1979 Indianapolis 500

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1979 Indianapolis 500

Results of the 1979 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500 race.It has existed since 1909, and is the original "Speedway," the first racing facility historically to incorporate the word....
on Sunday, May 27, 1979.

class="wikitable">

Finish

Start

Name

Qual

Rank

Laps

Led

Status

Rick Mears

Rick Ravon Mears is a retired United States race car driver. He is the third of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six ....

193.736

200

Running

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Results of the 1979 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Finish	Start	No	Name	Qual	Rank	Laps	Led	Status
1	1	9	Rick Mears Rick Mears Rick Ravon Mears is a retired United States race car driver. He is the third of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six ....	193.736	1	200	25	Running
2	6	14		189.613	6	200	1	Running
3	12	36	Mike Mosley Mike Mosley Mike Mosley , was an American racecar driver.Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Mosley died in an off-road vehicle accident near Riverside, California....	186.278	16	200	0	Running
4	27	25	Danny Ongais Danny Ongais Danny Ongais is a former racecar driver from the United States.He is the only native Hawaiian to compete at the Indianapolis 500. A motorcycle, sports car, Formula One, and drag racing competitor, in 1963 and 1964 Ongais won the American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship and in 1965 he added the National Hot Rod Association...	188.009	10	199	0	Flagged
5	4	12	Bobby Unser Bobby Unser Robert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired United States automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser and Jerry Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr....	189.913	4	199	89	Flagged
6	5	3	Gordon Johncock Gordon Johncock Gordon Johncock is a former racing driver, best known as a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the 1976 United States Automobile Club Marlboro Championship Trail champion....	189.753	5	197	0	Flagged
7	13	46	Howdy Holmes Howdy Holmes Howdy S. Holmes , is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He began racing in the early 1970's and was based in Stockbridge, Michigan, about northeast of Chelsea....	185.864	19	195	0	Flagged
8	34	22	Bill Vukovich II Bill Vukovich II Bill Vukovich II , is a former driver in the championship car division of United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series.He was named the 1968 Indianapolis 500 List of Indianapolis 500 Rookies of the Year, a result of his 7th place finish....	187.042	12	194	0	Flagged
9	15	11	Tom Bagley Tom Bagley Tom Bagley , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1978-1980 and 1983 seasons, with 42 combined career starts, including the 1978-1980 Indianapolis 500....	185.414	23	193	0	Flagged
10	31	19	Spike Gehlhausen Spike Gehlhausen Daniel William "Spike" Gehlhausen , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in 11 seasons , with 79 combined career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1976, 1978-1980, and 1984....	185.061	27	192	0	Flagged
11	28	7	Steve Krisiloff Steve Krisiloff Steve Krisiloff , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1969-1979, 1981 and 1983 seasons, with 111 combined career starts, and started in the Indianapolis 500 all but 1969-1970....	186.287	15	192	0	Flagged
12	16	77	Salt Walther Salt Walther David "Salt" Walther , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He also drove NASCAR stock cars, unlimited hydroplane boats, and was a car owner in USAC....	184.162	33	191	0	Flagged
13	25	72	Roger McCluskey Roger McCluskey Roger McCluskey was an United States race car driver. He was from Tucson, Arizona.He won championship titles in three divisions of USAC -Sprints, Stocks, and Champ Cars....	183.908	35	191	0	Flagged
14	30	44	Tom Bigelow Tom Bigelow Tom Bigelow , USA, is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series....	185.147	25	190	0	Flagged
15	2	1	Tom Sneva Tom Sneva Tom Sneva is a former American Championship Car Racing driver that was named to the prestigious Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005. Sneva is best remembered for winning the 1983 Indianapolis 500....	192.999	2	188	0	Crash T4
16	26	69	Joe Saldana Joe Saldana Joe Saldana , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1980 seasons, with 31 combined career starts, including the 1978-1979 Indianapolis 500....	188.778	7	186	0	Flagged
17	29	97	Phil Threshie Phil Threshie Phil Threshie , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1981 seasons, with 15 combined career starts, including the 1978-1979 Indianapolis 500....	185.855	20	172	0	Flagged
18	8	4	Johnny Rutherford Johnny Rutherford John Sherman Rutherford, III is a retired United States of America automobile racer.The Texas-raised "Lonestar J.R." is one of eight drivers to win the prestigious Indianapolis 500 mile race at least three times: in 1974 Indianapolis 500, 1976 Indianapolis 500, and 1980 Indianapolis 500....	188.137	9	168	0	Flagged
19	23	31	Larry Rice Larry Rice Larry Rice , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series....	184.218	31	142	0	Crash T2
20	17	10	Pancho Carter Pancho Carter Duane "Pancho" Carter, Jr. is a retired American race car driver. He is most famous for his participation in CART races....	185.806	21	129	0	Wheel Bearing
21	22	34	Vern Schuppan Vern Schuppan Vernon "Vern" Schuppan is a racing driver from Whyalla, South Australia. He drove in various categories, but arguably most of his success was as a sports car driver and was heavily associated with Porsche till the end of his career....	184.341	29	111	0	Transmission
22	3	2	Al Unser Al Unser Alfred Unser is a former United States of America automobile racing driver, the younger brother of Bobby Unser and father of Al Unser, Jr.. He is the second of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500 four times, the fourth of five to have won the race in consecutive years, and is the only person to have both a sibling and child as fello...	192.503	3	104	85	Transmission
23	33	50	Eldon Rasmussen Eldon Rasmussen Eldon Rasmussen , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club Championship Car series. He raced in the 1971 and 1973-1979 seasons, with 23 career starts, including the 1975, 1977, and 1979 Indianapolis 500....	183.927	34	89	0	Header Pipe
24	24	80	Larry Dickson Larry Dickson Larry Dickson , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and Champ Car Championship Car series. He raced in the 1965-1981 seasons, with 105 combined career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1966-1969, 1971, 1978-1979, and 1981....	184.181	32	86	0	Fuel Pump
25	32	92	John Mahler John Mahler John Mahler , is a former open wheel race car driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1970-1973 and 1976-1981 seasons, with 39 combined career starts, including the 1972 and 1977-1979 Indianapolis 500....	184.322	30	66	0	Fuel Pump
26	20	17	Dick Simon Dick Simon Dick Simon is one of the oldest men to ever have raced in the Indianapolis 500. He was 55 years old during his final Indy 500 start in 1988. A multiple starter and top-ten finisher in the race....	185.071	26	57	0	Clutch
27	7	6	Wally Dallenbach, Sr. Wally Dallenbach, Sr. Wally Dallenbach, Sr. is a former long-time open-wheeled race car driver in Champ Car from East Brunswick, New Jersey. He drove in 180 Indy Car races between 1965 and 1979, winning five times....	188.285	8	43	0	Lost Wheel
28	10	24	Sheldon Kinser Sheldon Kinser Sheldon Kinser , was an American race-car driver.Kinser, a Bloomington, Indiana native, died of cancer. He was a three-time United States Automobile Club Sprint car racing Series Champion ....	186.674	13	40	0	Piston
29	18	29	Cliff Hucul Cliff Hucul Cliff Hucul , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1981 seasons, with 24 combined career starts, including the 1977-1979 Indianapolis 500....	186.200	17	22	0	Rod
30	11	89	Lee Kunzman Lee Kunzman Lee Kunzman , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1969, 1972-1973 and 1975-1980 seasons, with 48 combined career starts, including the 1971-1972, 1977, and 1979 Indianapolis 500....	186.403	14	18	0	Scavenger Pump
31	21	73	Jerry Sneva Jerry Sneva Jerry Sneva , is a former off-road driver who also drove in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1982 seasons, with 26 combined career starts, including the 1977-1980 and 1982 Indianapolis 500 and was named 1977 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year....	184.379	28	16	0	Piston
32	9	15	Johnny Parsons Johnny Parsons Johnny Parsons is an United States racecar driver....	187.813	11	16	0	Piston
33	35	59	George Snider George Snider George "Ziggy" Snider is a retired United States race car driver. A longtime driver in the United States Automobile Club Silver Crown series, Snider is also a 22-time starter of the Indianapolis 500, the most starts without winning the race....	185.319	24	7	0	Fuel Pump
34	14	45	Janet Guthrie Janet Guthrie Janet Guthrie is a race car driver and the first woman to qualify and compete in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500.Guthrie was originally an Aerospace engineering and after graduating from the University of Michigan, she worked with Republic Aviation....	185.720	22	3	0	Piston
35	19	23	Jim McElreath Jim McElreath Jim McElreath , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and Champ Car Championship Car series....	185.880	18	0	0	Valves

Failed to Qualify: Bill Alsup

Bill Alsup

Bill Alsup was a Auto racing driver. He was the first Champ Car Rookie of the Year in 1979 and competed in the 1981 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500, finishing 11th....
(#19, #41, #68 - Disqualified), Gary Bettenhausen

Gary Bettenhausen

Gary Bettenhausen is a retired American auto racing driver. He was born in Blue Island, Illinois, raised in Tinley Park, Illinois and lives in Monrovia, Indiana, Indiana....
(#44, #98), Tony Bettenhausen, Jr.

Tony Bettenhausen, Jr.

Tony Bettenhausen, Jr. was a former Champ Car team owner and driver who died in a 2000 plane crash. He was the son of former 14-time Indianapolis 500 competitor Tony Bettenhausen and the brother of 21-time Indy racer Gary Bettenhausen....
(#23, #26), Neil Bonnett

Neil Bonnett

Lawrence Neil Bonnett was a NASCAR driver who compiled 18 victories and 20 Pole Position over his 18-year career. The Hueytown, Alabama native currently ranks 35th in all time NASCAR Cup wins....
(#73), Earle Canavan, Larry Cannon

Larry Cannon

Larry Cannon , was an American racecar driver.Born in Danville, Illinois, Cannon also died there in 1995, after suffering an embolism. He drove in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series, racing in the 1970-1971 and 1973-1981 seasons, with 44 combined career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1974, 1976, a...
(#95), Dana Carter (#30), Billy Engelhart

Billy Engelhart

Billy Engelhart , is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1980-1981 seasons, with 9 career starts, including the 1980 Indianapolis 500....
(#83), Dick Ferguson

Dick Ferguson

Dick Ferguson , is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1979-1985 and 1987-1988 seasons, with 26 career starts, including the 1980 Indianapolis 500....
(#81), Ed Finley (#62), Woody Fisher (#52), Tom Frantz

Tom Frantz

Tom Frantz is an United States former racing driver from Denver, Colorado. He made his United States Auto Club Championship Car debut in 1975 and made 6 starts with 2 11th place finish and competitive drives in every event....
(#16), Todd Gibson

Todd Gibson

Todd Gibson is an United States former racing driver from Morral, Ohio.An accomplished Modified Stock car racing, Gibson made his United States Auto Club Championship Car debut on in 1969 at the Milwaukee Mile....
(#75), Bob Harkey

Bob Harkey

Bob Harkey , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club Championship Car series. He raced in the 1963-1979 seasons, with 85 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1964, 1971 and 1973-1976....
(#19), Hurley Haywood

Hurley Haywood

Hurley Haywood is an American race-car driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1977 , 1983 and 1994 and is the most winning driver at the 24 Hours of Daytona with 5...
(#51), Jim Hurtubise

Jim Hurtubise

Jim Hurtubise was an American race car driver who raced in United States Automobile Club American Championship Car Racing , as well as Sprint car racing and stock cars ....
(#56), Jerry Karl

Jerry Karl

Jerry Karl , was a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and Champ Car Championship Car series. Starting out in midget car racing and sprint car racing, he made his Champ Car debut in 1969 and qualified for his first Indy 500 in 1973 Indianapolis 500 driving an All American Racers chassis powered by a twin-turbo Chevrolet V8 eng...
(#38), Al Loquasto

Al Loquasto

Al Loquasto , was a Sicilian-Italian-American and Mexican-American racecar driver, a descendant of Libertino lo Guasto of Serradifalco, Caltanissetta, Sicily....
(#39), John Martin

John Martin (driver)

John Martin , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1970-1977 and 1979-1980 seasons, with 52 career starts, including the 1972-1976 Indianapolis 500....
(#20), Larry McCoy

Larry McCoy (driver)

Larry McCoy , was an American racecar driver.Born in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, McCoy died by suicide in 1997. He drove in the United States Automobile Club Championship Car series, racing in the 1972-1976 seasons with 24 starts, including the 1975 and 1976 Indianapolis 500....
(#93), Jerry Miller

Jerry Miller

Jerry Miller is an United States songwriter, guitarist and vocalist. He performs as a solo artist and as a member of the Jerry Miller Band. He is also a founding member of the 1960s San Francisco band Moby Grape, which continues to perform occasionally....
(#97), Jan Opperman

Jan Opperman

Jan Opperman , was an American racecar driver. He won the 1971 Knoxville Nationals, the premiere event in sprint car racing.Born in Long Beach, California, Opperman died in Fountain, Florida, 16 years after suffering critical injuries from a crash during a race in Jennerstown, Pennsylvania....
, Bill Puterbaugh

Bill Puterbaugh

Bill Puterbaugh , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club Championship Car series. He raced in the 1967-1971 and 1975-1977, and 1979 seasons, with 31 career starts, including the 1975-1977 Indianapolis 500....
(#35), Roger Rager

Roger Rager

Roger Rager , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1979 and 1978-1981 seasons, with 21 combined career starts, including the 1980 Indianapolis 500, which he led for 2 laps....
(#66), Billy Scott (#28), Frank Weiss

Frank Weiss

Frank Weiss is a retired Canada racecar driver. He competed in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series.Weiss made his champ car debut in 1975 at Milwaukee Mile....
(#50)

Qualifying closed with 33 cars in the field. However, the day before the race a special qualifying session was held to allow certain entries a last chance to qualify, who were unable to do so due to a controversy with the CART
Champ Car

Champ Car, was the name for a class and specification of automobiles used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race....
series. Two cars were thus added to the field.