1988 Michigan 500

August 2023 The 1988 Michigan 500, the eighth running of the event, was held at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, on Sunday, August 7, 1988. Branded as the 1988 Marlboro 500 for sponsorship reasons, the race was won by Danny Sullivan, his first Michigan 500 victory and the first Michigan 500 win for Team Penske at the track Roger Penske owned. The event was race number 9 of 15 in the 1988 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. 42 03 58.68 N 84 14 29.18 W type:landmark title United States Michigan 500 Michigan International Speedway track map.png August 7 1988 1988 Marlboro 500 9 15 CART Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan, United States Permanent racing facility 2.000 3.219 250 500.000 804.672 Partly Cloudy with temperatures up to 91 F C; wind speeds reaching up to 13 mph km/hWeather information for the 1988 Michigan 500 at Wunderground USA Rick Mears Team Penske 218.427 mph km/h on USA Danny Sullivan Team Penske USA Bobby Rahal Truesports USA Michael Andretti Kraco Enterprises Background In 1988, Marlboro introduced the Marlboro Million, offering a one million dollar prize should a driver win the Marlboro Grand Prix at the Meadowlands, the Marlboro 500 at Michigan, and the Marlboro Challenge.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1988-marlboro-mill/127389547/ Indianapolis Star Indiana Associated Press Marlboro To Award Big Bonus July 20, 1988 18 Two weeks before the Marlboro 500, Al Unser Jr. won the Marlboro Grand Prix and entered Michigan still eligible for the Marlboro Million. In May, Rick Mears won the 1988 Indianapolis 500. Roberto Guerrero suffered severe head injuries in a testing crash at Indianapolis in September 1987. After spending 17 days in a coma, he recovered and returned to racing in early 1988. After finishing second in the season opener, Guerrero had a series of poor runs. Feeling he was performing poorly, he stepped out of the car. After a month away, Guerrero returned at the Michigan 500.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pra/127408519/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Guerrero Gets Grip on Troubles August 5, 1988 48 A. J. Foyt was hospitalized a day before practice began with abdominal ailments. He hired Johnny Rutherford to drive his car. Rutherford was scheduled to do color commentary for ESPN's broadcast of the race.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pra/127408519/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Foyt Ailing August 5, 1988 48 Practice and Time Trials In Thursday's opening practice, Rick Mears set the fastest speed at 218.612 mph. His teammate Al Unser was second at 216.028 mph.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pra/127408540/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Mears Sears at MIS, favored to win pole August 5, 1988 43 Mario Andretti was third at 215.892 mph. Gordon Johncock impressed with the 8th fastest speed at 210.422 mph. It was Johncock's first race at Michigan since 1984.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pra/127408519/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Mears Favored to Win Pole in Indycar Marlboro 500 August 5, 1988 48 In Friday morning's practice session, Rick Mears ran a lap of 221.2 mph with cool, overcast conditions. Wind picked up for the afternoon time trials. On his first attempt at qualifying, Rick Mears returned to the pits after a gust of wind pushed him towards the wall on his warmup lap. After putting on an old set of tires, Mears returned to the track and ran a lap of 218.427 mph to win the pole. Al Unser qualified second with a speed of 216.060 mph. Mario Andretti joined the Penske cars on the front row with a speed of 215.673 mph.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1988-michigan-500/127408633/ Indianapolis Star Indiana Associated Press Mears Whips Gusty Wind to Snag Marlboro Pole August 6, 1988 25 On Saturday, the International Race of Champions competed at Michigan. NASCAR Winston Cup driver Geoff Bodine took Dick Simon's backup car out for four test laps on Saturday morning. Bodine's fastest lap was 200.781 mph. Bodine went on to win the IROC race that afternoon.https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-post-1988-michigan-500-iroc-bodi/127423066/ Courier Post New Jersey Associated Press 200 MPH Test Run for Bodine August 7, 1988 73 Race thumb|right|The start of the 1988 Marlboro 500 A crowd of 65,000 spectators filled the grandstands for the eighth annual Michigan 500. Prior to the race, Danny Sullivan was suffering from the flu and was unsure if he could run the entire race.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500/127408435/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Mears' Awesome Start Turns Sour August 8, 1988 53 When the race began, Rick Mears pulled out to a sizable lead. He was remained in the lead for most of the first 150 laps, leading 94 laps in total. Mears was challenged at times by Emerson Fittipaldi, Al Unser, Mario Andretti, and Bobby Rahal, who all took turns at the lead.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pt/127408453/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Sullivan Shatters Marlboro 500 Speed Mark August 8, 1988 53 On lap 143, Derek Daly hit oil on the track and hit the wall in turn three. Daly was unhurt. Under caution, Al Unser spun on pit road. On the restart from Daly's crash, Mears suffered a failure of the CV Joint.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500/127408435/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Mears' Awesome Start Turns Sour August 8, 1988 53 His team replaced the part in 30 laps, but retired from the race with engine failure after completing 177 laps.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pt/127408453/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Sullivan Shatters Marlboro 500 Speed Mark August 8, 1988 53 Danny Sullivan inherited the lead following Mears's mechanical failure. Al Unser led 19 laps but also dropped out of the race with engine failure after 216 laps were completed. The final caution came out with 11 laps remaining when Dick Simon's car dropped fluid on the track. That set up a seven lap run to the finish with Sullivan winning by one lap over Bobby Rahal.https://www.champcarstats.com/races/198809.htm 1988 Marlboro 500 Results Sullivan's win allowed him to become the third driver to win all three of IndyCar's current 500 mile Triple Crown races. He joined Johnny Rutherford and Mario Andretti by winning at Indianapolis, Pocono, and Michigan. It was the first win for Team Penske in the Michigan 500 at the track Roger Penske owned.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pen/127408430/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press At Last, Penske Wins at His Own Track August 8, 1988 53 Only eight of the 28 starters finished the race and Sullivan was the only Chevrolet to finish.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pt/127408472/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Sullivan Sizzles in Marlboro August 8, 1988 46 The race's average speed of 180.564 mph made the event the fastest 500 mile IndyCar race, breaking the record set one year prior in the 1987 Michigan 500.https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-1988-michigan-500-pt/127408472/ Detroit Free Press Michigan Associated Press Sullivan Sizzles in Marlboro August 8, 1988 46 Box score FinishGridNo Car numberNameEntrantChassisEngineLapsTime/StatusLed Laps ledPoints Points include one bonus point for leading the most laps and one bonus point for qualifying on pole position 1 5 9 USA Danny Sullivan Penske Racing Penske PC-17 Ilmor-Chevrolet 250 2:46:03.820 92 20 2 4 1 USA Bobby Rahal Truesports Lola T88/00 Judd 249 +1 Lap 18 16 3 14 18 USA Michael Andretti Kraco Racing Lola T88/00 Cosworth 247 +3 Laps 0 14 4 18 16 USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr. Bettenhausen Motorsports Lola T87/00 Cosworth 240 +10 Laps 0 12 5 22 77 USA Phil Krueger US Engineering March 86C Cosworth 239 +11 Laps 0 10 6 9 85 USA Gordon Johncock Hemelgarn Racing Lola T88/00 Cosworth 237 +13 Laps 0 8 7 17 22 USA Dick Simon Dick Simon Racing Lola T88/00 Cosworth 227 +23 Laps 0 6 8 26 12 CAN John Jones Arciero Racing March 88C Cosworth 221 +29 Laps 0 5 9 2 60 USA Al Unser Penske Racing Penske PC-17 Ilmor-Chevrolet 216 Engine 19 4 10 25 55 USA Scott Atchison Machinists Union Racing March 86C Cosworth 214 +36 Laps 0 3 11 10 30 BRA Raul Boesel Doug Shierson Racing Lola T88/00 Cosworth 211 Engine 0 2 12 3 6 USA Mario Andretti Newman/Haas Racing Lola T88/00 Ilmor-Chevrolet 180 Engine 10 1 13 1 5 USA Rick Mears Penske Racing Penske PC-17 Ilmor-Chevrolet 177 Engine 94 2 14 24 24 USA Randy Lewis Leader Card Racers Lola T88/00 Cosworth 174 Engine 0 0 15 21 11 USA Rich Vogler Machinists Union Racing March 87C Cosworth 157 Engine 0 0 16 8 10 IRL Derek Daly Raynor Motorsports Lola T88/00 Cosworth 135 Crash 0 0 17 23 56 USA Billy Vukovich III Gohr Racing March 88C Cosworth 129 Oil leak 0 0 18 13 14 USA Johnny Rutherford A. J. Foyt Enterprises Lola T88/00 Cosworth 129 Fire 0 0 19 7 20 BRA Emerson Fittipaldi Patrick Racing Lola T87/00 Ilmor-Chevrolet 121 Electrical 17 0 20 16 2 COL Roberto Guerrero Vince Granatelli Racing Lola T88/00 Cosworth 99 Engine 0 0 21 6 3 USA Al Unser Jr. Galles Racing March 88C Ilmor-Chevrolet 99 Water hose 0 0 22 15 71 USA Tom Sneva Hemelgarn Racing Lola T88/00 Cosworth 93 Engine 0 0 23 27 21 USA Howdy Holmes Alex Morales Motorsports March 88C Cosworth 85 Fatigue 0 0 24 19 98 USA John Andretti Mike Curb Racing Lola T88/00 Cosworth 60 Overheating 0 0 25 12 8 ITA Teo Fabi Porsche Motorsport March 88C Porsche 56 Mechanical 0 0 26 20 91 USA Scott Brayton Hemelgarn Racing Lola T88/00 Judd 56 Engine 0 0 27 28 19 USA Dale Coyne Dale Coyne Racing March 86C Chevrolet stock-block 12 Oil pressure 0 0 28 11 7 NLD Arie Luyendyk Dick Simon Racing Lola T88/00 Cosworth 7 Engine 0 0 Source:1988 Marlboro 5001988 Michigan 500 - Round 9 Race statistics Lap Leaders Laps Leader 1–34 Rick Mears 35 Mario Andretti 36–39 Al Unser 40–58 Rick Mears 59–69 Emerson Fittipaldi 70–75 Mario Andretti 76–80 Al Unser 81–86 Emerson Fittipaldi 87–104 Bobby Rahal 105–111 Al Unser 112–122 Rick Mears 123–125 Mario Andretti 126–155 Rick Mears 156–186 Danny Sullivan 187–189 Al Unser 190–250 Danny Sullivan Cautions: 5 for 33 laps Laps Reason 4–8 Al Unser Jr. tow-in 41–45 Debris in turn 3 85–92 Johnny Rutherford tow-in 144–155 Derek Daly crash turn 3 239–243 Dick Simon leaking fluid Broadcasting Pole Qualifying for the Michigan 500 was broadcast for the first time on ESPN. A one-hour, delayed telecast was aired on Saturday.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1988-michigan-500/127408676/ Indianapolis Star Indiana Associated Press Saturday TV Listings August 6, 1988 23 ESPN broadcast the race live, marking the first time it was broadcast on a cable network. Bob Jenkins and Steve Chassey were the play-by-play commentators. Larry Nuber reported from the pits. References 2 Michigan 500 Michigan 500 Category:Michigan Indy 400