|| *Comments on the 1981 Indianapolis 500:* View the most recent comment <#40> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Steve posted: 08.19.2010 - 7:02 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) Best Indy 500 finish EVER! 1989 was exciting, but it ended in a crash. 1992 was closer, but it has been replayed thousands of times. And 2006 almost seemed cartoonish. (was that Hornish or Speed Racer?) And who can forget the start? "He just run square into my GD left front" (Who are you talking about?) "Coo-gin!" -- A.J. "No BS" Foyt "This is what happens when you have a child up front doing a man's job!" -- Mario Andretti 2. RaceFanX posted: 08.20.2010 - 1:22 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) The closing laps saw an epic battle as Rick Mears tried to run down Gordon Johncock. The classic showdown of "youth vs. experience" climaxed in a "battle to the bricks." The pair came across to take the white flag almost dead even with Johncock holding off Mears, who tried a final pass off the last turn, on the final lap to win by what was at the time the closest finish in Indy 500 history. It was Johncock's second Indy 500 win and unlike the depressing win overshadowed by everything else in 1973 this time Gordon could really enjoy his win. Mears and his team credited losing the race to a mistake on the last pit stop, on a gas-and-go they stayed in the pits too long and put too much fuel in the car, inadvertly slowing it with extra weight. Mears was in such a hurry to get into his pit he actually tailgated Herm Johnson's Eagle coming down the pit road, thankfully without damage. Rookie Kevin Cogan stunned everyone by almost winning the pole but as the cars took the start his car suddenly veered to the right, bounced off A.J. Foyt's #14 and triggered a multi-car crash that took out among other drivers Mario Andretti (fresh off a great run at Indy in 1981) who had qualified 4th. Several drivers angrily pointed figures at Cogan for causing the melee including A.J. Foyt, who fixed his car and got back into the race and led the opening laps (this was the first time Foyt led the first lap). Foyt eventually went out with mechanical issues, after his car broke down he literally got out and started hammering away at his March in a futile attempt to get it back in the race. Gordon Smiley was killed instantly in a qualifying accident in the lead-up to this race. When he's car started to lose control in turn 3 he tried to counter steer to correct it but instead went head-on into the wall, the car completely disintegrated and exploded in a ball of fire on impact. South African racer Desiré Wilson become one of the few women ever to attempt to qualify for the Indy 500 but DNQed. 3. Madison posted: 12.29.2010 - 12:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "During an attempt to qualify for the Indy 500, Gordon Smiley, a cocky young driver from Texas, was determined to break 200 mph or die trying. Several veteran drivers...had warned him that he was in way over his head, driving all wrong for the Speedway. Smiley was a road racer and was used to counter-steering his car to avoid a crash if the rear wheels broke traction. While rushing to the car, I noticed small splotches of a peculiar gray substance marking a trail on the asphalt leading up to the driver. When I reached the car, I was shocked to see that Smiley's helmet was gone, along with the top of his skull. He had essentially been scalped by the debris fence. The material on the race track was most of his brain. His helmet, due to massive centrifugal force, was literally pulled from his head on impact...I rode to the care center with the body. On the way in I performed a cursory examination and realized that nearly every bone in his body was shattered. He had a gaping wound in his side that looked as if he had been attacked by a large shark. I had never seen such trauma." (Rapid Response, pp 98-99). 4. bduddy posted: 03.06.2011 - 2:04 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) The title of this page is "1981 Indianapolis 500"... not quite. 5. RaceFanX posted: 05.11.2011 - 11:08 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) It counted toward the 1981 USAC title (the championship was running out of gas at this point) and got titled as such for that. 6. Schroeder51 posted: 05.13.2011 - 3:12 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) So was this race called the 2nd Annual 1981 Indianapolis 500? 7. Unser1 posted: 05.23.2011 - 5:26 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) It was the 1982 Indy 500, it's just listed as 1981 because it counted toward the 1981 season points. 8. RaceFanX posted: 05.30.2011 - 2:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was Johncock's 20th and final USAC Champ Car victory. 9. Pacer posted: 07.26.2011 - 12:26 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The pace car for this 500 was a Chevrolet Camaro Z28. 10. RaceFanX posted: 12.16.2011 - 8:49 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Roger Mears' #31 was sponsored by Machinists Union California hot rodder John Buttera built and entered a custom version of the Eagle chassis, lightened with many aluminium parts, with a stock block engine in this race for Dennis Firestone. In a happily shockingly twist the unsponsored underdog team actually made the race although mechanical issues put the red #75 on the sideline rather quickly. Buttera made two more unsuccessful attempts to field teams at the 500 during the 1980s before he passed away in 2008. 11. Anonymous posted: 03.17.2012 - 8:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The series was actually the official season name was ''1981-82 USAC Gold Crown Series'' 12. kup posted: 05.30.2012 - 4:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Why? On this racepage: http://racing-reference.info/race/1982_Indianapolis_500/UO some links are 1981 and not 1982. Some mistakes? 13. Schroeder51 posted: 10.04.2013 - 5:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Another big list of DNQs for this race... Here's a more complete list of the drivers who DNQed for this Indy 500: #2 Bill Alsup #36 Patrick Bedard #38 Phil Caliva #37 Scott Brayton #11, #64 Steve Chassey #59 Billy Engelhart #64 Bob Frey #77 Tom Frantz #47 Spike Gehlhausen #80 Tom Gloy #79 Bob Harkey #90 Gary Irvin #34 Hurley Haywood #63 Ken Hamilton #32 Jerry Karl #89 Phil Krueger #34, #72 Steve Krisiloff #86 Al Loquasto #34 Bob Lazier #43 Greg Leffler #49 Chip Mead #98 Jim McElreath #92 John Mahler #17 John Martin #48 Mike Mosley #55 Bobby Unser #11, #18 Billy Vukovich, Jr. #71 Dean Vetrock #46 Leroy Van Conett #67 Teddy Pilette #33 Desire Wilson #72 Roger Rager #88 Billy Scott #22 Dick Simon #35 Gordon Smiley (note: Killed in qualifying crash) #92 Jan Sneva #58 Joe Saldana #27 Rusty Schmidt #18, #37, #99 Vern Schuppan Jerry Sneva (no number given) Rich Vogler (no number given) Dick Ferguson (no number given) Sheldon Kinser (no number given) Lee Kunzman (no number given) #64 Sammy Swindell (no number given) (Note: Took rookie orientation test) Larry Rice (no number given) #73 Ray Lipper Tim Richmond (no number given) Bobby Olivero (no number given) Salt Walther (no number given) Neil Bonnett (no number given) #87 Tom Grunnah (note: Failed his rookie test) 14. Schroeder51 posted: 10.05.2013 - 2:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) And some more teams that DNQed for this race: #8 Gary Bettenhausen #56, #73 Tom Bigelow #39 Chet Fillip #50 Josele Garza #80 Roger Mears #1 Kevin Cogan #16 Tony Bettenhausen, Jr. #11 Billy Vukovich, Jr. George Snider (no number given) 15. DH101 posted: 04.23.2014 - 12:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) R.I.P Gordon. Probably the most horrific racing accident one could imagine 16. mike zimmerman posted: 05.29.2014 - 8:30 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) This is the 1982 Indy 500. Your heading says 1981. 17. nascarman posted: 03.21.2015 - 8:12 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) WD: 74 Neil Bonnett Warner Hodgdon (Bonnett was entered in this race but I don't know if he ever practiced or made a qualifying attempt. If he made the race it would have conflicted with the World 600, which he won) 18. Schroeder51 posted: 06.14.2015 - 9:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First Indy 500 starts for Herm Johnson, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Chip Ganassi, Chet Fillip, and Roger Mears. Only Indy 500 starts for Jim Hickman, Hector Rabaque, and Dale Whittington. Last Indy 500 starts for Tom Bigelow, Jerry Sneva, Chet Fillip, and Pete Halsmer. 19. Schroeder51 posted: 06.14.2015 - 9:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) D'oh! I accidentally typed Fillip when listing the drivers making their last 500 starts... 20. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 01.30.2016 - 11:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Qualifying results: 1. Rick Mears-207.003 MPH 2. Kevin Cogan-204.082 MPH 3. A. J. Foyt-203.332 MPH 4. Mario Andretti-203.172 MPH 5. Gordon Johncock-201.884 MPH 6. Bill Whittington-201.658 MPH 7. Tom Sneva-201.028 MPH 8. Don Whittington-200.725 MPH 9. Danny Ongais-199.148 MPH 10. Pancho Carter-198.950 MPH 11. Geoff Brabham-198.906 MPH 12. Michael Chandler-198.042 MPH 13. Chip Ganassi-197.705 MPH 14. Dale Whittington-197.694 MPH 15. Dennis Firestone-197.217 MPH 16. Johnny Rutherford-197.066 MPH 17. Danny Sullivan-196.292 MPH 18. Jim Hickman-196.217 MPH 19. Herm Johnson-195.929 MPH 20. Johnny Parsons-195.929 MPH 21. Hector Rabaque-195.684 MPH 22. Gary Bettenhausen-195.673 MPH 23. Al Unser-195.567 MPH 24. George Snider-195.493 MPH 25. Tony Bettenhausen, Jr.-195.429 MPH 26. Jerry Sneva-195.270 MPH 27. Chet Fillip-194.879 MPH 28. Tom Bigelow-194.784 MPH 29. Bobby Rahal-194.700 MPH 30. Pete Halsmer-194.595 MPH 31. Josele Garza-194.500 MPH 32. Howdy Holmes-194.469 MPH 33. Roger Mears-194.154 MPH 21. The Great Dave posted: 04.04.2016 - 1:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) I heard rumors that say Smiley may have actually been high on Coke before his fatal crash, also same with the WHittington Brothers, as they seemingly piled into an easily avoidible crash (ok maybe just Bill and Don, I don't think Dale ever got involved in drugs AFIAK) 22. The Great Dave posted: 04.04.2016 - 1:31 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) SPONSOR Updates (includes DNQs) #1 Norton / Gould #8 Kraco Stereo #12 First Commercial / J&J Tire #30 Domino's Pizza "Hot One" #58 Gennessee beer / Buffalo, NY - "Were Talking Proud" #66 Colonial Bread / Pay Less / Aciero #68 Freeman / US Magazine #91 Simoniz / Whittington Bros Owner #8 Lindsey Hopkins #35 Robert Feltcher (For Gordon Smiley and George Snider) 23. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 05.21.2016 - 1:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew: Sammy Swindell, #64 Jet Engineering Ray Lipper, #73 Center Line Tom Gloy, #80 Machinists Union Tom Grunnah, #87 Larlin Racing Sheldon Kinser, Armstrong Mould Lee Kunzman, Jamieson Racing Team Bobby Olivero, Hodgdon Racing Tim Richmond, Mach 1 Racing Salt Walther, Des Cognets Nicholas Gloy, Kinser, Kunzman, Olivero, Richmond, and Walther were all on the entry list, but none of their cars appeared at the track during the month of May. Lipper and Grunnah, a pair of aspiring Indy rookies, both failed their rookie tests. Sammy Swindell took part in rookie orientation, but did not make a qualifying attempt. 24. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 05.22.2016 - 3:38 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) To add to the above, here is an article that (briefly) mentions Tom Gloy's entry in this race: http://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/03/13/Entries-reached-a-total-Saturday-of-60-cars-for/5504384843600/ Actually, the car DID show up (it's in the DNQ list, Roger Mears attempted to qualify it)-Gloy himself was a no-show at the track. This article mentions Swindell's and Kunzman's entries: http://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/03/06/At-least-36-cars-have-officially-been-entered-for/4671384238800/ 25. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 03.22.2017 - 12:17 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) First alternate: Chip Mead Second alternate: Bill Alsup 26. RaceFanX posted: 05.24.2017 - 6:54 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Gordon Johncock's winning STP Wildcat was the last Indianapolis 500-winning car to date built in the United States. In the more than three decades since this one European chassis cars built in England and Italy have dominated the event, in fact by the mid-1980s American cars at Indy were extinct. 27. Jeff Wagoner (ARCA Results Archive) posted: 12.01.2017 - 11:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think the first caution that lists a #6 crashing on the front stretch was actually the #16. 28. Anthony posted: 12.17.2017 - 7:38 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) My favourite Indy 500 finish 29. RaceFanX posted: 05.22.2018 - 3:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ken Hamilton, the father of future Indy 500 racer Davey Hamilton, failed to qualify for this race but made a big impression doing so. His custom #63 Eagle Aviation-Chevrolet race car he for this race has to be one of the most unusual looking cars Indianapolis has ever seen. The white-and-blue "Eagle Aircraft Flyer," built by the titular company that specialized in crop dusters, had Hamilton seated right at the front of the car, no side pods or rear wing, radiators inside the front wing, a torpedo-like air intake atop its largely flat body, and skirts in front and behind all four wheels. The unique car had a steel frame and a body made from aluminum and aircraft-grade balsa wood. The car was almost impossible to drive until Hamilton paid a local shop to build a rear wing for it and even after its installation it was painfully slow and quite dangerous. The team pulled out before even attempting to qualify. 30. Anthony posted: 05.29.2018 - 2:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) My favourite Indy 500 finish 31. dennyfan11 posted: 09.28.2018 - 1:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Correction: George Snider completed 87 laps, not 57. 32. Shawn posted: 04.02.2019 - 4:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Why does this page show the year 1981 instead of 1982? 33. David posted: 04.02.2019 - 4:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Read comment 5, 7 or 11. 34. A.J. posted: 04.02.2019 - 4:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) For the same reason this race says "2018" when it was run just a couple of weeks ago: https://www.racing-reference.info/race/2018-06/FE 35. KentuckyWildcat42 posted: 07.12.2019 - 10:34 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Go to 53 minutes, 20 seconds into this YouTube link of the race. Amazing how close the fans were to the cars stopping in their pits https://youtu.be/ySCCsfLbaBw 36. Jim4Bill posted: 02.21.2020 - 12:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cogan almost killed his career in this race. Losing to Rahal a few years later put the final nail in it. 37. zuel660 posted: 09.16.2020 - 10:37 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) I've watched the replays of this race many times, & as the cars take the white flag side by side, it's always so disappointing that the ABC cameras cut away for a wife shot in the pits and basically miss most of Johncock powering ahead of Mears going into turn 1. 38. Rich posted: 12.25.2020 - 6:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jim McKay and Sam Posey were the commentators. Chris Economaki, Bill Flemming and Clyde Lee were the pit road reporters. Jack Whitaker was the features reporter. Sir Jackie Stewart was the studio host. 39. nascarman posted: 01.06.2021 - 6:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ABC planned to put an onboard camera on Gordon Smiley's car for this race. It would've been the first time a racer carried an onboard camera during the Indy 500. After Smiley's death, ABC decided not to put one on any cars until the following year when Rick Mears and Al Unser carried onboards for the first time. Source: "Smiley's Intermedics Innovator was expected to be competitive, so much so that the March-Cosworth ground-effects racer had been selected by ABC-TV sports to carry a live camera onboard." Fort Worth Star Telegram - May 16, 1982 40. JollyMeanGiant posted: 03.03.2021 - 1:51 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 35 cars completed full runs during qualifying. Bill Alsup in the #2 was 34th fastest and Chip Mead in the #40 was 35th fastest. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: