|| *Comments on the 1985 Indianapolis 500:* View the most recent comment <#20> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. RaceFanX posted: 04.02.2009 - 7:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was one of the greatest moments in the history of motorsports, Danny's SPIN AND WIN! Danny Sullivan was in the process of making a pass on Mario Andretti for the lead on lap 120 when he lost control and spun a full 360 degrees as Mario dodged him. Incredibly Sullivan didn't hit anything and recovered, coming back to win the race. 2. Pacer posted: 04.21.2009 - 6:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The pace car for this Indy 500 was an Oldsmobile Calais 500, a special open roof version of the Calais. 3. Darrell posted: 05.23.2009 - 6:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Failed to qualify: Tom Bigelow (#24, #42, #50) Steve Chassey (#56) Dick Ferguson (#69) Chet Fillip (#38, #39) Dennis Firestone (#36) Pete Halsmer (#59) Gordon Johncock (#20) Herm Johnson (#8) Jerry Karl (#51, #62) Phil Krueger (#50, #51) Randy Lanier (#57) Mike Nish (#41) Michael Roe (#71) Jacques Villeneuve (#76) 4. WillG46 posted: 12.09.2009 - 3:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Best career finish for Johnny Parsons. 5. MegaRacer posted: 03.19.2010 - 2:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jacques Villenueve (the brother of the great Gilles and uncle of the '95 champ) was originally supposed to driver #76 Canadian Tire car JP drove to 5th. Since Jacques was so short (I think he was 5'4" or something like that), March Cars built a special 85C tub for him with shorter sides. When JV withdrew from the race after a couple practice crashes, Parsons was brought in for his experience and because he was the same size! 6. Jason posted: 05.05.2010 - 3:00 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Didn't Gordon Johncock retire suddenly and Don Whittington take over the ride all of the sudden. I know he had several "retirements", I think '85 was his first? 7. Anonymous posted: 05.07.2010 - 2:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mario also avoided a crash that had Rick Volger and Tom Sneva involved. 8. Unser1 posted: 11.05.2010 - 6:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Chip Ganassi's first CART race after his near-career ending wreck at MIS the year before 9. MegaRacer posted: 12.14.2010 - 3:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) You are correct, Jason. Gordy suddenly announced his retirement the morning of May 10 before the start of practice. Of course, his retirement was short and he was back in the race for 1987. 10. Anonymous posted: 01.31.2011 - 6:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A lap after the yellow for Sullivan's spin, the lapped cars of Rich Vogler and Howdy Holmes were racing side by side directly in front of leader Mario Andretti. Entering the first turn, Holmes turned down into Vogler and his left front wheel clipped Vogler's right rear, turning Vogler hard into the outside wall. Second place driver Tom Sneva lost control as he attempted to avoid the crash, backing hard into the wall and narrowly avoiding being hit on the helmet by a bouncing wheel that had come off of Vogler's car. 11. Anonymous posted: 01.31.2011 - 6:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "...car but I'm OK, I'm still right behind Mario!" "You're OK, you say?" "Yeah, the tires are a little square, but I'm OK!" The radio conversation after Sullivan spun. Even Danny couldn't believe he saved the car. 12. RaceFanX posted: 04.06.2011 - 4:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was the last year that the Indy 500 wasn't aired live on ABC Sports. About three months after this race ABC cut a deal with the speedway to finally air the 500 live flag-to-flag, as CBS had been doing with the Daytona 500 since 1979. The Cosworth was the engine to have for this year at Indy but Pancho Carter and Scott Brayton stunned everyone when they qualified 1-2 with their Buick V6s. Sadly though while the Buick was quick it was unreliable and both departed the race before the 50-mile mark. Pancho ended up last despite starting first. Bobby Rahal got the jump on both Buicks at the start of the race and led the opening laps. His Truesports car would also end up on the sideline though after losing the lead to Mario Andretti, who had the dominant car of the day. Sullivan's crew didn't realize Danny caused a caution with his spin. Their first reaction when they saw the yellow was to call Danny in for a pit stop and, since the race was not aired live on TV at the time, had no idea why Sullivan came over the radio saying "I'm okay." Tha action wasn't over, like Mario did Sullivan dodged the Rich Vogler/Tom Sneva wreck four laps later. That caution put Sullivan right back on Mario's bumper and the Miller American retook the lead shortly thereafter. A late caution sent up a four lap sprint to the finish and gave Mario's Lola one last shot at Sullivan's March. He couldn't take advance and Sullivan pulled away for the win. Sullivan Future 500 winner Arie Luyendyk makes his debut at the track and finishes 7th to claim Rookie of the Year honors. 1985 was the last year for Indy's iconic green and white barn door garages. The old Gasoline Alley garage area was demolished just days after the race to make room for a new state-of-the-art garage area to debut for 1986. 13. cjs3872 posted: 05.28.2013 - 12:18 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also, Johnny Rutherford was originally posted fifth, but was penalized one lap for passing under the caution after the race, and Arie Luyendyk, who was originally posted sixth, was apparently credited with one lap too many. That elevated Johnny Parsons, Jr., who was originally scored seventh, into fifth place, matching his best career finish at Indy. He was also fifth in the 1977 race. Also, Al Unser, Sr. was penalized one lap early in the race for running over his air hose during his first pit stop, or he would have challenged for the lead at the end, as he finished fourth, one lap behind the leaders, but was the third car to cross the finish line behind Danny Sullivan and Mario Andretti. Sullivan had three close calls in this race, as he had his famous spin in turn one on lap 120, barely missed the Vogler/Sneva crash in turn one a lap after the restart, and then almost got involved in John Paul, Jr.'s crash exiting turn two, as his was the next car behind Paul when he crashed, and he was only about one second behind Paul on the track. 14. Schroeder51 posted: 06.14.2015 - 9:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First Indy 500 starts for Arie Luyendyk, Ed Pimm, John Paul, Jr., Jim Crawford, Raul Boesel, and Rich Vogler. Last Indy 500 starts for Bill Whittington and Don Whittington. 15. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 02.01.2016 - 1:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Qualifying results: 1. Pancho Carter-212.583 MPH 2. Scott Brayton-212.354 MPH 3. Bobby Rahal-211.818 MPH 4. Mario Andretti-211.576 MPH 5. Emerson Fittipaldi-211.322 MPH 6. Don Whittington-210.992 MPH 7. Al Unser-210.523 MPH 8. Danny Sullivan-210.298 MPH 9. Geoff Brabham-210.074 MPH 10. Rick Mears-209.796 MPH 11. Al Unser, Jr.-209.215 MPH 12. Bill Whittington-209.006 MPH 13. Tom Sneva-208.927 MPH 14. Dick Simon-208.536 MPH 15. Johnny Rutherford-208.254 MPH 16. Michael Andretti-208.185 MPH 17. Roberto Guerrero-208.061 MPH 18. Derek Daly-207.548 MPH 19. Danny Ongais-207.220 MPH 20. Josele Garza-206.677 MPH 21. Raul Boesel-206.498 MPH 22. Howdy Holmes-206.372 MPH 23. Kevin Cogan-206.367 MPH 24. John Paul, Jr.-206.340 MPH 25. Chip Ganassi-206.104 MPH 26. Arie Luyendyk-206.004 MPH 27. A. J. Foyt-205.783 MPH 28. Johnny Parsons-205.778 MPH 29. Ed Pimm-205.723 MPH 30. Rich Vogler-205.653 MPH 31. Jim Crawford-205.525 MPH 32. George Snider-205.455 MPH 33. Tony Bettenhausen, Jr.-204.824 MPH 16. RaceFanX posted: 05.17.2016 - 7:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Johncock did indeed retire, for the first time anyway, suddenly in the lead up to this race with Don Whittington taking over Pat Patrick's STP #20. Whittington took over the car just before qualifying but still posted a great time and started up front...but the #20 didn't have the endurance for the race itself and fell out before halfway. Johncock would be back at Indy in 1987. 17. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 03.22.2017 - 12:24 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) First alternate: Pete Halsmer Second alternate: Michael Roe 18. RaceFanX posted: 12.28.2017 - 9:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This was only Sullivan's second race for Team Penske. It was his fourth career CART victory and it would turn out to be his only Indianapolis 500 victory. 19. SweetRich posted: 02.26.2020 - 10:12 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Commentators For The Race Were Jim McKay And Sam Posey. The Pit Road Reporters Were Jack Arute, Jim Lampley And Bill Flemming. 20. Rich posted: 12.23.2020 - 6:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Along with being the play by play host, Jim McKay was the studio host. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: