1989 Indianapolis 500 | Full-Race Broadcast 1080p

the following is a special presentation of ABC Sports [Music] around the world race drivers dream of having their names etched on the board warner trophy as champions of the indianapolis 500 the idea began 80 years ago a model racetrack carved out of Indiana farmland the dream of Carl Fisher of the ultimate proving ground for the 23 year-old automobile industry the vision became reality a 2 and a half mile rectangle paved with brick destined for history but history would prove the speedway could give and take away Chloe Meyer back home again in victory lane in Indiana no one has ever wanted three times before pick T at the speedway can convey the supreme exhilaration [Music] but from those same people the speedway can demand the ultimate price in the 500-mile race some men accomplish what for others is impossible Indianapolis 500 a great comeback after last year's disappointing season for him three cars [Music] well when the Indian F was 500 it an incredible thrilling finish it is at the speedway the destinies are determined in the wink of an eye [Applause] he's breaking [Applause] [Music] the Indianapolis 500 however is not just men and machines or winning and losing it is a stage of human emotion the great victories the great defeats it is truly a human spectacle a spectacle of speech [Music] the quest for speed has unquestionable danger it also has incomparable rewards a year of planning and a lifetime of preparation comes to an end as thirty three teams wait for the green flag since 1911 580 men and one woman have started the afternoon drive to glory 143 have led only 52 have won today the vision of a single man has grown to the dreams of thousands the Indianapolis 500-mile race today may 28 1989 it's the greatest spectacle in racing the 73rd running of the Indianapolis 500-mile race [Music] well race fans began lining up last night outside this the world's largest stadium at five o'clock this morning the aerial bombs went off and the gates were thrown open under a career clear crisp blue Indiana sky and ice brisk breeze flows across the grounds and the fans are now streaming into their seats it's expected that by the time the green flag waves there will be nearly half a million people here to view the Indianapolis 500 hello I'm Paul page and it's just seven 47 minutes away now until the start of the engines and we're standing right on the main straightaway where it's just electric with excitement here as people prepare for the 500-mile race fans cruise crowds everyone here ready for the 73rd running now there's a good deal ahead of us today a great deal of promise for example Al Unser jr. AJ Foyt four-time winners will they possibly be a five-time winner before this day is over and rick mears the defending champion well he has three wins to his credit will he join the four-time winners Emerson Fittipaldi two-time world driving champion will he become the fourth former world driving champion to win at the Indianapolis 500-mile race and then of course there's Allen zur jr. he's never won on an oval will this be his first oval win in his first 500-mile race victory and then looking further down the field there's Danny Sullivan he drives with a broken arm in the 500-mile race will he score his second 500 win so much promise to look forward to yet today there are other stories - let's go to my colleague in the pits jackaroo Paul one of the determining factors as to who wins and loses this race maybe these tires now crews will have a choice of two compounds throughout the course of the event and they may be switching back and forth based upon how the car handles now the tires are radials for the second year in a row and some of them have developed a vibration so we'll be staying on top of that story as well now if you change tires you'll be doing it on pit road and for more on the pit strategy here's Brian Hammonds Jackman work begins here on pit road it will be more important than ever for these guys the pit crew to do their job as quickly as possible if the speeds they'll be running here today every second that is lost in the pits translates through over a hundred yards lost on the race track these guys could win or lose the Indianapolis 500 now let's go to dr. Jerry punch well Brian among the many recent improvements here to the Brickyard not if it heralded more than the resurfacing of pit road the old rippled and wrinkled concrete is gone that has been replaced by a smooth silky stream of asphalt now Paul page many of the drivers agree that although the approach speeds will be considerably quicker the increased visibility and improved car contact with the surface should make pit road that much safer for everyone involved thanks Jerry the cars are now lined up on the home stretch silent for the moment but very soon they will roar into life let's take a look at the 11 rows of three that will stream toward the green flag on the pole the defending champion of three-time winner Rick Mears broke his own 1/4 lap records here two weeks ago and qualified he is the first man at Indianapolis to hold the pole five different times alongside Alan's are a four-time winner he turns 50 tomorrow away from the track he enjoys snowmobiling in Chama New Mexico the outside is Emerson Fittipaldi a two-time world driving champion from Brazil now he lives in Miami and he loves speed on land and on sea the second row on the inside is Scotsman Jim Crawford in a car that he wrecked ten days ago he's still in physical therapy from an 87 crash the center Mario Andretti his 23rd 500 but only one win but this be his day he loves anything mechanical Scott Brayton is a bachelor once held the track record here he runs a cement business in Coldwater Michigan inside row three is Bobby Ray Hall the 86 winner in a two-time national champion father of Michaela Jarrett and Robert Allender jr. starts in the center in demand by the press he is even occasionally interviewed by his wife Shelly Brazilian raul boys el starts outside for his fourth Indy 500 he is an accomplished show horse jumping row four on the inside is four-time winner AJ Boyd in his thirty second race horses or horsepower AJ loves racing Randy Lewis is in his third 500 he holds a marketing degree and is a connoisseur of California wines John Andretti started racing in midgets he is the son of Mario Andretti's twin brother aldo the fifth row tails poppy the 1983 rookie pole sitter here is from Milan Italy where he prefers family life with his wife Gloria gary bettman housands father raised here gary is a versatile driver he lives on a farm a few miles from the Speedway Dutchman re lion Dyke is the 85 Rookie of the Year he stays fit for driving by swimming on working out daily in the sixth row is Carol Pomeroy the finless rookie Scott Pruett and Ludwick I'm Ralph junior the seventh row on the inside is rookie Didier taze of Belgium he has been steadily gaining open-wheel experience he's a former ARS champion another rookie Mexico's Bernhard Jourdain is in the center of the row he plays soccer to keep in shape and Michael Andretti Mario's son starts outside row 7 he and his son Marco spend time away from the track watching hockey row 8 Tom's FIBA the 83 winner two-time winner Gordon Johncock and Irishman Derek Daly in the ninth row John Jones is the fastest rookie in the 500 field he's a former MC champion and GTO he comes from Thunder Bay Ontario Canada Danny Sullivan is the 85 winner he drives with a cast on his right arm from his accident in practice here two weeks ago Kevin Cogan is on the outside of row nine twice he's finished second he lives on the edge of the California desert the tenth row rocky Moran in an AJ Boyd car Dominic Dobson and Billy book events grandson of the two-time winner and the eleventh row Davy Jones veteran Pancho Carter and rich Vogler a USAC and sprint champion 33 of the finest drivers of the world ready for the green flag and the starting field has a record average speed of two hundred and sixteen and a half miles an hour the giant oval that is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the seconds tick away and right in the center of the oval is the garage area the old gasoline alley while most of the cars and crews are on the straightaway in the garage area some of the drivers still wait for the start of the race this is Alan's our junior few last words with his crew before they are ready to go out to the line they try to stay in isolated until the last possible second on the track itself though the clock continues the county will be back [Music] back live at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 37 minutes now to the start of the engines these are corporate two VIP suites off of the fourth turn at the speedway sweet one belongs to Roger Penske inside plenty of fun this morning as they prepare for the 500 people in this suite like former baseball commissioner Peter uber off and joined the race from here earlier this morning we were at the invitation of Rick Mears able to follow the pole-sitter as he began his day stays over at the Speedway motel which is on the grounds here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was able to sleep fairly late this morning he's an old hand at this his wife Chris who picked up breakfast for both she and Rick brought it to the room very early on and then it wasn't too long thereafter until they both began the trip really only about a quarter mile from the Speedway motel over to the start/finish line in the garage area Rick Mears was ready for his long day now let's go to the garage area and Jack arute Chris Meers they say that a wife probably knows the mood of her husband better than anyone what is the mood of Rick this morning he's a little more quiet than usual and I also noticed that he didn't really have much of an appetite he usually eats a pretty good breakfast and this morning he just kind of played with this food and started eating it now we're only 35 minutes away from the command to start engines what's going through your mind I'm nervous I'm really nervous but once I get on the timing stand and have to do all you know my job of timing and scoring then my mind just stays focused on that and I don't have to think about anything else and that really helps me I'm I'll be okay once the race starts Paul she's definitely looking for the green flag all right so Rick Mears and Chris ready for the 500-mile race here on the straightaway they've begun to warm the end it's the last time they'll roar until we're ready to go racing now driving the pace car today is our colleague three-time Indianapolis 500 mile race champion Bobby guns are then you'll join us in the broadcast booth but the first laps of the 500 what do you expect well the big story of the year here at Indianapolis of course is the pavement fall and it's raised the speeds like about five miles an hour around the racetrack so we're going to have a fast race die from that what I see is is the on the front row the three Penske PCA teens that are McNair's my brother Al and Emerson Fittipaldi they're going to be awesome bleep fast I think what you're going to see is the Rev and the hound type thing early on with Rick beard being the rabbit big al being the hound and don't ever forget Emerson fittipaldi's gonna be figured in also I think you really have to watch Fittipaldi on the first lap now most of the cars left are Lola chassis what about them the Lola as you can't count out at all number one you better look at Michael Andretti Mario Andretti and Alan's are junior and right behind them the guys going to keep them on it's it's going to be Bobby Ray Hall and he will do it I think today we're gonna see the fastest best race we've ever seen it in their booth ball alright so Bobby unser will be joining us with the coverage here at the track today now we'll be doing coverage from that broadcast booth high atop the paddock grandstand overlooking the homestretch and up there is our other broadcast colleague Sam Posey view is great and the wind is beginning to die down which is good Paul I think we've all felt that this race could be a crossroads in India stirry if Al Unser wins he will have as you said five wins AJ Foyt will have four and Rick Mears will seem really kind of far behind with just three but it Rick wins and has four and ties it up and I think the momentum really shifts to him he's only 37 years old and it's easy to see that in the next few years he might win two or even three more races and become the unrivaled all-time Indy champion certainly possible you know reckon al are very similar in their approach to racing but I think in their approach to the race today that may be a subtle difference Rick is going to try to win this race and Al has got to try to beat him well they're just 33 minutes to go now before the signal to start the engines al and Rick of course both drive for the Penske team which at times seems to have the best of everything and earlier this week Bobby and I took a look at two other key components of the Penske organization this is the Penske Indy car known as the PC 18 PC stands very simply for Penske cars roger penske seeking the advantage the special edge that he looks for in business in fact in everything he does decided years ago to build his own cars here in this Factory in England however expensive it might be however much effort it might take he would have what no one else could have that is his style the cars were good Indy winners national championship winners until three years ago when the factory rolled out its only real lemon the PC 16 Penske reacted swiftly firing the designer and hiring this man Nigel Bennett who just happened to be the designer for pence T's biggest indie rival Lola some designers are innovators others like Bennett are men whose genius is for attention to detail and for recombining existing elements to produce a car that seems to wind up faster than the sum of its parts then it's meticulous approach was fine with Penske he works that way himself it was no surprise that Bennett's first car for Penske the PC 17 was evolutionary not revolutionary the development of Bennett's successful cars for Lola driven to victory at Indy by Rick Mears and in the National Championship by Danny Sullivan the new Penske was an unqualified success and it was not only a great car it was a great car that only Penske had had the 17 was followed this year by the PC 18 another of Nigel Bennett's evolutionary design a few pounds lighter a fraction lower a trifle thinner slightly slicker aerodynamically it is like all Bennett creations very fast and very beautiful Chester's Pinsky start a special edge in the chassis Department it was natural for him to won an engine that gave him an advantage also for years everyone including Penske random ready self Cosworth it was very reliable very powerful and relatively cheap and available to anyone who wanted one and that was just the problem with the Cosworth because in Pinsky's mind anyone could have it and that he didn't like then Along Came Mario iliyan a swiss engineer with the proposition for Penske to build an engine stimuli to the Cosworth only incorporating all the latest developments and design technology again this was the Penske stage nothing radical just something that would dominate its totally computerized forty pounds lighter yet creates more horsepower and over the last year has become the dominating force in the IndyCar feel like the Bennett design Penske chassis the Chevrolet v8 was a great success and at one Indian only its third tribe unlike the Penske chassis however the engine would have to be shared but only with six teams much to the disappointment and aggravation of the rest for Penske even sharing with a limited amount of teams maybe too much does that mean that Roger may someday look for another engine one that he can call his own well we'll just wait and see the Chevy engine definitely a dominating power these are the teams that hold those engines most experts feel that the win of the 500-mile race will come from one of these teams because of that engine the skyline of the city of Indianapolis you know the race is really a three week affair in the middle of the month of May Jack arute reviews the month at Indy there have been many moments this month of May like rick mears unprecedented fifth pole position with his Penske pc 18 harrowing moments like last week scratched by Jim Crawford after putting his car on the inside of road to Crawford crash and crimping a Cinderella month of May for the amicable Scott nostalgic and yet sad moments such as this three times 500 winner Johnny Rutherford bumped from the field in the last 10 minutes of qualify then taking the reins of fellow Texan AJ Foyt's backup guard and beating the six o'clock qualifying deadline only to have his engine explode after a lap of over 217 miles per hour but the man of the moment throughout the month has been Danny Sullivan a freak crash during practice left the 85 winner with a concussion and a broken right forearm while his team prepared a backup mount Danny went under the knife to get ready for the race doctors took bone from his elbow combined it with a steel plate and fashioned a brace to withstand the rigors of Indy Sullivan's moment came eight days ago when he was put to the test a qualifying run of over 216 earned him a spot in the race and left the team much relieved if but just for the moment but the many moments of May are pale in comparison to the moments of today the 73rd rendition of the Indianapolis 500 well speculating is over the question to Danny Sullivan is is can your right arm take 800 left turn well we hope so dr. pamel just came in and kind of redid it and put all the sensors and everything on because I got a little electric shock going to it out of a TENS unit he said over the last two-and-a-half hours or five hundred miles whichever came first so we're gonna go give it our best shot Vincente modifications to your steering wheel what's been done there well we shaved down the right side to make it a little thinner so I could get my hand in there with the brace and get it around the steering wheel we put a ramp on it so that I had something to push against and then we angled the steering wheel a little bit more upright so I didn't have to bend my wrist at all to get around it Roger Penske is confident that Danny can go the distance there is no relief driver standing by here today for about 26 minutes to the start of the engines now a last chance for the race fans here to move back to the gift shop and buy their last-minute souvenirs before this the ring will be back back live at Indianapolis about 23 minutes to the start of the engine the pole-sitter the defending champion Rick Mir is heading out to the to the pit area I'm Danny Sullivan pitch nice on there Al Unser could he be a five-time winner before this day is over very very possible he starts the center of the front row the cars sitting on the straightaway and among those is the race car of Gary Benton tousled as they prepare for their 500-mile race many great families are here the answers the Andretti's and of course the Benton houses they're a brave clan they're still living the legacy of Indianapolis in the 1950s the Indianapolis 500 was contested by a generation of drivers to whom courage meant more than technique races were won not so much by technology is by sheer force of personality it was a time when post-war America looked for Heroes and found some of them behind the wheel one such man was Tony Benton House of German descent he had four children a daughter and three sons the oldest of which Gary was a teenager when his father was in his prime Gary remembers his dad he was the type of guy that after he'd win a race or even if he blew up on the first lap he would sit there until there was not a fan that didn't want it I mean the till everybody was gone if there was somebody who wanted his autograph he'd stay until dark and I think that's why he was so popular BAE 1961 in his 13 starts Tony had all fled to 500 but had never won at the age of 40 more he knew he didn't have many chances left and winning Indy and become an obsession he called me at noon and how he had some brake shoes being worked on for one of the tractors or the combine or something and he asked me to call see they were ready that was known who 10 minutes after to Jeff Beck they called me and he was gone he had been killed not on his own car but testing a car for a friend [Music] he did not succeed at winning Indy and he left that legacy to his children to hopefully do what he wasn't able to do and I think I remember when I first started that we all had in our mind that we'd win the first one for Tony and then the second ones would be for ourselves so it was just something that we wanted to do for him Tony's death was to be a harbinger of frustration and misfortune Garry would lead to 500 be on his way to victory and the fulfillment of his father's dream with just 17 laps from the end his car coasted to a stop then Merle crashed at Michigan his right arm trapped between the car and the wall was torn off then this Syracuse New York a sprint car crash in which Gary's left arm was paralyzed for about I'd say the first three days after the accident I laid in the hospital and I thought there's got to be a better way to make a living you know what is this family have to do to realize that there's a better way than automobile racing year after year Gary and his brother Tony came back to Indy always with the obsession never with the tools to win they were fighting a tide of technology and big money the values their fathers stood for no longer won races family pride became mixed with bitterness and frustration the most important thing in my dad's life was winning in Annapolis and he never did and they ended up dying there and if went on to me and it's my most important thing in my life I think without a doubt we've given too much and it's almost too late to quit now I mean you've got to keep going for what we're we've been trying to do for so many years and we're running out of time I realized that I'm in the twilight of my career there's Tony and that's it Tony doesn't have any boys and my two boys will never drive [Music] Gary Benton housen will the dream come true today he now begins to move toward his race car supported by his brother Merle rest of the family begins along with the crew to gather crows to give some moral support they walk past Peter to Polo's Duesenberg and out into the pit area it's now just 18 minutes to the start of the engines we'll be back [Music] back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where we are just counting down the final moments before the command to start engines and the mood here is changed on pit road as this crowd of over 400,000 people begins to be separated from the crews and the drivers as they begin to focus in on the task at hand looking at the crowd they are ready to be entertained and the drivers are ready to do just that a little bit different than in years past care but now is when we begin to count it down in earnest now is when the greatest spectacle in racing takes on a whole new importance for those that are new to the Speedway it's something that's indescribable it started off the Purdue banned in the national anthem which will be sung by mr. Tom patna [Music] oh say can you see by the door [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] we return to the start to finish line as the combined US Armed Forces color guard stands at attention here is John Totten for our next introduction now ladies and gentlemen our invocation today from the Most Reverend Edward T O'Mara Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Adina's it is race weekend once again it is also God's weekend it is our country's Memorial weekend there are tens of thousands of us together this morning in this stadium we are from every state and from many countries of the world in the way our conscience tells us let each of us pause to offer worship and praise we thank you God for the blessedness of being human we are sisters and brothers to each other help us respect each other and treat each other gently without violence make our world more peaceful God make us Restless until our hostages are free to move about to live their lives and freedom and to gather as we do today help us be mindful of those who have died for our country from its beginning in 1776 to the sailors who perished so recently on the battleship Iowa have them all in the hollow of your hand bless those who have suffered unfinished deaths in the service of our country and are their survivors of conflict wounded in body and spirit ease their pain and help them to know that all of their fellow Americans are grateful to them it's race day to watch over our 33 skillful and courageous drivers their mechanics and their crews and one thing more dear God help all of us to enjoy the day return us safely to our homes and work and continue to bless us with this glorious sunshine amen now Jennifer loved it ladies and gentlemen will you please remain standing on this Memorial Day weekend we pause here in a moment of silence to pay homage to those individuals who have given their lives unselfishly and unafraid to make it possible for us to witness as freemen the world's greatest sporting event we also pay homage to those men who have given their lives unselfishly and without fear to make racing the world's most spectacular spectator sport [Music] yes now Dave Calabro for this introduction race fans another fine tradition here at the Indy 500 it's time for the annual singing of back home again it is my privilege to leave these to you the man who sings oh so well mr. Jim Nabors [Applause] [Music] the and it sees that I can see [Music] hey it's [Music] [Applause] [Music] Jim Nabors and the SIA balloons and the Purdue University band leaves the start/finish line and we turn our attention now to the head of the starting field and waiting for those magic word this final moment of anticipation Danny Sullivan sits ready in his machine position in 26 places back Mary fender Coleman ready to give the command to start engines as the formal ceremony ladies and gentlemen we are at that time of the day for the command that will start the 73rd running of this event and here to give the traditional core words is chairman emeritus of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway board mrs. mary pendrick Palma [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] rick mears the pole-sitter now so completely isolated with his own bus alone for this moment alone for the next three hours Mario Andretti would this be a second win for him he has tried so hard and for so long balance there is so much promise in the running of the 500 miles so much that these drivers might anticipate Jim Crawford the Buick power behind him as the crews a final handshake a blip of the engine over 25,000 horsepower roar out there challenge of the main straightaway now and in just a few seconds the field will begin to pull away the crews raise a hand to indicate that their engine is started that they are ready to run the 500 miles at Indianapolis the Grand Champion AJ boy the most victories ever in the IndyCar young Michael one at other tracks he's number one but this behaves a carry on his family's legacy what must be going through this man fractured right arm so slightly straightaway clear for the exception of the cars and they're starting from and now the field begins to roll away the 11 rows of three Bobby unser is in the pace car with perhaps the best view at allmovie yes it is part of the people are standing everybody's waving a can [Music] we're taking off now to South 40 miles an hour but the guys get the transmission oil warmed up their engines oil down routers just cheering too loud I can hardly hear myself Bobby unser works through the South chute there's a shot of Bobby Bobby you'll pick the pace up to about how fast by the time we get going well as soon as all the cars get started they'll be running to run about 80 miles an hour we want to stand up ahead of the front row and they don't get any spark plugs about we want to make sure that the road it's clear make sure there's water or anything so Bobby guns are in the pace car works his way through the first turn right now you can see the corporate Suites one car is still having problems and now he fires the entire field is ready to go Scott Gration Walter for a moment know here is a car with a problem the 33 car of course belongs to rocky Moran let's take a look at this starting field one last opportunity to review how the Rose line up the first row of corn smears unser Fittipaldi promised the second-row gym progress reading Scott Brayton the third Bobby Rahal Al Unser jr. Raul boy sale from Brazil the fourth row AJ Foyt Randy Lewis John Andretti the fifth row tail Bobby with the Porsche power Gary Benton house and car Eli and I go Hollis the sex-role Finland's carro para rookie Scott throat and limbic didier days and Bernard both using the seventh row the Rays Tom Stephen Gordon Johncock and Irishman Derrick daily to the outside the ninth row the fastest rookie in the field course Danny Sullivan the tenth row rocky Moran if he can make it into a starting position Dominik Dobson and Bill book of itch the third and the final row Davy Jones Pancho Carter and you sack and you sack sprint and champion grit smuggler Danny Sullivan works his way around the track let's get an update on his physical condition here Terry Paul 17 days ago Danny Sullivan was lying on an operating room table and nearby Methodist Hospital his shattered right forearm being pieced together by this steel plate ooh these metal bolts now Sullivan has been cleared to drive but he must wear a specific special splint that will limit the use of his right arm now what he can do he can't extend his hand at the wrist just a couple of degrees to grasp the wheel what he cannot do is rotate his white bar in or out that may create a problem he tries to make his way onto and off of pit road and this moments ago as he climbed in the car I was privileged to a conversation between him and in toward the fetus Terry travel he asked travel one question very simply what can I expect travels responds with one word paid he said as the afternoon progresses that right forearm will begin to swell inside the splint will begin to throb and paul state the pain could become almost unbearable no one not even danny sullivan though the core man all those questions and many more will be answered a little over three hours from now the second slide calls all right so we'll be watching for Danny Sullivan Michael Andretti car number six one of the other cars will be keeping an eye on today as he starts back in the 21st starting position very difficult to tell his car from his father's but Michael has the black number six on his car and carry Penton house and with his problems already beginning he has begun to slow and rolls to a stop on the home stretch the field has begun now the second of the two parade laps but Benton housen with a problem he does not appear to be under power and he appears to be rolling to a stop his crew will perhaps be able to come out and get him restarted that's just a matter of conjecture at this moment Gary Benton housing stop the nice bright white car with the red number that belongs to Mario Andretti his way now beginning to surge forward on the backstretch AJ point four-time winner the familiar number 14 solid black [Music] AJ works his way around could he be a five-time winner well there are AJ fans here that think that's very very possible the front row weaves back and forth that yellow car before that belongs to the pole sitter Rick Mears and then too closely tentacle cars belonged to Al Unser and to Emerson Fittipaldi number 25 and number 20 Bobby unser as you work the field around now how's that racecourse more Bobby unser how's the racecourse ha ha right now I'm watching all these people cheering and going on I wish I was in a PC 18 on the front row starting this race it would make this Pontiac seem slow but there's a beautiful beautiful beautiful thing to see today the rest of the fields strung out behind the pace car let's go to the pits Brian Hammond all because of the way they qualify here at Indianapolis is an interesting mix of cars and drivers at the back of the pack specifically rows 6 7 & 8 there are several drivers with very little or no experience at all Indianapolis chargers in racing Michael Andretti and Tom's neva so when the green flag flies everyone will have to be very careful for the first two corners could be a real adventure Paul back to you well Brian Hammonds there is of course some concern about this car the 99 machine it belongs to Gary Fenton House and the crew went out onto the straightaway and retrieved it they have quite a push to get it back to his actual pit area where they can first apply the tools to it and start to get it in performing order and hopefully into this field Brian Hammonds makes the point about the difficulty in the back of the pack you know most of the drivers will plan exactly what they're going in the first couple of turns and sometimes that planning can be an obstacle and things begin to develop that are unexpected an accident begins to develop incidentally some practice speed from three days ago when the cars last ran on this track Alice 2:17 remember this was in race trim not in qualifying from Mario Andretti was second fastest Rick beers third fasted and Crawford who of course is starting from the second row was quite slow so it's quite a volatile situation even at the front for the pace time begins to accelerate as does the field the field up in the north end of the track we look back from Bobby Rahal's car as they begin now to stream toward the green flag the pace car is off the track the field running down toward the green a line now and the green flag flies and we're racing at Indianapolis as the front row heads for the first turn side-by-side and Emerson Fittipaldi sweeps from the outside but runs the front of Rick Mears and Al Unser and then her synthetic Baldy takes the lead incidentally some practice speed from three days ago when the cars last ran on this track 2:17 remember this was in race trim not in qualifying from Mario Andretti was second fastest Rick beers third fasted and Crawford who of course is starting from the second row was quite slow so it's quite a volatile situation even at the front for the pace time begins to accelerate as does the field the field up in the north end of the track we look back from Bobby Rahal's car as they begin now to stream toward the green flag the pace car is off the track the field running down toward the green a line now and the green flag flies and we're racing that Indianapolis is the front row heads for the first turn side-by-side and Emerson Fittipaldi sweeps from the outside but brush the front of Rick Mears announcer and Emerson Fittipaldi takes the lead in the first corner the Indianapolis 500 the 73rd running is underway Emerson Fittipaldi in sweetie and Emerson Fittipaldi coming across the solution and streaming port the start/finish line and look already what a tremendous distance he stretched out across the line years than Alan through senior the front of the grid were already looking back significantly along the track define Rick Mears who was running in second place in front of his enormous proud mirrors clearing the turn to there and you see the other two cars right behind him Paul so it's Emerson Fittipaldi out in front this is second third and fourth [Music] challenger junior into fifth right now as the Indianapolis 500 is away and running safely and look it there that is Emerson Fittipaldi look at the tremendous distance he's already put on the second-place car over here now the fight begins for third as analysis tries to hold off on charging Mario Andretti the fight is for third place the second lap Iran at 200 point seven miles an hour already at poorest base being sent here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway there is every anticipation that a new record as Bobby unser said the truck almost can move by Mario there it is very very fast temperatures are cool the wind has ceased to be a factor we could be in for a very fast here Mario continues to worry out under senior in a battle for third place the leader bill Emerson now Mario comes to the inside and Mario get past he does mario andretti forces his way past Al Unser two great veterans both with a great deal at stake here taking up the battle early in the going it doesn't surprise me a bit that Mario and an accident an accident the 11 car that's Kevin Cogan up on its side in the pit area a serious accident in the pit area but look at Cogan the car cut in half the car in half but Kevin Hogan comes out this accident occurring up at the head of the pit area the crews are there no fire and once again a tribute to the safety of these cars Kevin Cogan climbs out of his broken and split machine a tremendous impact against the wall coming off of for the yellow flag flies there's debris on the main stretch what a star-crossed man at this Speedway is Kevin Cogan we think back of course now at the end of the pit lane wall which we believe he may have hit that's why the car was broken in half much as dead as fire stones bust years before here he is you can see the scrapes on the side of his helmet as the car slid sideways Kevin Koch and being tended to by the medical experts here there is the car the engine disconnected as watch from protect for fire that's actually on the north end of the pits now here is the situation coming off of the fourth turn Hogan taps the outside wall the inside wall and then the end of the pit wall now there is an attenuated barrier right there at the end of the pit wall there is also an ABC Sports camera right at the end of that control the field now very very slow behind the pace car here is that camera at the end of the pit wall you see Cogan sliding he comes down now what Kevin Cogan impacts the end of that attenuated barrier which absorbed a great deal of the injury and energy in that impact so we are under yellow at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with four laps complete the leader is Emerson Fittipaldi we'll be back with more coverage of the Indianapolis 500 after this message and a word from our ABC station I should get back to why he's here yep all right yep scoring ladies if you can keep down a bit it will help us when there's action there I know it's difficult just try and be Judy's Judy's super Judy to stay as far back as you can except when you need to look Judy one Judy two yes yes he's high off the corner yep [Music] I yep show it to me one more time show it to me one more time is that him there right here okay okay I'm I'm trying to do it the machine I'm having trouble with the machine yeah I'll have to yes go ahead this Bobby one two three four five this is Bobby we're back live at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the 73rd running of the Indianapolis 500 the pit is jammed with emergency crews right now cleaning up the debris caused when Kevin Cogan lost control coming off of the fourth turn hit the outside wall the inside wall and then the end of the pit barrier now there is the car Sam Posey you can see that he was high coming through turn four Paul I slightly out of the groove and right there he impacted the wall and starts toward the inside of the track spinning backwards this may have saved his life that he hit backwards when he hit really hard for the first time now of course he impacts the end of the pit wall and now sliding across to the inside of the pit wall the newly resurfaced had lain there see him coming to arrest I said he was star-crossed here as we look at another angle the same thing from our camera that was located at the end of that pit wall I say was but I believe it is now out of commission Kevin of course crashed here just after the start in 1982 when he was driving for Roger Penske that triggered an incredible controversy which his career never really did recover he almost won the race in 1986 was beaten only at the restart by Bobby Bobby Ray Hall with just a two laps to go it's funny that all of the events of fate that have affected Kevin Cogan here at the speedway have happened right on this exact part of the track all right let's get an update Brian Hammonds everyone Werth Andy can a Penske the team manager for Kevin coke and have you been in contact with him is he okay yes I have I just talked to him while he's sitting on pit row here he's fine he's coherent and he's talked complaining about a small neck pain they've put a neck brace on him put him on the board and taken to the hospital just for observation but he's alert and doesn't seem to have anything broken did he say what happened well my observer up in turn four we have one up high by radio communications Phil Roth told me he was coming high out of floor hit the wall and spun and backed it in in the guardrail at the pit entrance hit her pretty hard the good news is Kevin Cogan seems to be okay well so Kevin Cogan takes a trip to the track Medical Center but he peers to be alright six laps are now complete at the Indy 500 Emerson Fittipaldi leads and we're on at under yellow I'm gonna go for live at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway were under yellow the pits are still closed there's the reason why they're continuing to pick up little parts pieces of debris as a result of Kevin Cogan's accident his life will certainly save by the safety designs in the car and the attenuated barrier that allows itself to collapse at the end of that pit wall on board with Michael Andretti who so far in this race has had a pretty good run he started 21st he is now up to 13th and he did that in two green flag laps we now have eight laps into the record book and Emerson Fittipaldi is out in front but of course running under yellow I had you can see the rest of the field the line just ahead ahead of michael andretti of course we had talked about pie record speeds that is not possible when the field is running under the yellow if the race becomes one filled with incidents then of course the focus shifts to the pit crews hit work and always very important here you see see Gary Benton house and now being pushed back into the garage he had started from the middle of the fifth row his best opportunity for years that Benton house an obsession that longtime saga continues certainly without a resolution today so is Gary Benton housing terribly disappointed heads back to the fifth once an IndyCar has taken behind the pit wall the day is complete they can't do repairs in the garage area and bring that car back out it's ironic isn't it Paul look at how calm everything looks these cars virtually parading by this in contrast to the savage severity of that accident - Kevin Cogan I saw him there incidentally with his wife Tracy so I know she knows he's okay all right now throughout this race we're going to use a number of different racing terms and we prepared a little glossary to help you understand them here are simple terms that express much more complex ideas for example we may say a car is pushing push or understeer is the tendency of the car to continue straight after the wheels are turned the best example of Busch came last year with Danny Sullivan watch his hands as he turned the car went straight and he pushed into the wall the opposite of pushes loose or oversteer when the back end of the car tries to slide out once the wheels are turn last year Scott Brayton got loose the back end swerved out he overcorrected bought the car and lost to the loose condition we also refer to the stagger setting stagger is making the right rear tire slightly larger in diameter than the left rear it helps the car turn left easier because the right rear is driving the car into the corner the short shoots are straights that link between the first and second and the third and fourth turns in the race will refer to the move over flag the starter will display this flag to advise a driver another car is following closely sometimes a driver will be black flag that means report to your pit where a race official will either check your car for safety or reprimand you for a violation the Indianapolis 500 is 200 times around the two and a half mile track lightly bank with two five eighths mile long straights it is lightning fast Bobby unser takes us for a tour of k-pow we'll start by going right down the front straightaway across the start/finish line and into turn one pulling over three g's aside for drifting out right through the short chute wall going into turn two again pulling three g's aside forth very important how fast we get off of that turn to get down the back straightaway the fast as you can nothing to obstruct your vision down here but the driver will get over real close to the wall going into turn three diving right down to the white line again and literally drifting right out to the north short chute walk into turn four and Horton again how fast would come off at this turn because they're going to run approximately 230 miles an hour down the front straightaway the race track is move as laughs right to the start/finish line but not at speed at the moment at the moment it's behind the pace car Bobby unser no longer involved in the driving at a pace car Don Bailey now has the wheel and will take it around on any opportunity that there is a caution flag here is on board with Michael Andretti now remember he started 21st this is back at the start of the race and maybe we'll get an idea as we watch this and how Michael was able to thread his way up through the pack to position number 13 that's the Porsche Te'o Fabi that lies just ahead of Michael as he works his way into turn three gets around the Porsche and now set sight a little further up well you can watch how everybody is vying for the other guy trying to figure out where the other guy's going to be and that's exactly what Michael is doing sometimes he's going by the right-hand side of the car sometimes on the left-hand side of the car ahead of you the biggest problem is those guys in front right now because of all the traffic can't be looking back at Michael they have to worry about what's in front of them and Michael knows this now something I'm sure you were watching Sam Posey there is a rule here now that says you can't continuously drive with all four wheels under that white line Michael did it on two corners there that's going to be a close call by officials when they have to decide that yes it is so we're under yellow at the Indianapolis 500-mile race the 73rd running Emerson Fittipaldi is still out in front of the field after Kevin Kogan's accident we'll be back we're back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on dr. Jerry punch and we're standing with dr. Henry Bach outside the hannity mergency Medical Center in Henry he just checked over Kevin Kovac now after his track incident he was awake and alert he's complaining of some neck pain and some right arm pain we're gonna send him down to the Methodist trauma center for further evaluation and treatment Henry you were able to see the accident on those monitors and there you probably like many of us couldn't believe that he would be able to walk in as well as he did I guess we've seen it before Jerry and it continues to amaze us but we're very pleased that it comes out this way another tribute to the safety equipment on these cars let's go up pit road to Jack arute Jack Jerry it's a very quiet Gasoline Alley for Gary Benton house and Gary this is supposed to be your year and you're out what happened we don't know something I think the cam broke or something was just the first gear warmed up and all of a sudden the engine went pop bang and your feelings though you know you you really had pointed towards this one and felt that this was the best shot you've had since probably mid 1970 how do you feel now fully I can't say it I'm here disappointed you know like I really felt I had a chance to run right up in the front today and with a little luck maybe even win a race cuz it's a two hundred twenty mile an hour race car you said it before when we did the the story on the Benton housings you don't know how many more years this family can give to this place any thoughts now about that I have to start counting days again seems like a long time till next year well it's the 35th year in the Benton house let's go back again on videotape take a look on board Michael Andretti's car as he approaches the accident scene debris all over the race course look at that down to the left pieces of Calcutta Kevin Cogan's broken race car strewn all across the track there's a wheel to the right you can see them working down in the pit area it's a very very devastating crash a lot of parts on the track now let's go over to Brian Hammett Paul I'm very pleased to have the Vice President of the United States here with me Dan Quayle mr. vice president you've been to this race so many times but I understand it took some schedule juggling to make it this year it did take some juggling in this schedule I was not scheduled to come here and all of a sudden I said look and I always go to the Indianapolis 500-mile race there were some concerns about security but we got everything worked out and we're delighted to be here I can't couldn't imagine missing the my first race in Annapolis as vice president I didn't you said you've seen this race over 20 times have you picked up any favorite drivers over the years well you go back over the years of Parnelli Jones of course Mario Andretti and AJ Floyd have been here for a long time you now got the Penske cars they dominate the front row you watch those cars but it could be a very interesting race as it usually is who's your choice here today I don't have a favorite choice it will take somebody very special very skillful to beat that front row mr. vice president's been a pleasure enjoy the rest of the race thank you very much let's go back to you all right dan quayle Petties got a little better seats this year the hosts Anthony wood in the past but you know he said it would take a lot to beat that front row how about superstitions do you realize that number four which is Rick Mears his number has never won a race in a year except one ending in zero and you realize that no one has won from the middle of the front rows as Mario didn't 69 that might put a lout how about Emerson his problem is he's got too many letters in his name believe it or not Donald Davidson the great historian out here pointed out that in the last twenty years or so you have to have a short name like mirrors or voice or unser to win this thing the field works its way down the homestretch again completing lap number fourteen all but 12 of those laps have been run at a caution 12 under caution and 2 under green now's on the 15th lap as the leader comes across that appalled dia still the leader of the race he has led in three different 500-mile races and they are now reporting that Kevin Cogan will in fact be taken to Indianapolis Methodist Hospital where he will be examined to make sure that everything is okay the medical center here while it's very very good for immediate trauma is a better used only for the immediate situation let's take a look at this accident again because it puts me in mind of 1964 when Dave McDonald did a very similar spin crashed against the inside wall burst into flame but didn't have the advantage of being caught by the outside law wall and went into the path of Eddy sacks it took both of their lives look how much better the safety was in a day now the field begins to accelerate as they come toward the fourth turn the pace car high on the track dives into the pit area and Emerson Fittipaldi leads them back to the green flag they fly down the main stretch there comes Mario trying to the inside and Mario second place rick mears drugs back just a bit Mario Andretti no question Bobby may warm he was not a contender for the pole who was not much focus on the mario michael father-son relationship surprising Danny Sullivan and his arm and Rick Mears getting the pole so I think the end Reddy's have kept to themselves all month they planned very carefully for this moment and it's easy to see that things are going well for this game you can watch them that Mario knew the green flag was going to come out let's go to demo I think Kendall saw what was happening he is ranging Mario pops we're trying to get a little run at him he crowded up close to the pace car fact they were off past the pace car for hitting got into dancing but nonetheless Mario did get by in the second place the 20 car emerson fittipaldi is running in the lead of the Indianapolis 500-mile race we'll update a couple of drivers for you rocky Moran was finally able to take advantage of that yellow and get underway remember he had trouble starting his car when the command was given as well go rocky ran after eight laps under yellow was able to get into the Indianapolis 500 and Jim Crawford who started in fourth position dropped back a little bit and is now running in eighth place at the front of the field it still embassies in equality now file followed by Mario Andretti with me risk is running in third place al unser jr. is up in fourth and his father is running in fifth what you see right now Paul is that some of the cars are separating [Music] little while until they can kind of feel each other out other than the past that we saw from Mario that's about it Danny Sullivan is playing it very careful he has we're onboard with Bobbi ray Hall right now as he works his way around this big black ray Hall you know once told me that emotion is the enemy of the race driver you try to keep your emotions in check but you know on a beautiful day like this with a giant crowd like this if your car is running well and Bobby's is running well it's hard not to feel a sense of exhilaration Bobby you've been out front mostly now so back back yeah you've been out front in this race did you feel a layer of emotion entering into what you were doing Sam I was talking to Ray hauled out the starting line just before the race started and he's the coolest cat you ever saw he was describing how he came here his rookie year he walked it out through the garage area looked at this crowd and said oh my gosh would you just look at all of it he says that didn't even know if I should be here now here is a car to the pits it's the 91 car Gordon Johncock and the way he wielded in and the way the crew is approaching and it looks like he may also be done for the day definitely terminal pause now Bobby something we're going to have to keep track of as we watch them take the back Colleen off of Gordon Johncock scar is the is the situation with this white line rule where they can't run continuously under the white line what's your understanding of somebody or using it for safety [Music] the problem with it of course is besides the book they can zap them like a stop-and-go penalty which is good in fact cost of the race already now 21 laps of the 200 are complete here at the Indianapolis 500 and Emerson Fittipaldi begins to approach slower cars in the field working his way through the first turn he's a great two-time world champion he really knows how to work his way around this race course but like all people he's subject to nerves we asked him how he handles his nervousness I with the years of experience I managed I am able to sleep if I found some place where I can lay down and sleep I'd love to do that and I see that's a way to to take all this pressure from like a balloon that you build up oppression is there and then this balance that I started going down and I'm able to with doctors I check I am able to get my heartbeat nearly my normal for the ways that I can be down to 65 beats per minute just finish before the race and I think that's when I'm feeling really good Emerson Fittipaldi leads on the backstretch slower cars just in front to the inside now and rhythm that he keeps here is going to be critically important to him to make sure they didn't get around the bars in time his passes without actually getting involved with battle rhythm is important like sheer speed has become very much a factor Emerson turned a lap - laps ago when he was in the clear of over 218 miles an hour which is faster than anyone when they last rent as they say in horse racing this track is playing fast right and Emerson [Music] Emerson Fittipaldi is certainly broken into being a good there was a question about Danny Sullivan's right arm it should be going away at least in a moment Danny Sullivan who started 26 as now moved up 11 positions and runs in 15th place on board with your nephew Al Unser jr. you can see all the dirt that comes up from the other cars that the first day we see on the camera that's all debris from the racetrack shows you that is pleated this racetrack yeah that doesn't get completely there he's won the left three oppressed one right down the front straightaway now junior and picked up third place from Rick Mears as he did so so little owl moves into third as Rick falls a little further back in the field shades for half of last year is there a handling problem there or is this Rick strategy just stay in touch with the lead well when you speak of last year and we see little owl pull out the past didier days he's laughing hey there but the point is that last year and there's [Applause] last year at this point in the race Rick Mears was [Applause] ready here's Bobby in the pits tell Bobby the Porsche has a problem he slowed on the race course after moving up to 12 and Gordon Johncock is out of his car and out of the race let's go to Brian Jordy what was it to put you out of the race evidently something happened to the Indians going down the back straightaway it just blew up a hot sunny day what are the track conditions like the track conditions are real good and never been better jean cocteau time winner done today Paul Thiry John has not finished the 500-mile race here and look at Rick Mears as Al Unser comes past Rick Mears and picks up a position as well and Bobby Rahal is right in there too ray Hall is really pushing it right now you see him in the center great battle of course each of these men has won the Indy 500 and one thing about having won this race once you've tasted - Rick here's right into a hole to the inside there's ducks under that line tries to get Bobby Rahal can't do it yes there Paul that's the white line we land on the white line trying to pass ray Hall now that's totally legal there's a patented Rick beers attempt as he takes it almost to the grass on the backstretch and gets around ray halt again now what that is that brute horsepower that's a Chevrolet against the Cosworth now Rijo heaven mind I agree home riho now runs in sixth place Rick Mears was able to get up to fifth here is Danny Sullivan and Emerson Fittipaldi coming to overhaul Sullivan and Sullivan now goes [Music] to the turn better Danny's aren't - Beth therefore straight-laced eco-floor demo just pasties right down the straightaway alright so Emerson Fittipaldi is out in front of the Indianapolis 500 we're seeing some great battles in the top six as we continue here from Indianapolis we'll be back we're back live Indianapolis 500 a tremendous fight for fifth place as that salinger junior on the outside and michael andretti senior on the outside michael andretti comes to the inside they've been battling along with Bobby Ray Hall in that fight as well as my first artifact 21st Brett's his way up through this field doing an incredible job Michael Andretti may be the second fastest runner on this track right now next camera Green closely pursued by Bobby Ray hard with Bobby Ray ha interesting thing about Al Unser senior he told me in the 500 mile er it is it is that it's hard to get yourself up for running in for in the traffic and again he's done absolutely beautifully today watch you coming fast on this news lane you can judge your braking distances much more accurately than you could in the old day so Big Al comes into the pits he started in the front row the center of the front row the Penske team goes to work on that car and as leaders a shot wheel changers helmet as he comes around the car and I'll go to here is the leader Emerson Fittipaldi and Jack arute is there Emerson fittipaldi's Pat Patrick led crew has gone to work now they're going to go to the harder tire that we alluded to because the temperatures gone up since Hualapai all the lead teams in a park come in on this pitstop sequence already selected to go with the harder tire the oval stalls the engine but he rekindles it he's back out on the racetrack back into the fight onboard with Bobby Ray Hall now as he stopped there's the loudest leaving right now Paul he's been in had his stop everything he's done to the green flag so far got a car we've got a car sideways and a pet you got a glimpse on as we're making stuff that's the 70 car that of course belongs to John Andretti as he got sideways in the pit area and the crew went out to give him a hand and get him back into place but their polish is not problem with the pit lane is the problem somebody is leaving when somebody else is coming in and position right there now Bobby there was some concern this is a newly repaved pit area here as well they've covered over the old concrete with asphalt and they've made it very very smooth but some people thought well maybe it's going to be a little too fast now Ron Bartek lack of it the answer to that ball is it won't be too fast it's all going to be there's Michael coming into the pitch now watch how smooth it is this will give us an example we're talking about but bears are staying on the ground now so they can actually stop they keep the engine revving about 5,000 rpm wallet stop and then they put it up to about 9,000 to 4 way now that's Mario Mario Andretti who very closely resemble cars are their teammates of course Mario you can tell the difference because he has the red number 5 and the and the right the red dot on the nose now here is Michael as he leaves the pits after that stop so it's Mario Andretti and Michael both members of the team that make the stop [Music] - there's Michael you can get it over the line the short shoot let's go now he dubbed the middle herbaceous ride working to play over so michael andretti under the green flag works his way around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway running in the fourth place the leader is still being scored as Emerson Fittipaldi we'll be right back [Music] 40 laps or 100 miles of the 500-mile distance are now complete they're the top five continuing to be led by Emerson Fittipaldi after the first pit stops there we go looking at 6 through 10 nice in the battle developing right at 6th place right now the lion tiger a Hall Bozell Jim Crawford round off the top 10 there's Theresa Fittipaldi her husband leading the Indianapolis 500 the whole Fittipaldi family is here they've had a great week with her shirt quiet at the moment as Emerson Fittipaldi for the 4th time in his life leaves the Indianapolis 500 the number 2 car belongs to a Lunger junior he has been part of an ongoing fight that has revolved around 3rd 4th 5th 6th place the race started with Emerson Fittipaldi jumping into the lathe and few laps later his hemming Hogan slamming the wall bringing out the yellow for almost 18 laps and then when they went back green again Emerson they pull away the fight developed behind him let's go to the pitch Jack arute please Jack a root down on pit road and there is a problem that has befallen Danny Sullivan and Team Penske they came in for a regularly scheduled pit stop just about four laps ago change tires they checked with him and asked him how his arm was feeling he didn't even mention it but they have brought the car back here on the pit road and they are concentrating out the rear and it looks as if they may have possibly had a problem with the rear end maybe the ring and pinion gears Sullivan has killed the engine he is consulting with his crew right now he has lifted the visor out of the running to score his second Indianapolis 500 fall face Danny Sullivan with a terribly long shot but we continue to watch this fight between little Allen Rick Mears yes I did Paul I just watched mr. dropped out some sort they continued to watch as Rick Mears works his way around the track trying to hold off a charging Al Unser jr. now to the backstretch Al Unser jr. trying to take fourth away from Rick Fehr no problem at all once he got there it appears that Rick is just not handing his excuses for now pasady always goes better in the race and he doesn't [Music] Pinsky the best other tracks that he's just a bit mo Bobby that seems to be true of many drivers that they race much faster than they practice or qualify look at our pending under the white line they really don't know exactly what it's going to be like because they're so funny - Wow unser jr. once he is able to get faster get a firm grip on to pull away this mountain and Riviera's continues to fall a little backwards but let's remember that it was a year ago but rick mears fellow land behind the race at about this point and then of course came back to win it's at the time during the race ball that the racetrack will get just a little bit slippery but the bug just hit the windshield on the camera little bit slippery standing so suppose it's in his car go away the track will come back again you'll see a lot harder racing [Music] problems today they continue though - apparently plan to get that tire back into action well the Penske attitude is if you can make it run you try your best and even if it's many laps down they may put Danny back out on the track you know we see his bride with Al Unser jr. here al when he rejoined team galas which is the TV drives for now after an absence of three years he is so and with the chemistry at the moment he came back really as the leader of the team below is only 27 years old he has considerable self-esteem being vindicated right now you can see how though he was running on the track there Sullivan going back out for the bus at 10:30 at least got his troubles faster maybe he got him mixed club but he doesn't seem to be a lot of a hurry to watch y'all now as he comes down [Music] all right al unser jr. continues to circle discourse in court we asked him to come a race driver that what you've become I hadn't become a race car driver I would be inclined to fly jets fly airplanes not I would want to I would want to fly the the most technically advanced airplane that there is is what I would want to fly you know a little Alice favorite expression is the word eat when things are going well he says I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he wasn't saying that to himself right now because things are going just little hours you're right it's an unsurpassed rate Bobby unser had said it too by the way Danny Sullivan was in the pits for 3 minutes and 13 seconds on board with Michael Andretti now as he begins to close down his dad has in second place just ahead so it's an inner team battle for second place the agretti family in a few line they're all the way but the setups on the Penske cars for example in the Penske team and the Emerson Fittipaldi he has a real small rear wing dickricker bill on the back there danny sullivan back in the tits again then the other car of emerson fittipaldi as the big wing with a small wicker bill cold totally two different concepts going into this race michael gotta try as bad there on the backstretch michael comes to the inside a whole line of cars just in front michael has to get down on the binders hard the third turbine michael gets her he had keep hitting that car that he was coming upon it michael andretti then well old boy sell just alongside that's not a position because michael has second place right now the car ahead is the 25 the Emerson Fittipaldi that he will now set his sights on 50 laps or 1/4 of the I think Michael has been probably the best handling car so far that we've watched other than Emerson Fittipaldi Michael engine passes card he could just go in the inside and like across the short chute right here he just rides right a few moments ago we've said that Danny Sullivan on his was in the pits for three minutes and 13 seconds in today's terms that means he dropped about you know it's interesting as we watch Michael rip father you and fight here this is the fight for third place between Mario Andretti and little ow [Applause] really about the father in scientist is because Mario let Michael by absolutely there is a litter Junior [Music] classic battle amongst all these great drivers the inside you can see that it gets rough when you get down below that line another reason not to drive there the track flattens out once you're down under there Mario just screaming here comes a little owl coming to the high side slurred Marv just ahead little owl trying to pace his way now on looking to his beers to see where Mario if mario is right there as well as they continue their bike down into the first turn trying to avoid that slower car sitting does behead less lure cars really I am worried enough but they're having the week back the real metrans of the tight ovals and midgets and sprays he really knows how to get away around an oval as little al continues to work his way tassels lower card way around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Mariana up in traffic rich Bolger has had some problems here traffic last races that he ran here but always it stay for now you know interesting about the father and son well we'll get we'll get to that in just a second because Jack arute is down with Danny Sullivan Jack and Sam I'm sure Danny Sullivan is somewhat relieved to have this month of May over a multi-country yeah just lost all the drivers just coming out of straightaway I on the gas and just spinning so figured I wouldn't get a wheel spin at that speed the Chevrolet wasn't that quite that strong the question about the arm he didn't stay in very long but how does it feel feels okay I didn't seem like any problems we had just started to adjust the car we had a radio problem I didn't like losing laughs early on but we would have been okay now 14 Penske there doesn't seem to be the domination that we've seen in other years Fittipaldi has broken to the front if maybe the Penske team missed the setup just a little bit this morning well it's a long race we're not very far into it don't forget last year I ran away early on and hid and Rick and Al came back so we'll see to reinforce that Paul page we did check with the crew chief on Rick Mears his car and he said that's precisely it they've set a race pace they're not at all concerned and they said wait till the second half of the event well Rick Mears Danny Sullivan's teammate runs back in sixth place right now there's the leader Emerson Fittipaldi he has led right from the green flag through a 12 lap caution period and through the first hundred 125 miles of this Indianapolis of course we should remember that at this point in the race last year rick mears one lap down and he came back to win emerson fittipaldi is out in front at the Indianapolis 500 we'll be back with more live from Indianapolis after this and it seems that that crowd gets larger every year Bobby Rahal's stopped on the racetrack and they have brought out the yellow flag as a result of this situation he's going to have to be towed in Bobby Rahal stopped on the course bobby rahal signed with that team prego this year 1 million dollars so this is a man being paid and a leader is going to make a stop under this yellow comes at a pretty good time for the leaders really he last stopped on his 34th lap we're now on the 61st lap the gone almost 30 laps and Emerson Fittipaldi in the Patrick team making his time here's Jack arute well they're Chip Ganassi use the crews one of the co-owners was waving at the crew because there was a giant piece of plastic on the front wing they finally got pulled away they have changed to the harder compound tires as we said as Rick Mears and outlets or senior make their way onto Midler all the lead cars have not gone to the harder compound tires the softer tires are now putting aside and when we talked to the fellows here is al unser jr. also goes by they are all going to stay with the harder tire so the tire story has become less of a story now as we near the quarter mark of the race there's al unser making his stop again again looking from the crew game and there is Rick Mears coming out of the pits both Penske cars that are left in the race with the retirement of Danny Sullivan now make their stops and they're back into the engine they're all three Emerson Fittipaldi wrecking out all three of 14 and a half second stops the pit crews are reading infinity then follow the pit crews today poke so the field now begins to form up behind the pace car so you can see most of the cars are in the participants yeah at this point of course these pit stops are like foreign meetings I mean everybody is trying to decide exactly what to do there's so many things as you see Mario who's stopping that can see change the tires of course you see the changing free there as well as fairly standard stuff believe it or not as spectacular as it looks what happens there's the paint is burning underneath the wing all right so now the number five cars and running back into the action sixty two laps complete by the way there's more racing action coming up this afternoon round number one of the International Race of Champions from Daytona International as that four race series champion drivers and identical cars face off with one another at the International Race of Champions that's right after our live telecast of the Indianapolis 500 mile [Music] we're still under yellow at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the tow in for Bobby Rahal and there was a problem in Toms Nivas pit but very quickly it was doused there was a little flash of fire tom Reba's car was rolled back away from it apparently a little bit of a fuel spill stiva bailed out of that car like the athlete that he is he hadn't anticipated running a full season this year he really made up his mind Tom Steve had golf and maybe only do a few races when this offer came through he took it but it's been funny it's been hard for him I think in some ways to get back into the idea that he's a full-time racing driver but just saw right on the ground there was water that was poured in because he'd be mixed water with we're just really 1/3 that's how we ought to point out you can put an alcohol fire out with water but don't you ever throw water on gasoline carts there's no gasoline in these cars here everyone is here with methanol alcohol be to the bottom oh well there is the airship America the Goodyear blimp based out of Houston Texas this is the 25th year that a Goodyear blimp has floated lazily over the Indianapolis 500 they're giving you shots like this tremendous shots used to just be a nice pretty shot and now you can see first in second place as they set themselves up under the yellow flag it becomes actually part of the race coverage as technology continues to improve and the coverage of Motorsports under yellow at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 63 laps complete all 63 are being scored through Emerson Fittipaldi who jumped in the lead right at the start Bobby Rahal sits by the edge of the course waiting for his crew to come up to the north end of the pits and bring him down for service apparently he's just a matter of him being out of fuel and running out on the track we take a look at the conclusion actually going back to lap 50 at the rundown at that time Fittipaldi Andretti unser jr. Mario Andretti Rick Mears al unser re Lyon Dyke Bobby Rahal Jim Crawford and then a lap behind the leaders plus al hamra Brayton Dobson AJ Foyt now two laps behind the readit leaders as is Scott Pruett running in 15th place then Davy Jones then John Jones Billy Vukovich the third then going three laps down look like I'm Rath jr. rich Mulder runs in 20th place Didier tazed and Bernard to a gate also redesigned the race John Andretti four laps behind in 23rd we looked down through the rest of the field now 30 cars tail Bobby is running in 30th 27 laps behind and of course those cars are the Indianapolis 500 that's a rundown of all 33 cars in the 500 with the improved scoring that we have I think the first time we've ever seen all 33 in the running of the race I think if you have an overview of what's happened it's the surprise that Fittipaldi has dominated the Penske team as much as he has in turn the Pinsky's have not been as strong as we anticipated the end reddy's have almost taken the Penske place they've moved up Michael Andretti of course from way way back into second place so it's been a race it's at this point filled with surprises again let's go back to 50 those who like to keep score of this race Fittipaldi the leader of the race and fifty laps an average speed of hundred and forty eight point three miles an hour nearly a record pretty close the last year in space was almost identical to last year one caution that was Kevin Cogan situation how's the log caution notice that Bobbi ray Hollis boys are out of the race I think their problem ready being scored out of the Indianapolis 500 but now the pace car comes back off the course once again Dwayne Sweeney the starter has the green flag and Emerson Fittipaldi roars past the 59 car peril continuing to lead here at the Indianapolis 500 but it will be a battle in the front of the field because there since Michael Andretti jumped behind the leader the shot and Mo when they gave up turning down the front straightaway really good today Michael chasing there was a bit of quality some bad luck Chris Maston Jim Crawford who was slapped by the leaders gonna fall he just do laps before the yellow caution came out he remained ahead of Mo on the track but he would have been able Mario told me Michael is not a patient than I am he has always done well he deserves the best but if there's a flaw in anything he does is fairly impatient he wants to get ahead quickly he may not be able to get up to Emerson but if he does it'll be interesting to see how he has done much Michael's groom Michael has a trip around this back the track that [Music] together totally standard like Rick there's or now let's our group michael andretti works his way around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and it's going to half miles in second place that's the leader Fittipaldi ahead as you ride on board with second place the car sits so low to the pavement and there's al senior coming into the pits Jack arute is there as Al Unser rolls down toward the Penske pits for service let's go to Jack and Paul the report on the radio is that Al Unser senior like his teammate Danny Sullivan is experiencing a clutch problem Rick ride him in the crew chief for the team looks it over as the crew six six men over the wall try to make an adjustment but so far it's been two no of the hell they are not taking on fuel they're doing nothing but trying to adjust towards the rear of the car now this again will certainly put him out of strong contention to win this event you can hear as he tries to work the clutch back to get the car into gear and it seems to be not working as well as he would a problem with that call is is that the clutch is snippy look they're trying to do it to give it more free travel some hardened others maybe the hydraulic pressure and built that some heat expanded causing the clutch but at least just a little bit this would be disastrous if we can't fix it along 28 second stop as roger penske watches over his team well Penske more than anybody approaches this almost in a military fashion who knows what strength in numbers means he started the race with three cars in effect he has only one left in him now Rick Mears in this race isn't even a halfway over so this is not the kind of race that Roger likes to see develop at all now still working his way around the track trying to come up the speed but it is not rolling fast the clutch is still a problem that would leave Roger Penske with only one hope the number four car of Rick Mears currently lies in fourth place [Music] would it be the three of them are going to have the same problem that's the probably had last year with the wings breaking the print wing bracket it's possible that's what's so important about the Indianapolis 500 it is the first race at 500 miles of the year the furthest distance these cars have seen in head-to-head combat has been 200 miles so once they get beyond that there the view of the great Indianapolis Motor Speedway first and second worked their way through the short shoot at the North End Fittipaldi leaves Michael Andretti runs in second then little al then Rick beers the hope of the Penske team and then Mario Andretti we'll be back with more coverage of the Indianapolis 500 after this message and a word from our ABC statements we're back live at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway you watch Allen sirs team work on the car from the crew cam on Rick lineament radio the gals still sits in the car apparently there's an opportunity to repair this car and get it back into the run I'm Paul page with Sam Posey and Bobby unser Roger Penske Mays and Rick Mears been concerned mostly with that car but of course his concerns threats to this car on the entire team one of his cars Danny Sullivan's is already out there is the Penske record thus far at the Indianapolis 500 the winningest owner by far now ahead to maybe his eighth Indianapolis 500 mile race win his eighth yes but at this point last year although Rick and had problems with his car they were able to fix them and he was already moving up they've had two chances already the adjustments car in this race and he is not moving Patrick racing stable as he works his way off with a background line around this force 210 200 he's laying down a Torah things ever since [Music] utmost respect for Dave Morris 90s of England like many of the other mechanics and engineers but it takes a different office and everything and during setting up this card isn't like a moat to be looking at what pins could be before they just get their own way and as we look at it right now it looks like his decision to go was funny I don't think last year at Emerson Fittipaldi was quite psychologically ready fight haven't been world champion twice this place seemed to all him when he was second last year to definitely open the door great drink into that vodka mixed with orange juice lemon by the way when they got the car under the front row of the grid two weeks ago they celebrated with that break this team is riding a pie who knows how far they may ride back all right let's go to the pitch now Jack arute is with Roger Penske well a couple of seconds ago we were we went to talk to Roger and he waved us off and I think that's a good indication of just how concerned he is about a situation right now two of his top cars are already out with clutch problems but we checked with Richard buck who is the crew chief for this year so far Rick Mears is still setting the pace that they set yesterday in a meeting at two o'clock in the afternoon al senior in the meantime is out of the car so that's two of the three team penske injuries that are out of this seventy third running at the Indianapolis 500 so the Penske team in the last 12 years here at injury Penske cars have six wins here's occupied fourth place Mario is closing all the bright heads and the Penske crews will get together so that they get all house car cleared the pets ball they're also trying to figure out what can they do the toon Rex car during the next pit stops as the race goes on to try to get him more competitive with Emerson Fittipaldi so to Roger you know is not the sort of person that is upset by not doing well fine about Margaret Thatcher in Time magazine last week have said you know she's somebody that offers he was spinning on began larger does that taken by what's going on Rick Mears the number four car runs in fourth place but Mario Andretti is closing down he's closing at about four tenths of a second class man he certainly is it's gonna take it we have a story for Brian Hamilton's pit right now on the tires belt Bobby the last time Macario and michael pitted their right-side tires were badly blistered now they did not change the harder compound individual tires all they did was adjust a tire pressure so they really liked the tire but they don't want to switch to what might be a little bit slower tire in the Hubbard compound now mario has another problem when he backs out of the throttle in traffic he has a misfire but otherwise he's okay back to you tires concern here always but they seem to be performing their assigned role ere we continue to watch the defending champion Rick Mears Mario continues in what's it like in Rick Pierce's car right now as we look at it knows obviously you see outpaced by a team with an identical car the Emerson Fittipaldi team isn't shaken by this I doubt it very much all right let's go to the pits Jack arute is with now on as we had reported the faulty plushies put Danny Sullivan and now you Alan sir out of the out of the contention for the race today and out of it can you do when you have a situation like that well it's heartbreaking for myself and for the crew and for Marlboro you know we hate it but there's just something that happened to the clutch and it's all yeah but now no sooner has you gotten out of the car then they hustled you down here to where Roger Penske has perched in front of Rick Mears is fit now what conversation that you have with him cause that was us to try to because we've had two cars go out with the same father to see if I could tell him anything to tell there is Rick Mears continuing his fight excuse me I don't mean interrupt but we have a good fight going on on the race course right now brickbeard battling continually with Mario let's go back to the pits again with Paul as we were talking to Alan sir senior Rick Mears is still battling with Mario Andretti but is there anything that this team now can do to adjust Rick Mears his car to maybe save that clutch the only thing he can do is to be careful with it he can't he can't abuse it when he makes these bit stops I didn't think I did now senior says most importantly it will come into play when they enter and exit the pits and they'll have to treat it very gingerly now Paul page well of course now the prospect of a lots are becoming the first five-time winner here at the speedway not going to happen this year Rick Mears at Coors Field currently running fourth has a shot at moving up into a tie with Allen sir still in fourth place still being chased right now incidentally foots off the clutch paddle just keep it most of the brake pedal he's not worried about the hydraulic clutch the mechanism run to the fact and probably just doesn't have enough free traveling you get your clutches adjusted that's the problem they're having these right now all right rick mears works his way around Scott Pruett manages to put bruit between himself and Mario Andretti free car who had the problem with the start of the race as we take a look at Rick Mears blistering up this racetrack and Mario Andretti stays in pursuit in a fight for fourth place at the front of the field it is still emerson fittipaldi and he is being chased by Michael Andretti and Al Unser jr. back live at the Indianapolis 500 and somewhat slowly Mario Andretti rolls into the pit he was running in fifth place as now the newman/haas team goes to work on that car and he came rolling in for half right at the end of his fuel tank because he was just creeping along as he rolled up to his pit now that's very possible call they don't know this early of the race don't get good mileage readings all right let's go to that pit Brian Hammond without power Mario Andretti is sitting in what is now a dead race car they're ready to take the cowling off he'll probably change the spark box that's the first thing they change the problem Emerson Fittipaldi the leader of the race also made a stop in doing so under the green flag turned the lead over to Mario's son Michael Andretti Alan's are jr. fell into second place then Emerson Fittipaldi came back out in third place Rick Mears continues in fourth but here he is on the pit road and rolling down toward Richard Baca the Penske king Gordon's bath Penske service he already knows that they have less problems he's going to be very easy on the clutch possibly they leave it's trying to give it a little bit more free play don't be side load they can take that doesn't look like they're going to do it right now they can't take the time to do it right now they have to gamble on going gone and they said the car came out of the pits fairly strong a 14-10 pit stop as Rick Mears rolls back into the action and like the clutch there at least is still hooking up we're on board with the leader ready right now the Indianapolis 500 a new leader for the first time in the race Michael Andretti taking over the lead but still he must be when he does so it's very possible that Emerson Fittipaldi will assume the lead once again Michael we guess maybe has one to two more laps in the lead but it's a heavy experience to lead this race even if it's because here's were running in fifth place as he came in for his stop his Buick engine still working for him one of the question marks here also as we watch Crawford second place Al Unser jr. rolls into the pits flipping his engine he was running in second place as he rolled in make a quick point about the way al just pulled into the pit very organized very calm [Music] they're going never need to rush into the pit and their game plan michael andretti in the lead of the race let's go to Brian gets more new tires he already has a full load of fuel way to say go off to holding him just for a second so the last of the few leaves and the tires don't seem to be blistered exactly what County there's Michael Andretti his visor still up he should reach up there he does closes it as he hits the end of the pit lane the first time that Michaels led at Indianapolis since 1986 when he left 42 laps but as he was in the pits Emerson Fittipaldi got past and back into the lead let's go to first of the leaders to put on pit road and in contrast to the way Al Unser jr. came into the pits mo came in a tad hot locked up the wheels and skidded to a halt the chip domestic it was a little bit out of the ordinary but the currents of they didn't make any adjustments at all in the car except for fuel wife no adjustments Emerson is very happy with how the cars running we're right according to plan we're half the distance here and a lot of race left do you think about it the win at all right now or do you just not want to talk about it not at all we got a lot of race to go here I've been here a lot of times Jack there's a lot of hell of a lot of race to go well that's the story from fittipaldi's pit but they are certainly counting on more what they've seen in the beginning of this race all right Chip Ganassi here now as a car owner as the race driver for a number of years Emerson Fittipaldi back into the lead of the 500 you know Paul you mentioned that Mike has been for three years Michael Andretti runs in second place in third places Allen's our junior let's just be quiet for a moment and listen and ride with Michael Andretti [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] with michael andretti he currently runs in second place behind the leader of the race two-time world driving champion emerson fittipaldi in third place is Alan to jr. Rick mirrors the range in port will be back we're back live at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway beautiful blue skies overhead the pylon that scores the cars at the start/finish line the drivers actually use that as a reference point look up and see what position they're being scored in and when Emerson Fittipaldi looks up he is being shown in position number one the leader of the Indianapolis 500 he spent a dominant force as you watch from the blimp overhead and he works his way around this circuit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the average speed of the race at the halfway point 100 laps just two laps ago was 160 seven point nine miles an hour well the ironic thing about it is that has a do of pit stops and yellows Emerson fittipaldi's really raised the price of Poker Racing White has been running 17 and 289 our laps and that is awesome at this point in the race Emerson Fittipaldi was not expected to dominate the race quite the way he has now but and you think this man's long and fascinating light in some ways it really is socialized in fact Emerson in the sense [Applause] separate and successful lives his first course and the one that is perhaps still to this day best known was his a Formula One driver he was a racing prodigy and he developed so fast that he won the first of his two World Championship when he was just 26 years old here he is winning that first championship at Monza in 1972 his second life was as a retired racing driver a budding business entrepreneur this is a two hundred thousand acre orange tree plantation in our core of Brazil a mercedes-benz dealership and automotive accessory company followed it's not maybe a threat yet to Roger Penske but he is a very wealthy and successful man and I say quickly his third life of course is as an Indy driver and you see the two people that are supporting him the most in that his wife Teresa and his car owner the oil man Pat Patrick the question Bobby unser that has been worrying me for the past few laughs we know that the clutch system on two of the Penske cars two PCA teams has had a problem it hasn't manifest itself yet on Rick Mears car but if it's a design problem then does the same design exist on the leaders PCA team well thought I really don't think by now because we've got two of them had the problem two of them nobody it's a design problem I think it's a mere matter of an adjustment and the hydraulics there's the 1986 Rookie of the Year in IndyCar Dominic Dobson as he works his way around this track what a great story he's been today he started 29th he's now running in ninth place 20 position to go down watch for Dominic Dobson in the next few years he is somebody it is on every top car owners shortlist the drivers that they would like to hire if one of their key men drops out Dominic Dobson Stuttgart Germany has a big future in this board he's a very sensible man is an engineering background he keeps calm in almost any circumstances big future military parents warned over inspect art I spent a little time into the car my dad was in the Army too and a lot of us spent time in Stuttgart now Boris it's that area from which the Porsche comes we take a look as Dominic Thompson comes down the main stretch at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway we had a great run at Phoenix earlier this year he's really taking to these over we'll keep our eyes on Dominick Thompson 29 years old leader of the race continues to be emerson fittipaldi second place is Michael Andretti Al Unser jr. is in third place but he has a lap behind the leader of the race let's go to the pits Jerry punch Paul pages flat pleasure to report a good report on Kevin Kobe just moments ago I talked with Katharine wash Miller hadn't been to this hospital of Indiana and 33 year old Kevin Cogan has been released now he has abrasions and contusions basically bumps and bruises that's all a miracle when his March Cosworth was severed in half up out of turn four though Kevin Coughlin Billy just moments ago Paul that's absolutely amazing that same accident 25 years ago would have resulted in a true tragedy that's right Paul and if you remember seeing that shot which happened earlier in the show the engine came completely lose the transmission engine Kenneth the car almost came in and hit him in the cockpit while the car was into the wall so it's just short of a miracle that given as it is last night I was over at the motel many of the drivers day and I was asked what about the fast speed of the race there's Paul Newman as he watches both Michael and Mario Andretti he of course is one of the co-owners along with Carl Hassan it was asked how fast will the fastest lap of the race be well take a look at Emerson Fittipaldi my guess was 221 miles an hour he just kind of laughed he was running in the open when he came back into traffic and his lap speed dropped off to 216 miles an hour but they're setting an incredible pace at the Indianapolis 500 now the record to this point is Bobby Rahal's record from 1986 of about a hundred and seventy six point two miles Fittipaldi drops low to get past eighty-eight boy 176 is the record there just nine miles behind that right now but they're running very clean at the moment and we just may see a record race it's an incredible thing you know merely to lead this race but merely to be in the race to be a driver in the Indy 500 puts you in pretty exclusive company you figure there are six hundred and twenty four players playing right now in major league whereas from the first race here in 1911 until now the whole history of this event only 580 many one woman have competed 580 Merson Fittipaldi works his way around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the key factor in the Indianapolis five down the homestretch a who really concentrates on his race driving concentration being so critical we asked them how difficult is it to be focused my Sandi's is a demand on yourself on yourself with times of experience and know exactly what we are doing you can be and the pressure that you can be focus without being nervous about I think that's a big difference only being focus and the pressure to not be nervous and as long as you can separate that myself as a recently under pressure I do my best and a lot of pressure and I think more pressure I have I'm able exactly what you asked to focus more and concentrate more Emerson Fittipaldi now focused on a pit stop Jack arute is there Patrick team has gone to work they're taking out as much fuel as possible he's been given the signal to go out of the pits a very good stop here just before the stop we were hearing in one of the Cossack radios and there was some talk as to whether Fittipaldi would be warned about passing below the white line so far no one from USAC has come to this crew and formally registered a complaint about it but they in monitoring USAC are somewhat concerned about it as well because they've heard the USAC officials talking about down the radio and you watch michael andretti picked up the lead of the race car number six there when emerson fittipaldi made his stop and of course we mentioned that white line as a real concern the officials do not want competitors running routinely and continuously below the white line so they will be very very careful to watch these cars there you see Michael getting four wheels under the line your wheels is the quantity that they're just now this race is over the halfway point now 113 laps are now complete and they're beginning to pick the pace up now go back to the start of this Indianapolis 500 which started with just incredibly beautiful weather here the 73rd running of the 500 as show of smoke at the back of Rick Mears car the last of the Penske hope is now showing smoke at the back of the car he was running in fourth there is his wife Chris Meers on the scoring stand she is in radio contact he can hear what Rick is saying now and he is reporting a situation on that car that is not going to please Roger Penske pilot can't be for sure right now but most likely that's going to be an engine problem it's definitely a serious problem because let's go to the pitch Jack arute well the report is from Dan Luke a mule who is the information director is that Rick Mears may have lost the Chevrolet engine he brings the car down on to pit road and it is not running it is smoking he lifts the visor they're going to take the bonnet off but it is over for Rick Mears and over for Team Penske in 1989 as well Roger Penske talking to Rick Rick getting out of the car as the crew goes to work it will not be a team Penske car in victory lane today it could still be a PC 18 if your leader Emerson Fittipaldi continues upon his leading way but a terrible disappointment for that incredibly intense man Roger Penske his three cars were definitely the benchmark the fastest cars in the sport first in second in this qualifying all three orders well we talked about this entire situation right at the beginning of our telecast here today would this man be able to score again and earn a fourth 500 victory it will not happen or will have happened for Al Unser the entire Penske team is out of the 500-mile race Michael Andretti still has the lead of the race with Emerson Fittipaldi running from second well we'll be back with more coverage of the Indianapolis 500 right after this message and the word from our ABC station we're back at the Indianapolis 500 Kathy Penske Rogers wife family has moved from being participants to observers at the Indianapolis 500 as she said some watches the crew there is Roger the rest of the team Rick Mears Dan Logan Buell Peter Gibbons they all discuss what has happened to their race cars today you notice Paul you don't really see a lot of status in Rogers face he really is dead inside but he knows this is just another fittest he lost the race way back into the action after that rather long with the leader Michael and Paul Michael for questions yet to be answered we've now seen one Chevrolet racing engine lay on this car we have seen two teams go wrong capaldis bar he is currently running in second place Alan for junior we have a Chevrolet engine as well Jim Crawford with the Buick engine is two laps off the pace roll boys hell with the jet engine is for lap back for the story 500 certainly is but it's a waste of the finish line there's no doubt coming into the fifth but the main thing to remember today is there Oh Al Unser jr. rolls into the pits he was running in third place at the time that he headed in the crew very methodically very carefully but very quickly goes to work on the car that grew won the pit stop contest there very good seventeen and a half seconds and Allen's her junior and back into the fight all three of his cars out with the powerful and ready team one of their two crippled from the Ray hole the one of watch out you see Michael Andretti the Carson threat calluses constant Michael showing us yet buffeting in the air really not very bad considering he's running well over 200 out there there he is into the pits the leader of the race comes down makes you stop rolling into the pit area you see the vent valve out in front and Emerson Fittipaldi comes back picks up the lead of the race as Michael makes this pit stop the team already at the back of the car Michael look she doesn't head well that swore to be pulled on the way he jumps the flush and he's back into the action so Michael Andretti gives up the lead to Emerson Fittipaldi when he makes his stop stick your hand out the brief edge that so Michael moves back into the action stays in second place let's go to the pension jacket the third and final team penske member that's out of the race and expired engine Rick oh yeah I'm not sure what it is yet Fletch or whatever but everything was working pretty well we had a lo valve and I could only run about 43 44 inches of boost that's all we've had all day long I stood up on this start but you know they're dead the car was really working pretty decent we were just going to start making some small adjustments and go from there we ran up a 217 left in there so what do bad Roger what a difference a year makes last year there was so much to Buell a ssin at the end of the race and now you've got three guys that are out of the event just past the halfway mark well I guess we got a route forever so now in our chassis but these guys did a great job that's one of those years I guess with the clutches and we don't know what happened to the motor evidently it just locked up but Rick was telling looks like we've got a problem on the front straightaway as we were in the middle of talking to Roger and he turned around and looked as if it was our a lion Dyke is it possible Roger is it possible that the Fittipaldi could experience the same sort of problem is the rest of the fellow seem to have experience I really don't know everybody puts our car together differently they've got a good crew and very experienced and he's driving a tremendous race the cars working well is after weights is a long race as you know Paul we did check with Mon on the designer of the car that Emerson Fittipaldi I mean the mechanic on the makar the DeMars in Fittipaldi is driving and he did say that they have made some major modifications both inside pods in the way they hang parts and pieces on their PC 18 we'll try and check with him to see if he may have included the clutch all re lion Dyke he was running in fifth place when the engine let go on the main stretch he's now over on the back side of the board let's just see him come out of there is water oil everything again the short-stroke pop just like we had in alright the flying dutchman are lying by that his engine gone now is out of the race and that will bring out the yellow flag at 128 laps while they clear Mari off of the race course let's go back to the first lap the start of the Indianapolis 500 as the green flag came out it was Emerson Fittipaldi the charge from the outside swept the front of both Al Unser and Rick Mears and picked up the lead and then began to drive away in the 500-mile race this is earlier this is back a hundred and twenty eight laps ago at the start of the race Fittipaldi was not to be caught in the early going down the backstretch he was incredibly fast still pulling away from the second-place car of Rick Mears and then lap number two coming off of the fourth turn Kevin Cogan lost control slid out toward the wall slammed against the inside wall and then came to an abrupt stop in the pits after they hitting the end of the pit wall now despite what you are looking at here the report on Kevin Cogan is that he is in fact okay he struggled out of that car they dumped water to dilute the methanol fuel so there would be norm fire and Kevin Cogan went to the hospital Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis but they say he's going to be pretty sore but he's going to be just fine he should be and he was really happy to see that water to go through what he went through just short of a miracle I think and to see them look at their the engine just totally separates that big chunk is the transmission and the engine together wheeled all over the place when he went into the last part of the wall engine almost Eddie really lucky of them but the lines that connect the fuel tanks the oil tanks and the engine and all the coolers are designed break loose without spilling any fluid Arie luyendyk now getting some help from the safety crews as they will try to pull him back into the pit area but we've already seen that display of vapor at the back of the car and that engine will not restart I think there's just some sort of a problem yet with the new Cosworth engines but they'll have worked before long and just seconds ago while we were reviewing the race Emerson Fittipaldi came in for what should have been a routine stop as well here's Jack arute who was there and Paul what happened was what looked to be a normal pit stop turned out to be an inordinately long pit stop thank goodness it was under the guise of a caution period because the crew had to go out change for tires because they discovered near the end of their stop that a right front tire had blistered Emerson Fittipaldi liking the setup of the car has been pleading with them not to make any major changes on the mount but when they saw the blister and it was a very tiny one they elected to change all four tires so it was an extraordinary long 37.2 second pit stop but it was under caution so he still is out from this race all right so Emerson Fittipaldi getting out of the pits only 18 laps after his last stop at 130 laughs that gives to lead to Michael Andretti we'll be back with more live from Indianapolis Jack will be watching the other cars now to see dream toward the green flag once again the pace car into the pits michael andretti sees the green as Michael Springs across the line you can see Emerson does study back there but he gets forced to the inside alongside a slower car as they come through the first turn Emerson Fittipaldi in pursuit now you know last year Emerson the razor fork respect her one minute and 40 seconds and felted in the past Patrick team at all [Music] in the business in the pits but we did see a problem there I just mentioned so far bad and no changing that tire feel of this stall there was because they didn't roll they have a heart the car really didn't make it wet Lester until the pit man at the diner founder Emerson Fittipaldi works his way around the course the difference between the two tires Bobby and this situation is developed what does it mean for Coppola well early in the racing month with the weather was so cold a little harder [Music] hiddenly that means that if Michael would be able to push it real hard he could ministers tired on the other cart alright Michael Andretti is out in front wait with an eye back and then 42 seconds behind as Allen's our junior the field down below those positions are all running well off the leader page for example the fourth place bar of Jim Crawford is now three laps behind the top three the fifth place car that's why ol boy cell is now five less behind the leaders of the race and the sixth place car which which belongs the dominant option we showed you earlier is also five laps behind the leader so the fight is at the front of this field no one else at the moment is in context now Michael is out of clean air with costly there now no traffic gap between him and Mo now [Music] Emerson Fittipaldi cases and in fact closing on Mike every 500-mile race has one or two key moments where it seemed when you look at it a year later this was when it was won and walk I wouldn't be a bit surprised if we're not looking at one of them right in and around now what's gonna happen in the next few minutes Sam this is going to be their most important test each other out to see which one up really really good right now Emerson Fittipaldi chasing Michael Andretti who can see the distance between 100 and 36 laps are complete Michael Andretti has been turning lap at 200 and it's watch the cars don't become hypnotized by just following the car while the crowd in the background watch how much ground they're really [Music] leaving 19 after this racist if so he's certainly masterminding a terrific race for the unready family right now Leron scored a couple of victories there as well then stepped away from Indy cars for a while if in fact may in fact see him again let's go down to the pits again here's what we were talking about the bc18 with much problems that they've had we checked with Morris nun who's one of the designers rented ears on the Pat Patrick team and he said indeed they have made some adjustments in the rear of the car specifically with the clutch also with the ring and pinion I asked him what they were and he said those are moe nuns my secrets now also checking on that blister Bobby unser it was a very small blister was only about the size of this hole right here there was an eagle ID remember that noticed it remember that didn't change tires the last stop so it's not unusual especially with the ambient temperature out here as hot as it is let's check in further up pit road and Bryan Hammonds Bryan during Michael Andrade's last pit stop he changed from a soft compound tire that he'd been playing with all race long by changing the air pressure what he he finally went away from that he didn't like that setup he went to the hard compound tire the crew asked if he wanted any wing changes he said don't do it it's car if this car is perfect so Michael Andretti loved the way his race car alright Brian on the course car 15 Jim Crawford the Buick power the man who has such a gorgeous running here last year the car that was damaged severely sent to England brought back to the United States just Wednesday evening completely reassembled after its bodywork totally repaired now comes to the side of the racecourse I was running and forth but the engine is still out in front at the Indianapolis 500 with 139 laps complete is Michael Andretti and we have an indication that Emerson Fittipaldi the second-place car is heading for the pits once again he stopped on lap 112 again on lap 129 this is the 139th lap as both Michael and Emerson Fittipaldi roll in it's under yellow that's why there's been an incident in both and Freddie and Fittipaldi are capitalizing on the yellow flag situation you see Emerson there in the pits his pit down at the south end just beyond the entrance to castle a gnarly [Music] and now it's a race in the pits as Emerson Fittipaldi comes out and right behind him there is Michael Andretti so in the pits there is where the crews can be so critical proper placement at the pits position and fast work by the Patrick team and Emerson Fittipaldi is back in front Michael Andretti cowhides in second place just that quickly positions change at the Indianapolis 500-mile race we're under yellow once again no indication for the yellow certainly no accident so it must be debris that was noted by what few second servers on the racecourse michael andretti rise tries to think what can he do now to get back around emerson fittipaldi some people might be wondering why Emeril came in so quick fathers very fast pit stop but he was just there before what the Bender's doing the sequences so they'll be at the proper place at the end of the race the grandstand of the blimp up behind us under the yellow flag once again at Indianapolis we'll be back right after we're back live at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway we've just seen some great pit stops of course that's the key to changing positions at the Indianapolis 500 when the driver can't get it done the Patrick team just got it done for Emerson Fittipaldi earlier in the week there was a pit stop competition held here in a business where success is measured by speed and split-second timing Indy car pit crews serve quietly as the sports hidden heroes their efforts may sometimes be obscured by the excitement of Victory Lane but their skills are showcased here annually in the running of the $50,000 Miller Indy pit stop championship this year's first semifinal bid announcer senior driving a Penske backup car against his son Al jr. the contest rewards the team that completes a simulated pit stop in the shortest period of time and little Al's crew did just that to move to the finals in the second semi Mario Andretti in the right lane faced off against Emerson Fittipaldi the Andretti team led by Colin Duff was the winner with a stop of 13.6 for 9 seconds this set up an unser and ready finale with both crews confident of victory little Al's crew got to go to work first when their driver hit the stop marks as the and ready team then went to work Unser's crew used split-second timing to finish their tasks Mario's crew meanwhile faltered with problems tightening the left rear wheel sensing that the wind was within grasp Jr smokes the tires and crossed the timing lights with a clocking of fourteen point seven one six seconds for Team Dallas led by Owen Snyder and crew members Paul Marcus Jake Campbell Kyle Moyer Mike Arnold and Gary Armentrout it was a moment to truly enjoy for them today was a day to step out of their roles as hidden heroes and enjoy the applause and rewards that true champions deserve $25,000 that's better than a lot of races pay for winning the view down on the two and a half miles of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from the Goodyear airship America based out in Houston Texas Don Macduff the captain on board today helping give you some of the beautiful coverage shots of the Indianapolis 500 and some action shots as well giant crowd here nearly half a million people emerson fittipaldi circulates around completing the 144th lap under yellow in the lead we'll be back with more from Indianapolis back live at the Indianapolis 500-mile race still under yellow emerson fittipaldi leads 145 laps complete next Saturday on ABC Sports the high rollers of the Professional Bowlers spring tour will be in Las Vegas Nevada for the Showboat PBA doubles classic now bowlers there will team up for big money it's the final stop of the spring tour and the action starts Saturday on ABC Sports and then it's Wide World of Sports you'll see a unique combination of gymnastics and figure skating very first time accomplished athletes like Ryan Bart Conner Robin present and more display their skills in the caress symphony of sports truly special event Saturday on ABC's wide world and the field still behind the pace car working their way around the track professionals and safety crews try and scrub the the last few minutes baldie whose husband is leading this event today and Teresa you said just before we went on the air I think today is Emerson's day I think so he deserves he's really excited every time he comes by you rested here on your perch they haven't moved it off and when he goes by you take your hand and you just go like that what's that about means energy positive using some energy there's another story that every time Emerson comes into the pits you whisper something to him although you're 15 feet away from him what is that good luck good luck and they certainly hope they have plenty of it at least enough to last for this race Paul page now let's check in with Brian Hammonds who was it with Carl Haas Carl Haas is sitting on the scoring Stan charting the race for his drivers Mario and Michael Andretti Carl you've got to be happy with where you're sitting with Michael we had some problems with Mario which is not too good Michael's not sitting in a bad spot he's obviously Philip Paul he's able to run a little quicker but I think we still have a fighting chance with a little bit of a luck hope we can hold in there and get a chance at it at the end Michael happy with the way the car is running Wow I guess he's fairly happy with the way it is like a little more speed but it's okay right now his drivers sitting in second place now let's go to Jerry punch well gentlemen an anxious wife waiting here in the Allen true jr. pitch that's Shelley answer and Shelley if you've seen this act so many times and how will the scene finish I know the Lao is one on on road courses the street courses because you have to get that first oval track win I know can you wait for the final 55 laps the answer at least we got our lap back around the same up as a leader so we'll just have to wait and see what happens you're talking to on the radio with Rick Callas the owner here and the rest of the crew do you think little I'll have something left he can handle em oh I don't know Emma's running awfully quick just never know what this race what's gonna happen and you know there's so many things that enter into it fuel and tires and I'm just back here keeping lap charts so I wouldn't be able to be able to tell you any of that Chile unserer heart-pounding watching husband delay outlet sir well when they come back Al Unser jr. has ten cards between him and the second-place car Michael Andretti we'll be back with more coverage of the Indy 500 after this message and a word from our ABC stations [Music] we're back live at the Indianapolis 500 the green light just winked on once again an emerson fittipaldi has jumped out in front again now that white debris that you see sprained about the track is part of the reason for the very long yellow it's not a problem on emmos car but it is some oil grime late on the race boards to pull the oil off the circuit and make it safe great everybody wonders is that slippery or is it easy to get a hold of it is definitely slippery watch for second place Michael Andrew but it's not nearly as slippery and the wallets Delphia the lesser of the two we'll appointed the drivers and let you begin Michael Andretti white oil dry for the second turn let's just watch as he rolls Michael went in extra low to appoint it he putting the scorecard that cleaned it all off 100 125 miles at the Indianapolis 500 left to be tested here on the Brickyard the two and a half mile Speedway Allen's our junior he runs in third place he has six seconds behind the leader he had ten cars between this machine and that of Michael Andretti he's trying to catch up that distance all the cars going by really hurting a little bit because Emerson Fittipaldi right there on this train is in green areas but he has a liquid crystal display on the dash in front of him the drivers here at the 500 for the very first time actually have a speedometer he could look down and know exactly how fast he's going in the past they had only tachometers would give him a relative idea see that's his speedometer which is a graphic now on the car that shows exactly how fast the engine is turning that's part of a system call that gives you complete information on anything they want to know about this car it's the new computer age of an idiot well in fact here we have a schematic of the dashboard of the Lola car which michael andretti is driving it has a sort of star wars look to it the key is that it's computerized got digital readouts rather content conventional analog instruments pretty heat looking stuff and they really no look at those either [Music] Bobby have you determined is there a preference for this or the old analog dial system when they used to point the dials so that when everything was pointed straight up everything was perfect they would all like the hand but they can't get so much like what their fuel it's a complete computerized system for the car michael andretti now closing down on the leader Emerson Fittipaldi and gets past Michael Andretti picks up the lead of the Indianapolis 500 Emerson seemed a falter for just a second and slowed down just a bit so now here is Michael coming to the line scored in the lead once again he just turned the last lap at 215 miles an hour and has picked up the lead and you can see that mo seems to be falling a bit behind there's got to be some reason for it with going to show up before too long not saying Michael's not going fast he's been one of the best handlers all day handling feeling a bit shy of speed compared to Emerson Fittipaldi to see michael andretti overhauls the leader emerson fittipaldi again the battle is in the front of this 500-mile race field most of the top 20 are not truly in contest with one another we'll keep our eyes open for battles back through the pack let's go back here a couple of laps and take a look at Michael Andretti as he closed on the leader Emerson Fittipaldi here they come Bobby unser it's most likely that MO remember he just got new tires while back it's most likely that he's got his dagger just a little bit wrong not handling quite as good or maybe Michael got his dagger good and he's working better than he was earlier Michael Andretti here's the onboard camera view of the same situation a couple of laps ago as Michael just came inside of Emerson Fittipaldi and right on down into the turn and out in front let's go to the pitch and Jack Bobby I'm sure you're absolutely right as far as the stager situation on the race car of Emerson Fittipaldi he's developed a slight push the first he's had all day so he's had to back out of the throttle just a tad and that accounts for the pass by Michael Andretti these cars are sloped when they get this dagger off there's a little tiny bit there's nothing you can do about it in the stagger now what's happening is they're turning back at the start of this race we talked about these kind of firms showed you definitions stager means that the right rear tire is rightly loved minutely larger than the left rear but they can still augment that trying to get it to grow just a little bit more stagger help then the car turns in a little too bad the definition that we had earlier which is to say the back end wants to swing out all the way around absolutely right Paul it's a good explanation [Music] by any harder than he's crying now a driver can only do so much in these cars when you have that push condition you just have to ride it out to the next pit stop very frustrating for him he's got a desperately gamble the devil is going to come out we were talking earlier too about the PCA teams and the fact that three of them are already out and do the design problems that may exist on some exist on others you must remember that it was the Patrick Racing team that first identified the possibility of a real career Colleen coming off as happened with Danny Sullivan they changed the fasteners to avoid it apparently they've also noticed some other situations and made improvements on those as well so at the Indianapolis 500 we watched them give the board to Emerson Fittipaldi 216 mile an hour lap not up to his 218 he's run earlier so Emerson Fittipaldi still is chasing Michael Andretti at the Indianapolis 500 as they seesaw back and forth in the lead we'll be back with more at the Indy 500 the 73rd running after them we're back at the Indianapolis 500 Michael and thready running in the lead just like his father several years ago the engine has let go he coasts to a stop on the track from the lead Michael Andretti out of the 500 that's another Chevrolet problem but those engines to Dave Crawley you can watch it this boat comes out of the tailpipe that's when you know it's coming out water and oil anything with it got the engine good we talked about what father's as here comes Emerson Fittipaldi streaking into the pigeon we're going to have to watch and see what he does although it is no longer that critical is it because he has a big lead now and his main rival is Al Unser jr. Sam which will in turn cause a yellow to come out which will in turn get a little out okay I'll catch back up and it'll still put two cars right together for the lead yes crew carefully taking their time look at this as the steam from that engine laughs over the front of Michael's car and look at him he pounds the steering wheel in frustration as Emerson Fittipaldi comes out in just a few seconds he will come past Michael Andretti safety is with Michael talk about what sons inherit from their fathers what skill what attitude how about what kinds of luck he michael andretti going out at indianapolis way his dad has so often here before look at the stare at Michael's eyes the disappointment [Music] loafers to help them tow the car back into the pit areas strange how much is today's proceedings taking on extra wisdom that goes with such severe disappointment fans wish so much for the Andretti family and once again it has come for this this time though it strikes Michael so many people want to see Michael score his first Indianapolis 500 mile race when they thought perhaps this was the day now with Emerson fittipaldi's pitch shot Jr up to the front of the field and under the yellow and Lao will be scored in the front of the race the little al has yet to make his pot pit stop and there's Michael on the on the road on the way into the pits and his day is done now it was over on the front straightaway that this situation first developed car was looking so good and so fast there's his car moving down the main stretch about half way down there right at the line now the engine let go right in front of the giant grandstands that line the five eighths of a mile long homestretch at the speedway and he coasted to a stop over on the backstretch crowd salutes you [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] now Allen's our junior comes into the Mets as Michael rules his way in course under yellow and resolved and blown inch and they want once again to check this race course good opportunity let's go down to the pits Alastor dude you're just pulling away and that was a roll of the dice ball eggs they were unsure if they would be able to go the distance on fuel eleven point three seconds no tire change just fuel only we should get a quick comment to bring callus on well they can't make a dressing the way Ricky's here Tony Ricky go the rest of the way on fuel you make it the risk the way on fuel cuts in can you make it the rest of the way on fuel Rick left wait and see a big smile from car owner Rick galas they were rolling the dice trying to decide when to bring you man they said wait wait one more lap no wait two more laps they're hoping for some yellow flag left but I believe they think they could make it Paul no Bobby they stopped on 165 laps 200 laps as the distance we're now within a hundred miles of the end of the Indianapolis 500 oh the disco ball it's gonna make back of a story at the end the big blows were just stories now let's just see if perchance they stay yellow baby's not going for the green flag comes out once again this time it will be little al al unser jr. is the leader of the race itself as they come across the line mo now picks up the lead as a result of that stop and mo leads the field in through the first and second turn little al is now six seconds back and a lot of cars have to be passed before he could really take off the attack where's little al first race at Indy in 1983 his best finish today has been poor remember Sam were getting back down to the fuel knee like we see have so many races that allow when he used less fuel than mo evel's out in clean air in real life little house should be able to gain a bit of hidden mileage because of the traffic whereas mo it's going to be on the gas all the time because he's Emerson Fittipaldi keeps the pace down as Michael Andretti walks through the back of the pit area back to his garage his day is done 167 laps now complete 211 point two miles an hour the speed Emerson Fittipaldi find that last lap now the question of course is fuel there's 40 gallons of fuel in each of these race cars when they are pulled and takes him a distance that Bobby by my calculations brings him the right topic down lap 200 what do you think well I think they're really going to be up against it the mouths gonna be just a tick better than mo is on that far ironically they're full just go like a house on fire come in and try to get it splash on cue alright let's get an update now from Jack arute first of all you look at Emerson fittipaldi's fuel tank there's about 60 gallons left plenty of fuel to go the distance we checked with the team and the brain trust here is said we are going to come in for a time stop somewhere around 12 to 10 laps to go in this event that's their planning right now but for so many times we've seen here in the Indy 500 those plans can go arrived by way of a caution or something that happens on the racetrack back to you that harkens back to 1982 when the Patrick Racing team did exactly the same thing for Gordon Johncock they knew how many gallons he needed to get to the end of the race they calculated the fuel flow in the hose they decided they needed only so many seconds I think it was seven or eight and as soon as they hit seven seconds somebody reached out with a pole tapped the refuel on his helmet he pulled the hoses free and Gordon Johncock in a tight panel with Rick Mears won by 14 need that much time because all they need either one of them and probably an easy little three gallons of alcohol and they could beat the winner from it so Emerson Fittipaldi is running laps faster than Al Unser jr. Fittipaldi is out in front running at 214 10 seconds back his little owl running laps in 213 this Indy 500 is not over yet we'll be back we're back at the Indianapolis 500 and there is the car of Michael Andretti in the pits silent his day is done let's go to Brian Hamish Michael Andretti his wife sandy Michael what was it that interview day wow the engine blew any point you were running so well at any point during this race were you thinking to yourself that my dad won this thing 20 years ago and Here I am leading Indy I guess I inherited more than just as driving I think I lucky at this place because you know the car was just so good just taking my time you know a nice conservative pace not trying to take anything out of it but obviously I guess we took too much out of it I don't know where for a while today Michael Andretti really had him covered well a good driver a likable man out of the 500 mile race and the pits here is Raul boy so he is the third place car but he has five laps behind the leaders only two tires been turned back on the corner Emerson Fittipaldi and Al Unser jr. the port's late star is Mario Andretti but he is six laps behind the leader the boy shall using one of the Judd engines continues my cell works his way back from traffic and here is the 22 car and he has a problem now he was running in in fourth place before he came in for this pit stop but now obviously a bit of a problem on that car a lengthy stop but they get it fired up once again and their ghosts got breaking back into the action as well but the distances between the fourth place car here a break and the others he's so great and they can afford a few seconds here really the leaders who can afford nothing every second quality and Al Unser jr. there is the leader Emerson Fittipaldi 177 lat twenty two hundred twelve and a half now let's go to the pet seemed very calm well it's male biding time here in the islands are doing your pets they have been doing a lot of calculating here on the fuel mileage and Rick Gallus 35 laps eighty seven and a half miles can you make it the rest the way we're gonna see you got any backing off a little bit today be conservative he'll get in backed off to anybody I mean we're trying as hard as we can and we're five laps up on third place so we're going for it I mean the only good chance to win this sector would so we're gonna do the best we can I think it puts it in perspective fell if they really want to way up here the eyelets are doing your thinks they can go all the way Rick gallows boy is that aggression or what I dig that's nice you can tell Rick down to the two racers that is the competitive there don't you think there one chance to win this sucker I like engine car combination started this race only two were left and they are placed one and two Mario fourth place car into the pits routine service as well this is the 178 mário should be able to go all the way to the end with his still be contesting Emerson Fittipaldi 400 mile race Fittipaldi still runs in front there's PJs the Jake boy just behind there the number 14 car right behind his team carb rocking ran a Mario right there AJ Foyt second race runs in fifth the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500-mile race so now we go into the closing laps of the the Indy 500 20 more to go now Emerson Fittipaldi is the leader jr. we're back live at the Indianapolis 500 a wheel rolling loose coming off of the fourth turn on the main stretch it belonged to Carol Pam Roth's car the crew out there got it stopped before it went back into the lane of traffic we are under yellow bringing out the yellow is going to be a another change in strategies now emmos into the pit to get a splash now we're going to have to see what the hell's going to do he won't have enough fuel to run real hard go to the end Emerson Fittipaldi comes down under this yellow flag to make a pit stop he sits in the pits allons our junior working his way still around the course it appears certain that Fittipaldi will complete his pit stop and come out into the action before little outcome five little owl as Emerson Fittipaldi Chuck's away a little bit that appalled II was having some problems getting away now it may be that little owl will catch him down in the first bird said if Baldy gets brought on behind a safety vehicle and look how close they come out together Fittipaldi is just one car I had down there to the inside and little owl sees him and know with a Bobby very close call on wolves here though women yes it could be now Owen well would have been happening before so I would have had him he was going to the end now everything has changed Campbell does have feel and look good heavens ooh stuff and low gear to race him he can do nothing about under Yellow Al Unser jr. that's the tactics now 18 laps to the finish of the Indianapolis 500 we go back to the situation the cause is yellow Tero popper off you see him there now only with three wheels the Finnish driver a gentleman makes no bones about the fact that he bought his rod incidentally it was his birthday today he's 36 some mechanic is going to be in trouble for that one soon looks like they probably left entire lives lucky it didn't hit another car another car hit it ready Terrell Palmas down into the pit area without any other more serious constant rolls it very nicely to salute him in Finnish I would say SEPA Huff's come carro that means very good all right Emerson Fittipaldi with well hand up in the air on the backstretch riding in second place he's lined up right behind mo on the racetrack it should be a sprint to the finish we're back live at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in our sixth caution period of the day let's go to the pits here with Brian Hamish Paul this yellow flag is really helping Allen's or junior at these low speeds he's able to conserve fuel Rick Gallus the team owner says we have plenty of fuel now we're going racing toward the finish Thank You Bobby about the tactics of that is that what you would have done turned everything up turtle or gear and just let that thing go all the way because we already know that ammo has enough fuel to make it if he doesn't break he's going to be really tough little house got his work cut out for him now Wow second place Emerson Fittipaldi been wanting fire just ahead there they are lined up behind the pace car the fuel gets about double mileage you figure a pace car or excuse me yellow flag laughs oh to be about twice the mileage that you get under the green they're running in like second or third gear not really getting super good knowledge about double what they normally get we mentioned the third place where old boys sell is five laps behind the leader now if that is that's a situation for him the way they played this race serves Wes house advantage because they're going to flag the race at 200 laps so any of the cars that are running well behind the leaders can Joe go just as fast as they want to go now absolutely right but I think that most of those cars back there like for example boys now there's one good all day I think he's going flat out anyway but you're right now Scottie Brayton takes place right now thirty of their words pretty good day for him no matter how he looks at it and Scott Pruett who started 17th is up now into 8th place so let's take a look at the situation with regard to little owl he's never won on an oval he certainly never won the Indianapolis 500 Emerson Fittipaldi two-time world champion has not won at Indianapolis either in fact there are only two men in the top 10 who have completed this race in first place that's Mario Andretti as Teresa watches Emerson Fittipaldi stream away through the short chute the south end of the track through the second turn now and little Alice in pursuit he could be the contest the real show and can that allow not only stay with Shelley on time little al has roiled boys cell five laps behind the leader separated and there was a there was a flash of something at the back of the car there for a second [Music] hell no I think it's from hotels car you can see it laying off the back of the car that could indicate that that engine is about ready to let go well whatever it is it's going to cause little al to lose some ground there in Bose L incidentally who drives sports car part of the time is a very aggressive driver terrific guy but he's an aggressive driver and not easy to pass the Bobby under if you have that indication would you want to tuck him too close to the back of that dirty car yes as long as spraying like that he'll run off line a little down he has no choice he just he's been frankandcharlie behind he's just it's a question about well both sales car keep running losing it but what if the engine would let go and spray oil back there a little out would instantly be into its tears already happened both look at the smoke coming out the boys Dale's car right now scenario oh boy cell running in third place but beginning to show problems it gives an opportunity for Allen's or junior to continue to move ahead got a job cut out with mo having a good clean tractor rental that's where luck has such an impact on this 500-mile race next out here sometimes you get out of bed on the right side sometimes the wrong side Shelley it's ready disappointed you can see Al Unser jr. of course was tutored by his dad Bobby your brother in racing but I think in ways of dealing of the press and being open wonderful person that he is Al Unser jr. I think had been greatly affected by Shelly do you buy that assessment oh she's been a very good girl and you could just tell her by her actions in the pits Fittipaldi car now is just 1.8 seconds back and here comes Emerson Fittipaldi flashing by to complete the 100 and latias laughs and look at her this confuse energy those fingers of energy going out to Fittipaldi he's counting the laps did you see her now in history at the Indianapolis 500 as mountain finish out in front most recent of course Kevin Hogan with ten lands to go lost to Bobby Ray all 1983 Al Unser led on 190 laps but Tom sneagle one if Emerson can win the race he will follow in Mario Andretti's [Music] did it in the other order is receive a sir wish on that great energy to be noted that Emerson eats a very special diet of food grains he gets plenty of aerobic exercise so that energy really means something in that [Music] 191 laughs from the place 1.6 seconds back little al crying [Applause] the second path [Music] 192 lat 1982 years versus jock [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] at this point rick mears was trying to trace the very same position two-tenths of a second back home stretch again [Applause] slightly slower just ahead he lies [Music] the tension is incredible [Music] [Applause] [Applause] then appalled he says no laughs the go [Music] [Applause] canal unser jr. get it done this time it's a drag race burn in a three the lead Al Unser jr. picks up the lead the question now is fuel [Applause] under back and forth on the main stretch was he trying to put right down to the bottom now with four laps to go he's trying to break this [Applause] [Applause] when AJ boy it was AJ's first win on pavement [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] - at this point Rick Mears was trying to chase down now little al is in the very same position two-tenths of a second back home stretch again [Applause] Mario Andretti just ahead he lies before [Music] the tension is incredible [Music] [Applause] [Applause] little drives that a faulty says no five laps to go [Music] [Applause] canal until you get it done this time it's a drag race bandana three the lead Al Unser jr. picks up the lead the question now is fuel [Applause] [Music] [Applause] back and forth on the main stretch was he trying to put right down to the bottom now with four laps to go he's trying to break the screen [Applause] when AJ boy because AJ's first win on pavement [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] comes inside little ow a drag breaks on the backside again slower traffic moves to the right can fit a pall to get past little out brings it down low they touch little while under the wall Fittipaldi continues on little al slams the wall as Emerson Fittipaldi screens toward the white flag the yellow flag comes out Allen's a junior caps with Emerson Fittipaldi they are on the main stretch now but his fittipaldi's car fit [Applause] Fittipaldi tried it inside the third turn the white flag is how 199 laps are complete the yellow flag flies Theresa kisses Pat Patrick and you imagine the despair because for the second year in a row he's okay little al climbs out of his power walks away from the safety cruise for the second year in a row the Indianapolis 500 will finish under the yellow flag but this time it will be a new name it will be that of two-time world driving champion Emerson Fittipaldi former world driving champions winning here Jimmy Clark Graham Hill Mario Andretti and now the names been appalled evil laughs and I have to go Al Unser jr. stands by the edge of the racecourse [Music] toward the edge of the track now the pace car will lead Emerson Fittipaldi just like it did last year for Rick Mears before the checkered flag the 73rd Indianapolis 500 is rolling to an end and Emerson Fittipaldi under the yellow flag has captured raise victory at Indianapolis Emerson Fittipaldi [Music] [Applause] but allow now climbs into the ambulance hobbyist was not hurt in the crash despite a very hard impact with the wall the Patrick Racing team begins now their celebration at Emerson Fittipaldi waves to the crowd on the backstretch for the first time as the winner of an Indianapolis 500-mile race [Music] just to see exactly what happened that in car cam really showed the joke that little out God put you in the turn here we go Bobby unser on the backstretch as little owl at mo race closely together one view of the situation just appears that endl drifted out got little house left rear with his right flat do anything about it that was very similar to an accident was not a stock car thanks to me so Emerson Fittipaldi with an accident here let's take a look at it again been appalled II darted away from little owl tried to get inside him the two cars are neck and neck into the corner traffic just ahead they touched wheels little Alwyn sliding into the wall Fittipaldi was able to maintain control he pulled a similar feat but at Toronto as healthy years ago the last lap spin and was able to continue on he's done it again this time it's paid off in an Indianapolis 500-mile race win let's take a look onboard the lounge car the same situation when we have an opportunity Emerson Fittipaldi the winner of the Indianapolis 500 now we go down to Victory Lane jackaroo wow it is incredible Victory Lane here Emerson Fittipaldi has brought his car here on the stage we are going up in the air right now they are trying to trying to trying to move the car here just a little bit forward as they are trying to get Fittipaldi unbuckled from all the gear that he carries now he's coming up out of the car and of course a little bit of controversy there when the yellow light came out we'll talk to him about that as well mo you've done it he's taking the congratulations he's just leaning back Pat Patrick is in here pat pat congratulations thank you very much jack we were sweating as you know well the co-owner now Chip Ganassi your first time in Victory Lane as well pretty exciting Jack Everson did a world-class driving job I've never seen it take so long to get his helmet off though I think he's trying to gather in his composure Emerson getting finally the tearful kiss of his wife Theresa ever seen your a bedlam here beautiful - Oh what the race Emerson you're an Indy 500 champion in 1989 well I cannot believe it was the team made the great work you know everybody - nonfat fat could you Maggie I want to sex all the boys and it was incredible race what about the contact between you and Al jr. what happened back there I was going inside of turn three and he's inside because of traffic and he tried to come out to the side with a Cheerios and I nearly spun off from it sizes and he lost it you've won two world driving championships but this is your first time to win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in what they call the greatest spectacle in racing what are your thoughts right now you know jack I su cannot believe it I dream so much he saw as a little boy [Applause] well I think Paul page that certainly tells you just how important this race is to you emerson fittipaldi it it's just incredible that he ran so well all day and then would allow closed up on you and he was really concerned about fuel when you were he Scott was much faster on the straights and lucky I got the traffic in and done it they want a moment to share cattlemen are Branson cozy but I was in there today don't worry guys he just said his victory lane interview to the people in Brazil who are watching this live so Emerson Fittipaldi second last year first this year wins the Indianapolis 500-mile race there is much more to talk about though we'll be back with more coverage in the Indy 500 after this message and a word from our ABC stations back live at the Indianapolis 500 the 73rd running is now complete and Emerson Fittipaldi is a new champion at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the crowd they stay standing watching the ceremonies here's the onboard view from Al Unser jr. as he came onto the backstretch now Emerson Fittipaldi was maneuvering to the left at this point he was almost directly alongside of little now looked over to see Fittipaldi there he kept his foot down went into the corner turned and stayed well above the line but then was tapped by Fittipaldi and he slammed into the wall fortunately Alain sir jr. was not injured in this accident in fact he hopped out of the car almost immediately and he can't believe his fortune here today that appalled he was down below now consider the ironic situation here that back at the Meadowlands just last year these two were battling there too and they tapped one another only in that case it was Fittipaldi who was out in front but allow went to the inside they tapped and it was Fittipaldi that came up the loser let's go to the pits Brian hammers and Ricky Alice can still manage a smile even after coming very close to winning the Indianapolis 500 Rick your thoughts well it was you know I was quite a thrill leading it there at the end because we thought we had a chance to win it but I want to congratulate the Patrick team and Emerson they did a fantastic job and they hung in there all day and they were fast and we were trying to catch him all day we did everything but you know throw a net out in front of him so I want to congratulate my crew and I want to thank good year for those great tires they gave us so but you know I'm just happy I was okay and I couldn't ask any more of a driver I mean he drove his heart out as you talked a little owl is he okay I talked to him on the radio and he said he was fine and you know he gave mo a thumbs up and and we're real proud of him we you know we really weren't we kind of hung on all day and nobody's really talked about assists month we knew they had a pretty good race car so we made we just did the best job we could right back to you Paul the results unofficial for the moment they'll be official tomorrow morning but at the moment it is Emerson Fittipaldi that shows as the winner of the Indianapolis 500 the despair that little al feels will be back we're back live in Indianapolis the view from the Goodyear airship America stationed in Houston Texas as the giant crowd for the most part still decides that they're gonna stay here the blimp float so lazily so peacefully over the Indianapolis Motor Speedway it's quiet now the race has been run emerson fittipaldi is the winner but the situation developed in the closing laps of the race emerson fittipaldi the 20 car allons our jr. the two car heading into the third turn MO went well below the line fighting without now here they come here they come right out little owl is just gently ahead him oh no I'm sorry memo's animals car we're looking now to see if he actually maybe got onto the grass and that helped push him I don't think so it's too wide for that dude look at his wheel reference to the right or the white light I think it was the extreme low line that Fittipaldi took that inevitably carried him out I don't believe he's not getting in the grass look how wide the knee is compared look at the white line it'll get the right front tire of emmos that'll tell you sir now alice is more laying parallel to alice on the line of premiership he's on the total racing line yeah Moe has to come out he can't stay down there so a little al khums for our normal apex taps wheels with emerson fittipaldi i'd say it's incredibly lucky that little al wasn't launched airborne and only slid up against the wall he's at the hospital now a cursory examination at the track Medical Center we are trying to get an interview with him just as soon as they release him how many major car races are going to end this way confrontation between the two team so Emerson Fittipaldi now enjoys the fruits of victory at the Indianapolis 500 we'll be back with more we're back at Indianapolis we look at the 198 lap again Bobby unser here's where it starts getting touchy in the action little Alice got the racy groove mo moves to the bottom under the white line now he can't stay down there it just is impossible for him to race it that low all the way around it they're coming off of number three turn he's drifting out little al is already in the light it's one of these deals that you can't do anything but call a racing accident two cars cannot be in the same place at the same time so just that simple you're saying that it is nobody's fault really isn't anybody's fault the way I see it it's just one of those things we call a racing accident emerson fittipaldi having gone down that low just by the laws of physics had to be carried up high Lamberson Fittipaldi continues his celebration at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the winner of the 73rd running of the Indianapolis 500 will be back with more coverage after this word from our local stations [Music] we're back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pat Patrick Emerson Fittipaldi and the team enjoy of victory with a ride on the pace car coming up next though on ABC Sports round 1 of the International Race of Champions from Daytona that series that pits in equally and matched car some of the finest drivers in racing the IROC right after their coverage of the Indianapolis 500 now let's go the Jerry punch Paul we're standing outside the Hana Medical Center with Allen sir senior and Al you have you been inside to check a little out how is it he's okay just these feelings of hurt What did he say happened up there did he tell you well he really didn't say just what I saw in the film that looks like Tim will run out of room they touched and that's all it takes the roller coaster of emotion for him and for you I was sitting in the motor home with you with two laps to go you jumped on the bicycle headed for pit road hoping to greet your son in victory lane but it was not to be the four-time Indy 500 winner Allen's her senior moves away from the infield care center still waiting for his son Allen to dinner to come out this was Shelley unser when she realized what had happened to her husband at the Indianapolis 500 victory was not to be emerson fittipaldi is the winner we'll be back [Music] well it's unofficial for the moment it will remain so until 8:30 tomorrow morning when the official results will be posted but it seems certain no question Emerson Fittipaldi has won the Indianapolis 500-mile race we take a look at the unofficial results for old boy cell with his best IndyCar result today Mario Andretti and forth AJ boy comes in and his last top-five finish with 10 years ago Brayton Jones Fogler Bernard Jourdain we looked down 11 through 15 Jones book of a time Ralph Lauren daily Palm Rob Michael Andretti Dominic Dobson Jim Crawford idiot A's are a lion Dyke watch o Carter Rick we're now under John Andretti Bobby Rahal Tom stiva Danny Sullivan Randy Lewis tail Bobby his 30th Gordon Johncock Kevin Cogan Gary Benton house and the unofficial finish of the Indianapolis 500 we hope to talk to Al Unser jr. in just a moment while Emerson Fittipaldi continues his celebration back in Indianapolis Raceway Alex are doing your just coming out of the infield care center first of all how you hit a ton up there in turn 15 turns three and four are you okay yeah we're okay I think the cars okay - we didn't hit all that hard but we hit hard enough not to not to keep going so what actually happened up there laughs but I have to go and you and Mo are battling for the lead what happened well basically what happened is we came on lap traffic and coming off at 2:00 and that messed me up a little bit and I couldn't get off the corner as well and so that allowed mo to take a sling shot on me we got side by side there and I was going underneath another lap car on my right and Mo was on my left and they're about halfway down I started being able to pool ammo and so I went ahead and went in there you know ahead of him and and then since he was he was so tight on the corner he just he couldn't turn tight enough and and I was up as high as I could go to allow him room and it's me and I go spinning well we're on the tape of your car spinning up there al could this but have been avoided I don't think so I think mo wanted the race as bad as I did and when you got to race car drivers wanting the Indy 500 as bad as as we did at that point we're both going to go in the corner and only one man's going to come out and this time it was mo that came out al how big of a disappointment to come within a lap and a half of winning your first Indy 500 you know I think but it's racing and the Indy 500 is is our biggest race but again it is another race and so they're all disappointments when when stuff like this happens and you know and that's the way it goes so there's a lot of energy burned by the driver but a lot also by the wife and Shelly you were bouncing up and down on pit road waiting for Al to come around that last time and it didn't come when did you hear about the crash I saw I looked at Rick galas and wreck galas I could tell by him and then I heard Tom Carnegie say that he had crashed and Big Al your dad had just come out of the motorhome jumped on the bicycle and ran a qualifying lap through the garage area to get to your pit and try to be there when you took the checkered flag but it was not to be not today for the answer let's go back upstairs to Paul pate Oh al unser jr. will still finish in second place at the Indianapolis 500 that by the way is in fact his best finish here coming up next it'll be the International race of champion the race has been safely run emerson fittipaldi is the new champion but already in the garage area they began to dream about the future about next year about the 74th running of the Indianapolis 500 one year away may 27 1990

Channel: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Views: 386,323

Rating: 4.793272 out of 5

Keywords: indy, indy 500, indianapolis, indianapolis 500, ims, indianapolis motor speedway, 1989, 1989 indy 500, 1989 indianapolis 500, 73rd indy 500, 73rd indianapolis 500, emerson fittipaldi, al unser jr, brickyard, indycar, indy car, race, racing, full race, full-race, broadcast, telecast, espn, abc, historical, history, motorsport, michael andretti, crash, battle, final lap, wreck, accident

Id: xpzGhRHuqGY

Length: 206min 13sec (12373 seconds)

Published: Thu May 02 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/knoper21]

Nothing worse than whole screen wife cam. Ms. Fittipaldi seems wonderful, but please, it's the most exciting race in a generation

[u/Jensaarai]

This is the finish I show to people when I want them to get Indy.

[u/jmheller33]

My favorite 500 of my childhood (I was 6). Hooked me for life.

[u/mel_anon]

This was the first 500 and maybe the first auto race I ever saw, and to this day Cogan not just surviving but walking away from that accident might be the damndest thing I've ever seen.

[u/Soundman63]

Little Al taught a generation of racing kids (me included) the meaning of good sportsmanship that day. A true class act.

[u/[deleted]]

Amazing how far ahead they were, what, 5 laps on 3rd place?

[u/[deleted]]

man that Bettenhausen story is heart wrenching, especially since Gary couldn't even start the race, you can see the pain on his face.