Large Crowd Greets 67 Winning Indy 500 Cars Featured In Display At IMS Museum

By Steve Zautke
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Updated: March 20, 2011

Speedway, IN (March 20, 2011) – With perhaps the exception of Race Day, the largest museum crowd I’ve ever seen was gathered to see the largest collection of Indianapolis 500-winning cars ever assembled at the popular and always impressive Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.

This exciting new exhibit provides fans an opportunity to see 67 winning cars, representing 71 Indianapolis 500 victories.

Sunday kicked off the exhibit as several legendary Indianapolis 500 winners were present signing autographs for the fans. I arrived shortly after the doors were opened and long lines of eager fans were ready to meet their heroes. Three-time “500” winner Bobby Unser was set up to greet fans in front of the winning cars of the early 1970’s. Four-time winner, Rick Mears was sitting a bit down the row from Bobby in front of his 1984 March 84C-Cosworth and 2003 Indianapolis 500 champion Gil de Ferran was placed in front of his Penske-Dallara. Al Unser Jr. and Arie Luyendyk were apparently scheduled later in the day.

The exhibit schedule through June 1st is one of the many fan-friendly components of the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 in 2011.

“We are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the world’s greatest race by building a once-in-a-lifetime collection of winning cars,” said Ellen Bireley, IMS Hall of Fame Museum director “The entire Museum will be devoted to the cars that won the Indianapolis 500 over the last century.”

The exhibit will include the 31 winning cars owned by the IMS Hall of Fame Museum and 36 privately owned cars that have been loaned for this unique exhibit. Cars highlighted in the exhibit:

•The Marmon “Wasp” driven to victory by Ray Harroun in the 1911 Indianapolis 500

•All four cars to earn consecutive victories in the Indianapolis 500 (Boyle Maserati, Wilbur Shaw, 1939-40; Blue Crown Spark Plug Deidt/Offy, Mauri Rose, 1947-48; Fuel Injection KK500A/Offy, Bill Vukovich, 1953-54; Belond Exhaust Salih Offy, 1957, Sam Hanks, 1958, Jimmy Bryan)

•Each winning car driven by the three four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears

•Roger Penske’s private collection of his team’s Indianapolis 500-winning cars

•Every winning car from the 1950s and 1960s, including the Ken-Paul Watson-Offy driven to victory in 1960 by Jim Rathmann and the Lotus-Ford in which Jim Clark won in 1965

•Every winning car from the 1980s and 1990s

It was great seeing the Gordon Johncock 1973 winning STP day-glo red Eagle-Offy properly painted. The display would not be final without Jimmy Clark’s recently restored Lotus-Ford thanks to the Ford Motor Company. I was pleasantly surprised in the choice of the Ken-Paul Special of Jim Rathmann in the center display, it is one of the prettiest Indy Cars around.

My favorite? Too hard to pick one.

Pre-War, 1911-1916, the bulky blue National that Joe Dawson drove to victory in 1912.

Post-War, 1919-1941, the gorgeous gold 1928 Miller of Louie Meyer.

Post-World War II, love the low-slung Blue Crown Specials of Mauri Rose and Bill Holland (1947-1949).

Roadster era, 1953-1964, the A.J. Watson-built Leader Card Roadster of Rodger Ward he drove to his first victory in 1959.

Rear-engine era, 1965-1971, the colorful Johnny Lightning Special of 1970 driven by Al Unser.

The Winged era, 1972-1979, Dan Gurney’s All-American Racers, Eagle-Offy of Bobby Unser (1975).

The Ground-Effects era, 1980-1996, The Penske PC-10B of Bobby Unser (1981).

A list of the 67 Indianapolis 500-winning cars included in a special display from March 20-June 1 at the IMS Hall of Fame Museum as part of the 100th Anniversary celebration of the Indianapolis 500 (year, driver, car):

1911

Ray Harroun

MARMON WASP

1912

Joe Dawson

NATIONAL

1914

Rene Thomas

DELAGE

1922

Jimmy Murphy

DUESENBERG / MILLER

1928

Louis Meyer

MILLER / MILLER

1931

Louis Schneider

STEVENS / MILLER

1932

Fred Frame

WETTEROTH / MILLER

1934

Bill Cummings

MILLER / MILLER

1939, 1940

Wilbur Shaw

MASERATI / MASERATI

1941

Floyd Davis & Mauri Rose

WETTEROTH / OFFY

1946

George Robson

ADAMS / SPARKS

1947, 1948

Mauri Rose

DEIDT / OFFY

1949

Bill Holland

DEIDT / OFFY

1950

Johnnie Parsons

KURTIS / OFFY

1951

Lee Wallard

KURTIS / OFFY

1952

Troy Ruttman

KUZMA / OFFY

1953, 1954

Bill Vukovich

KK500A / OFFY

1955

Bob Sweikert

KK500D / OFFY

1956

Pat Flaherty

WATSON / OFFY

1957, 1958

Sam Hanks (1957), Jimmy Bryan (1958)

SALIH / OFFY

1959

Rodger Ward

WATSON / OFFY

1960

Jim Rathmann

WATSON / OFFY

1961

A.J. Foyt

TREVIS / OFFY

1962

Rodger Ward

WATSON / OFFY

1963

Parnelli Jones

WATSON / OFFY

1964

A.J. Foyt

WATSON / OFFY

1965

Jim Clark

LOTUS / FORD

1966

Graham Hill

LOLA / FORD

1967

A.J. Foyt

COYOTE / FORD

1968

Bobby Unser

EAGLE / OFFY

1969

Mario Andretti

HAWK III / FORD (Replica)

1970

Al Unser

P.J. COLT / FORD

1971

Al Unser

P.J. COLT / FORD

1972

Mark Donohue

McLAREN / OFFY

1973

Gordon Johncock

EAGLE / OFFY

1974

Johnny Rutherford

McLAREN / OFFY

1975

Bobby Unser

EAGLE / OFFY

1977

A.J. Foyt

COYOTE / FOYT

1978

Al Unser

LOLA / COSWORTH

1979

Rick Mears

PENSKE / COSWORTH

1980

Johnny Rutherford

CHAPARRAL / COSWORTH

1981

Bobby Unser

PENSKE / COSWORTH

1982

Gordon Johncock

WILDCAT / COSWORTH

1983

Tom Sneva

MARCH / COSWORTH

1984

Rick Mears

MARCH / COSWORTH

1985

Danny Sullivan

MARCH / COSWORTH

1986

Bobby Rahal

MARCH / COSWORTH

1987

Al Unser

MARCH / COSWORTH

1988

Rick Mears

PENSKE / CHEVROLET INDY

1989

Emerson Fittipaldi

PENSKE / CHEVROLET INDY

1990

Arie Luyendyk

LOLA / CHEVROLET INDY

1991

Rick Mears

PENSKE / CHEVROLET INDY A

1992

Al Unser Jr.

GALMER / CHEVROLET INDY A

1993

Emerson Fittipaldi

PENSKE / CHEVROLET INDY C

1994

Al Unser Jr.

PENSKE / MERCEDES BENZ

1995

Jacques Villeneuve

REYNARD / FORD COSWORTH XB

1996

Buddy Lazier

REYNARD / FORD COSWORTH XB

1997

Arie Luyendyk

G FORCE / OLDSMOBILE AURORA

1998

Eddie Cheever Jr.

DALLARA / OLDSMOBILE AURORA

1999

Kenny Brack

DALLARA / OLDSMOBILE AURORA

2000

Juan Pablo Montoya

G FORCE / OLDSMOBILE

2001

Helio Castroneves

DALLARA / OLDSMOBILE

2002

Helio Castroneves

DALLARA / CHEVROLET

2003

Gil de Ferran

PANOZ G FORCE / TOYOTA

2004

Buddy Rice

PANOZ G FORCE / HONDA

2006

Sam Hornish Jr.

DALLARA / HONDA

2009

Helio Castroneves

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum is open every day of the week from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for ages 6-15 and free for 5 and under. The Museum is located inside the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and can be accessed through the Main Gate (Gate 2) tunnel from W. 16th Street.

2011 Indianapolis 500 tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500, “The Most Important Race in History,” on Sunday, May 29, 2011 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Race Day ticket prices start at just $30. Fans can buy tickets online at www.imstix.com, by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or by visiting the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday.

Children 12 and under will be receive free general admission to any IMS event in 2011 when accompanied by an adult general admission ticket holder.

IMS Media contributed to this column

Steve Zautke

Steve Zautke, a Milwaukee, WI native, was raised in the sport of auto racing. His father, Bill, was a movie photographer that shot racing footage at tracks such as the Milwaukee Mile and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1960’s and 1970’s Steve’s first professional job in racing was as an Emergency Medical Technician at tracks such as Angell Park and Hales Corners Speedway (1988-1991). Steve has also worked for the Milwaukee Mile as videographer, in media relations and historian (1993-2011). Steve also has worked as a reporter for Racing Information Systems (RIS) and has written features for ‘Vintage Oval Racing’ and ‘Victory Lane’ magazines. Most recently, Steve has written a book on Road America for Arcadia Publishing. ( http://www.amazon.com/Road-America-Nascar-Library-Collection/dp/1467111457 ) Steve co-hosts “Sparky’s Final Inspection” a motorsports-based radio show with hosts, Steve “Sparky” Fifer and “NASCAR Girl” Summer Santana on Sports Radio 1250AM in Milwaukee and is also available on the internet at www.Sportradio1250.com. A member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Induction Committee, Steve follows all types of racing from the dirt tracks to Formula One.

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