|| *Comments on the 1981 Indianapolis 500:* View the most recent comment <#28> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. RaceFanX posted: 08.20.2010 - 1:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bobby Unser starts his final Indy 500 from the pole and holds off a challenge from the Patrick teammates of Mario Andretti and Gordon Johncock (who eventually blew an engine with six laps to go) to seemingly score a dramatic send-off victory...but not so fast... The next day Andretti's Patrick team filed a protest and Unser was penalized one position for passing cars under yellow in violation of the blend rule. He had as had Andretti (but not past as many cars for the latter). Andretti became the new winner of the race when the official results were posted. Roger Penske appealed the penalty and eventually, 138 days after the race in October, the penalty was overturned for a $40,000 fine and Unser once again became the official winner of the race. Unser was the third-straight polesitter to win the race. On the way to victory the Norton Spirit lost its radio, drink hose and had a small methanol fire but still came out on top. Andretti was still a full-time F1 racer for Alfa Romeo at the time and had started the race in 32nd after overseas commitments forced Wally Dallenbach to come out of retirement to qualify his car. Tom Sneva actually was the race's fastest qualifer but because his new March chassis didn't arrive in time for pole day he started 20th. Sneva eventually raced up to lead a good deal of laps but dropped out with mechanical problems. Rick Mears had a great run early ended by a massive invisible methanol pit fire that resulted from a crew member dropping the hose and causing it to spray all over the Gould Charge. Mears and six crew members were severely burned. Just a few laps later Danny Ongais, who had just pitted out of the lead, crashed head-on into the turn 3 wall. The very violent crash ripped away the front end of his car, leaving Ongais disturbingly exposed, legs dangling out in front of the car as it rolled down the track (almost ala Stan Fox in 1995). He suffered broken legs and arms along with internal injuries but eventually recovered after a year on the sidelines to race again at Indy in 1982. 2. RaceFanX posted: 01.21.2011 - 5:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Vern Schuppan scores his best USAC Champ Car finish in 3rd This was the final victory and final USAC Champ Car start for Unser 3. Schroeder51 posted: 02.18.2011 - 12:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Terrible crash for Ongais. He's damn lucky he survived that. Bad luck for Josele Garza and Gordon Smiley, who both had outstanding runs, led the race, and ran in the top 5 until they both crashed out late in the race. Unfortuantely for Gordon, he would never run the Indy 500 again, due to his HORRIFIC fatal accident in qualifying the very next year. 4. Pacer posted: 07.26.2011 - 12:24 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The pace car for this 500 was a Buick Regal V6. 5. Steve posted: 12.31.2012 - 9:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The "official" reason Mike Mosley retired from the 1981 Indy 500 is listed as radiator failure, but according to Jack Arute's "Tales from the Indianapolis 500", a cylinder head came off and broke apart in the engine block. Perhaps because the stock-block engine the Dan Gurney crew was going out of style, they didn't want "engine" or "cylinder head" to be the known reason for Mike's failure to finish. A week later at the Milwaukee Mile, Mosley lapped the field from 25th starting spot (of 26 cars) to win with the same car in a race shown on ESPN. I wouldn't bet a penny against Mario or Uncle Bobby remembering EVERY DETAIL of that day and the protest hearing to decide who really won. 6. Schroeder51 posted: 10.04.2013 - 5:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) HUGE list of DNQs for this and the next several INDY 500s. Here's a more complete list of DNQs for the 1981 Indy 500: #86 Jim Buick #96, #99 Larry Cannon #17 Patrick Bedard #47, #87 Phil Caliva #85 Steve Ball (note: Entry was declined due to lack of experience) #42, #64 Steve Chassey #43 Tom Bagley #40 Wally Dallenbach (note: Qualified Mario Andretti's car) #29 Billy Engelhart #71 Bob Frey #95 Dick Ferguson #23, #34 Spike Gehlhausen #38, #71, #89, #96 Bob Harkey #65 Jim Hurtubise #63 Ken Hamilton #58 Bubby Jones #28 Herm Johnson #89 Phil Krueger #78 Steve Kinser #43, #44 Greg Leffler #49 Chip Mead #45 Harry MacDonald #65 Jerry Miller #23, #26 Jim McElreath #92, #93 John Mahler #57 John Martin #98 Roger Mears #42 Billy Vukovich, Jr. #44, #46 Rich Vogler #8, #12, #18 Johnny Parsons #15 Bill Temporo #67 Phil Threshie #91 Dale Whittington #93 Frank Weiss #52 Larry Rice #21, #66 Roger Rager #21 Tim Richmond #22 Dick Simon #84 George Snider (note: Sold his car to Tim Richmond) #17, #34, #72 #74 Jerry Sneva #24, #69 Joe Saldana Bobby Fisher (no number given) Earle Canavan (no number given) (Note: Entry was declined due to lack of experience) 7. Schroeder51 posted: 10.05.2013 - 2:15 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) And some more teams that DNQed for this race... #18 Gary Bettenhausen #72 Michael Chandler #75 Pancho Carter #41 A. J. Foyt #70 Dennis Firestone #7, #68 Rick Mears #91, #94 Bill Whittington #2 Tom Sneva 8. We need more Onion posted: 12.13.2013 - 6:38 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #33 owner(s): Vern Schuppan/Thomas Barrett III #56 owner: Dick Hammond #31 owner: Andy Kenopensky #90 owner: Maury Kraines (Kraco Racing car, no relation to the Whittingtons' team) #16 owner: Jack Rodgers #84 owner: Robert Schultz (Mach I Racing car, Foyt had nothing to do with it) #4 owner: Jack Rhoades #79 owner: This was Alsup's PC7 entered by Frank Arciero. I think Arciero should be the owner. 9. Pacer posted: 05.16.2015 - 11:17 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Phil Harris, a musician and voice actor in several Disney animated films, sang "Back Home Again in Indiana" before this race for the only time in place of Jim Nabors. 10. Schroeder51 posted: 06.14.2015 - 9:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First Indy 500 starts for Kevin Cogan, Geoff Brabham, Tony Bettenhausen, Jr., Michael Chandler, Scott Brayton, Josele Garza, and Pete Halsmer. Only Indy 500 starts for Bill Alsup, Bob Lazier, and Tom Klausler. Last Indy 500 starts for Bobby Unser, Vern Schuppan, Sheldon Kinser, Tim Richmond, Jerry Karl, Larry Dickson, and Gordon Smiley. 11. Dave #38 Fan-Go Gilliland! posted: 06.25.2015 - 1:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The primary sponsor for the #49 of Chip Meade in the DNQ list was White Castle. 12. Big Mac Fan posted: 12.12.2015 - 2:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) More DNQ's (40) than actual competitors (33). 13. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 01.30.2016 - 11:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Qualifying results: 1. Tom Sneva-200.691 MPH 2. Bobby Unser-200.546 MPH 3. Danny Ongais-197.694 MPH 4. Mike Mosley-197.141 MPH 5. Bill Whittington-197.098 MPH 6. A. J. Foyt-196.078 MPH 7. Gordon Johncock-195.429 MPH 8. Johnny Rutherford-195.387 MPH 9. Josele Garza-195.101 MPH 10. Rick Mears-194.018 MPH 11. Bill Alsup-193.154 MPH 12. Mario Andretti-193.040 MPH (Wally Dallenbach qualified the car as Mario missed qualifying to compete in the Belgian Grand Prix. Dallenbach should be added as a DNQ) 13. Gordon Smiley-192.988 MPH 14. Al Unser-192.719 MPH 15. Pancho Carter-191.022 MPH 16. Gary Bettenhausen-190.870 MPH 17. Sheldon Kinser-189.454 MPH 18. Kevin Cogan-189.444 MPH 19. Bob Lazier-189.424 MPH 20. Tim Richmond-189.254 MPH (George Snider qualified the car; Richmond purchased after failing to qualify. Snider should be added as a DNQ) 21. Tom Bigelow-188.294 MPH 22. Geoff Brabham-187.990 MPH 23. Dennis Firestone-187.784 MPH 24. Scott Brayton-187.774 MPH 25. Pete Halsmer-187.705 MPH 26. Michael Chandler-187.567 MPH 27. Don Whittington-187.237 MPH 28. Tony Bettenhausen, Jr.-187.013 MPH 29. Tom Klausler-186.732 MPH 30. Steve Krisiloff-186.722 MPH 31. Vern Schuppan-186.548 MPH 32. Larry Dickson-186.278 MPH 33. Jerry Karl-186.008 MPH 14. The Great Dave posted: 04.04.2016 - 1:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Updates #35 Montgomery Ward AutoClub 15. Jim4Bill posted: 04.11.2016 - 5:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Clearly Unser cheated - but his behavior was similar to many of the other drivers at that time. Most of the drivers cheated on the blend rule. It was essentially not enforced by USAC during the race. After that incident another caution allowed Gordy and Mario to start right behind Unser (essentially erasing the advantage gained via the blend line). Mario passed for the lead on the re-start - Unser got right back by and pulled away. Gordy was a little faster than Mario and within a few seconds of Unser. Until he broke. The ability to settle it on the track was there - Mario was not as fast....so ultimately the final decision was probably the right one. The push to protest was probably political - and the team's frustration that Unser REALLY pushed the blend line rule compared to what Mario did on that pit stop. Unfortunate it got ugly - but the guy with the best car that ran 200 laps ultimately was declared the winner. 16. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 05.19.2016 - 1:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew: Wally Dallenbach, #40 STP Oil Treatment George Snider, #84 Valvoline/Gilmore Steve Ball, #85 B & G Racing Dallenbach qualified the #40 for Mario Andretti since he was busy running the Belgian Grand Prix in F1, then handed the car over to Mario for the race itself. George Snider qualified the #84, but Tim Richmond purchased the ride and drove it in the race itself after he failed to qualify in the #21. As for Steve Ball, his entry was rejected due to a lack of experience. Additional DNQ: Jim Hurtubise, #65 Luxury Racers Hurtubise attempted to qualify the #65 (a bit surprising considering he usually drove #56), but blew an engine during his qualifying attempt. It was his final attempt to qualify for the Indy 500. (Jerry Miller passed a rookie test in the car and should still be listed as a DNQ.) 17. Jim posted: 09.14.2016 - 5:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Looks like something broke on Ongais's car. 18. RaceFanX posted: 10.26.2016 - 11:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Danny Ongais and Interscope Racing's black #25 was a car of the team's own design with fully aerodynamic bodywork. The car was quick and its slick appearance gained it the nickname "the Batmobile." It was originally designed for a Porsche engine but the team adjusted it in development for a Cosworth instead. Ongais' wild crash that destroyed the car in this one was caused by a broken part. The Batmobile's slick bodywork had something of a passing resemblance to the current DW12s about 30 years before it debuted. 19. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 03.22.2017 - 12:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) First alternate: Herm Johnson Second alternate: Billy Engelhart 20. RaceFanX posted: 07.23.2017 - 5:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mario Andretti's runner-up performance, and almost win, here was the first time he had a top-5 at Indy since his win in 1969. 21. RaceFanX posted: 05.26.2018 - 10:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the final Indy 500 to date to see McLaren chassis cars in the field of 33, the company having dropeed out of IndyCar racing more than a year earlier. Vern Schuppan turned in a great 3rd place run with his McLaren while Tony Bettenhausen, Jr. also posted a top-10 run. Jerry Karl finished 15th in the third McLaren, having outfitted his car with more modern ground effects sidepods. 22. RaceFanX posted: 11.16.2018 - 3:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Josele Garza becomes the first Mexican driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and wins the Indy 500 Rookie of the Year honors in the process; he qualified well and led the race twice before he crashed out the #55 Esso Penske-Cosworth. Garza was also just 19 years old when he made his debut here, becoming the youngest Indy 500 starter ever in the process (and he'd remain that way until A.J. Foyt IV ran the race in 2003). USAC rules at the time required drivers to be at least 21 years of age to compete at Indy but Garza had a competition license that said he was three years older than he actually was (supposedly he did eventually tell USAC about this). 23. coolwicki posted: 08.05.2019 - 12:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If you consider the infractions Bobby and Mario had (both passed under yellow), if USAC officials had seen the drivers committing said infractions, the likelihood is that Vern Schuppan would have been deemed the winner, and his career would have 2 of the 3 triple crown trophies. 24. GGDC posted: 01.06.2020 - 1:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Updates #4 Dennis Firestone World Oil Co Wildcat/COsworth #8 Gary Bettenhausen Diehard / Monroe Lightning / Cosworth #50 Geoff Brabham Mexico / Esso Penske / Cosworth #53 Steve Krissiloff Mexico / Esso Penske / Cosworth #55 Josele Garza Mexico / Esso Penske / Cosworth 25. MSportRev posted: 01.06.2020 - 1:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) For the 2 Driver Changes: Wally Dallenbach's #40 was a Wildcat / Cosworth owned by Pat Patrick George Snider's #84 was a Parnelli / Cosworth owned by Robert Schultz 26. rateus posted: 05.21.2020 - 3:57 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) This was the first year IMS ran a stand-alone Rookie Orientation Program, 4 days in mid-April. The program was mandatory for first-year rookies but not for those who had already tried (but failed) to make the field. 12 drivers ran in total: Bob Lazier, Josele Garza, Geoff Brabham, Steve Chassey, Tom Klausler, Scott Brayton, Jerry Miller, Pat Bedard, Dale Whittington, Jim Buick and Chip Mead were all cleared for official practice but Steve Ball was sent home. 27. Rich posted: 12.22.2020 - 9:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jim McKay and Sir Jackie Stewart were the commentators. Chris Economaki and Sam Posey were the pit road reporters. Dave Diles was the studio host. 28. JollyMeanGiant posted: 03.03.2021 - 1:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 41 cars completed full qualifying runs. Larry Cannon in the #99, Steve Chassey in the #64, Tom Bagley in the #43, Billy Engelhart in the #29, Dennis Firestone in the #70, Herm Johnson in the #28, Bill Whittington in the #94 and Tim Richmond in the #21 were not fast enough to make the field. (Johnson and Engelhart were 34th and 35th fastest) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: