Geatest 500 ever?

[Crash Test]

Which Indy 500 would you rate as the greatest?

1995: 2 laps down, Jacques was pretty good.

But there are so many....

How about the Unser/Goodyear finish, or the Emmo/Unser finishes (and that is just in the last decade...

I don't think there have been any "classics" since the IRL moved in...

How about some of the old time races...when Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart and Graham Hill raced..

What are your thoughts?

[Dave S]

For sheer impact on the race it would have to be 1965. Clark wins & the rear engine revolution begins. For excitement there's just so many. Sullivan's spin & win, Al Unser winning in a borrowed car,Villeneuve's complete domination, it just goes on & on.

[Lizzerd]

1961. Eddie Sachs (RIP) and AJ. The two of them dominated the race. Late pit stops by both of them with 30 laps or so to go kept AJ in front of Sachs by a couple seconds. Unbeknownst to Sachs, AJ did not get a full load of fuel due to a malfunction and would have to pit again. As AJ pulled away on the track from Eddie with a light load, Eddie abused his tires trying to keep up. AJ wasn't aware that he didn't get enough fuel either. Eventually, AJ was called in to pit for a short splash of fuel and Eddie got the lead by 17 seconds after the stop. Remember that this was in the days before radios. Drivers had to rely on and belive the pit boards that they see in a flash. There were a few laps remaiming and Eddie's lead was shrinking. On lap 197, he looked over his shoulder and saw cord showing on his right rear tire. He pitted for a one tire change as AJ passed him as he left the pits. AJ won the race by eight seconds. Had Sachs known that AJ had to pit again, or taken it a bit easier on his tires for the last dozen or so laps, there would be one fewer four time winner.

Some have speculated this. Eddie Sachs always said that he would retire from auto racing when he won the Indy 500. He had that race in his pocket and took a second so he could keep racing because he loved it so much. Eddie Sachs died in the famous, huge first lap crash in the 1964 race. Gasoline was soon banned as a fuel in favor of Methanol.

[Nuvolari]

I'm partial to Danny Sullivan's victory after saving the car in a 360-degree spin.

[Jared]

IMO, for pure excitement over the last few laps, nothing matches the Johncock-Mears duel of 1982 or the Unser Jr.-Goodyear fight 10 years later. Or, the Mike Andretti-Mears 1991 race.

However, there have been many great races. Al Sr. coming in as a backup driver and winning the race in '87. Foyt and Parnelli Jones in "Silent Sam" in 1967. Roger Ward and Jim Rathman trading the lead back and forth in 1960.

As much as everyone here and 7th Gear dis the IRL, last year's 500 was very good, except for some bone-head moves, like Tyce Carlson and Arie getting together and Greg Ray's accident in the pits.
There were packs of cars fighting it out the entire race. And the race finish was exciting. Kenny Brack running Gordon down as everyone wondered whether or not Robby would run out of fuel. Good stuff. Too bad most CART races aren't like that, though CART's U.S. 500 was a great finish.

[Gerard]

I have to say 1990, when my fellow countryman Arie Luyendyk won the Indy 500 for the first time.
I know there have been greater 500's but for a small country with hardly a racing history and no really great names that was something special to me.
More so since I know Arie from the time he was racing Formula Vee's and I know how hard he had to fight to get there.

[mapguy]

1995. JV drove an awesome race. Also I picked 1995 for sentimental reasons. It was the last real Indy 500.

[Dave S]

Good call Mapguy. Did you catch Granatelli's comments? Brought in to help promote the race & informs TG that his race has lost all the sizzle! I've missed having that guy around.