Chaparral Cars was a pioneering American automobile racing team and race car developer that engineered, built, and raced cars from 1963 through 1970. Founded in 1962 by American Formula One racers Hap Sharp and Jim Hall , it was named after the roadrunner , a fast-running ground cuckoo also known as a chaparral bird .
107-523: Dick Troutman and Tom Barnes were builders of the original Chaparral race cars (later referred to as Chaparral 1). Jim Hall purchased two Chaparral 1s to race. When Hall and Sharp began building their own cars, they asked Troutman and Barnes if they could continue to use the Chaparral name. That is why the Hall/Sharp cars are all named Chaparral 2s (models 2A through 2J for sports cars/CanAm cars, and
214-411: A Buick . The breakup of the track surface led to two fatal accidents in the first two long-distance events (a 250 mi (400 km) and 300 mi (480 km), which was shortened to 235 mi (378 km) after two severe wrecks). That these spectacles had attracted 15,000 paying customers (and crowds of up to 40,000) persuaded principal owner Carl G. Fisher to spend $ 155,000 on repaving
321-598: A Lola - Ford . The Offenhauser engine was also paired with a European maker, McLaren , obtaining three wins for the chassis, one with the Penske team in 1972 with driver Mark Donohue , and two for the McLaren works team in 1974 and 1976 with Johnny Rutherford . This was also the last time the Offy would win a race, its competitiveness steadily decreasing until its final appearance in 1983. American drivers continued to fill
428-407: A blind draw for the qualifying order. For each attempt, cars are allowed two warm-up laps. At that time, a member of the team is stationed at the north end of the main stretch. He or she must wave a green flag, signaling an attempt, or else the car will be waved off. The attempt can be waved off during any of the four laps by the team, driver, or race officials. (The series will wave off the run if it
535-604: A career-best eighth in points. In the 1992 CART season Andretti drove the No. 8 Pennzoil Z-7 Lola T92/00-Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V8 for the team. However, Andretti's best finish came at the Pioneer Electronics 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course where he came in fourth place. At the end of the year Andretti finished eighth in points again. He then left the team at the end of the season to compete in
642-415: A century, the race eschewed any sort of naming rights or title sponsor , a move, though uncommon in the modern sports world, that was well received by fans. This tradition finally ended in 2016 when a presenting sponsor, PennGrade, was added for the first time. In the 21st century, the facility has also slowly added sponsorship ads on the retaining walls and infield grass. The ESPN-produced ABC telecast of
749-415: A given car number—the "primary" car and a "backup" car. The backup car is identified by the letter "T". For example, the two cars for the #2 team would be numbered #2 and #2T. Both cars may be practiced during the month, but due to engine lease rules, they must share the same engine. It is not uncommon for teams to prefer their backup car, if it is deemed faster, or for other strategic reasons. Additionally, as
856-578: A pair of fourth-place finishes at the Marlboro 500 at Michigan International Speedway and the Texaco/Havoline 200 at Road America . Fabi went on to end the season ranked ninth in points. At the end of the season he left to drive for Forsythe Racing . For the 1995 CART season VDS dropped out of the venture and the team became known as Hall Racing and rookie Gil de Ferran was signed on to pilot
963-399: A part-time team altogether that does not enter any of the other races, or enters only a few selected races. The "Indy-only" drivers may come from a wide range of pedigrees but are usually experienced Indy car competitors who either lack a full-time ride, are former full-time drivers who have elected to drop down to part-time status, or occasional one-off drivers from other racing disciplines. It
1070-481: A privileged status for automobile races. The first "500" was held at the Speedway in 1911 on Decoration Day , May 30, (as it was known from its inception in 1868 to 1967, when federal law made "Memorial Day" the official name), run to a 600-cubic-inch (9,800 cc) maximum engine size formula. It saw a field of 40 starters, with Harroun piloting a Marmon Model 32-based Wasp racer—outfitted with his invention,
1177-399: A single race, and considered a 24-hour contest, in the fashion of Le Mans , or a one-thousand-mile (1,600 km) event. They decided on 500 miles (800 km), the estimated distance a race car could run before dark descended on the track, and a spectacular purse of $ 25,000, equivalent to 82.93 pounds (37.62 kg) of pure gold . The combination allowed the track to rapidly acquire
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#17328009116901284-405: Is a rounded rectangle, with four distinct turns of identical dimensions, connected by four straightaways (two long straightaways and two "short chutes"). Traditionally , the field consists of 33 starters, aligned in a starting grid of eleven rows of three cars apiece. Drivers race 200 laps, counter-clockwise around the circuit, for a distance of 500 miles (800 km). Since its inception in 1911 ,
1391-636: Is an aerodynamic angle. It can change with no change in the AoI ( Angle of Incidence ). Several factors may change the rotor blade AoA. Pilots control some of those factors; others occur automatically due to the rotor system design. Pilots adjust AoA through normal control manipulation; however, even with no pilot input AoA will change as an integral part of travel of the rotor blade through the rotor-disc. This continuous process of change accommodates rotary-wing flight. Pilots have little control over blade flapping and flexing, gusty wind, and/or turbulent air conditions. AoA
1498-598: Is considered part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix , with which it typically shares a date. The inaugural race was held in 1911 and was won by Ray Harroun . The event celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2011 , and the 100th running was held in 2016 . The event was put on hiatus twice, from 1917 to 1918 due to World War I and from 1942 to 1945 due to World War II . In two different periods,
1605-415: Is contested by "Indy cars" , a formula of professional -level, single-seat, open cockpit , open-wheel , purpose-built race cars. As of 2020 , all entrants utilize 2.2 L V6 , twin- turbocharged engines, tuned to produce a range of 550–750 horsepower (410–560 kW). Chevrolet and Honda are the current engine manufacturers involved in the sport. Dallara is at present the sole chassis supplier to
1712-431: Is focused on safety aspects and is done on the pit lane qualifying queue. It is relatively brief, due to the time constraints of the qualifying procedure. The post-qualifying inspection is much more stringent and lengthy, taking place in the garage area. It is to detect deviations from the performance guidelines set forth by the league, and cars can and have been fined or outright disqualified if they fail inspection. During
1819-475: Is not uncommon for some drivers (particularly former Indy 500 winners) to quit full-time driving during the season, but race solely at Indy for numerous years afterward before entering full retirement. Technical specifications for the Indianapolis 500 are currently written by IndyCar . Rules are generally the same as every other IndyCar race. In the past, particularly during the era in which USAC sanctioned
1926-403: Is obvious the run will not be fast enough to qualify and it is getting late in the day.) If an attempt is waved off after the run starts, the attempt counts and the previous time is still forfeited unless race officials waved off the attempt because of weather. Weather can and often does affect qualifying and can result in last-minute format changes. From 1911 to 1955, the race was organized under
2033-533: Is traditionally held over Memorial Day weekend, usually the last weekend of May. It is contested as part of the IndyCar Series , the top level of American open-wheel car racing , a formula colloquially known as "Indy car racing". The track itself is nicknamed the "Brickyard", as the racing surface was first paved in brick in the fall of 1909. One yard of brick remains exposed at the start/finish line. The event, billed as The Greatest Spectacle in Racing ,
2140-414: Is upwards of 250,000, and infield patrons raise the total race-day attendance to a range of approximately 300,000–350,000. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway complex was built in 1909 as a gravel-and-tar track and hosted a smattering of small events, including ones for motorcycles . The first long-distance event, in "fearful conditions", was the 100-lap Prest-O-Lite Trophy in 1909, won by Bob Burman in
2247-529: The 1980 IndyCar and CRL championships. In 1981 Rutherford returned with the No. 1 Pennzoil Chaparral 2K-Cosworth DFX and won the season-opening Kraco Car Stereos 150 at Phoenix International Raceway. The rest of the season proved to be inconsistent as he dropped to fifth in points. The team also competed in the opening round of the USAC Gold Crown season at the 1981 Indianapolis 500 . Rutherford led for three laps early on but fuel pump issues ended
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#17328009116902354-526: The AirCal 500K at Riverside International Raceway . Rutherford ended up in 12th place in points that year. The team also competed at the USAC Gold Crown season finale, the 1982 Indianapolis 500 , where Rutherford started 12th and finished 8th. In the 1991 CART season Hall returned to Indy cars in conjunction with VDS Racing , with the team being called Hall-VDS Racing with John Andretti driving
2461-683: The GM research and development group aided these efforts. An interview with Hall by Paul Haney illustrates many of these developments. In 1957, Hall raced the front-engined Chaparral (retroactively called the "Chaparral 1") through 1962, bought from Troutman and Barnes (like the Scarab , the Chaparral 1 cars were built in California by Troutman and Barnes). Hall and Hap Sharp extensively modified their Chaparral and eventually decided to build their own car. They obtained permission from Troutman and Barnes to use
2568-566: The Indy 500 and CART championship . Chaparral started fielding Indy cars in 1978 with Al Unser driving the No. 2 First National City Traveler's Checks Lola T500 - Cosworth DFX . Unser then managed to win the 1978 Indianapolis 500 . Later in the season Unser added wins at the California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway and the Schaefer 500 at Pocono International Raceway ; this remains
2675-667: The Medic Drug Grand Prix of Cleveland and finished sixth in the final points standings. Despite the recent success Hall closed up the Indy car team for good, after which de Ferran drove for Walker Racing in the 1997 CART season . In total Hall won 13 races and two championships. In 2005, a wing of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas , was dedicated to the permanent display of
2782-618: The NASCAR weekend permanently in 2021 ), and the support races on the road course moved to its own September weekend. As races were cancelled because of local restrictions, the Speedway added two more road course races in October as part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge meeting, where attendance was capped to 10,000 per event. In 2024, the race was delayed for over four hours due to heavy rain and thunderstorms in
2889-559: The NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series for Jack Clark . So in the 1993 CART season the team fielded Teo Fabi in the No. 8 Pennzoil Lola T93/00-Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V8. Fabi's best finish was fourth, at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on his way to an 11th-place finish in points. In the 1994 CART season Fabi drove the No. 11 Pennzoil Reynard 94i -Ilmor D. Fabi's best results that season were
2996-558: The Peugeot Grand Prix engine which had been serviced in his shop by Fred Offenhauser in 1914, installing it in Jimmy Murphy 's Duesenberg and allowing him to win the 1922 edition of the race. Miller then created his own automobiles, which shared the 'Miller' designation, which, in turn, were powered by supercharged versions of his 2.0- and 1.5-liter (122 and 91 in ) engine single-seaters, winning four more races for
3103-468: The angle of attack , which is the angle the wing chord presents to the airflow in flight. However some ambiguity in this terminology exists, as some engineering texts that focus solely on the study of airfoils and their medium may use either term when referring to angle of attack. On rotary–wing aircraft, the AoA ( Angle of Attack ) is the angle between the airfoil chord line and resultant relative wind. AoA
3210-428: The green–white–checker finish in case of a late-race yellow. The race can be (and has at times) finished under caution. However, officials may call for a late-race red flag (in lieu of a lengthy yellow) to provide an opportunity for a green-flag finish, an option that was used in 2014 , 2019 , 2022 , and 2023 . The circuit lacks lights, therefore lateness can become a factor in the cases of lengthy delays. The event
3317-494: The mounting angle or setting angle ) is the angle between the chord line of the wing where the wing is mounted to the fuselage, and a reference axis along the fuselage (often the direction of minimum drag, or where applicable, the longitudinal axis ). The angle of incidence is fixed in the design of the aircraft, and with rare exceptions , cannot be varied in flight. The term can also be applied to horizontal surfaces in general (such as canards or horizontal stabilizers) for
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3424-411: The rear-view mirror . Harroun (with relief from Cyrus Patschke ) was declared the winner, although Ralph Mulford protested the official result. Eighty thousand spectators were in attendance, and an annual tradition had been established. Many considered Harroun to be a hazard during the race, as he was the only driver in the race driving without a riding mechanic , who checked the oil pressure and let
3531-416: The "International Sweepstakes" dropped. Since 1981, the race has been formally advertised in this fashion, complete with a unique annual logo with the ordinal almost always included. Around that same time, in the wake of the 1979 entry controversy, and the formation of CART , the race changed to an invitational event, rather than an Open , rendering the " sweepstakes " description inappropriate. For nearly
3638-553: The "normally" negative-incidence wing's angle when downforce was not needed (as on a straight track section) to reduce drag and increase top speed. An interconnected air dam also closed off the nose ducting for streamlining. When the pedal was released, the front ducting and wing returned to full downforce position. Until they were banned, many race cars, including some in Formula One , had wings on tall struts. The resulting accidents from their failures led to pivoting wings mounted on
3745-592: The 100th race. Harold Hefner (Allison), Tom Harrison (Fisher), Jeff Angel (Wheeler), and Matthew Allen (Newby). In 2020, the race was delayed for the first time from its usual Memorial Day running to August due to the COVID-19 pandemic . There was no audience in attendance, so as to comply with pandemic guidelines. The road course race was moved to the NASCAR weekend in July (which led to an IndyCar road course race added to
3852-471: The 1969 Can Am series but never figured out how to drive the 2H to take advantage of its low drag potential. Surtees complained he couldn't see out of the car and demanded a redesign which ruined the aerodynamics, then ran the rear wing almost upright, negating any advantage of the compact slippery shape. Ultimately, by 1969 the massive amount of power being generated from the big block Chevrolet engines that Hall effectively debugged in 1967 and 1968, downforce
3959-523: The 1970s. Soon after the death of Tony Hulman in 1977, and the loss of several key USAC officials in a 1978 plane crash, several key team owners banded together and formed CART in late 1978 to sanction the sport of Indy car racing . The Indianapolis 500 itself, however, remained under the sanctioning control of USAC. It became the lone top-level race the body still sanctioned, as it ultimately dropped all other Indy car races (as well as their stock car division ) to concentrate on sprints and midgets . For
4066-407: The 1980s, as was Dutchman Arie Luyendyk . In 1993, reigning Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell shocked the racing world by leaving Formula One for CART . While he came in only third in the 500 , he won the 1993 CART championship . Foreign-born drivers became a regular fixture of Indianapolis in the years to follow. Despite the increase in foreign drivers commonly being associated with
4173-441: The 2D, the 2F raced wearing Texas license plates. The 1967 2G was a development of the 2E. It featured wider tires and a 427 cu in aluminum Chevrolet V-8 engine. While on par with its competitors in terms of power, the lightweight 2C chassis was stretched to the limit and it was only Hall's driving skills that kept the car competitive. For the 1968 Can-Am series, still larger tires were added to increase grip. Hall's racing career
4280-765: The 2E. There were also complaints of debris generated by the fans damaging the following cars. McLaren argued that if the 2J were not outlawed, the Can-Am series would be ruined by its dominance – something McLaren had been doing since 1967. A similar fan was used in Formula One in 1978 on the Brabham BT46B . The 2K was a Formula One-inspired ground effect Indy car designed by Briton John Barnard . Debuting in 1979 with driver Al Unser Sr. , it went on to win six races in 27 starts over three seasons. Its greatest success came in 1980 when Johnny Rutherford won both
4387-542: The 2K which was the 1979–1982 Indycar). Despite winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1980, they left motor racing in 1982. Chaparral cars also featured in the SCCA / CASC Can-Am series and Endurance racing. Jim Hall was a leader in the innovation and design of spoilers, wings, and ground effects. A high point was the 1966 2E Can-Am car. The 2J Can-Am "sucker car" was the first " ground-effect " car. The development of
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4494-468: The 33-car field lining up three-wide for the start, the annual singing of the chorus of " Back Home Again in Indiana ", and the victory lane bottle of milk. Also unique is that qualifying requires the driver to complete four, rather than one, timed laps, and the time trials are conducted on a separate weekend. The official attendance is not disclosed by Speedway management, but the permanent seating capacity
4601-543: The CART era, three of the first six Indianapolis 500 winners were non-American drivers. In 2009, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway began a three-year-long "Centennial Era" to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the track (1909), and the 100th anniversary of the first Indy 500 (1911). As a gesture to the nostalgic Centennial Era celebration (2009–2011), tickets for the 2009 race donned
4708-565: The Can-Am series and qualified at least two seconds quicker than the next fastest car, but mechanical problems limited its success. It only ran in the 1970 season, after which it was outlawed by the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). Although originally approved by the SCCA, they succumbed to pressure from other teams who argued that the fans constituted "movable aerodynamic devices". Sanctioning body FIA had banned such devices beginning with
4815-420: The Chaparral chronicles the key changes in race cars in the 1960s and 1970s in both aerodynamics and tires. Hall's training as an engineer taught him to approach problems in a methodical manner, and his access to the engineering teams at Chevrolet and at Firestone was instrumental in changing race car aerodynamics and handling from an art to an empirical science. The embryonic data acquisition systems created by
4922-576: The Chaparral name, which is why all of Hall's cars are called Chaparral 2s. The first Chaparral 2-series was designed and built to compete in the United States Road Racing Championship and other races of the time, particularly the West Coast Pro Series that were held each fall. Hall had significant "under the table" assistance from GM, including engineering and technical support in the development of
5029-538: The Formula One drivers who did drive at the speedway was five-time world champion Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio , though he failed to qualify for the 1958 race. It was not until the Indianapolis 500 was removed from the World Championship calendar that European entries made their return. In 1963, technical innovator Colin Chapman brought his Team Lotus to Indianapolis for the first time, attracted by
5136-543: The Indianapolis 500 for nearly two decades, made a brief return just before World War II , with the competitive Maserati 8CTF allowing Wilbur Shaw to become the first driver to win consecutively at Indianapolis, in 1939 and 1940. With the 500 having been a part of the World Drivers' Championship between 1950 and 1960, Ferrari made a discreet appearance at the 1952 event with Alberto Ascari , but European entries were few and far between during those days. Among
5243-558: The Indy 500 (but CART sanctioned the other Indy car races), rules at Indy slightly differed at times. The result, for example, would be a particular chassis or engine configuration being legal at Indy, but not so at the CART-sanctioned events. This was rather commonplace in the 1980s and early 1990s, when "stock-block" engines (namely the V-6 Buick) were allotted an increased level of turbocharger boost by USAC at Indy, compared to
5350-708: The No. 4 Pennzoil Z-7 Lola T91/00- Ilmor -Chevrolet Indy V8. The team managed to get a victory in their debut, the Gold Coast IndyCar Grand Prix on the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit . The team also got a second-place finish at the Miller Genuine Draft 200 at the Milwaukee Mile . Also, at the 1991 Indianapolis 500 Andretti got a fifth-place finish. At the end of the season Andretti was ranked
5457-516: The No. 8 Pennzoil Reynard 95i-Ilmor- Mercedes-Benz IC108 . In four of the first six races de Ferran managed to qualify in the top-10. Although he only scored two points during that time. His season soon turned around starting with a pole position at the Budweiser Grand Prix of Cleveland at Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport where he was leading with five laps to go when he collided with the lapped car of Scott Pruett taking him out of
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#17328009116905564-528: The United States' participation in the two World Wars (1917–1918, 1942–1945), the advertised Centennial Era occurred during the 93rd to 95th runnings. To avoid confusion between the 100th anniversary, and the actual number of times the race has been run, references to the ordinal during the Centennial Era were curtailed. In the 2014 meeting, the road course became part of the race meeting for
5671-415: The aluminum 2E to the older fiberglass chassis closed-cockpit 2D for the 1967 racing season. A movable wing mounted on struts loaded the rear suspension while an air dam kept the front end planted. The radiators were moved to positions next to the cockpit. An aluminum 7-liter Chevrolet 'big block' engine replaced the 5.3-liter engine of the 2D. While always extremely fast, the extra power of the larger engine
5778-650: The angle they make relative the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The figure to the right shows a side view of an airplane. The extended chord line of the wing root (red line) makes an angle with the longitudinal axis (roll axis) of the aircraft (blue line). Wings are typically mounted at a small positive angle of incidence, to allow the fuselage to have a low angle with the airflow in cruising flight. Angles of incidence of about 6° are common on most general aviation designs. Other terms for angle of incidence in this context are rigging angle and rigger's angle of incidence . The angle of incidence should not be confused with
5885-401: The area. The race was originally advertised as the "International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race" from 1911 to 1916. However, from its inception, the race has been widely known as the Indianapolis 500 or, more simply "the 500", as for many years, it was the only noteworthy auto race of such distance. In 1919, the race was referred to as the "Liberty Sweepstakes" following WWI . From 1920 to 1980,
5992-684: The auspices of the AAA Contest Board . Following the 1955 Le Mans disaster , AAA dissolved the Contest Board to concentrate on its membership program aimed at the general motoring public. Speedway owner Tony Hulman founded USAC in 1956, which took over sanctioning of the race and the sport of Championship racing . From 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 also counted toward the FIA 's World Championship of Drivers (now synonymous with Formula One ), although few drivers participated in
6099-554: The car and its automatic transmission (this is evidenced by the similarity between the Chevy Corvette GS-II "research and development" model and the Chaparral 2A through 2C models). First raced in late 1963, the Chaparral 2 developed into a highly competitive car in the Can-Am series in 1966 and 1967. Designed for the 200-mile races of the Can-Am series, it was also a winner in longer endurance races. In 1965, it shocked
6206-491: The crews. More lengthy repairs are allowed, and since 1998 teams are permitted to return to the garage area to make repairs. However, there are limitations to the extent of repair work allowed and the practicality of such work. Teams are not allowed to change engines, and since 1933 a rule has been in place where teams are not allowed to add oil . In addition, the officials designate a certain lap after which off-track cars being serviced/repaired are no longer permitted to return to
6313-409: The distance has been completed, the race must be resumed and achieve at least the 101-lap distance in order to be official. A primary limiting factor is available daylight, as the track does not have lighting. If the race is halted and cannot be resumed before sunset, the resumption will be scheduled for the next possible day. The Indianapolis 500, as well as other IndyCar Series races, does not utilize
6420-548: The driver know when traffic was coming. In 1912, the purse was raised to $ 50,000, the field was limited to 33 (where it remains), and a riding mechanic was made mandatory. This second event was won by Joe Dawson in a National , after Ralph DePalma 's Mercedes broke. Although the first race was won by an American driver at the wheel of an American car, European makers such as the Italian Fiat or French Peugeot companies soon developed their vehicles to try to win
6527-525: The engine up to 1929 (two of them, 1926 and 1928, in Miller chassis). The engines powered another seven winners until 1938 (two of them, 1930 and 1932, in Miller chassis), then ran at first with stock-type motors before later being adjusted to the international 3.0-liter formula. After purchasing the Speedway in 1927, Eddie Rickenbacker prohibited supercharging and increased the displacement limit to 366 cu in (6,000 cc), while also re-introducing
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#17328009116906634-489: The event did not recognize this sponsorship and instead had Firestone Tires as its presenting sponsorship. The Borg-Warner Trophy , introduced in 1936, proclaims the event as the "Indianapolis 500-Mile Race", with no reference at all to the name "International Sweepstakes". The Indianapolis 500 is held annually at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway , a 2.5-mile (4 km) oval circuit . The track
6741-433: The event, which they did from 1912 to 1919. The 1913 event saw a change to a 450-cubic-inch (7,400 cc) maximum engine size. After World War I , the native drivers and manufacturers regained their dominance of the race, and engineer Harry Miller set himself up as the most competitive of the post-war builders. His technical developments allowed him to be indirectly connected to a history of success that would last into
6848-519: The first time. The GMR Grand Prix road course event, and the three upper tiers of Road to Indy , participated in road course events at the Speedway during the first week of activities. Six years later, in 2016 , the race celebrated its 100th running with about 350,000 in attendance. Four local actors were hired to portray the Founding Four of James Allison, Carl Fisher, Frank Wheeler, and Arthur Newby during multiple Centennial Era events and
6955-529: The ground (a technology that would later appear in Formula One). Two fans adapted from a military tank engine were housed at the rear, driven by a single two-stroke twin-cylinder engine. The skirting produced a zone within which the fans could create a vacuum producing downforce on the order of 1.25 to 1.50 g when the car was fully loaded (fuel, oil, coolant). Tremendous gripping power and greater maneuverability at all speeds were produced. The 2J competed in
7062-474: The large monetary prizes, far bigger than the usual at a European event. Racing a mid-engined car, Scotsman Jim Clark was second in his first attempt in 1963, dominated in 1964 until suffering suspension failure on lap 47, and completely dominated the race in 1965, a victory which also interrupted the success of the Offy, and giving the 4.2-liter Ford V8 its first success at the race. The following year, 1966, saw another British win, this time Graham Hill in
7169-663: The majority of entries at the Brickyard in the following years, but European technology had taken over. Starting in 1978, most chassis and engines were European, with the only American-based chassis to win during the CART era being the Wildcat and Galmer (which was technically built in Bicester , England) in 1982 and 1992, respectively. Ford and Chevrolet engines were built in the UK by Cosworth and Ilmor , respectively. As of 2023,
7276-599: The mid-1970s. For musical entertainment before the start of the race, the Purdue All-American Marching Band has been the host band of the race since 1919. In 1946, American operatic tenor and car enthusiast James Melton started the tradition of singing " Back Home Again in Indiana " with the Purdue Band before the race when asked to do so on the spur of the moment by Speedway president Tony Hulman . This tradition has continued through
7383-414: The moniker "93rd 500 Mile International Sweepstakes". It is the first time since 1980 that the "Sweepstakes" title has been used. In May 2009, the ordinal (93rd) was used very sparingly, and for the first time since 1981, was not identified on the annual logo. Instead, in most instances in print, television, and radio, the race was referred to as the "2009 Indianapolis 500". Since the race was not held during
7490-465: The month wears on, a "T car" may be split off into a separate entry, and reassigned a new number, or be sold to another team. All cars must pass a rigorous technical inspection before receiving a sticker signifying that the car is eligible to practice. Various criteria include minimum weight, dimensions, and approved parts, particularly safety equipment. Before and after qualification attempts, cars must pass another inspection. The pre-qualifying inspection
7597-518: The most recent active Formula One driver to have entered the 500 is Fernando Alonso , who drove in the 2017 race. Alonso was the first Formula One driver to enter the 500 since Teo Fabi in 1984 . After foreign cars became the norm, foreign drivers began competing in the Indianapolis 500 regularly, choosing the United States as their primary base for their motor racing activities. Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi , Italian Teo Fabi , and Colombian Roberto Guerrero were able to obtain good outings in
7704-572: The most victories is Castroneves. Rick Mears holds the record for most career pole positions with six. The most successful car owner is Roger Penske , owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Team Penske , which has 20 total wins and 18 poles. Penske also has five wins at the IndyCar Grand Prix , held on the combined road course . The event is steeped in tradition , in pre-race ceremonies, post-race celebrations, and race procedure. The most noteworthy and most popular traditions are
7811-541: The next three years, the race was not officially recognized on the CART calendar, but the CART teams and drivers comprised the field. By 1983, an agreement was made for the USAC-sanctioned Indy 500 to be recognized on the CART calendar and the race awarded points towards the CART championship. Angle of incidence (aerodynamics) On fixed-wing aircraft , the angle of incidence (sometimes referred to as
7918-423: The only time a driver has won the Triple Crown . Despite these wins, Unser lost the championship to Tom Sneva (who failed to win a race). With the formation of CART , Hall fielded Unser in the No. 2 Pennzoil Lola T500-Cosworth DFX. At the 1979 Indianapolis 500 , Hall and fellow CART board men Roger Penske , Pat Patrick , Teddy Mayer , Ted Field , and Robert Fletcher were initially not allowed to compete in
8025-439: The other races of that series. Italian driver Alberto Ascari was the only European-based driver to race in the 500 during its World Championship years. His appearance in 1952 in a Ferrari was also the only time a Ferrari has ever appeared in the race. Juan Manuel Fangio practiced at the track in 1958 but declined an offer to race. Control issues of monetary prizes and squabbles over technical regulations caused conflict in
8132-538: The purpose-built V-8 quad-cam engines. While the "stock block" engines were technically legal in CART competition, they were not given the increased boost advantage, which effectively rendered them uncompetitive, and precluded their use by teams. The most famous manifestation of the USAC rules disparity was the Ilmor -built Mercedes-Benz 500I engine fielded by Roger Penske in 1994 . Teams may enter up to two machines under
8239-522: The race has always been scheduled on or around Memorial Day . Since 1974 , the race has been specifically scheduled for the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. The Sunday of Memorial Day weekend is widely considered one of the most important days on the motorsports calendar, as it is the day of the Indianapolis 500, the Coca-Cola 600 , and (usually) the Monaco Grand Prix . Practice and time trials are held in
8346-429: The race is not held in wet conditions. In the event of a rain delay , the race will be postponed until rain showers cease, and the track is sufficiently dried. If rain falls during the race itself, officials will halt the race (red flag) and await safe conditions. The officials can end the race and declare the results official if more than half of the scheduled distance (i.e., 101 laps) has been completed. If less than half
8453-418: The race officially reverted to the "International Sweepstakes" moniker, as printed on the tickets and other paraphernalia, with slight variations over the years. Following WWII , the race was commonly recognized as "The 500", "The 500-Mile Race", "Indianapolis 500-Mile Race", "Indianapolis 500", or the simple form "Indy 500". Usually the ordinal (e.g. "50th") preceded it. Often the race was also advertised on
8560-556: The race since it was part of the USAC National Championship . At the same time Hall was going to introduce the Chaparral 2K -Cosworth DFX. In the race Unser lead for 89 of the 200 laps but an engine fire on lap 105 ended his participation. He later won the season-ending Miller High Life 150 at Phoenix International Raceway and finished fifth in CART standings but was ineligible for USAC points. By 1980 Unser
8667-493: The race was part of FIA World Championships ; between 1925 and 1928 , the World Manufacturers' Championship and between 1950 and 1960 , the World Drivers' Championship . Josef Newgarden , the winner in 2023 – 2024 , is the reigning champion. The most successful drivers are A. J. Foyt , Al Unser Sr. , Rick Mears and Hélio Castroneves , each of whom has won the race four times. The active driver with
8774-425: The race, work on the car is permitted, but it is usually limited to routine pit stop work (changing tires and refueling) and minor adjustments (wing angles, etc.) Pit stop activity is rigorously rehearsed by the crews and in modern times, routine pits stops are regularly completed in under ten seconds. Other more involved work, such as replacing damaged bodywork (wings, nose cones, etc.), can also be completed quickly by
8881-451: The race. Throughout the years, the race has used several different qualifying procedures. The current four-lap (ten-mile) qualifying distance was first introduced in 1920 and has been used every year since 1939. Presently, qualifying occurs on over two days. On Day 1, positions 13–30 (or 13–33 if there are only 33 entries) have their position set with all other positions set on Day 2. Following Fast Friday practice, all cars are entered into
8988-572: The race. De Ferran avenged this later in the season when he won the season-ending Toyota Monterey Grand Prix at Laguna Seca Raceway. He finished 14th in points and won the Jim Trueman PPG IndyCar World Series Rookie of the Year Award. For the 1996 IndyCar season he drove the No. 8 Pennzoil Reynard 96i- Honda Indy V8 and qualified for the pole at the 1996 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. He also won
9095-399: The radio as the "Annual Memorial Day race", or similar variations. By the late 20th century, the term "Indy 500" had slowly emerged as the most common and most popularly used moniker. As such, since 2016, the official race logo has used the contemporary and colloquial term "Indy 500". For the 1981 race , the name "65th Indianapolis 500-Mile Race" was officially adopted, with all references as
9202-434: The rear of the car on struts. As opposed to an aircraft wing, it generated downforce instead of lift and was attached directly to the rear suspension uprights, loading the tires for extra adhesion while cornering. A ducted nose channeled air from the front of the car upwards, creating extra downforce as well. By depressing a floor pedal that was in the position of the clutch in other cars, Hall was able to feather or flatten out,
9309-531: The remaining Chaparral cars and the history of their development. The cars are driven from time to time at the museum grounds to keep them running properly. ( key ) Indianapolis 500 The Indianapolis 500 , formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race , and commonly shortened to Indy 500 , is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana , United States, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis . The event
9416-470: The replacement for the 2G to minimize drag. Not only was it extremely slippery, it was narrow to reduce frontal area. Development problems kept it out of the Can Am series, forcing Hall to update the 2G for the 1968 series, during which his catastrophic accident occurred. Hall was consistently the best driver for Chaparral and knew how to get the best out of his cars. John Surtees was brought in as driver for
9523-489: The riding mechanic. In 1935, Miller's former employees, Fred Offenhauser and Leo Goossen , had already achieved their first win with the soon-to-become famous 4-cylinder Offenhauser or "Offy" engine. This motor was forever connected with the Brickyard's history with a to-date record total of 27 wins, in both naturally aspirated and supercharged form, and winning a likewise record-holding 18 consecutive years between 1947 and 1964. Meanwhile, European manufacturers, gone from
9630-522: The series. Firestone , which has a deep history in the sport, dating back to the first 500, is currently the exclusive tire provider. The traditional 33-car starting field at Indianapolis is larger than the fields at the other IndyCar races. The field at Indy typically consists of all of the full-time IndyCar Series entries (roughly 20–22 cars), along with roughly 10–15 part-time or "Indy-only" entries. The "Indy-only" entries, also known as "One-offs", may be an extra car added to an existing full-time team, or
9737-478: The sports car world by winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in a pouring rainstorm, on one of the roughest tracks in North America. The Chaparral 2 featured the innovative use of fiberglass as a chassis material. The Chaparral 2C had a conventional aluminum chassis. It is very difficult to identify all iterations of the car as new ideas were being tested continually. Alongside the development of aerodynamics
9844-418: The suspension prior to being fully banned. The 2E scored only one win, at the 1966 Laguna Seca Raceway Can-Am with Hill driving. Hall stuck to an aluminum 5.3-liter Chevrolet engine in his lightweight racer while the other teams were using 6- to 7-liter iron engines, trading weight for power. The 2E was a crowd favorite and remains Hall's favorite car. In the 2F Hall applied the aerodynamic advances of
9951-580: The team's day after only 25 laps. By the 1982 IndyCar season the 2K was becoming outdated, with its best result in fourth place at the Miller High Life 150. After four races he ranked 18th in points. By the time of the Norton Michigan 500 at Michigan International Speedway, the team was using a March 82C -Cosworth DFX purchased from Bob Fletcher Racing . Rutherford's results managed to improve as he took his season-best finish of third at
10058-432: The track with 3.2 million bricks; he also added a 33-inch (0.84 m) concrete wall around the track's circumference. During the 1910 Decoration Day weekend, the first events on the newly paved circuit drew 60,000 spectators; Ray Harroun won the 200-mile (320 km) Wheeler-Schebler Trophy in a Marmon . The crowds grew progressively smaller for the rest of the season, however, so the track owners chose to focus on
10165-579: The two weeks leading up to the race, while miscellaneous preliminary testing is held as early as April. The race is the most prestigious event of the IndyCar calendar, and one of the oldest and most important automobile races. It has been reported to be the largest single-day sporting event in the world. Likewise, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway itself is regarded as the world's largest sporting facility in terms of capacity. The total purse exceeded $ 13 million in 2011 , with over $ 2.5 million awarded to
10272-400: The winner, making it one of the richest cash prize funds in sports. Similar to NASCAR 's Daytona 500 , the Indianapolis 500 is typically held early in the IndyCar Series season. That is unique to most sports where major events are usually at the end of the respective season. Currently, the Indy 500 is the sixth event of the 17-race IndyCar schedule. From the 1970s to the 1990s, Indianapolis
10379-407: The years, notably by actor and singer Jim Nabors from 1972 until 2014. Nabors announced in 2014, citing health-related reasons, that the 2014 Indy 500 would be the last at which he would sing the song. In 2015, the a cappella group Straight No Chaser sang the song before the race, and in the two races held after Nabors' retirement (and before he became the regular singer), the singing of the song
10486-513: Was Hall's development of race tires. Jim Hall owned Rattlesnake Raceway, located adjacent to his race shop; its proximity allowed him to participate in much of Firestone's race tire development. A two-article series in Car and Driver magazine featured Hall's design theories, turning speculation about vehicle handling into applied physics. Hall's theories were the precursor to the elaborate data collection and management of current racing teams. The 2D
10593-506: Was based on the Chevrolet-designed aluminum 2C chassis and presented Hall's most advanced aerodynamic theories to the racing world in 1966. The 2E established the paradigm for virtually all racing cars built since. It was startling in appearance, with its radiators moved from the traditional location in the nose to two ducted pods on either side of the cockpit and a large pivoting variable- incidence wing-mounted several feet above
10700-554: Was done on a rotating basis, with the Spring 2014 winner of The Voice Josh Kaufman performing in 2016. However, the Speedway has returned to a standard singer with Jim Cornelison doing it since 2017. Following the European trends, engine sizes were limited to 183 cu in (3,000 cc) during 1920–1922, 122 cu in (2,000 cc) for 1923–1925, and 91 cu in (1,490 cc) in 1926–1929. The 1920 race
10807-490: Was effectively ended in a severe crash at the Stardust Grand Prix Can-Am race when he rear-ended the slow-moving McLaren of Lothar Motschenbacher, although he did drive in the 1970 Trans-American Sedan Championship while fielding a team of Chevrolet Camaros . Hall noted that the increasing downforce also created enormous drag. Seeking a competitive edge, the highly advanced 2H was built in 1968 as
10914-429: Was more important than low drag. Had the 2H kept the low drag shape but with a wider track it most likely would have been very competitive, but the true monocoque construction made changes to the chassis almost impossible. Beautifully constructed, the 2H looks as if it was made by NASA. The most unusual Chaparral was the 2J . On the chassis' sides bottom edges were articulated Lexan plastic skirts that sealed against
11021-473: Was often the second or third race of the season, and as late as the 1950s, it was sometimes the first championship event of the year. Due to the high prestige of the Indianapolis 500—rivaling or even surpassing the season championship—it is not uncommon for some teams and drivers to focus heavily on preparing for that race during the early part of the season, and not focus fully on the championship battle until after Indy. Due to safety issues such as aquaplaning ,
11128-857: Was replaced by Johnny Rutherford after having disagreements with Hall. The only change to 2K was its number, now four. Rutherford won five races that season, including the 1980 Indianapolis 500 , the Datsun Twin 200 at Ontario Motor Speedway, the Red Roof Inn 150 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course ; the Norton 200 at Michigan International Speedway , and the Tony Bettenhausen 200 at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway . He also won
11235-428: Was the first closed cockpit variant of the 2-series, designed for endurance racing in 1966. It won at 1000 km Nürburgring in 1966 with Phil Hill and Joakim Bonnier driving. It also competed in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans , withdrawing after 111 laps. The 2D was equipped with a 327 cubic-inch displacement (5.3-liter) aluminum alloy Chevrolet engine producing 420 horsepower; the car weighed only 924 kg. The 2E
11342-685: Was too much for the automatic transmission to handle and it broke with regularity. After solving the transmission problems, the 2F scored its only win on 30 July 1967 in the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch with Hill and Mike Spence driving. After this race the FIA changed its rules, outlawing not only the 2F but also the Ford GT40 Mk.IV (winner at Le Mans that year) and the Ferrari 330 P3/4 (winner, 24 Hours of Daytona) and 365 P4 (finished second, Le Mans). As with
11449-467: Was won by Gaston Chevrolet in a Frontenac , prepared by his brothers, powered by the first eight-cylinder engine to win the 500. For 1923, riding mechanics were no longer required. A supercharged car, ID, first won the race in 1924. In 1925, Pete DePaolo was the first to win at an average over 100 mph (160 km/h), with a speed of 101.13 mph (162.75 km/h). In the early 1920s, Miller built his 3.0-liter (183 in ) engine, inspired by
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