1982 Indianapolis 500

66th running of the Indianapolis 500

The 66th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 30, 1982. Gordon Johncock, who had previously won the rain shortened 1973 race, was the winner. Polesitter Rick Mears finished second by a margin of 0.16 seconds, the closest finish in Indy 500 history to that point. In racing circles, the 1982 race is largely considered one of the best 500s in history, although it was marred by the fatal crash of Gordon Smiley during time trials. Johncock and Mears dueled over most of the final 40 laps. Johncock pulled out to a sizeable lead after his final pit stop on lap 184. But Mears dramatically began closing the gap in the waning laps. Johncock held off Mears on the final lap in a historic victory, as the raucous crowd drowned out the loud roar of the engines. The race is also remembered for a controversial crash at the start triggered by Kevin Cogan, which took out Mario Andretti, damaged the car of A. J. Foyt, and caused the crash of two other cars. Officially the race was part of the 1981 82 USAC season, however, most of the entrants took part in the 1982 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. Championship points for the 1982 Indy 500 were not awarded towards the CART title and the race was considered a non championship race in that series. For the first and only time in Indy 500 history, a trio of brothers qualified for the same race. Don, Bill, and Dale Whittington all made the field, with Don finishing a strong 6th. Dale crashed out before the start, and never completed a single lap in his career. Four time Indy winner A. J. Foyt started on the front row, celebrating his record 25th career Indy 500 start. Though he was caught up in the Cogan incident, his car was hastily repaired and he went on to lead 32 laps.

Among many stories going into the 1982 month of May was the return of A. J. Foyt to the cockpit. In July 1981, Foyt had been involved in a serious crash at the inaugural Michigan 500, suffering a compound fracture to his right arm, and a puncture wound to his leg. Foyt was sidelined for several months for recovery. The two key fixtures from the controversial 1981 race took different paths for 1982. Bobby Unser took a sabbatical from racing, and would ultimately retire from the cockpit. Mario Andretti on the other hand, was back with Patrick Racing, this time running a full season in the CART series, and scaled back his participation in Formula One. This would be the first time in several years that Andretti would be spending the entire month in Indianapolis, and not traveling back and forth to Europe for his Formula One commitments.

One major rule change regarding time trials was implemented for 1982. All cars would be allowed only two warm up laps for qualifying, down from three, which had been the rule since 1946. After two major pit fires in 1981 (Rick Mears at the Indianapolis 500 and Herm Johnson at the Michigan 500), new safety rules were implemented. Pit side fuel tanks were required to be anchored to the ground, while new high pressure water hoses were installed the length of the pit lane. Significant improvements were also made to the fuel couplings, fuel hoses, vent hoses, and "buckeyes" on the cars themselves. Positive shutoff valves on the pitside fuel tanks were also made mandatory. All pit personnel were required to wear fire resistant clothing, including not only the over the wall crew, but others including scorers, etc. Likewise, it would become the norm that even pit reporters for television and radio began wearing specialized firesuits as well. During the month of May 1981, word had been buzzing around the garage area that USAC was preparing to drastically change the engine formula for 1982 and beyond. The ruling would effectively ban the popular Cosworth DFX V 8, the engine that had won the Indianapolis 500 the previous four years (1978 1981). The plan was to craft the rules to require (or heavily favor) production based, "stock block" engines, and reduce turbocharger boost to noncompetitive levels (to discourage their use), or ban turbochargers outright. However, during the summer of 1981 the decision was changed. The turbocharged OHC V 8 engines (namely the Cosworth DFX) would continue to be permitted, only with a smaller turbocharger unit. Teams applauded the decision, and the 1982 race would be contested with mostly similar engine specifications as the previous year.

On pole day, Saturday, May 15, Kevin Cogan, driving for Penske Racing set a new one lap track record of , and a record four lap average of A few minutes later, he was beaten by his Penske teammate Rick Mears. Mears secured the pole position with a four lap average of A total of nine cars completed runs, including Gordon Johncock, rookie Bobby Rahal, and Danny Ongais. At 12:15 p. m., the time trials were marred by the horrifying fatal accident of Gordon Smiley. Smiley left the pits to start his qualifying run. On his second (of two) warm up laps, he approached turn three. The back end of the #35 Intermedics March 81C Cosworth became loose, and Smiley over corrected. The front wheels suddenly gained traction, the car turned and crashed head on into the concrete wall at about The impact of the March chassis against the wall was so hard and so violent, that the fuel tank exploded with a large fireflash, the car broke into three large sections, and the rest disintegrated into hundreds of pieces. Most of the shattered car went airborne for at least 50 feet (15 m), littering the track with debris. Smiley's exposed body tumbled with the wreck hundreds of feet through the short chute connecting turns three and four. Pieces of the car were strewn all over the track. Smiley was killed instantly from the massive trauma inflicted by the impact. According to CART medical official Steve Olvey, who was working the event, the impact was so violent that nearly every bone in Smiley's body had been shattered. Olvey also noticed an unusual gray substance on the track, which marked a trail leading to the driver. The substance was later discovered to be most of Smiley's brain. His helmet was pulled from his head during the impact. Smiley's death was the first at Indy since 1973, and to date, the last during a qualification attempt. Since it occurred in the remote area of turn three, and without video boards or live television, a vast majority of the fans in attendance did not see the crash up close or the immediate aftermath. Olvey published his autobiography Rapid Response: My Inside Story as a Motor Racing Life Saver in 2006, where noted numerous drivers advised Smiley that his road racing approach to driving around the Speedway was unsuitable for ovals in a ground effects car. Smiley had competed in the SCCA National Championship Runoffs, winning two championships and then the Aurora AFX1 Championship, where he won at Silverstone Circuit, the latter of which were in older Formula One cars. About 33 minutes after the wreck; at precisely 12:48 PM, track announcer Tom Carnegie learned of Smiley's fate for the first time. He immediately informed the fans watching from the grandstands: "Ladies and gentlemen it is with our deepest regrets that we announce the passing of Gordon Smiley." The track remained closed for over two hours after the crash. The catch fencing needed repair, debris littered the track, and a patch of asphalt was required to repair a gash in the racing surface. After over two hours, a couple cars were dispatched by the officials to test the pavement, and they deemed it suitable for qualifying to resume. Several cars went out over the next two hours, but none challenged the speed records set earlier in the morning. A. J. Foyt put his car on the outside of the front row, and Mario Andretti qualified fourth. In a solemn mood, qualifying came to a halt around 4:55 p. m., with just over an hour left in the session. At the close of pole day, the field was filled to 20 cars.

After the tragic circumstances of the previous day, few drivers took to the track on Sunday, May 16. A very uneventful day saw only a handful of cars even take practice laps. Only a few cars made qualifying attempts and only two were run to completion. Rain ended the session a few minutes early, and the field was filled to 22 cars.

The second week of practice saw increased track activity. The third day of time trials was scheduled for Saturday, May 22. A busy day of qualifying saw the field filled to 31 cars. Mike Chandler was fastest of the day at .

On Sunday, May 23, the field was left with two empty positions at the start of the day. Several drivers intended to make attempts but few actually took to the track. Josele Garza and Pete Halsmer went out and quickly filled the field. Only two cars were bumped all day, and despite the track being open until 6 p. m., no drivers went out after 4:03 p. m. With two hours left in the day, Desiré Wilson announced she would not make an attempt, and thus would not have a chance to become the second female to qualify at Indy.

According to the rules, the cars are required to maintain a minimum fuel economy of 1.8 miles per gallon. To complete two parade laps, one pace lap, and the 200 laps for the race, each car is allotted of methanol fuel in their pitside tank. Due to the aborted start, officials took the time to replenish approximately of fuel to each team's pitside tank. Overall, the delay stemming from the Cogan accident lasted over 45 minutes. Only 29 cars lined up for the second start attempt. A. J. Foyt took the lead at the start. It was the first time in his 25 year Indy career that he led the first lap of the race. After the hasty repairs from the Cogan incident, Foyt's car was precariously unproven, yet Foyt made no effort to "feel his car out" before charging into the lead. Meanwhile, popular second year driver Josele Garza barely completed the first lap, and dropped out with an oil leak. Rick Mears soon established himself as the fastest car in the field, and found the lead in the first half. A. J. Foyt's day ended just short of the midway point. A failed transmission linkage prevented him from pulling out of the pits. Foyt famously climbed from the cockpit, grabbed a hammer and a screwdriver, and started pounding away at the rear mechanics of the car. His attempts were futile, and the car was wheeled back to the garage area. Foyt revealed, during an interview immediately thereafter, that the Cogan crash had damaged the car's toe in alignment, and that it had been handling poorly all race up to that point. The 1982 race would be the final Indy 500 Foyt would lead during his driving career.

On a restart with 40 laps to go, Gordon Johncock came up to speed faster and passed Rick Mears for the lead on the backstretch. Most of the balance of the field was eliminated, or running several laps behind. Johncock was unable to pull away and the two cars ran nose to tail for the next twenty laps, with Mears handling better in the turns but Johncock able to find enough speed at the end of the straightaway to keep Mears from passing. Both drivers needed to make one final pit stop for fuel in order to make it to the finish. With 18 laps to go Mears ducked into the pits. Racing down the pit lane, he found himself suddenly trapped behind the slower car of Herm Johnson. Mears locked up the brakes and bumped into Johnson's back wheel. The incident cost Mears several seconds. In his pit box, the Penske crew proceeded to fill his car full with of fuel, more than enough needed to make it to the finish. No tires were changed, and the crew determined that no damage was sustained from hitting Johnson's car. Two laps later, Johncock dove into the pits. He precariously diced around the slower car of Jim Hickman and slid into his pit box. The Patrick Racing crew conducted a timed pit stop. The team calculated the amount of fuel needed to make it to the finish. When enough fuel had flowed into the car, a pit crew member tapped the fuel man on his back with a stick, and he disengaged. Johncock pulled away, with a pit stop many seconds quicker than that of Mears. Back on the track, Johncock held a lead of more than eleven seconds. It seemed he was cruising to his second Indy victory. However, his car's handling was starting to suffer. The light fuel load he took on was exacerbating a pushing condition. Meanwhile, Mears' fully fueled car was heavier, and handling much better. He started closing in, more than one second per lap. Johncock started driving very low in the turns, trying to alleviate the pushing condition. It became clear in the waning laps that Mears was dramatically closing in on the lead. Such a circumstance was nearly unprecedented in Indy 500 history, occurring only once before in the 1937 race. With only six other cars left running, traffic was not a factor. Mears closed to under 3 seconds with three laps to go. With two laps to go, the margin was less than 1 second. With one lap to go, Mears pulled alongside on the mainstretch. The cars took the white flag side by side but Johncock refused to give up the lead. Once again pulling slightly ahead at the end of the straightaway, he "chop blocked" Mears in the first turn and stayed ahead. Mears lost momentum but began to reel Johncock back in down the backstretch. In turn three, Johncock drove so low that he hit a bump on the inside of the track and nearly lost control. As they exited turn four, Mears tried to slingshot pass Johncock for the win. Johncock held off the challenge and won by 0.16 seconds, the closest finish in Indy 500 history at the time. Mears lost by just over one car length. It would stand as the closest finish in race history for ten years. In Victory Lane, Johncock admitted to having been worried about his car's deteriorating handling as he watched Mears get closer and closer in his mirrors. He said that he had had no intention of backing off in turn one on the last lap and was prepared to go through the corner side by side if necessary. Mears, when interviewed by Bill Flemming after the race, seemed less disappointed about finishing second than thrilled to have been a part of the most dramatic finish in Indy history. Mears had noticed that Johncock's handling was going away, quipping that Johncock "had 'er everywhere but straight", and praised him for the ability to overcome such a challenge. Mears also conceded that Johncock's block in turn one was not a dirty move and admitted that "it was [Johncock's] corner." In interviews in later years Mears said that he would not change the result of the race even if he could, although he jokingly claimed to have watched the tape over and over again "to see if this time I get by Gordy."

The 1982 Indianapolis 500 is often considered one of the greatest editions of the race by historians, media, and fans. Race winner Gordon Johncock, who also won the tragic and forgettable 1973 race, was able to complement his record by winning one of the most exciting races. The win was bittersweet, however, for Johncock. The day after the race, Johncock's mother Frances died after a lengthy illness. Johncock learned of her death at the 500 Victory Banquet Monday night. Kevin Cogan, who was a key fixture in the opening lap accident, was fired at the end of the season by Roger Penske and replaced by Al Unser for 1983. Mario Andretti's misfortune strengthened the perceived Andretti curse at Indy. Despite the historic battle at the finish, and the shocking crash at the start, the horrific fatal crash of Gordon Smiley still put a damper on the month. Smiley's death was one of four fatal motorsport accidents to occur over a span of four months. It came just one week after the fatal crash of Gilles Villeneuve during the first qualifying session at the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. About one month later, an accident at the start of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal killed Riccardo Paletti. Then about two months later, Jim Hickman, the 1982 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, was killed at the Milwaukee Mile.