Mears possibly learned a few lessons in 1982 that helped him in 1991.

And the following year – still running only a partial schedule – he took pole at Sanair, thereby conquering the track that had almost conquered him. Spike Gehlhausen (200.478 mph) was now on the bubble.

Mears suffered an injured right foot, and was cleared to drive later in the day. In 1988, after several years using the March chassis, the Penske team utilized a new car, the PC-17, with a Chevrolet racing engine.

“I know the reflexes and the feel are still there. Driver expert: Rodger Ward Lou Palmer reported from victory lane.

The race is well-remembered for the terrible crash of sportswriter-turned-racer, Pat Bedard, who tumbled through the infield in turn 4 on lap 58. Rain was forecast for later in the afternoon, but was not expected to affect the race.

Since the field had been filled to 33 cars a day earlier, the field was set, and there would be no further qualifying.

Three drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 four times as Helio Castroneves attempts to join that group.

Penske himself says ’twas always thus with Mears. We can’t allow this level of suffering to become acceptable.

“I’ll definitely think twice before trying to pass somebody like that again. You couldn’t wait to get home,” he said. His third lap was run at 210.423 mph, a new track record, and the first qualifying lap ever at Indy over 210 mph.

However, when scoring was ultimately resolved, Guerrero was rightfully elevated to second, with Unser dropping to third. The lead traded amongst Mears, Sneva, Mario Andretti, Teo Fabi, and Danny Ongais. “I saw that my feet were still attached,” said Mears. Without doubt the most accomplished driver of modern times at Indianapolis was Rick Mears. It is all here. She is naked, sick, dirty, crawling across Sunset Boulevard — how can this happen in L.A.?

“But I do a lot of testing, a lot of seeing what the cars can do. Going into pole day, Mario Andretti was the favorite for the pole position, after he ran a practice lap of 212 mph. My two sons, Clint (12) and Cole (11) live with their mother. He began his racing career in off-road racing before switching to IndyCar racing in the late 1970s, making his debut for the small Art Sugai team and driving an Eagle-Offenhauser.

He had just turned 41 years old. The next day, he climbed into his backup car and claimed his record 6th career pole position.

Announcer: Jim McKay But I’m starting to enjoy a little more time at home. The only battle remained for second place, between Roberto Guerrero and Al Unser Sr. A light drizzle started entering the area in the final 30 laps or so, threatening to end the race early. “I think it’s far more frightening standing at home plate with a bat in my hands and have a pitcher throw 100 mph fastballs at me. On lap 168, however, sparks came from the back of Sneva's car in turn 3 as the field was preparing to go back to green. One of that trio is Rick Ravon Mears, born this day 65 years ago in Wichita, Kansas, and brought up in Bakersfield, Calif. As a writer whose engineering knowledge is at the primitive end of the scale, I’ve always sought to compensate for not knowing why something works by instead learning what effect it has on a racecar’s handling, how it affects the driver, and then its knock-on effects. The photo-finish also muffled out the controversial pace-lap crash with teammate Kevin Cogan who appeared to have spun out for no apparent reason; fellow drivers such as Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, and Bobby Unser, charged Mears with causing the crash by bringing the field down at a slow pace.

So during the old Indy 500s they played on ESPN Classic in the runup to this year's version, one I watched was the '82 race. Record aired the race with Emerson's father Wilson Fittipaldi as announcer. Over the past 20-something years writing about racing, I’ve encountered three people from whom I learn something about the art of racecar driving every time we speak for longer than five minutes. You know, speed and physics are the same as they were in my day!”.

But I feel a little guilty. So perhaps it's no surprise that he can also serve as every driver's template for how to behave with composure and without extremes – no exultancy in triumph, no despair in defeat. She also reported from the track hospital in the early portions of the race.

Indianapolis 500 Memories: Rick Mears vs. Michael Andretti (1991) … Sneva immediately ducked into the pits with a broken CV joint, and he climbed from the car.

It was too damaged to continue, and Mario was forced to drop out. This was the last year of the Backstretch reporter.

“Plus,” he grins, “I can still relate to what they're saying, because obviously some things don’t change.

Jacques Villeneuve, who suffered a crash during practice, withdrew from the starting field due to injury.

I like that one.”. In 1980 Mears had tested a Formula One Brabham and he declined an offer. Did Penske even attempt to build a car in '85? “We arranged to meet at Michigan International Speedway, which we owned at that time, and he was knocking on the door at 6 o’clock the next morning, so I knew he was passionate about joining our team.

“We used to go so much.

“A guy who wins is a guy who understands the nature and limits of his equipment.

For a brief period, it was Penske Racing's first 1-2 finish in the Indy 500.

In his winner's circle interview, when asked about breaking his road course dry spell when his specialty has been ovals through the years, he replied to Jack Arute, "Well, I guess there is hope for us old circle track drivers after all.". 1986  B. Rahal, 1987  B. Rahal Tom Sneva led Al Unser, Jr., Rick Mears, Mario and Michael Andretti.

A big part of Mears backing off was likely the knowledge that someone was going to get hurt if he ran into Johncock while making a desperation pass.

It's those memories that remain to this day. In his rookie appearance at Indy, Mears qualified on the front row and was the first rookie to qualify over 200 mph.

He added another win a month later at Atlanta and rounded off the year with his first road course win at Brands Hatch. How to vote.

And that wasn’t because it was a bad design. They planned on pitting with 30 laps to go.

The 500 was still very dangerous in 1982 and drivers respected each other, and the walls, much more than today.

Two weeks later, at the Rex Mays 150, he won his first race. Rick Ravon Mears, known by the nickname "Rocket Rick", is a retired American race car driver. No other cars were in contention, with Mears now two laps ahead of the entire field.

But I’m getting into that mode now where spending a few more days at home doesn’t bother me so much.”, 2020 INDYCAR® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF BRICKYARD TRADEMARKS, INC. / PRIVACY POLICY & TERMS OF USE. 1990 was Mears' last in the Pennzoil paint scheme as Marlboro took over as sponsor of the team, and Jim Hall re-entered Indycar.

When Mears and Johncock were dueling before their final pitstops, Rick had as good a run off the turn, and as perfect a slingshot tow as can be had, but all he could do is pull even, then Gordy would nose ahead by the end of the straight and aggressively shut the door on Mears.

I can’t let the sport pass me by while I continue recovering.”. 2006  S. Bourdais Three wins and four second places in the eleven CART-eligible races won Mears his first championship. The 1981 and 1982 seasons saw two more championships for Mears. I really do.

You’re more involved with the spotting and things that are taking place throughout the weekend, working with the guys and everything else.”.

“I started to go unconscious again, but I did say to myself, ‘You’re going to drive again.”’.

At 5:50 p.m., with only ten minutes left before the 6 o'clock gun, Johnny Rutherford took to the track for one last attempt to qualify. In all, he was in several hospitals for a total of three months.

I’m not a swinging single, and I don’t patronize bars looking for company. Turning up his turbocharger, he then pulled away to win a fourth Indy 500, making him one of only three individuals to do so. Although at the time Penske Racing had the services of Mario Andretti and Tom Sneva, Andretti was also racing in Formula One with Lotus, and Penske wanted another young driver who would focus exclusively on American racing.

TV does such a great job covering the races now that I’m enjoying watching them on the tube a little bit.

Mears that race destroys everyone with speed with his Penske PC-10's distinctive nose shape that soon every chassis manufacturer copied, yet late Johncock stays out while Mears pits, Mears makes up a huge time difference, catches Johncock, but Johncock wins what at the time was the closest 500 ever.

When you get out in the garage, you get to turn your head off and get away from everything and relax a little.”. The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network.

“I think he’s an incredible asset we have in terms of his knowledge. “I did?

“It’s totally different because you get to see more of the race and more of the bigger picture, which is the nice part about it,” he said. With rain in the forecast for Sunday, several teams scrambled to get their cars prepared to qualify on this day. If you don’t plan on finishing, you can’t plan on winning.”. Yeah, Rick, three times – and you had six poles there. Would Mears be able to adjust to life away from racing? “You never saw Rick out of control even as a driver,” says The Captain. Mears cruised to the finish, and was not challenged the rest of the way.

And I like being spotter for Helio [Castroneves].

Yet his second race back in the fray, he finished third at Milwaukee and at his next two races, he took pole for both and won Michigan. Forty-two? 2004  S. Bourdais A look back at Lehigh Valley sports stories over the years from Oct. 7, featuring Emerson Fittipaldi, Michael Andretti, Rick Mears, Al Unser Jr. and Ned Bolcar After 37 laps, race rookie and future two-time winner Emerson Fittipaldi dropped out due to low oil pressure. The Backstretch reporter would return for a two-year period from 1989 to 1990 but have a very limited role both years. Twenty laps from the end of the 500, it looked like Mears was set to be the runner-up behind Michael Andretti. Mears is the brother of Roger Mears, father of off-road and open-wheel racer Clint Mears, and the uncle of former NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series driver Casey Mears. He is the ultimate objective observer. He said to me: ‘You know, I just can’t dig deep enough any more.

He completed a comeback from his injuries by winning the 1985 Pocono 500. I’m no different than anybody else because I’ve won a couple of Indys. The first 100 miles were run clean, with no incidents. And that also meant he was constantly registering and memorizing his car’s behavior. I've never seen anything like that again. At 12:45 mph, Mario Andretti took to the track, with high expectations. It’s time for you to get a young guy to take my place.’, “He gave us that heads-up. “No way, I’d die in such a job. “Fans are important to me,” he said.

A few laps later, Michael Andretti passed Tom Sneva to take second place. The car broke into two pieces, the tub and the engine.

Mears joined the Penske team at the first two NTT IndyCar Series races this year, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and the INDYCAR Classic at Circuit of The Americas. But however grateful, affable and good-hearted he is, never ever doubt that Rick has the same steel core that marks out the greats like Parnelli Jones, Foyt and Mario Andretti.

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