1989 Indianapolis 500

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1989 Indianapolis 500

The 1989 Indianapolis 500 was 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 28, 1989. It was the 73rd running of the event.

front row

Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, often shortened to Indianapolis 500 or Indy 500 or commonly known simply as The 500, is an USA automobile auto racing, held annually over the Memorial Day weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana....
for the race was 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 ....
, Al Unser, Sr.

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...
and Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi is a highly successful Brazilian automobile racing driver, winning championships in both Formula One and Champcars, and the Indianapolis 500 twice....
. Mears, in a Pennzoil

Pennzoil

Pennzoil is an oil company originally founded in Oil City, Pennsylvania. In 1963, South Penn Oil merged with Zapata Corporation to become Pennzoil....
-sponsored Penske-Chevrolet

Chevrolet

Chevrolet is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors . It is the top selling GM marque, with "Chevrolet" or "Chevy" being at times synonymous with GM....
, qualified for the pole with a speed of . Unser, Jr. was the driver of the Valvoline-sponsored Galles Racing

Galles Racing

Galles Racing is a former auto racing team owned by Rick Galles that competed in the CART series and Indy Racing League, winning the 1990 CART Championship and 1992 Indianapolis 500 with driver Al Unser, Jr.....
entry while Fittipaldi was the driver of the Marlboro

Marlboro (cigarette)

Marlboro is a brand of cigaretteMarlboro is a brand of cigarette made by Philip Morris USA within the US, and by Philip Morris International outside the US....
-sponsored car owned by Patrick Racing

Patrick Racing

Patrick Racing was an auto racing team in both Champ Car and the Indy Racing League.Patrick Racing was started by U.E. Patrick with the formation of CART in 1978....
.

In the first laps, Kevin Cogan

Kevin Cogan

Kevin Cogan is a former racecar driver who drove in Formula One from to . Driving a RAM Racing Williams in the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, he failed to qualify, suffering the same result driving for Tyrrell Racing at the 1981 United States Grand Prix West....
had a large crash with the inside frontstretch wall, rebounding into the attenuating barrier at the pit entrance, practically disintegrating his car and slicing it in half as it came to a stop in the pit area.

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Encyclopedia

The 1989 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Race events

The front row

Indianapolis 500

Rick Mears

Al Unser

Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi is a highly successful Brazilian automobile racing driver, winning championships in both Formula One and Champcars, and the Indianapolis 500 twice....
. Mears, in a Pennzoil

Pennzoil

Pennzoil is an oil company originally founded in Oil City, Pennsylvania. In 1963, South Penn Oil merged with Zapata Corporation to become Pennzoil....
-sponsored Penske-Chevrolet

Chevrolet

Galles Racing

Marlboro (cigarette)

Patrick Racing

Kevin Cogan

Michael Andretti

Michael Mario Andretti is an United States retired Champ Car and Formula One driver with Italy heritage. He now co-owns the Andretti Green Racing team in the Indy Racing League....
came to the lead, but lost an engine while leading. Fittipaldi regained the lead, with Al Unser, Jr.

Al Unser, Jr.

Alfred Unser, Jr. , nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior" or simply "Junior" is an United States race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner....
second. The remainder of the field ran at least six laps behind. A late-race caution came out, and Fittipaldi pitted for fuel. Gambling on track position, Unser, Jr. stayed out and decided not to pit for fuel. Team owner Rick Galles decided not to pit, as their fuel calculations were close, and even if Unser, Jr. ran out of fuel on the final lap, they would still finish no worse than second since third place Raul Boesel

Raul Boesel

Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a former racing driver who raced for the March Engineering and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League....
was six laps behind.

On lap 196 Al Unser, Jr. took the lead from Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi is a highly successful Brazilian automobile racing driver, winning championships in both Formula One and Champcars, and the Indianapolis 500 twice....
. With two laps to go, Unser, Jr. approached slower traffic. Fittipaldi closed in, and on the backstrech, pulled inside Unser, Jr. Running side-by-side in turn three, the Brazilian’s Penske drifted slightly high and the cars touched wheels. Unser spun around into the turn 3 wall. The pace car escorted "Emmo" to his first Indy win. In the a post-race interview Unser, Jr. was asked whether the accident could have been avoided, he believed not as both he and Fittipaldi "Both wanted to win it badly."

Race results

Finish	Start	No	Name	Qual	Rank	Laps	Led	Status
1	3	20	Emerson Fittipaldi Emerson Fittipaldi Emerson Fittipaldi is a highly successful Brazilian automobile racing driver, winning championships in both Formula One and Champcars, and the Indianapolis 500 twice....	222.329	3	200	158	Running
2	8	2	Al Unser, Jr. Al Unser, Jr. Alfred Unser, Jr. , nicknamed "Little Al", "Al Junior" or simply "Junior" is an United States race car driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner....	218.642	9	198	5	Crash T3
3	9	30	Raul Boesel Raul Boesel Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a former racing driver who raced for the March Engineering and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League....	218.228	11	194	1	Flagged
4	5	5	Mario Andretti Mario Andretti Mario Gabriele Andretti is an Italian American former automobile auto racing driver, and one of the most successful United States in the history of the sport....	220.485	5	193	1	Flagged
5	10	14	A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr. , is a retired American automobile auto racing driving. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes United States Automobile Club Champ cars and midget car racing....	217.135	12	193	0	Flagged
6	6	22	Scott Brayton Scott Brayton Scott Brayton was a race car driver from Coldwater, Michigan, Michigan, on the American open-wheel circuit. He competed in 14 Indianapolis 500s, beginning with the 1981 Indianapolis 500 event....	220.458	6	193	0	Flagged
7	31	50	Davy Jones Davy Jones (racing driver) Davy Jones is an United States former racing driver.In 1983 he came 3rd in the British Formula Three Championship behind Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundle....	214.279	22	192	0	Flagged
8	33	29	Rich Vogler Rich Vogler Rich Vogler was a champion Sprint car racing and midget car racing driver. He was nicknamed "Rapid Rich". He competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, his best finish was eighth in 1989 Indianapolis 500....	213.238	31	192	0	Flagged
9	20	69	Bernard Jourdain Bernard Jourdain Bernard Jourdain is a Belgian born Mexican former race car driver. He started two Indianapolis 500's . He was named the Indy 500 Co-Rookie of the Year in 1989 CART World Series season with Scott Pruett.... (R)	213.105	33	191	0	Flagged
10	17	3	Scott Pruett Scott Pruett Donald Scott Pruett is an United States of America race car driver who has competed in NASCAR, Champ Car, International Motor Sports Association, Trans-Am Series and Grand-Am.... (R)	213.955	28	190	0	Flagged
11	25	65	John Jones John Jones (driver) John Jones , is a former driver in the Champ Car Championship Car series. He raced in the 1988, 1989, 1991, and 1992 seasons with 41 career starts, including the 1989 Indianapolis 500....	214.028	27	189	0	Flagged
12	30	81	Billy Vukovich III Billy Vukovich III Billy Vukovich III or Bill Vukovich III was an American race car driver. He was a three time starter of the Indianapolis 500. The grandson of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bill Vukovich and the son of Bill Vukovich II, Vukovich III was the 1988 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year....	216.698	13	186	0	Flagged
13	18	71	Ludwig Heimrath Ludwig Heimrath Ludwig Heimrath, Jr. started 30 Champ Car races between 1984 and 1989. He was winless in 30 starts. Heimrath also started three Indy 500 races with a best finish of 13th in the 1989 Indianapolis 500....	213.878	29	185	0	Flagged
14	28	33	Rocky Moran Rocky Moran Rocky Moran, Sr. is a retired American race car driver. Moran, Sr. started three Indianapolis races with a best finish of 14th in 1989.He also teamed with P....	214.212	24	181	0	Flagged
15	24	10	Derek Daly Derek Daly Derek Daly is a former racing driver from the Republic of Ireland. He won the 1977 British Formula Three Championship, and competed as a professional racing driver for 17 years participating in 64 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on April 2, 1978....	214.237	23	167	0	Flagged
16	16	56	Tero Palmroth Tero Palmroth Tero Palmroth , is a former driver in the Champ Car Championship Car series. He raced in the 1988-1992 seasons with 12 career starts, including the 1988-1991 Indianapolis 500....	214.203	25	165	0	Spindle
17	21	6	Michael Andretti Michael Andretti Michael Mario Andretti is an United States retired Champ Car and Formula One driver with Italy heritage. He now co-owns the Andretti Green Racing team in the Indy Racing League....	218.774	8	163	35	Engine
18	29	86	Dominic Dobson Dominic Dobson Dominic Dobson is a Germany-born former CART and Craftsman Truck Series driver who made 7 starts in the Indianapolis 500 with a best finish of 12th in 1992, over 60 starts in the CART , with a best finish of 3rd at the Michigan 500 in 1994....	213.590	30	161	0	Engine
19	4	15	Jim Crawford Jim Crawford (driver) Jim Crawford was a Scotland racing driver. He participated in 2 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on July 19, 1975.Crawford moved to the United States in the 1980s and began a career in Champ Cars....	221.450	4	135	0	Drive Train
20	19	12	Didier Theys Didier Theys Didier Theys is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. After some success in European F-3, he raced in the 1987-1993 seasons with 47 career starts, including the 1989 Indianapolis 500, 1990 Indianapolis 500 and 1993 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500.... (R)	213.120	32	131	0	Engine
21	15	9	Arie Luyendyk Arie Luyendyk Arie Luyendyk, originally Arie Luijendijk is a Netherlands automobile racing driver, twice winner of the Indianapolis 500.Born in Sommelsdijk, Luyendyk started racing in the early 1970s, winning a number of Dutch national titles....	214.883	20	123	0	Engine
22	32	24	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....	214.067	26	121	0	Electrical
23	1	4	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 ....	223.885	1	113	0	Engine
24	2	25	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...	223.471	2	68	0	Clutch
25	12	70	John Andretti John Andretti John Andretti , is an United States race car driver. He currently drives the #34 Window World.Com car in the Nascar Sprint Cup Series for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing....	215.611	16	61	0	Engine
26	7	18	Bobby Rahal Bobby Rahal Robert "Bobby" Woodward Rahal is an United States auto racing team owner and former driver, spending most of his driving career in the Champ Car open-wheel series, winning three championships there....	219.530	7	58	0	Valve
27	22	7	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....	218.396	10	55	0	Pit Fire
28	26	1	Danny Sullivan Danny Sullivan Daniel John "Danny" Sullivan III is a former racing driver from United States. He is best known for winning the 1985 Indianapolis 500....	216.027	15	41	0	Rear Axle
29	11	28	Randy Lewis Randy Lewis Randy Lewis, born John Ranson Lewis III , is a five-time starter of the Indianapolis 500 USA automobile race. His best starting position was 11th in 1988 and 1989....	216.494	14	24	0	Wheel Bearing
30	13	8	Teo Fabi Teo Fabi Teodorico Fabi , better known as Teo Fabi, is an Italian people former racing driver....	215.563	17	23	0	Ignition
31	23	91	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....	215.072	19	19	0	Engine
32	27	11	Kevin Cogan Kevin Cogan Kevin Cogan is a former racecar driver who drove in Formula One from to . Driving a RAM Racing Williams in the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, he failed to qualify, suffering the same result driving for Tyrrell Racing at the 1981 United States Grand Prix West....	214.569	21	4	0	Crash FS
33	14	99	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....	215.230	18	0	0	Valve

Failed to Qualify: 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....
(#17/#24), Tom Bigelow

Tom Bigelow

Tom Bigelow , USA, is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club and CART Championship Car series....
(#66), Steve Butler

Steve Butler

Steve Butler won six national driving championships in United States Automobile Club Sprint Car and Silver Crown open-wheel racing....
(#61), Steve Chassey

Steve Chassey

Steve Chassey , is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in 9 seasons , with 44 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1983, 1987, and 1988....
(#79, #97), Dale Coyne

Dale Coyne

Dale Coyne is an IndyCar Series team owner and former Champ Car auto racing team owner and driver....
(#39), 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....
(#47), Stan Fox

Stan Fox

Stan Fox was a United States open wheel race car driver. Fox was one of the last links between the midget car racing and the Indianapolis 500. ...
(#84), Michael Greenfield

Michael Greenfield

Michael Greenfield is an American former owner-driver in the Champ Car series. Born in Whitestone, New York, he made 6 Indy Lights starts in 1988....
(#17/#63), Scott Harrington

Scott Harrington

Scott Harrington is a former driver in the Indy Racing League. Starting out on two wheels, Harrington won a number of championships and achieved much success in the world of American Motorcycle Association Motocross and Supercross....
(#44), Phil Krueger

Phil Krueger

Phil Krueger , is a former driver in the Champ Car Championship Car series. He raced in 9 seasons , with 23 career starts, including the 1986 and 1988 Indianapolis 500....
(#77), Buddy Lazier

Buddy Lazier

Robert Buddy Lazier is an United States of America open-wheel racecar driver. He won the 1996 Indianapolis 500 and has finished in the Top Ten in that race six times....
(#35), Bobby Olivero

Bobby Olivero

Bobby Olivero , is a former driver in the United States Automobile Club Championship Car series. He raced in the 1976-1978 seasons, with 17 career starts, including the 1977 Indianapolis 500....
, Steve Saleen

Steve Saleen

Stephen Mark Saleen is an United States businessman and former racing driver. He is best known for being the founder and former vice chairman of Saleen, originally named Saleen Autosport, an Original equipment manufacturer manufacturer of specialty vehicles including the Saleen S7 and highly modified Ford Mustangs....
(#59), Johnny Parsons

Johnny Parsons

Johnny Parsons is an United States racecar driver....
(#59/#69), John Paul, Jr.

John Paul, Jr.

John Lee Paul, Jr. is a former race car driver in CART and the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series and winner of the 1982 12 Hours of Sebring while co-driving with his father John Paul, Sr....
(#39/#79/#97), 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....
(#98/#14T)

Quotes

"They're side-by-side, Emmo on the inside, Al covered traffic goes high, they touched wheels, Al Jr. hit into the wall hard, Emerson Fittipaldi keeps on going, they touched wheels, Al Jr. into the wall and Emerson Fittipaldi will lead them back to the yellow flag" - Larry Henry described the crash involving Al Unser Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi on Lap 198 for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network , is a radio syndication arrangement by which the Indianapolis 500, the Indy Racing League, the United States Grand Prix and the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard are broadcast on radio stations covering most of North America....
.

"Fittipaldi comes inside Little Al! A drag race on the back side again... Slower traffic moves to the right... Can Fittipaldi get past? Little Al brings it down low... They touch! Little Al into the wall, Fittipaldi continues on! Little Al slams the wall, as Emerson Fittipaldi screams toward the white flag - the yellow flag comes out!" - Paul Page

Paul Page

Paul Page is an American motorsports broadcaster who was the lead announcer of ABC Sports' coverage of Championship Auto Racing Teams and the IRL from 1988 CART World Series season to 2004 IndyCar Series season....
on ABC television.

Trivia

The field for this race is replicated in the video game format in the 1989 release Indianapolis 500: The Simulation
Indianapolis 500: The Simulation

Indianapolis 500: The Simulation is a 1989 in video gaming computer game. It was hailed as the first step of differentiating racing games from the arcade realm and into true simulations....
.

The 1989 race was the best Indy 500 result for Rich Vogler
Rich Vogler

Rich Vogler was a champion Sprint car racing and midget car racing driver. He was nicknamed "Rapid Rich". He competed in the Indianapolis 500 five times, his best finish was eighth in 1989 Indianapolis 500....
(8th place). It also was the best finish for Raul Boesel
Raul Boesel

Raul de Mesquita Boesel is a former racing driver who raced for the March Engineering and Ligier Formula One teams and later raced in Champ Car and the Indy Racing League....
(3rd place) among his many Indy 500 starts.

Fittipalidi in winning became the first non US driver to win the race since Graham Hill in 1966.

1989 Indianapolis 500

Race events

Race results

Quotes

Trivia

External links