holbert. All four drivers walked away. This moved Andretti into the lead, and when the green flag came out he battled nose-to-tail with Tom Sneva over the final ten laps. With the white flag waving, Sneva dove low for the lead in turn one, but Andretti held the position. Sneva regained the momentum, and coming out of turn four the two cars split a lapped car as they crossed the line. Andretti took the victory by 0.14 seconds. As the checkered flag waved,
Pancho Carter was attempting to pass
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
for third, but hit a bump and lost control. The car swerved into the guardrail and broke into two pieces, which then slid into the grass and tumbled violently down the backstretch. Carter suffered only minor injuries.
*1985:
Radial tire
A radial tire (more properly, a radial-ply tire) is a particular design of vehicular tire. In this design, the cord plies are arranged at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, or radially (from the center of the tire). Radial tire construction ...
s were introduced at the track for the first time.
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 a ...
won the pole position with a track record of 215.202 mph, but a massive practice crash the day before the race destroyed his machine. Moments later,
Roberto Guerrero blew out a tire, and both incidents were blamed on possible tire deficiencies. The race was postponed until the following Saturday, and run with the old bias-ply tires. On race day,
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fitti ...
led
Al Unser Sr. in the closing laps.
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, ...
wrecked hard on lap 243, suffering a broken collarbone. That set up a sprint to the finish with the green and white flags coming out for the final lap. Unser Sr. could not get past the lapped car of
Tom Sneva
Thomas E. Sneva (born June 1, 1948) is a retired American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1983. He primarily raced in Indy cars, and was named to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005.
A former math teacher from Spok ...
, and Fittipaldi held on for the win, his first win in CART Indy car competition, and his first race win since the
1975 British Grand Prix
The 1975 British Grand Prix (formally the John Player Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held at Silverstone on 19 July 1975. It was race 10 of 14 in both the 1975 World Championship of Drivers and the 1975 International Cup for Formula O ...
. Besides Andretti's crash, the race was also marred by a scoring snafu by CART officials. On a lap 82 restart, officials put the lapped car of
Phil Krueger
Phillip Eugene Krueger (born June 22, 1951 in Milwaukee, WisconsinESPN coverage of the 1983 CART Indycar Budweiser Cleveland Grand Prix) is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in 9 seasons (1981–1986, 1988–1989, an ...
in the front of the pack by mistake. When the green came out, faster cars swerved to pass him, but
Danny Ongais got caught up in the melee, and barrel-rolled down the backstretch.
*1986:
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
won the pole position with a lap of 223.401 mph, a new closed-course Indy car record, but crashed his car during a practice run the following day. Mears' car was repaired, but he eventually dropped out with a blown engine. Rain and attrition was the story of the day. After 18 laps, a heavy rain storm brought out a red flag and a 90-minute delay. After the restart, many cars dropped out including
Roberto Guerrero, who crashed while leading on lap 47. Indy 500 winner
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 a ...
came to the lead in the second half, with
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 ...
having worked his way up to second. Rutherford took the lead on lap 196, and 25 laps later, Rahal's engine blew. Rutherford was now ahead by 25 seconds over
Josele Garza, and running fast laps in the 217 mph range. A late caution set up a restart with four laps to go. The depleted field had only 7 cars still running, and Rutherford held off Garza to win by 1.82 seconds. It was Rutherford's 27th and final win of his career, and he became the first driver to win all four 500 miles races (Indianapolis, Ontario, Pocono, Michigan) in his career. It was also Garza's best career finish (2nd place).
Al Unser Jr. somehow limped around to an 8th-place finish with no wings, a bashed nosecone, and an oil-cooler hastily wired to the gearbox.
Marlboro 500
*1987: In an effort to slow the cars down, allowable
turbocharger
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pr ...
boost was reduced from 48 to 45
inHG
Inch of mercury (inHg and ″Hg) is a non- SI unit of measurement for pressure. It is used for barometric pressure in weather reports, refrigeration and aviation in the United States.
It is the pressure exerted by a column of mercury in heigh ...
.
Michael Andretti (215.530 mph) nipped
A. J. Foyt for the pole, but fell far short of
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
' record of 223 mph year earlier.
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the '' Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his c ...
and
Michael Andretti combined to lead 247 of the 250 laps. Mario lapped the field, but blew his engine on lap 156. Michael Andretti assumed the lead, also having lapped the rest of the field. With 8 laps to go,
Michael Andretti led Indy 500 winner
Al Unser Sr. and
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 a ...
. Andretti needed to make his final pit stop, but a faulty clutch nearly cost him the race. Andretti's car sputtered and nearly stalled as he pulled away from his pit stall. Back on the track, Michael clung to a 9-second lead over Unser, and scored his first victory in a 500-mile event. With the win,
Mario
is a character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the '' Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in over 200 video games since his c ...
and
Michael Andretti became the first father and son duo to win the Michigan 500. After several years of crashes, the 1987 race was run relatively clean with only one accident, and a record average speed of 171.490 mph.
*1988:
Danny Sullivan
Daniel John Sullivan III (born March 9, 1950), better known as Danny Sullivan, is an American former racing driver. He earned 17 wins in the CART Indy Car World Series, including the 1985 Indianapolis 500. Sullivan won the 1988 CART Championsh ...
gave car owner
Roger Penske his first-ever victory in the Michigan 500. Only 8 of the 28 starters were running at the finish, but only one driver was involved in a crash.
Derek Daly slammed the outside wall in turn three, but was uninjured.
Penske Racing
Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing) is an American professional auto racing organization, competing in the NTT IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Debuting at the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona, the organiza ...
teammates
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
, Sullivan, and
Al Unser Sr. were running 1-2-3 at the halfway point, but Mears broke a driveshaft on lap 155. Unser spun out in the pits on lap 140, and later suffered a blown engine. Sullivan lapped the field, and
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 a ...
finished second with the
Judd engine.
*1989:
Michael Andretti spun out exiting the pit area on lap 76, was assessed a stop-and-go penalty for allegedly passing under the caution, but still found himself in contention for the win in the latter stages. On lap 202, Andretti and
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
were leaving the pits during a yellow when Mears accused Andretti of passing him illegally under the caution. Officials denied the Mears protest, and it became moot as Mears re-took the lead on lap 232. With less than ten laps to go, Mears suddenly slowed with a suspension failure, handing
Michael Andretti the victory.
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, ...
came home third, nipped at the line by second place
Teo Fabi
Teodorico Fabi (born 9 March 1955) is an Italian former racing driver. He competed in Formula One and sports car racing, and claimed pole position in his rookie year at the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Teo is the older brother of former Formula One d ...
, who drove to
Porsche's best ever 500-mile result.
*1990: The fastest 500-mile race in Michigan history unfolded with the
Ilmor Chevrolet-powered machines dominating. The grueling pace saw many leaders drop out with engine failures, including
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fitti ...
,
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 Sp ...
, and
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
.
Galles/KRACO Racing teammates
Al Unser Jr. and
Bobby Rahal
Robert Woodward Rahal (born January 10, 1953) is an American former auto racing driver and team owner. As a driver he won three championships and 24 races in the CART open-wheel series, including the 1986 Indianapolis 500. He also won the 2004 a ...
were left alone on the lead lap, and battled fiercely over the final 100 miles. With less than 15 laps to go, both Unser and Rahal needed one final pit stop for fuel. Rahal ducked into the pits first, but seconds later a caution came out, trapping Rahal a lap down. Unser Jr. got the benefit of pitting under yellow, and cruised over the final 10 laps to score his first victory in a 500-mile race.
*1991:
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 Sp ...
and car owner Vince Granatelli missed practice and qualifying on Friday, as they battled an injunction order from car co-owner Bob Tezak. Luyendyk won the battle in court, and qualified for the field on Saturday, although he had to start in the final row. During the race, Luyendyk charged to the front and led 52 laps. On lap 186, however, Luyendyk was issued a stop-and-penalty for jumping a restart and passing cars before the green light came on. The penalty put
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
in control, and Luyendyk almost a lap down. With 20 laps to go, a caution bunched the field, and allowed Luyendyk one last chance at Mears. Luyendyk was no match, however, and Mears claimed victory, sweeping both the
Indy 500 and Michigan 500, the final two wins of his career. Rookie
Paul Tracy's
Penske Racing
Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing) is an American professional auto racing organization, competing in the NTT IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Debuting at the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona, the organiza ...
debut ended against the wall on lap 3.
*1992: Canadians
Scott Goodyear and
Paul Tracy survived an attrition-filled race and battled to the finish, each looking for their first-career Indy car win. On his final pit stop, Goodyear snapped off a pneumatic jack, which would have made subsequent tire changes difficult. After the final restart, Goodyear passed Tracy with 17 laps to go on the outside of turn two, using third place
Raul Boesel to draft by. Goodyear held on to win his first career race, avenging the disappointing loss at
Indy
Indy may refer to:
Computing and technology
*Indy (software), used for Internet access to music
*Internet Direct, or "Indy", a software library
* SGI Indy, a computer workstation
Periodicals
*''The Indy'', shorthand for newspapers that include ...
two months earlier. The race also marked the final career start for
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
. Mears dropped out with nagging pain in his wrist due to injuries suffered at Indianapolis. He sat out the rest of the season, and unexpectedly retired at year's end. During qualifying,
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, ...
(230.150 mph) set a new track record, the first lap at Michigan ever over 230 mph.
*1993:
Nigel Mansell
Nigel Ernest James Mansell, (; born 8 August 1953) is a British retired racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship (1992) and the CART Indy Car World Series (1993). Mansell was the reigning F1 champion when he moved over t ...
lapped the field by the midway point setting a blistering pace running laps in 225 mph range. But the rough, demanding circuit took a physical toll on Mansell, who became ill with a headache, a sore wrist, and exhaustion. Mansell led 221 of the 250 laps, dominating in his first victory in a 500-mile race. Mansell's
Newman-Haas
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 ...
teammate
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, ...
finished second, capping off a 1-2 sweep for the
Ford Cosworth XB engine. Andretti's pole speed of 234.275 mph was also an all-time Indy car record.
*1994:
Indy 500 winner
Al Unser Jr. took the lead with less than 25 laps to go after leader
Raul Boesel's car lost power.
Scott Goodyear was holding second, a lap down due to running out of fuel on lap 170. But only six laps later on lap 231, Unser, Jr.'s engine blew, handing the lead and the win to
Scott Goodyear. It was Goodyear's second win in the Michigan 500, and the first and only Indy car win for
King Racing
King Racing was a racing team which fielded cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series as well as in CART and the Indianapolis 500. The team was owned by NHRA drag racing driver Kenny Bernstein.
NASCAR
For its entire run in NASCAR’s top series, King ...
. With nearly all of the contenders out,
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 Sp ...
(started 26th) finished 2nd for Indy Regency Racing.
*1995: The track was repaved during the offseason.
Scott Pruett
Scott Donald Pruett (born March 24, 1960) is a former American race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, CART, IMSA, Trans-Am and Grand-Am. He and his wife Judy have three children and are children's book authors.
Pruett started racing go ...
and
Al Unser Jr. ran 1st-2nd in the closing laps. Unser passed Pruett for the lead going into turn one at the white flag, but Pruett tucked in behind to draft. Coming out of turn four, Pruett made a slingshot pass to beat Unser at the line by 0.056 seconds. it was Pruett's first career Indy car win, and the first win for Firestone tires since 1974.
Danny Sullivan
Daniel John Sullivan III (born March 9, 1950), better known as Danny Sullivan, is an American former racing driver. He earned 17 wins in the CART Indy Car World Series, including the 1985 Indianapolis 500. Sullivan won the 1988 CART Championsh ...
suffered a fractured pelvis in a crash, and soon after, retired from driving.
*1996: On the first lap,
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.
Moving up from Formula Two, Fitti ...
clipped wheels with
Greg Moore, sending Fittipaldi's car hard into the wall in turn two. Fittipaldi suffered a fractured vertebra, a fractured shoulder blade, and a partially collapsed lung, which proved to be career-ending injuries. Several race leaders dropped out, with
André Ribeiro dodging debris and avoiding problems to lead most of the second half. With 8 laps to go, Ribeiro held off
Bryan Herta and
Maurício Gugelmin on a restart and took the victory by a 1.3 second margin.
U.S. 500
*1997: The
U. S. 500
The U.S. 500 was an automobile race sanctioned by CART, it was held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. The event was held from 1973 to 1986 and again in 1996 due to the event being known as the as an alternative to the 19 ...
moniker was given the July 500-mile race, after the
Memorial Day
Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...
weekend event was discontinued after only one edition.
Alex Zanardi survived a pit mishap and a subsequent penalty to come back and win by an impressive 31-second margin. On lap 33, Zanardi stalled his engine in the pits, then ran over his teammate
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 ...
's airhose, for which he was issued a drive-through penalty. The field dwindled from 28 starters to only 11 cars running at the finish. Zanardi steadily climbed to the front, and led 93 of the final 98 laps.
*1998: The race was marred by a crash on lap 175.
Adrián Fernández
Adrián Fernández Mier (born April 20, 1963 in Mexico City, CDMX, Mexico) is a Mexican former professional race car driver and he was co-owner of the Fernandez Racing team.
Racing career
Early career
Fernández began his career in Mexico by ...
slammed into the outside wall in the fourth turn. His right front wheel was torn off and hurled over the fence into the stands,
killing three spectators (Kenneth Fox, Sheryl Laster, and Michael Tautkus) and injuring six others.
Back on the track, the racing was among the most spectacular in the 20-year history of CART. The
Hanford Device was used for the first time, which produced close racing, drafting, and a record-shattering 62 lead changes. The top four cars crossed the finish line separated by only 0.518 seconds.
Greg Moore passed
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 ...
going into turn one on the final lap, and held on for the victory.
*1999:
Max Papis
Massimiliano "Max" Papis (born 3 October 1969) is an Italian professional motorsport driver who has competed in several top-level motorsports events such as Le Mans 24 Hours, Formula One and Champ Car. He has three Champ Car victories. He is the ...
led by 3 seconds at the white flag but shockingly ran out of fuel in turn three.
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 ...
screamed by to take the lead, but was closely followed by
Juan Pablo Montoya. At the stripe, Montoya attempted a slingshot pass, but Kanaan made a block and held off to win by 0.032 seconds. It was Kanaan's first-career Indy car win, and stands as the closest finish in a 500-mile race in Indy car racing history.
Michigan / Harrah's 500 Presented by Toyota
*2000:
Juan Pablo Montoya beat
Michael Andretti at the finish line by 0.040 seconds. The two cars battled for the lead over the last several laps, with Andretti taking the lead on lap 249. Going into turn one on the final lap, Montoya drafted by to take the lead, but Andretti pulled back alongside going into turn three. Side by side out of turn four, the two cars nearly touched, and Montoya on the outside benefited from a draft off the car of
Tarso Marques
Tarso Anibal Santanna Marques (born 19 January 1976) is a Brazilian racing driver who competes part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 79 Ford Mustang for Team Stange Racing in both series. He previously p ...
. Montoya edged just ahead at the stripe to take the win. The race saw 52 official lead changes, and lap speeds in the 220-230 mph range. Montoya became the first driver since
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1 ...
in 1991 to win both the
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 India ...
and Michigan 500 in the same year.
*2001: The final
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 ...
series race at Michigan saw 60 lead changes among 11 drivers, and a wild five-car shootout for the win. On the final lap,
Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier (born August 13, 1971) is a retired Canadian professional auto racing driver. In the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series, he achieved five wins and 24 podiums, as well as two third place championship finishes in 200 ...
,
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 India ...
, and
Michel Jourdain Jr. were running in the top three. Carpentier's teammate
Alex Tagliani
Alexandre Tagliani (; born October 18, 1973), nicknamed "Tag", is a Canadian professional racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Pinty’s Series, driving the No. 18 Chevrolet Camaro for 22 Racing.
Tagliani has competed in a variety ...
was a lap down in sixth, but in the lead pack. Going into turn one, Tagliani drafted past the leaders and was in front of the pack. Down the backstretch, Tagliani slid over to give Carpentier the lead, blocking Jourdain. Going into turn three, Jourdain slid up the banking, and nearly touched wheels with Franchitti. Carpentier broke away and won his first career Indy car race.
Michel Jourdain Jr. beat
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 India ...
for second place by two inches.
Firestone Indy 400
*2002: The race switched to become an Indy Racing League event, and the distance was changed to 400 miles (200 laps). After crashing while leading the
Indy 500, and after many struggles by the team up to that point, rookie
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 ...
won the pole and dominated much of the race.
Cheever Racing teammates Scheckter and
Buddy Rice finished 1st-2nd. With 16 laps to go,
Sarah Fisher passed
Felipe Giaffone for the lead, the first time a female driver had made a pass for the lead in an Indy car race under green flag conditions. Scheckter and Rice, both mired in traffic, paired up and together charged back to the front in the closing laps. It was Scheckter's first career IndyCar win.
*2003: On lap 164,
Sam Hornish Jr.,
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 ...
, and
Alex Barron were battling for the lead, almost three-wide going into turn three. On the frontstretch, Barron and Scheckter touched wheels, sending Barron's car spinning to the infield grass. The car spun back up the banking, and Barron was able to drive away unscathed. On the final lap, Hornish led Barron down the backstretch. Barron went to the outside in turn three and the two cars were side by side coming out of turn four. Barron edged Hornish at the finish line by 0.0121 seconds for the win.
*2004:
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 ...
led 183 of the first 189 laps, but with 11 laps to go, gave up the lead to
Buddy Rice. In order to conserve fuel and make it to the finish, Kanaan let Rice by, as the
Andretti Green
Andretti Autosport is an auto racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series, Indy Lights, Indy Pro 2000, and Formula E. The team also has a 37.5% ownership stake in the Australian Supercars Championship touring car team, Walkinshaw Andretti U ...
crew believed Rice would run out of fuel before the checkered flag. Rice stretched his fuel, and won, sweeping both
Indy
Indy may refer to:
Computing and technology
*Indy (software), used for Internet access to music
*Internet Direct, or "Indy", a software library
* SGI Indy, a computer workstation
Periodicals
*''The Indy'', shorthand for newspapers that include ...
and Michigan for the season.
*2005:
Bryan Herta dominated the race, leading 159 of 200 laps, but a late-race caution set up a six-lap dash to the checkered flag. Herta's
Andretti Green Racing teammates
Dan Wheldon and
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 ...
made it three-wide for the lead on lap 195, but Herta held off the challenge and scored the victory.
*2006: Rain delayed the start by over two hours. Points leader
Sam Hornish Jr. led 37 laps, but blew his engine on lap 61.
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 W ...
took the victory and the points lead at the end of the day. There were only two yellows for 10 laps, resulting in a Michigan record average speed of 193.972 mph.
*
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 Benazir Bhutto ...
: Rain delayed the start of the race for over four hours. On lap 139,
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 India ...
and
Dan Wheldon hooked wheels on the back-stretch, sending Franchitti sideways and sailing upside down, landing on the cars of
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 ...
and
A. J. Foyt IV
Anthony Joseph Foyt IV (born May 25, 1984) is an American football scout and former racing driver. He is a scouting assistant for the Indianapolis Colts, and drove in the IndyCar Series and briefly the NASCAR Busch Series. He is the third gener ...
, and collecting several other cars.
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 ...
held off teammate
Marco Andretti
Marco Michael Andretti (born March 13, 1987) is an American auto racing driver who drives the No. 98 car for Andretti Herta Autosport part-time in the IndyCar Series. He is the third generation of the famous Andretti racing family. He is the 20 ...
at the finish line, and only seven cars were running at the finish.
Notes
Works cited
IndyCar.com - Official SiteChampCarStats.com
References
{{IndyCar Series races
Michigan Indy 400