Sunday will see the 100th anniversary of the infamous Indy 500 race. Indy Car may have had its ups and down but it sure has produced some fantastic moments along the way.
There’s been close finishes, huge crashes and some memorable victories. Below are ten of the best.
10. Pipped to the line – Indy 500
An incredible race that saw 19-year old rookie Marco Andretti race his father, Michael, for victory in the Indy 500. With two laps to go Marco looked all set to win on his debut 500 before Sam Hornish Jnr spoilt the Andretti show.
9. Photo finish – Chicago 2008
One of the closest finishes in Indy Car history. The finale of the 2008 season saw Helio Castroneves win after starting from 28th. However the official timing stated that Scott Dixon had won. After a photo finish it was clear Castroneves had won… by just 12⅛ inches.
8. Kenny Bräck crash – Texas 2003
It’s never nice to see a big crash but when Kenny Brack survived this enormous shunt it was a huge testament to motor sport safety. It was the highest G-force ever survived by a human being at a massive 230-G!
7. Ayrton Senna Test – 1992
It may not have been the most exciting of spectacles but having one of the world’s greatest racing drivers test an Indy Car showed just how popular the series was in the early nighties.
6. Three Wide finish – Portland 1997
It’s not too rare to see a side-by-side finish on an oval but to see a three wide finish on a race track is almost unheard of. Mark Blundell came out the victor in this incredibly close finish.
5. Mansell wins on debut – Australia 1993
The popularity of the Indy Car series was cemented when reigning F1 champion Nigel Mansell jointed the series for the 1993 season. Not only did he take the championship in his first season he also won on his debut after a race long battle with another ex-F1 champion, Emerson Fittipaldi.
4. Zanardi Overtake – Laguna Seca 1996
The corkscrew at Laguna Seca is one of the most famous turns in the motorsport world but rarely sees any overtaking. Alex Zanardi changed all that with a last-gasp lunge on the final lap to win the race. The moves legality was questionable but his bin or win attitude certainly made for an exciting finish.
3. Danica Patrick wins – Motegi 2008
Not the most exciting of races but certainly an important one. When Danica Patrick lead the Indy 500 back in 2005 many believed that one day she could win a race. In Japan 2008 she did, it was the first win by a female driver in a competitive motorsport series and began a new era in female motorsport activities.
2. Closest 1-2-3 finish – Chicago 2003
Indy Car is known for it’s close finishes and this was one of the closest ever. Three drivers crossed the line side by side, separated by just a few inches. What a finish.
1. Montoya vs Andretti – Michigan 500
For those who say ovals are boring, just watch this. The final laps of the Michigan 500 was oval racing at it’s best. Montoya and Andretti slipstreamed lap after lap before a side-by-side finish across the line.
Got an idea for a Top Ten or want to write your own? Let me know via comments, Twitter or Facebook.
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