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Just as any contested event in the world, the Indianapolis 500 has had its share of exciting finishes. Some times, the race is riddled with contraversy, and other times, people leave the track simply shaking their heads, not beleiving who they just saw win. These are just a sample of the most famous, and unusual "500" finishes.
1912: In the closing laps, Ralph DePalma had ten mile lead over second place. In a race where he led 196 of the 200 laps, DePalma broke down with only two laps to go. DePalma and his mechanic attempted to push the car the remaining two laps, but was ultimately passed by Joe Dawson. Dawson won the race, and those were the only two laps he ever led in his career.
1937: In the 25th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Wilbur Shaw was leading the race by more than a lap over second place Ralph Hepburn with 20 laps to go. Suddenly, Shaw realized that his car was nearly out of oil. He slowed drastically, and Hepburn was able to quickly un-lap himself. In the most dramiatic finish to that date, Hepburn roared around the track, in an effort to catch Shaw. On the final lap, Hepburn caught up to Shaw for a drag race on the final strech, but fell 2.16 seconds short. That was the closest finish in the history of the race to that point, and it was a record that stood for 45 years.
1947: Teammates Bill Holland and Mauri Rose were running first and second in the closing laps for the Blue Crown Racing Team. The crew put out the "EZY" sign for both drivers to take the final laps in a cautious, conservative, matter. Holland let Rose pass him, thinking he was a lap behind. He even waved as he went by. Rose pulled away, and won the race.
1961: Eddie Sachs and A.J. Foyt were in one of the most famous two-car battle to the finish. Sachs was leading in the closing few miles. With only three laps remaining, Sachs' tires were beginning to wear to the threads. Sachs headed for the pits, fearfull of a blowout, to the dismay of his crew. Foyt went by, and Sachs finshed second. It was later determined that his tires would have easily make it to the finish.
1966: At the start of the race, one-third of the field was eliminated in a massive pileup. Only seven cars were running at the finish. Rookie Jackie Stewart was leading, but parked his car with ten laps to go laps when the oil pressure dropped. Another rookie, Graham Hill, ended up winning the race. Hill was declared the winner, even though Jim Clark insisted that he had passed him earlier in the event.
1967: Car owner Andy Granatelli brough a revolutionary new Turbine powered car to Indianapolis in 1967. It greatly overpowered the field, and driver Parnelli Jones dominated on race day. As the crew prepared for victory lane, a small $6 bearing failed on Jones's car, and the Turbine was lifeless. A.J. Foyt passed Jones for the lead with four laps to go. As Foyt came through turn four on the final lap, heading for the finish line, a five-car pileup blocked his way. Foyt slowly steered though, and won his third Indianapols 500. Two years later, the turbine motor was eliminated from competition due to changes in the rules.
1981: Two years prior, in 1979, the rules for yellow flag conditions at Indianapolis had changed. USAC conformed with other racing series, and developed the "pack-up" rule during caution periods. In their haste, however, USAC never delivered a clear set of guidelines for the "pack-up" rule. Under yellow in the 1981 race, Bobby Unser and Mario Andretti were running first and second, both making pit stops. When they retured to the track, the pace car was leading the field through turn one. Unser stayed on the apron, and went all the way to the front of the pack, passing several cars in the process. Andretti passed cars as well. Unser went on to win the race, with little challenge from Andretti. However, such was not the case the next morning. When the official results were posted, Unser was penalized one lap for passing cars under the yellow, relegating him to second place. Mario Andretti was then declared the winner. A lengthly appeals case was heard, and the penalty was reversed the following October. Unser was instead fined $40,000. A clearer explanation of yellow flag rules has since been published.
1982: With about 15 laps to go, leader Gordon Johncock and second place Rick Mears needed to make their final pit stops for fuel. Mears pitted first, and took on a full fuel load, more than enough to go the distance. Johncock pitted the next time by, and took on only enough needed fuel to go to the finish. Back on the track, Johncock has a 15 second lead over Mears. In the closing laps, however, Mears began an incredible sprint, and closed in more than a second per lap. With three laps to go, the separation was only 2.5 seconds. With two laps to go, the lead was less than a second. As they took the white flag, signalling one lap to go, Mears pulled alongside Johncock, trying to pass him for the lead. Johncock held him off, and ended up winnig by the closest margin of victory to that date, 0.16 seconds.
1992: On one of the coldest days in Indy 500 history, nearly half of the field was eliminated in weather-related accidents. Michael Andretti led for over 160 laps, but stalled suddenly with a broken fuel pump at lap 189. Al Unser, Jr. inherited the lead, with Scott Goodyear right behind him. Goodyear was trying to become the first driver to win the race from the last starting position. In some of the fastest laps of the race, Al Unser, Jr. was able to hold off Goodyear, in the closest finish at Indy ever, officially 0.043 seconds.
1995: With eleven laps to go, the field was under caution, preparing to go back to green flag conditions. Scott Goodyear was the leader, Jacques Villeneuve was second, and USAC official Don Baily was behind the wheel of the Chevrolet Corvette pace car. In the southchute, the pace car, Goodyear and Villeneuve were clocked at 65 mph according to timing and scoring. At the exit of turn 2, all three remained the same. Along the backstrech, Goodyear held back a bit, and allowed the pace car to accelerate along. At the end of the backstrech, the pace car, turning its lights off, was clocked at 77 mph. Goodyear was slightly slower at 68 mph. Heading into turn three, Goodyear opened the throttle, and laid down rubber as he began to accelerate, hoping to get the jump on the rest of the field. At the entry of turn three, where the pace car had been clocked at 83 mph, Goodyear and Villeneuve flew by at 117 mph and 118 mph respectively. Through the north chute, Goodyear increased his speed to about 166 mph, and by the exit of turn four, he blew by the pace car going about 193 mph. The pace car was speeding up from about 98 mph to over 117 mph as it entered the pits. Villenueve, anticipating the situation, quickly slowed back down to about 142 mph. The pace car preceded to pull into the pits, and the green flag was waved as if nothing had happened. A lap later, officials penalized Goodyear for passing the pace car on the restart. Goodyear refused to heed the penalty, and stayed out on the track. Three laps later, Goodyear was suspended from scoring, and Jacques Villeneuve went on to be declared the winner of the race. An appeal was made, as Goodyear claimed the green light was on when he passed the pace car. If such was true, he may have won the protest. Video footage later proved that was not the case, and Goodyear was credited with 15th position, scored with 195 laps.
1997: Teamates Arie Luyendyk and Scott Goodyear were running first and second in the closing laps for the Treadway Racing Team. With three laps to go, Tony Stewart brushed the wall in turn four, but kept on going. The caution came out with two laps to go. As the field came out of turn four to recieve the white flag signalling one lap to go, the green flag was displayed at the starter's stand. None of the drivers were ready, and most were caught off gaurd. Arie Luyendyk was able to accelerate and hold off Goodyear for the win. As the cars completed the final lap at full speed, the yellow lights still remained on around the track. Luyendyk did not take a chance by slowing down, and once again, Scott Goodyear finished second.
2002: At the start of the 199th lap, Helio Castroneves led Paul Tracy and Felipe Giaffone at the start finish line. Going down the backstrech, Tracy challenged Castroneves for the lead. At the same exact time, drivers Laurent Redon and Buddy Lazier crashed together in turn two. The yellow caution came out, and the race was apparently, for all intensive purposes, over. Drivers are required to hold their positions and not pass under yellow. In the confusion of the moment, Tracy completed a pass he had started on Castroneves, as did Felipe Giaffone and the lap car of Sam Hornish, and actually led the field back to the frontstrech. The white and yellow flag were displayed at the starter's stand, and Castroneves slowed for the caution as well. The officials immediately credited Castroneves with the lead, since every indication to them was that the yellow came out while he was still leading. Under Indy Racing League rules, racing ceases immediately, and no passing is allowed once a yellow flag or yellow light is displayed. Team Green and driver Tracy insisted that the pass was completed under green light conditions, and threatened to protest. Meanwhile, Castroneves was celebrated as the winner in Victory Lane. Five hours after the finish of the race, the official results were released by the IRL, with Castroneves the winner, and Tracy second. Team Green filed a protest, and the hearing was set for Monday at noon. The next day, the IRL vice president of operations Brian Barnhart announced that the protest of the official results filed by Team Green was denied during a two-hour hearing. The decision was based on the fact that no conclusive proof was presented that Tracy had completed the pass under green conditions. Team Green submitted a final written appeal June 3 to Tony George, president and CEO of the Indy Racing League, appealing the decision. A hearing was held on June 17, where George heard testimony from several witnesses. On July 3, George upheld the victory of Castroneves.
2006: With nine laps to go, a caution came out when Felipe Giaffone brushed the wall exiting turn two. Several cars needed to pit for a splash of fuel, but some were able to go the distance without pitting. After the sequence of yellow flag pit stops were complete, Indy veteran Michael Andretti assumed the lead. Andretti had come out of retirement to race in 2006. The green flag came back out with four laps to go. A lap later, rookie Marco Andretti, Michael's 19-year old son, took the lead passing his father on the outside of turn one. Marco pulled out to a healthy lead. Meanwhile, Sam Hornish, Jr. took second place away from Michael Andretti, and set his sights on Marco. With a lap and a half to go, Hornish tried to pass Marco in turn three, but was blocked. Marco took the white flag with one lap to go. Exiting turn four on the final lap, Hornish closed in on Marco, and pulled to the inside on the mainstrech. With apporximately 400 feet to the finish line, Hornish edged ahead, and beat Andretti by 0.0635 seconds, the second-closest finish in Indy 500 history. It was the first time in Indy history that a driver made a pass to take the lead and win on the last lap.