1987 Indianapolis 500

71st running of the Indianapolis 500 February 2025 71st Indianapolis 500 Indy500winningcar1987.JPG USAC 1987 CART season1986–87 Gold Crown Penske Racing May 24, 1987 USA Al Unser Sr. Clive Howell2011 100th Anniversary Indianapolis 500 Official Media Guide Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation/IMS Public Relations 2011 Statistics 176 English https://doctorindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/2011-Indy-500-Media-Guide.pdf 3:04:59.147 162.175 mph USA Mario Andretti 215.390 mph USA Mario Andretti COL Roberto Guerrero (205.011 mph) ITA Fabrizio Barbazza USA Mario Andretti (170) Sandi Patty Jim Nabors Mary F. Hulman Chrysler LeBaron Carroll Shelby Duane SweeneyFox Jack C. The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 Carl Hungness Publishing 4th 1994 22 en 0-915088-05-3 400,000Fans had comfort of living room in track infield https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11434998/ John R. O'Neill The Indianapolis Star 9 Newspapers.com May 25, 1987 June 2, 2017 ABC Host: Jim McKayLap-by-lap: Jim LampleyColor Analyst: Sam PoseyColor Analyst: Bobby Unser 11.0 36 1986 1988 The 71st Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday May 24, 1987. After dominating practice, qualifying, and most of the race, leader Mario Andretti slowed with mechanical problems with only 23 laps to go. Five laps later, Al Unser Sr. assumed the lead, and won his record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory. At age 47, just days short of his 48th birthday, Unser became the oldest winner of the Indy 500, a record that still stands as of 2026. Seeking his long-awaited second "500" victory, Andretti had led 170 of the first 177 laps, and at one point, had lapped the entire field. His failure to win reflected on the Andretti curse, and in an ironic twist, his act of slowing down to preserve his engine developed a harmonic imbalance which broke a valve spring.Greatest 33 Profile: Mario Andretti http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/51458/ dead https://web.archive.org/web/20140701233441/http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/51458/ July 1, 2014 Indianapolis Motor Speedway July 30, 2021 Despite dropping out, due to high attrition, Andretti still placed 9th, his eighth career top ten at Indy. During the month of May, an unusually high 25 crashes occurred during practice and qualifying, with one driver in particular, Jim Crawford, suffering serious leg injuries.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n4ZRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qRIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1636,2650073&dq=jim+crawford+crash&hl=en Johncock attempting Indy comeback The Milwaukee Sentinel Phil Cash 1987-05-11 2012-10-03 2016-03-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20160313070551/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n4ZRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=qRIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1636,2650073&dq=jim+crawford+crash&hl=en dead Dennis Firestone suffered a fractured neck and a concussion, which ended his racing career. The abundance of crashes was attributed to a combination of no rain (resulting in a greasy, slippery track), the introduction of Goodyear's radial tires,Mario hopes to give 32 the slip (Part 1) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news/201569406/ Indianapolis News Dick Mittman 1 Newspapers.com May 23, 1987 July 13, 2026Mario hopes to give 32 the slip (Part 2) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news/201569509/ Indianapolis News Dick Mittman 8 Newspapers.com May 23, 1987 July 13, 2026 increased turbulence, and handling difficulties with the March 87C.March trying hard to recoup (Part 1) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/191892274/ The Indianapolis Star Rick Shaffer 37 Newspapers.com May 20, 1987 July 13, 2026March trying hard to recoup (Part 2) https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/191892423/ The Indianapolis Star Rick Shaffer 40 Newspapers.com May 20, 1987 July 13, 2026uerrero ready to roll https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/191893733/ The Indianapolis Star Rick Shaffer 33 Newspapers.com May 21, 1987 July 13, 2026 Al Unser's victory is considered one of the biggest upsets in Indianapolis 500 history.Al Unser SportsCentury ESPN 2001-05-14 Unser, whose driving career was beginning to wind down, had dropped down to part-time status a year earlier. He entered the 1987 month of May without a ride and without sponsorship money, which left him on the sidelines during the first week of practice. After Danny Ongais suffered a concussion in a practice crash, Unser was hired by Penske to fill the vacant seat. Unser proceeded to win the race with a year-old March 86C chassis, and the venerable Cosworth DFX, the powerplant's tenth consecutive Indy victory. Unser's car, originally entered as a back-up, had been sitting in a hotel lobby in Reading, Pennsylvania, as a show car just weeks prior. The race was sanctioned by the United States Auto Club, and was included as part of the 1987 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. Of the notable statistics, the 1987 Indy 500 was the first such where the entry list did not include a single car built in the United States."The Legends of the Brickyard" - 1987 Indy 500 During the race, a spectator was killed when an errant tire was hit into the grandstand, the first spectator fatality at the event in a racing-related incident since 1938. Background Defending Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal went on to win the 1986 CART championship. During the offseason, his Truesports racing team made a highly publicized switch from the March chassis to the up-and-coming Lola chassis.Financial crunch will continue to plague Indy-car racing teams https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7075346// Robin Miller Robin Miller (journalist) The Indianapolis Star 104 Newspapers.com December 7, 1986 October 18, 2016 Truesports, however, stayed with the proven Cosworth engine. Rahal was a strong favorite to repeat as winner. For 1987, the Ilmor-Chevrolet 265-A engine expanded its participation in Indy car racing. Penske Racing fielded a three-car effort with the powerplant, while resuming its in-house chassis program. The PC-16 chassis was the primary car for the team, but as a backup, three one-year-old March 86C chassis were also entered. Newman/Haas Racing joined the Ilmor Chevrolet program, pairing the engine with a Lola T87. With it, Mario Andretti scored the engine's first victory a month earlier at Long Beach. Patrick Racing (Emerson Fittipaldi & Kevin Cogan) was the third team to utilize the Ilmor Chevrolet, but they used the March 87C chassis. Roberto Guerrero won the second race of the season, held at Phoenix. Guerrero was a rising star on the circuit, and the impressive victory from last starting position at Phoenix made him a favorite for Indy. For 1987, his Vince Granatelli Racing team was sporting a special paint job, a "throwback" day-glow orange which resembled the Andy Granatelli entries from the late 1960s and early 1970s. A new engine arrived at Indianapolis in 1987. The Judd AV V-8 was badged as the Brabham-Honda, and was fielded by Galles Racing. After part-time use during the 1986 CART season, the engine was utilized full-time beginning in 1987. Indy veteran Geoff Brabham, son of Jack Brabham (co-founder of Engine Developments Ltd.) and rookie Jeff MacPherson were the drivers.IMS will host picnic for hospital patients (Pit Pass) https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52651809/1987-indy-500/ Indianapolis Star 18 Newspapers.com May 4, 1987 June 2, 2020 At Penske Racing, Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan returned as the full-time entries. During the offseason, three-time Indy 500 winner (1970, 1971, 1978), and three-time national champion (1970, 1983, 1985) Al Unser Sr. retired from full-time driving duties. Unser had been driving for Penske from 1983 to 1986, and was still interested in driving part-time, particularly at Indianapolis and the other 500-mile races (Michigan and Pocono). Meanwhile, businessman and media mogul Ted Field arranged a deal with Roger Penske to field Indy veteran Danny Ongais in the third Penske entry. Al Unser was unable to secure a ride before the month of May, and arrived at the track unemployed, albeit shopping around for a competitive car. Goodyear arrived at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time with a new radial tire. After a few years of development in the CART series, the radials were ready for competition in the Indy 500. The most noticeable construction project completed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 1987 was a series of electronic dot matrix scoreboards installed around the track. Race schedule Race schedule – April/May 1987SunMonTueWedThuFriSat19 20 21 22 23 24ROP25ROP26ROP27 28 29 30  1  2Practice 3Practice 4Practice 5Practice 6Practice 7Practice 8Practice 9Pole Day10Time Trials11Practice12Practice13Practice14Practice15Practice16Time Trials17Bump Day18 19 20 21Carb Day22Mini-Marathon23Parade24Indy 50025Memorial Day26 27 28 29 30 31        Color Notes Green Practice Dark Blue Time trials Silver Race day Red Rained out* Blank No track activity * Includes days where trackactivity was significantlylimited due to rain ROP – denotes RookieOrientation Program Practice – week 1 thumb|Rick Mears in a Penske PC-16 chassis during the first week of practice Saturday May 2 Practice started on Opening Day, Saturday May 2. Rookie Ludwig Heimrath Jr. was the first car on the track. A somewhat light day of activity saw several drivers pass their rookie tests. Michael Andretti posted the fastest lap of the day, at 210.772 mi/h km/h on.http://www.indy500.com/images/stats/pdfs/dtr/1987.pdf 1987 Indianapolis 500 Daily Trackside Report Indy500.com 1987 2008-08-10 2008-05-15 https://web.archive.org/web/20080515205152/http://www.indy500.com/images/stats/pdfs/dtr/1987.pdf deadHungness Carl The 1987 Indianapolis 500 Yearbook Carl Hungness Publishing 1987 0-915088-46-0 His father Mario, however, did not take any laps. Sunday May 3 The second day of practice saw increased activity. Mario Andretti posted the fastest lap of the day at 213.371 mi/h km/h on. Later in the day, the weather cooled, and wind picked up. At 5:58 p.m., Pancho Carter suffered a spectacular crash. His car spun in turn three, air got underneath, and flipped upside-down. The car landed on the pavement on its roll bar, and proceeded to skid about 600 ft m through the north chute. The car hit the outside wall in turn four, and came to a rest still upside-down. Carter, however, was not seriously injured. His helmet had three major scrapes from rubbing along the pavement. Carter later proudly showed off the helmet, showing where he had rotated his head to spread the abrasion damage. Monday May 4 High winds kept the speeds down. Dennis Firestone and Roberto Guerrero tied for fast lap of the day (211.565 mph), while Mario Andretti was third. Tuesday May 5 Tuesday saw the fastest lap in Indy history to date. Mario Andretti blistered the track at an unofficial track record of 218.204 mi/h km/h on. It made him the favorite for the pole position. The next fastest time, turned in by Bobby Rahal was a full 5 mi/h km/h slower. The second crash of the month occurred, involving Dennis Firestone. He spun and crashed in turn four, breaking bones in his left foot and fracturing his left leg, eventually this crash with a second crash would sideline him for the month, and end his driving career. Wednesday May 6 Four crashes occurred during practice on Wednesday. Kevin Cogan drifted high exiting turn 1, and crashed into the outside wall. Later, Scott Brayton hit the wall in turn four. Derek Daly and Dick Ferguson both brushed the wall in the south short chutes, but both nursed their cars back to the pits. None of the four drivers were seriously injured. Mario Andretti continued his dominance of practice, leading the speed charts again, at 216.502 mi/h km/h on. A surprising second-fastest was Jim Crawford, driving a Buick-powered 1986 March to a lap of 215.982 mi/h km/h on. Cogan, Brayton, and Daly were all driving 1987 March chassis. By mid-week, teams fielding the 1987 March chassis were finding the cars difficult to handle with the new Goodyear radial tires. Coupled with the warmer temperatures, and often windy conditions, many teams were finding the search for speed difficult. Thursday May 7 thumb|right|200px|Danny Ongais during practice prior to his accident Breezy conditions continued on Thursday. The most serious crash of the month to date occurred less than an hour into the day. Danny Ongais, driving the third Penske entry, crashed hard into the outside wall in turn 4. He suffered a concussion and was sidelined for the rest of the month. The crash added to the frustration the Penske team was having so far during the month. While they were having little trouble with the Ilmor Chevrolet engine, the PC-16 chassis was deemed a lemon. Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan were struggling to keep pace, and were rarely amongst the top ten each day on the speed chart. Meanwhile, Mario Andretti continued to top the speed chart, again by 2 mi/h km/h on, with a lap at 218.234 mi/h km/h on. Rocky Moran upped the crash tally for the week to eight, when he crashed exiting turn 2. Late in the afternoon of May 7, Penske Racing decided to park the PC-16 chassis in favor of their stable of 1986 Marches. However, none were presently at the track, nor immediately race ready. In some cases, they were serving as show cars. The first car would arrive the following morning, and Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan flipped a coin to see who would drive it. Mears won the toss. "Fast" Friday May 8 The final day of practice before Pole Day was warm and windy. Mario Andretti led the speed chart once again (216.242 mph), but Bobby Rahal was a close second (215.568 mph). Four more crashes occurred, bringing the total for the month to twelve. Tom Sneva crashed exiting turn one. Dick Ferguson crashed for the second time, and suffered major damage. Gary Bettenhausen spun, and Phil Krueger suffered rear suspension damage after tagging the turn four wall. Time trials – weekend 1 thumb|right|250px|Pole-sitter Mario Andretti waits by his car during a practice session. Pole day qualifying – Saturday May 9 During morning practice on Saturday May 9, Bobby Rahal led the speed chart at 216.609 mi/h km/h on. Mario Andretti was second-fastest. Rick Mears, who only a day earlier stepped into a 1986 March, already had the car up to speed at 213.371 mi/h km/h on. Stan Fox was involved in the 13th crash of the month, when he spun out of turn three and tapped the inside wall. Hot, slick, and windy conditions were observed during pole day. Many teams who had struggled during the week with handling problems, sat idle on pole day, waiting for better track conditions.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Nd5fAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Sm0NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3421,467976&dq=indianapolis+500+practice&hl=en Slippery track keeps Indianapolis qualifying speeds down The Rochester Sentinel 1987-05-11 2012-04-10 The first two cars waved off, and Rick Mears became the first car in the field at 211.467 mi/h km/h on. Bobby Rahal tentatively secured the top spot with a run of 213.316 mi/h km/h on. Over the next hour and a half, five cars started runs, but all were waved off. By 1 p.m., there were still only two cars in the field. At 1:09 p.m., Mario Andretti took to the track. Despite hot and slick conditions, and gusty winds, Andretti took the pole position with a speed of 215.390 mi/h km/h on. Andretti's run was "nerve-wracking", inconsistent, and at times he lost traction, but the battle for the pole was settled. After Andretti's run, sparse activity took place until late in the day. Most teams stayed off the track altogether. Veteran drivers, Johnny Rutherford and Dick Simon managed successful runs, and filled the field to five cars. Jim Crawford, a darkhorse favorite for the front row in a Buick entry, made his first attempt at 2:25 p.m. The crew waved off after a slower-than-expected speed. A little over an hour later, Crawford returned to the track. After a quick warm-up lap, he lost control in turn one, and hit the wall nose-first. He suffered severe injuries, fractures to both ankles, a fractured lower right shin, and a fractured left knee. He would be sidelined for an entire year. Johnny Parsons also brushed the wall in turn 2 during a practice run, upping the total to 15 accidents during the month. Late in the day, several veterans took to the track in an attempt to qualify. Among the fastest were Roberto Guerrero and Arie Luyendyk. Shortly after 5 p.m., A. J. Foyt qualified in 4th position, extending his streak to a record thirty consecutive Indy 500 races. With reluctance, Danny Sullivan completed a slow qualifying run in his PC-16/Chevrolet. It was a strategic move, in order to secure Sullivan a tentative spot in the field in case time trials were rained out on the second weekend. At the close of pole day, only eleven cars had completed qualifying runs. With Andretti, Rahal, and Mears taking the top three spots, it was the first time since 1975 that the front row consisted of all former winners (and only the second time ever). With A. J. Foyt qualifying fourth, it was also the first time that former winners swept the top four positions. Rick Mears surprised observers by putting a year-old car (with only two days of shake-down practice) on the outside of the front row, his record seventh front row start. Veteran Dick Simon enjoyed his first start in the front two rows by qualifying 6th. The Ilmor-Chevy Indy V-8 engine won the qualifying battle, placing machines 1st and 3rd, while Cosworth's best car (Rahal) was 2nd. Second day qualifying – Sunday May 10 Three more crashes occurred on Sunday May 10, lifting the total for the month to 18. The most serious by Tom Sneva, his second crash in three days. Former winner Gordon Johncock was announced as the replacement for the injured Jim Crawford. Johncock initially retired before the 1985 race, but had tentative plans for a return in 1986. Johncock was expected to immediately begin practicing on the track. The second day of time trials opened with two attempts, by rookie Ludwig Heimrath Jr. and Rich Vogler. Over an hour and half hour later, more cars lined up to qualify. By the end of the day, the field was filled to 18 cars, with Heimrath the fastest of the afternoon. Among those not yet in the field were Al Unser Jr., Tom Sneva, and Kevin Cogan. Practice – week 2 Monday May 11 Gordon Johncock took to the track for his first stint of laps at speed. At night, the first significant rain in many days washed the track of some rubber buildup. Mario Andretti (211.714 mph) was the fastest car of the day.SPORTS PEOPLE; Johncock Returns Tuesday May 12 Penske Racing driver Danny Ongais was officially withdrawn from his entry. Following his crash on May 7, Ongais was diagnosed with a concussion, and was not medically cleared to drive. No replacement was yet announced, but Al Unser was rumored as the choice. Track activity was leisurely, with Mario Andretti leading the speed chart at 212.916 in a back-up car. Rookie Fabrizio Barbazza was the fastest driver not yet qualified at 206.091. Dominic Dobson, another rookie, used the afternoon to finish the final phases of his rookie test. Wednesday May 13 Three-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Sr. was officially announced as the replacement for the injured Danny Ongais at Penske Racing. Unser took his first laps of the month, driving a newly arrived 1986 March/Cosworth. Unser had entered the month unemployed, and was at the track supporting his son Al Unser Jr. in his efforts at Doug Shierson Racing, all the while shopping around the garage area for a competitive ride for himself. Al Unser Jr. had been struggling to get his 1987 March/Cosworth up to speed during the first week of practice, and was unable to qualify during the first weekend of time trials. Unser Sr. had planned to go home to Albuquerque by Monday, if he had not yet secured a ride. But he decided to stay through the week to help his son Unser Jr. get his car up to speed. About a day later, he was approached to drive for Penske. Al Unser Sr.'s Penske Racing teammate Danny Sullivan started taking laps for the first time in a 1986 March chassis, powered by an Ilmor Chevrolet Indy V-8. Plans were being made to withdraw Sullivan's PC-16/Chevrolet from the qualified field, and re-qualify in the year-old March. Meanwhile, Penske was already prepping a third 1986 March for Unser, but his would be powered by a Cosworth engine. Late in the day Geoff Brabham broke a wheel, and slid into the wall in turn three. It was the 19th crash of the month. Thursday May 14 Al Unser Jr., after two weeks of struggling with speed, led the non-qualified cars at 208.913 mi/h km/h on. Mario Andretti continued to practice in his back-up car, posting the fourth-fastest speed of the day. Two single-car crashes by Johnny Parsons and Rick Miaskiewicz respectively, brought the total of the month to 21 crashes. Parsons suffered a broken ankle, and was sidelined for the rest of the month. Friday May 15 The final regular day of practice took place on Friday May 15. Dennis Firestone suffered his second crash in a week, and 22nd overall for the month. In turn four, he slid into the outside wall, suffering a neck fracture and concussion. This would sideline him for the remainder of the month, and end his driving career. Al Unser Jr. again led the non-qualified cars at 210.231 mi/h km/h on. Time trials – weekend 2 Third day qualifying – Saturday May 16 thumb|right|200px|Al Unser Jr. making a qualification attempt The third day of time trials took place on May 16. Several veteran drivers, as well as a couple rookies, completed qualifying runs. By the end of the day, the field was filled to 30 cars. Among the veterans qualifying early on were Al Unser Jr., Gordon Johncock, and Al Unser Sr. Danny Sullivan withdrew his already-qualified PC-16/Chevrolet, and re-qualified with a 1986 March/Chevrolet. His qualifying speed increased by 5 mi/h km/h. Late in the afternoon, Kevin Cogan made the field, as well as Tony Bettehausen. After suffering two crashes during practice, Tom Sneva finally put a car in the field at over 207 mi/h km/h on. Shortly thereafter, the track closed for the day. Bump day qualifying – Sunday May 17 thumb|right|200px|Pancho Carter during his qualification attempt The final day of qualifying was held on May 17. At the start of the day, three positions in the starting field were vacant. Steve Chassey was the first driver to attempt to qualify, but waved off after only one lap of 195 mi/h km/h on. Chassey's car, a small single-car team, was entered by Lydia Laughrey,https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1350&dat=19870523&id=lScxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5QIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6983,7156330 Mears Again Choice To Win The Indianapolis 500 Toledo Blade Motor Sports Dave Woolford May 23, 1987 April 25, 2012 a rare female car owner. Pancho Carter withdrew his qualified car, and re-qualified faster in a backup. Phil Krueger was the third car out on the track, and his first lap would have been fast enough to ultimately make the field. On his second lap, however, he dipped low in turn one, hit the outside wall, then spun and hit the wall again. It was the 24th crash of the month. After the crash, the track stayed mostly quiet until 4:45 p.m. Steve Chassey made his second attempt to qualify, but again waved off following three, slow, inconsistent laps. Rocky Moran was next, and despite only a 199 mi/h km/h on average, he completed his run. Dominic Dobson and Davy Jones (driving for Foyt Racing) then filled the field to 33 cars. Jones in the process, became the fastest rookie qualifier in the field. With 49 minutes to go before the 6 o'clock gun, George Snider took another Foyt back-up car and bumped out Rocky Moran. It was the fourth Foyt entry to qualify for the field. The move put rookie Dominic Dobson (201.240 mph) on the bubble. Dobson survived attempts by Ed Pimm and Rick Miaskiewicz, and at 5:30 p.m., still clung to the starting field. Steve Chassey made his third and final allotted attempt. At 202.488 mi/h km/h on, he bumped his way into the field by just over 1 mph. Dobson was out, and Sammy Swindell (201.840 mph) was now on the bubble. Ed Pimm, after days of frustration, handling problems, and with the oil light flashing during his run, managed to bump Swindell out. That move dropped Chassey down to the bubble spot. Over the final twenty minutes, Chassey held on, and the field was set. Carburetion Day On Thursday May 21, the final scheduled practice session was held. The weather continued to be hot and dry. Two incidents during the session altered the grid for race day, bringing the total for the month to 25 crashes leading up to the race. About a half hour into the session, A. J. Foyt, who qualified 4th on the grid, got into turbulence in turn one. He lost control, did a half spin, and crashed hard into the wall. About an hour later, Emerson Fittipaldi, nursing an ill-handling car, spun and crashed in turn three. Foyt was uninjured, but was furious with himself after warning his rookie drivers about the challenging conditions, only to crash himself. Foyt's car was deemed repairable, and the crew worked over the next three days to put it back together, using pieces from back-up cars. By race day the car was finished, and he would be able to grid in his qualified position. Fittipaldi's car, however, was a total loss, and he would be required to start a backup car on race day. He was moved from the 10th starting position to the rear of the field (33rd). Pit Stop Contest The semifinals and finals for the 11th annual Miller Pit Stop Contest were held on Thursday May 21. The top three race qualifiers and their respective pit crews were automatically eligible: Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal, and Rick Mears. However, Mears declined the invitation. A. J. Foyt (who qualified 4th) filled that spot. Roberto Guerrero secured the fourth and final spot in the contest during preliminaries which were on held on Thursday May 14. Guerrero's team (13.945 seconds) advanced ahead of a few others who attempted to qualify.Schwitzer award to Grant https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1987-louis-schwitz/58623969/ The Indianapolis Star 38 Newspapers.com May 15, 1987 June 25, 2024 Mario Andretti and Bobby Rahal easily won their semifinal matches. Rahal's Truesports crew was led by chief mechanic Steve Horne, and was decked out in casual Hawaiian shirts for the occasion. Andretti's crew was led by chief mechanic Colin Duff. Andretti, marching closer to a clean sweep for the month, defeated Rahal in the final round to notch Newman/Haas Racing's first and only victory in the Pit Stop Contest. Rahal beat Andretti off the line, but Rahal's crew had difficulty changing the left front wheel. Andretti's team had a smooth, trouble-free stop, and won easily.Mario's crew takes Pit Stop Competitions https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1987-indy-500-pit/114353374/ The Indianapolis Star 27 Newspapers.com May 22, 1987 June 25, 2024 Semifinals Finals 5 Mario Andretti(Newman/Haas Racing) 21.96 4 Roberto Guerrero(Vince Granatelli Racing) 24.94 1 Bobby Rahal(Truesports) 21.34 14 A. J. Foyt(A. J. Foyt Enterprises) 23.24 5 Mario Andretti(Newman/Haas Racing) 18.05 1 Bobby Rahal(Truesports) 23.27 Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside15 USA Mario AndrettiHanna Auto Wash/Rain-XNewman/Haas RacingLola T8700, Chevrolet 265215.39 mph km/h on1 USA Bobby RahalBudweiser/Red Roof InnsTruesportsLola T8700, Cosworth DFX213.316 mph km/h on8 USA Rick MearsPennzoil Z-7Penske RacingMarch 86C, Chevrolet 265211.467 mph km/h on214 USA A.J. FoytCopenhagen/GilmoreA. J. Foyt EnterprisesLola T8700, Cosworth DFX210.935 mph km/h on4 Colombia Roberto GuerreroTrue Value/STPGranatelli RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX210.68 mph km/h on22 USA Dick SimonSoundesignDick Simon RacingLola T8700, Cosworth DFX209.96 mph km/h on371 Netherlands Arie LuyendykLiving Well/Provimi Veal/WTTVHemelgarn RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX208.337 mph km/h on21 USA Johnny RutherfordVermont AmericanAlex Morales RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX208.296 mph km/h on18 USA Michael AndrettiKraco/STPKraco RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX206.129 mph km/h on423 CAN Ludwig Heimrath Jr.Mackenzie Financial/Tim HortonsDick Simon RacingLola T8700, Cosworth DFX207.591 mph km/h on81 USA Rich VoglerByrd's Kentucky Fried Chicken/Living WellHemelgarn RacingMarch 87C, Buick V-6205.887 mph km/h on11 USA Jeff MacPhersonMcHoward LeasingGalles RacingMarch 87C, Judd205.688 mph km/h on591 USA Scott BraytonAmway/AutostyleHemelgarn RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX205.647 mph km/h on15 Australia Geoff BrabhamTeam ValvolineGalles RacingMarch 87C, Judd205.503 mph km/h on56 USA Gary BettenhausenGenesee Beer WagonGohr RacingMarch 86C, Cosworth DFX204.504 mph km/h on63 USA Danny SullivanMiller AmericanPenske RacingMarch 86C, Chevrolet 265210.271 mph km/h on12 ITA Fabrizio BarbazzaArciero WineryArciero RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX208.038 mph km/h on2 USA Gordon JohncockSTP Oil TreatmentAmerican RacingMarch 86C, Buick V-6207.99 mph km/h on777 IRL Derek DalyScheid Tire/Superior Training/MetrolinkPace RacingMarch 87C, Buick V-6207.522 mph km/h on25 USA Al UnserCummins/Holset TurboPenske RacingMarch 86C, Cosworth DFX207.423 mph km/h on33 USA Tom SnevaSkoal BanditMike CurbMarch 86C, Buick V-6207.254 mph km/h on830 USA Al Unser Jr.Domino's Pizza 'Hot One'Doug Shierson RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX206.752 mph km/h on24 USA Randy LewisToshiba/Altos/OracleLeader Cards RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX206.209 mph km/h on7 USA Kevin CoganMarlboroPatrick RacingMarch 87C, Chevrolet 265205.999 mph km/h on955 MEX Josele GarzaBryant Heating & Cooling/Schaefer BeerMachinists Union RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX205.692 mph km/h on41 USA Stan FoxKerker Exhaust/Skoal ClassicA. J. Foyt EnterprisesMarch 86C, Cosworth DFX204.518 mph km/h on16 USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr.Nationwise/PaylessBettenhausen MotorsportsMarch 86C, Cosworth DFX203.892 mph km/h on1044 USA Davy JonesSkoal Classic/Gilmore/UNOA. J. Foyt EnterprisesMarch 86C, Cosworth DFX208.117 mph km/h on29 USA Pancho CarterHardee'sMachinists Union RacingMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX205.154 mph km/h on98 USA Ed PimmSkoal ClassicMike CurbMarch 86C, Cosworth DFX203.284 mph km/h on1184 USA George SniderCalumet/CopenhagenA. J. Foyt EnterprisesMarch 86C, Chevy V-6203.192 mph km/h on87 USA Steve ChasseyUnited Oil/Life of IndianaUnited OilMarch 87C, Cosworth DFX202.488 mph km/h on20 BRA Emerson Fittipaldi†MarlboroPatrick RacingMarch 87C, Chevrolet 265205.584 mph km/h on † - Emerson Fittipaldi qualified 10th on pole day. On Carburetion Day, he crashed his already-qualified car, and it was damaged beyond repair. The car was replaced with a back-up car, and was moved the rear of the field. Alternates First alternate: Sammy Swindell orange R silver (#59) – bumped Second alternate: Dominic Dobson orange R silver (#17) – bumped Failed to qualify Rocky Moran (#76) – bumped Rick Miaskiewicz orange R silver (#97) – too slow Jim Crawford (#2T) – wrecked qualifying on pole day; suffered serious injuries to feet and legs, replaced by Gordon Johncock Phil Krueger (#10T) – wrecked qualifying on bump day Danny Ongais (#25) – wrecked in practice; suffered concussion and replaced by Al Unser Dick Ferguson (#19) - wrecked in practice; car was rebuilt by bump day but never turned a lap at speed Dennis Firestone (#10) - wrecked in practice, injured Spike Gehlhausen (#35) - did not attempt to qualify Johnny Parsons (#91) - wrecked in practice, broken leg Race summary Start Race day dawned warm with clear blue skies. During the pace lap, the car of George Snider caught fire, with a turbocharger failure. Snider pulled into the pits, as the rest of the field took the green flag. Mario Andretti charged from the pole position, and led the field into turn one. In the first turn of the first lap, Josele Garza was down low on the white line, and lost the back end of the car. Right next to Al Unser, he started spinning. Unser slipped by cleanly, but reported being tagged gently from behind. Garza spun up the track, and collected Pancho Carter. Neither driver was injured, but both cars suffered damage. First half On lap 6, the green came back out, with Mario Andretti continuing to lead. Driving at a blistering pace, it took only seven laps for him to start lapping backmarkers. On lap 25, Ludwig Heimrath was running 7th, and made his first pit stop, but one of the wheels was not properly secured. The wheel came off, and he spun in turn four. Under the caution, Mario Andretti pitted, and managed to stay in the lead. Only seven cars remained on the lead lap. Around the 100 mi km on mark, several cars were dropping out of contention. Kevin Cogan blew an engine, Randy Lewis dropped out with a gearbox failure, and Michael Andretti broke a CV joint, then had a pit fire. On lap 34, Bobby Rahal, who had been running as high as second, made an unscheduled, five-minute long pit stop due to an electrical problem. After several long stops, Rahal would eventually drop out. Mario Andretti continued to dominate, giving up the lead temporarily only through the sequence of pit stops. Roberto Guerrero and Danny Sullivan consistently were chasing him. Shortly before the halfway point, Rick Mears was forced to the pits with an electrical problem, and would also be forced to drop out. At the 90 lap mark, Al Unser Sr. had worked up to 4th, and Tom Sneva 5th. Unser had been lapped by Andretti early in the going. At that juncture, he elected to change his strategy and started charging up the standings. Andretti was still dominating, running laps in the low 200 mph range, while most other cars were in the 190 mph range, or slower. Dick Simon was running 7th, but ran the car out of fuel on the backstretch. He lost several laps as he was towed back to the pits, but received fuel, and returned to the track. Second half The dominance by Mario Andretti continued in the second half, leading Roberto Guerrero by several seconds. The rest of the field was at least one lap down. Several of the other competitors were falling by the wayside, including A. J. Foyt (who was running 9th) and Rich Vogler. Sullivan and Unser Sr., both in the top 5, were now close to 2 laps down. Meanwhile, Tom Sneva and Arie Luyendyk, clinging to the top ten, both started losing ground to Fabrizio Barbazza. Spectator fatality thumb|right|300px|A replica of Roberto Guerrero's 1987 March/Cosworth (shown in road course trim) thumb|right|300px|A close-up look of the 1987 March chassis nose cone area with the cover removed. Note the location of the brake master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder nestled inside. This part of the car was damaged when Guerrero struck the errant wheel. On the 130th lap,Hard luck forces Guerrero to settle for second https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6716948/1987_indianapolis_500/ Shaffer Rick The Indianapolis Star 3 Newspapers.com May 25, 1987 September 20, 2016 Tony Bettenhausen started suffering a handling problem exiting turn two. Down the backstretch, his right-front wheel lug nut may have come off the car, and the wheel began to loosen. In turn three, the wheel came off and began rolling though the north short chute. Second place Roberto Guerrero came up on the wheel suddenly, and hit it with his nosecone. The nosecone cover was broken off, and the wheel was punted high into the air. The wheel cleared the catchfencing, and flew towards the "K" grandstand. Spectators were witnessed fleeing the seating in a "V" shape as the 18-pound wheel headed their direction. The wheel came down and struck 41-year-old Lyle Kurtenbach of Rothschild, Wisconsin in the head, sitting in the top row of the grandstand. He suffered massive head injuries, and was pronounced dead at Methodist Hospital shortly afterwards. The wheel bounded and came to rest in the tunnel underneath the north short chute.Airborne tire kills spectator in stands (Part 1) https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6716821/1987_indianapolis_500/ Smith Bruce C. Rosenberg Beth L. The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com May 25, 1987 September 20, 2016Airborne tire kills spectator in stands (Part 2) https://www.newspapers.com/clip/6716834/1987_indianapolis_500/ Smith Bruce C. Rosenberg Beth L. The Indianapolis Star 2 Newspapers.com May 25, 1987 September 20, 2016 Guerrero slowed, and nursed his car back to the pits. Under the caution flag, the pit crew worked to replace the nosecone, and got Guerrero back on to the track, albeit a lap down. It was not immediately discovered at the time, but striking the tire had damaged the clutch slave cylinder, which was located in the nose. Fluid had begun to leak from the cylinder, which would ultimately render the clutch inoperable. At speed, use of the clutch was largely unnecessary, as most drivers were practiced in shifting without the clutch. But exiting the pits from a standing start would pose increasing difficulty. The incident was reported live on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network by fourth turn reporter Bob Jenkins.1987 Indianapolis 500 live radio, IMS Radio Network, May 24, 1987 The extent of injury was unknown at the time. The live ABC television broadcast, however, was at commercial when it occurred.1987 Indianapolis 500 Live television broadcast, ABC Sports, May 24, 1987 During the commercial, the incident was noticed by the producers and commentators.1987 Indianapolis 500 Live television broadcast- Satellite feed, ABC Sports, May 24, 1987 When they returned on-air, however, footage of the incident was not shown, nor were specific details given of what had occurred. Instead, still images of Guerrero's nosecone and pit crew were shown. No further information was given during the remainder of the race. During the post-race coverage, Jim McKay briefly announced on-air that the Associated Press wire service was reporting that a spectator fatality had occurred, but he did not connect the incidents. Late race With 25 laps to go, Mario Andretti held a one-lap lead over second place Roberto Guerrero, and an almost two-lap lead over third place Al Unser Sr. The field had dwindled down to only 12 cars running, most of which were many laps down. With Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan both out of the race, Roger Penske took over the pit of Al Unser Sr. Sullivan, Mears as well as other team members, gathered at Unser's pit stall to watch the race finish and pull for their teammate. Andretti, Guerrero, and Unser all needed one final fuel stop to make it to the finish. Unser Sr. made his final pit stop first. Roger Penske called Unser into the pits a few laps early, in an effort to "put the pressure on Guerrero"http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/videos/watch/1427-Centennial_Era_Moments_-_Al_Unser Centennial Era Moments – Al Unser – 1987 IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com 2009-01-13 2009-11-19August 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes in hopes of at least moving up to second place. On lap 176, Andretti was leading Guerrero by just over one lap. He began to slow coming out of turn 4, which allowed Guerrero to pass him (and un-lap himself). At first it was believed that Andretti was ducking into the pits for his final pit stop. However, Andretti suddenly slowed down the frontstretch as he started lap 177. An electrical failure in the fuel metering device, part of the fuel injection system, began flooding the engine with raw fuel.Legends of the Brickyard – 1987 Indianapolis 500, ESPN, 1987 After the race, it was determined that Andretti had begun to back off to protect his lead. His lower revs developed a harmonic imbalance in the engine, which broke a valve spring. Andretti had led 170 of first 177 laps. The misfortune reinforced the perceived Andretti Curse.McKee Craig Mario's blessed ride is cursed again Indianapolis Star May 25, 1987 Andretti coasted around to the pit area, and the team immediately replaced the spark box and wastegate. Guerrero stormed into the lead, but still had one pit stop remaining. Sitting still in the pit area, the once dominating Andretti started slipping in the standings. Finish With twenty laps to go, Roberto Guerrero led second place Unser Sr. by almost a full lap. He came upon Unser Sr. in traffic, and decisively put him a lap down on lap 180. Two laps later, Guerrero went to the pits for his final fuel stop. With his clutch failing from the earlier incident, entering and exiting the pits was becoming increasingly difficult. Sometime during the race, Guerrero had also broken third gear. While stopped in the pit box, his car became stuck in gear. When refueling was complete, he attempted to pull out of the pits, but the engine stalled. Unser Sr. was driving through the turn three at the time. The crew refired the engine, and the car started to roll away. With Unser Sr. heading down the mainstretch, Guerrero's car stalled once again. The lifeless car sat on the pit road as Unser Sr. drove by to take the lead. Guerrero's frenzied crew ran out to the car and pulled it back to the pit. At that point, they simply tried to push start the car, which was successful. Guerrero finally got back on to the track, but by that time, Unser Sr. had put him a full lap down. Meanwhile, Mario Andretti's team had made some hasty repairs, and returned him to the track. After one slow lap, still being scored in the top 8, he returned to the pits for further repairs. Guerrero spent the next several laps furiously chasing Unser Sr. in an attempt to get his lap back. With 11 laps to go, Unser was slowing his pace as the third place car, rookie Fabrizio Barbazza was momentarily holding him back. Barbazza was trying to avoid going two laps down. Unser's crew asked officials to wave the "blue flag" to order Barbazza to pull over and allow Unser past. Officials waved the blue flag to Barbazza who refused to acknowledge. The issue became moot when Barbazza ducked into the pits for a late pit stop. With 9 laps to go, Guerrero unlapped himself. Meanwhile, Mario Andretti tried once again to get his car back up to speed. Mario Andretti's second return to the track was also short-lived, and his car stalled. The car coasted to a stop in turn four and brought out the race's final caution on lap 192. The yellow flag bunched up the field, and allowed Guerrero to make up the rest of the lap; he lined up only six cars behind Unser Sr. The green flag came out with four laps to go, and Al Unser Sr. held off Roberto Guerrero by 4.496 seconds, to win his record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory. By leading the final 18 laps, Unser Sr. tied the all-time record for most laps led in Indy 500 competition, and, at 47 years of age, also became the oldest winner of the 500. Post-race notes thumb|right|250px|A replica of Al Unser Sr.'s winning car with "Cummins" decals accurately depicted in original race day configuration; mixed case on the left sidepod (top), and all-caps on the right sidepod (bottom) Mario Andretti's dominance of the month, and subsequent failure to achieve victory, was largely unprecedented in modern times. He led the practice speed chart on 11 of the 17 days (he participated in only 13 days), won the pole position, won the pit stop contest, had the fastest leading lap of the race, and led 170 of the first 177 laps. Despite not running at the finish, due to high attrition, Andretti was still credited with 9th place, his 8th top-10 finish at Indy. Al Unser Sr.'s victory in a year-old car was unusual in the CART era. Just weeks prior to being used in the race, the car had been sitting on display at a Sheraton hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania. The car went from Hertz sponsorship to Cummins after a couple of days. Due to time constraints, proper decals were unavailable in time for qualifying. Unser Sr.'s car was fitted with sentence case "Cummins" decals (the proper form of the company's logo) on the left sidepod - the side most visible, and the side used for most official photographs. All upper case "CUMMINS" decals (an improper rendition of the company's logo) were used on the right sidepod (the side least visible, and seldom photographed).Radio broadcast 2007 All-Night Race Party WIBC May 26, 2007 In post-race interviews, brothers Bobby Unser and Al Unser had a live conversation from the television broadcasting booth to victory circle, with Bobby congratulating his brother Al. It is believed to be the only time brothers were part of the victory lane interview. Bobby was seen in tears of joy as he watched his family celebrate in victory lane, from the broadcast booth. Bobby was in his first race broadcasting the Indy 500 on ABC television (the previous year he was part of the radio network crew). According to Unser, he told the booth about the chances of his brother winning the race being good when coming down to Guerrero possibly making a mistake.https://www.espn.com/racing/blog/racing/story/_/id/23597607/look-back-best-memories-abc-televising-indycar-race ESPN.com A look back at the best moments of the Indy 500 on ABC Ryan McGee May 25, 2018 Two nights before the race, at the Hulman Hundred, Al Unser Sr.'s nephew Robby Unser suffered a broken leg in a crash. Robby listened to the race on the radio at the hospital, while Robby's father Bobby Unser called the race live on ABC Sports. This was the final Indy 500 for famous spectator Larry Bisceglia of Yuma. He traditionally was the first person in line since 1950, as well as 1948–1949 when he was one of the first in line.https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1987/05/12/gates-may-be-closing-on-indy-500-tradition/ Gates May Be Closing On Indy 500 Tradition The Orlando Sentinel Brian Schmitz May 12, 1987 May 5, 2017 Bisceglia died on December 7, 1988.Mittman Dick 2002 Indianapolis 500 Record Book Sams Technical Publishing 2002 135 1-931841-63-2 A little more than two months after the race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted the opening ceremonies for the Pan Am Games. Box score FinishStartNoNameTeamChassisEngineLapsStatusPoints12025USA Al Unser gold W silverPenske RacingMarch 86CCosworth DFX200162.175 mph20254COL Roberto GuerreroVince Granatelli RacingMarch 87CCosworth DFX200 +4.496 seconds1631712ITA Fabrizio Barbazza orange R silverArciero RacingMarch 87CCosworth DFX198 -2 Laps1442230USA Al Unser Jr.Doug Shierson RacingMarch 87CCosworth DFX196 -4 Laps1251556USA Gary BettenhausenGohr RacingMarch 86CCosworth DFX195 -5 Laps106622USA Dick Simon Dick Simon RacingLola T87/00Cosworth DFX193 -7 Laps872641USA Stan Fox orange R silverA. J. Foyt EnterprisesMarch 86CCosworth DFX192 -8 Laps681211USA Jeff MacPherson orange R silverGalles RacingMarch 87CBrabham-Honda182 -18 Laps5915USA Mario Andretti gold W silverNewman/Haas RacingLola T87/00Ilmor-Chevrolet180Valve spring6 (2)102716USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr.Bettenhausen MotorsportsMarch 86CCosworth DFX171Engine311821USA Johnny Rutherford gold W silverAlex Morales MotorsportsMarch 87CCosworth DFX171 -29 Laps2121391USA Scott BraytonHemelgarn RacingMarch 87CCosworth DFX167Engine113163USA Danny Sullivan gold W silverPenske RacingMarch 86CIlmor-Chevrolet160Engine0142133USA Tom Sneva gold W silverMike Curb RacingMarch 86CBuick V-6143Crash T20151977IRL Derek DalyBC Pace RacingMarch 87CBuick V-6133Engine0163320BRA Emerson FittipaldiPatrick RacingMarch 87CIlmor-Chevrolet131Lost Power0172555MEX Josele GarzaMachinists Union RacingMarch 87CCosworth DFX129 Flagged018771NED Arie LuyendykHemelgarn RacingMarch 87CCosworth DFX125Suspension019414USA A. J. Foyt gold W silverA. J. Foyt EnterprisesLola T87/00Cosworth DFX117Oil Seal0201181USA Rich VoglerHemelgarn RacingMarch 87CBuick V-6109Rocker Arm0213098USA Ed PimmMike Curb RacingMarch 86CCosworth DFX109Lost Boost022182USA Gordon Johncock gold W silverAmerican Racing SeriesMarch 86CBuick V-676Valve02338USA Rick Mears gold W silverPenske RacingMarch 86CIlmor-Chevrolet75Coil Wire0241415AUS Geoff BrabhamGalles RacingMarch 87CBrabham-Honda71Oil Pressure0253287USA Steve ChasseyLydia LaughreyMarch 87CCosworth DFX68Engine02621USA Bobby Rahal gold W silverTruesportsLola T87/00Cosworth DFX57Ignition0272929USA Pancho CarterMachinists Union RacingMarch 87CCosworth DFX45Valve0282844USA Davy Jones orange R silverA. J. Foyt EnterprisesMarch 86CCosworth DFX34Engine029918USA Michael AndrettiKraco RacingMarch 87CCosworth DFX28CV Joint0301023CAN Ludwig Heimrath orange R silverDick Simon RacingLola T87/00Cosworth DFX25Spin031247USA Kevin CoganPatrick RacingMarch 87CIlmor-Chevrolet21Oil Pump0322324USA Randy Lewis orange R silverLeader Card RacersMarch 87CCosworth DFX8Gearbox0333184USA George SniderA. J. Foyt EnterprisesMarch 86CChevy V-60Fuel Leak0 gold W silver Former Indianapolis 500 winner orange R silver Indianapolis 500 Rookie All cars utilized Goodyear tires. Race statistics Lap leaders Laps Leader 1–27 Mario Andretti 28 Roberto Guerrero 29–60 Mario Andretti 61–64 Danny Sullivan 65–80 Mario Andretti 81 Roberto Guerrero 82–96 Mario Andretti 97 Roberto Guerrero 98–177 Mario Andretti 178–182 Roberto Guerrero 183–200 Al Unser Sr. Total laps led Driver Laps Mario Andretti 170 Al Unser Sr. 18 Roberto Guerrero 8 Danny Sullivan 4 Cautions: 10 for 54 laps Laps Reason 1–5 Josele Garza, Pancho Carter crash in turn 1 27–33 Ludwig Heimrath spun/lost wheel in turn 4 39–42 Debris 62–67 Debris 81–84 Danny Sullivan spun in turn 4 96–101 Dick Simon stalled on backstretch 131–134 Tony Bettenhausen lost wheel in turn 3 150–158 Tom Sneva crash in turn 3 162–166 Fabrizio Barbazza spun in turn 3 192–196 Mario Andretti stalled in turn 4 Broadcasting Radio The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network. This would be the final 500 that featured the familiar crew that worked the race from the mid-1970s to the late-1980s. Paul Page served as the chief announcer for the eleventh and final year until 2014 when he took over for Mike King who unexpectedly resigned at the end of 2013. He would remain through the end of 2015 until a suitable replacement was found (Mark Jaynes). It was Page's fourteenth year overall as part of the network crew. Lou Palmer, who debuted in 1958, had become a fixture of the south pits and victory lane since 1963. The 1987 race was the final time Palmer reported from the pit area, and the final time he conducted the victory lane winner's interview. Parnelli Jones joined the crew as the "driver expert." After only one year on the radio crew, Bobby Unser left to become a driver analyst for the ABC television crew. Luke Walton reprised his traditional duty of introducing the starting command during the pre-race; however, he did not have an active role during the race. With four pit reporters now part of the crew, Bob Forbes went back to exclusive duty covering the garage area and track hospital. Later in the year, Paul Page left NBC Sports and joined ABC in September. As a result, Page left the IMS Radio Network, and ultimately would be replaced as "Voice of the 500" by Lou Palmer for 1988. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio NetworkBooth announcersTurn reportersPit/garage reportersChief Announcer: Paul Page Driver expert: Parnelli Jones Statistician: John DeCamp Historian: Donald DavidsonTurn 1: Jerry Baker Turn 2: Howdy Bell Turn 3: Larry Henry Turn 4: Bob JenkinsLuke Walton (pre-race)Sally Larvick (interviews)Bob Forbes (garages)Ron Carrell (north pits)Chuck Marlowe (north-central pits)Gary Gerould (south-central pits)Lou Palmer (south pits) Television ABC Sports carried live flag-to-flag coverage in the United States for the first time on the scheduled race day. Jim McKay served as host, his 20th and final "500" on ABC. Jim Lampley served as announcer for the second and final time. Bobby Unser joined ABC starting in 1987, serving as color commentator alongside Sam Posey. Unser had been working CART series races on NBC (with anchor Paul Page) and had been part of the IMS Radio Network crew in 1986. Three pit reporters served on the crew: Jack Arute, Al Trautwig, and Jerry Gappens (the future CEO of New Hampshire Motor Speedwayhttp://www.nhms.com/jerrygappens/ Jerry Gappens as "The Boss" New Hampshire Motor Speedway 2012-07-17August 2018 InternetArchiveBot yes ). The 1987 race was Gappens' lone appearance at Indy, and Trautwig's assignments primarily focused on features and interviews. The victory lane interview of race winner Al Unser Sr., conducted by Arute, featured a unique moment when Bobby Unser took over and conducted a brief interview with his brother. The broadcast has re-aired numerous times on ESPN Classic since the mid-2000s. ABC TelevisionBooth announcersPit/garage reportersHost: Jim McKay Announcer: Jim Lampley Color: Sam Posey Color: Bobby UnserJack AruteJerry GappensAl Trautwig CART standings following the race Note: Only the top 10 are listed. RankDriverPointsDiffPos change 1 Mario Andretti 39 Leader 0 2 Roberto Guerrero 38 -1 +1 3 Al Unser Jr. 28 -11 +2 4 Michael Andretti 24 -15 -2 5 Al Unser 20 -19 Unranked 6 Josele Garza 18 -21 -2 7 Bobby Rahal 16 -23 -2 8 Fabrizio Barbazza 15 -24 +12 9 Tom Sneva 14 -25 -2 9 Arie Luyendyk 14 -25 -2 1986–87 USAC Gold Crown Championship USAC Championship Car 1986–87 USAC Gold Crown Championship 1 National champion United States Al Unser Sr. 1985–86 1987–88 The 1986–87 USAC Gold Crown Championship season consisted of one sanctioned race. The schedule was based on a split-calendar, beginning in June 1986 and running through May 1987. Starting in 1981, USAC scaled back their participation in top-level Indy car racing, and ultimately ceased sanctioning races outside of the Indianapolis 500 following their 1983–84 season. Subsequently, the Gold Crown Championship would consist of only one event annually; the winner of the Indianapolis 500 would be the de facto Gold Crown champion, as it was their lone points-paying event. The preeminent national championship season was instead sanctioned by CART, and the Indy 500 paid championship points separately (on a different scale) toward the CART championship as well. Al Unser Sr., by virtue of winning the 1987 Indianapolis 500, also won the 1986–87 USAC Championship.Unser, Penske top USAC award recipients https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1988-usac-gold-cro/111025201/ The Indianapolis Star 25 Newspapers.com January 31, 1988 October 22, 2023 Final points standings (top five) List of American Championship car racing points scoring systems#USAC Gold Crown Championship 1981–1995 Pos Driver INDYUSA Pts 1 USA Al Unser Sr. 1 1000 2COL Roberto Guerrero 2 800 3 Italy Fabrizio Barbazza 3 700 4USA Al Unser Jr. 4 600 5USA Gary Bettenhausen 5 500 Selected rules and specifications Engine regulations Engine Type MaximumDisplacement TurbochargerBoost Turbocharged DOHC V-8 161.7 cuin L 2 on 47 inHg mbar on Turbocharged Stock Block V-6 209.3 cuin L 2 on 57 inHg mbar on Normally aspriated OHC 274.6 cuin L 2 on — Normally aspriated Stock Block 355.1 cuin L 2 on — Fuel On-board capacity Total allotment Methanol 40 USgal L 1 on 280 USgal L onSource:Mittman Dick Pittman Bill 2001 Indianapolis 500 Record Book Indianapolis Sams Technical Publishing LLC The Indianapolis Star/News 500 Mile Race Record Book English 2001 0-7906-1239-9 Rookie Test Phase Laps Speed bracket110 180–185 mph210 185–190 mph3*10 190–195 mph4*10 195–200 mphSource:A quick trip to Indy for rookie Davy Jones https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/191174822/ The Indianapolis Star 74 Newspapers.com April 28, 1987 March 17, 2026 *Veteran Refresher tests consisted of Phases 3–4 of the rookie test. Notes References Works cited 1987 Indianapolis 500 Day-By-Day Trackside Report For the Media Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats – official site 1987 Indianapolis 500 radio broadcast, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network 1986 Bobby Rahal 1987 Al Unser 1988 Rick Mears Category:Indianapolis 500 races Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis Indianapolis 500