1984 Indianapolis 500

68th running of the Indianapolis 500 February 2025 68th Indianapolis 500 Indy500winningcar1984.JPG USAC 1984 CART season1983-84 Gold Crown Penske Racing May 27, 1984 USA Rick Mears Peter Parrott2011 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 3:03:21.660 163.612 mi/h km/h on USA Tom Sneva 210.029 mi/h km/h on USA Tom Sneva COL Roberto Guerrero & USA Michael Andretti USA Rick Mears (119) Purdue Band Jim Nabors Mary F. Hulman Pontiac Fiero John Callies (Pontiac) Duane SweeneyFox Jack C. The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 Carl Hungness Publishing 4th 1994 22 en 0-915088-05-3 400,000Takes second '500' victory by 2 laps over Guerrero https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11434761/ Robin Miller Robin Miller (journalist) The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com May 28, 1984 June 2, 2017 ABC Host: Jackie StewartLap-by-lap: Jim McKayColor Analyst: Sam Posey 12.9 25 1983 1985 The 68th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 27, 1984. Rick Mears, who previously won in 1979, won his second (of four) Indy 500 victories driving for Penske. Contenders Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti dropped out of the race in the second half. Sneva broke a CV joint, and Andretti tangled with another car during a pit stop, damaging his nosecone. That left Mears alone two laps ahead of the field, and he cruised to the victory. Mears set a new speed record for 500 miles (163.612 mph), breaking Mark Donohue's 1972 record. It is also tied for the largest margin of victory (two laps) since the "pack-up" rule was adopted in 1979. Three months after the race, Mears would suffer severe leg injuries in a practice crash at Sanair. Three rookies finished in the top five: Roberto Guerrero (2nd), Al Holbert (4th), and Michael Andretti (5th). Guerrero and Andretti shared the rookie of the year award. The race is well-remembered for the terrible crash of sportswriter-turned-racer Pat Bedard, who tumbled through the infield in turn 4 on lap 58. Another rookie, two-time World Champion and future two-time Indy winner Emerson Fittipaldi made a quiet debut. The race was sanctioned by USAC, and was included as part of the 1984 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. The 1984 race has the distinction of having the record for most entries (117), and the most cars to actually be seen in the garage (87). Defending race winner Tom Sneva, who broke the 200 mph barrier during time trials in 1977, headlined qualifying on pole day. Sneva made history once again, as he became the first driver to break the 210 mph barrier, en route to his third pole position. This Indy 500 was the last for 33 years that an active Formula One driver (in this case Teo Fabi), qualified for the field. Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso would be the next, making his "500" debut in 2017. 28 May 2017 TSN SportsCentre Race schedule Race schedule — April/May 1984SunMonTueWedThuFriSat22 23 24 25 26 27ROP28ROP29ROP30  1  2  3  4  5Practice 6Practice 7Practice 8Practice 9Practice10Practice11Practice12Pole Day13Time Trials14Practice15Practice16Practice17Practice18Practice19Time Trials20Bump Day21 22 23 24Carb Day25Mini-Marathon26Parade27Indy 50028Memorial Day29 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 Time trials thumb|right|Tom Sneva's garage in Gasoline Alley. During the offseason, defending "500" winner Tom Sneva notably parted ways with Bignotti-Cotter Racing after a dispute with the team. Sneva and sponsor Texaco eventually landed at Mayer Motor Racing, a new Indy car team formed by former McLaren colleagues Teddy Mayer and Tyler Alexander.Teddy Mayer 1935-2009 http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/73085 Autosport Haymarket Publications 2009-02-01 2007-02-01 On May 11, Mario Andretti turned a lap of 212.414 mph during practice, the fastest lap ever run at the Speedway. Andretti established himself as a favorite for the pole. Gordon Johncock practiced at over 211 mph, and Tom Sneva was over 208 mph. Pole Day – Saturday May 12 Pole Day was a historic day as Tom Sneva broke the track record with the first lap official over 210 mph at Indianapolis. Sneva was also the first driver to break the 200 mph barrier, which he accomplished during time trials in 1977. Rick Mears was the first driver in the field, completing his run with an early track record of 207.847 mph. Rookie Michael Andretti was the next car out (207.805 mph), running surprisingly close to Mears. At 12:45 pm, Mario Andretti took to the track with high expectations. His first lap was completed at 209.687 mph, a new one-lap track record. His second and third laps dropped off, however. As he came out of turn four on the fourth and final lap, the car's engine quit. Andretti coasted across the finish line powerless to complete the run. The average speed sank to 207.467 mph. It would be good enough for row 2, but a disappointment compared to his practice speeds earlier in the week. Shortly before 2 p.m., Tom Sneva took to the track, and electrified the crowd. His third lap was run at 210.423 mph, a new track record, and the first qualifying lap ever at Indy over 210 mph. His fourth lap was the fastest. His four-lap average speed of 210.029 mph was also a new record, and secured him the pole position. It was Sneva's third Indy pole, and fourth time as the overall fastest qualifier. Lap 1 – 43.039 seconds, 209.113 mph Lap 2 – 42.878 seconds, 209.898 mph (new 1-lap track record) Lap 3 – 42.771 seconds, 210.423 mph (new 1-lap track record) Lap 4 – 42.717 seconds, 210.689 mph (new 1-lap track record) Total – 2:51.405, 210.029 mph (new 4-lap track record) Later in the day, Howdy Holmes, the teammate of Sneva, squeezed onto the front row with a run of 207.977 mph. It put him in second starting position, and bumped Rick Mears to the outside of the front row. Rookie Michael Andretti out-qualified his father, and would line up in 4th position (Mario qualified 6th). A total of 28 cars qualified on pole day. Second Day – Sunday May 13 Rain kept the track closed until nearly 1 p.m. Only three cars made attempts all afternoon, but none of them were run to completion. Johnny Rutherford went out for his second attempt in a Foyt entry, but never completed a lap due to mechanical problems. During a practice run, John Paul Jr. wrecked in turn four, suffering leg injuries. Third Day – Saturday May 19 The third day of time trials began with five spots remaining unfilled on the grid. Rain was in the forecast for Sunday, so several teams scrambled to get their cars prepared to qualify on Saturday. Bill Alsup was the first driver to make an attempt, but his crew waved off the run. George Snider was the first driver to complete his run, putting in a safe speed of 201.860 mph in a Foyt backup car. Later, Steve Chassey wrecked on his qualifying attempt. He would sit out the rest of the month with a concussion. At 1 p.m. the field was filled to 33 cars. Chris Kneifel (199.831 mph) was on the bubble, the slowest car in the field. Among the drivers still not in the field was three-time winner Johnny Rutherford. He was struggling to get his car up to speed, and exhausted his three allotted attempts in a Foyt Chevy V-6. The team bought a back-up car from Galles, and Rutherford immediately began shaking the car down. Rutherford was in danger of missing the race for the second year in a row. In 1983, Rutherford was sidelined with a broken foot and broken ankle suffered in a practice crash. At 5:50 p.m., with only ten minutes left before the 6 o'clock gun, Johnny Rutherford took to the track for one last attempt to qualify. His first lap was an impressive 203.156 mph, but the car began smoking as he went through the turns. Rutherford decided to ride it out, and he was not black-flagged. His speed slipped over the final three laps, but his four-lap average of 202.062 mph was fast enough to bump his way into the field. Spike Gehlhausen (200.478 mph) was now on the bubble. Gary Bettenhausen made a last-ditch effort to bump him out, but he waved off after only two laps. Bump Day – Sunday May 20 As predicted, rain washed out the final day of time trials. Since the field had been filled to 33 cars a day earlier, the field was set, and there would be no further qualifying. Carburetion Day The final practice was held Thursday May 24. All of the eligible cars took laps except for Johnny Rutherford. Rick Mears (208.719 mph) was the fastest driver of the day. No incidents were reported. Jacques Villeneuve, who suffered a crash during practice while using his backup car on May 17, withdrew from the starting field after being ruled medically unfit to drive.Villeneuve out of race; team considers options https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/154371416/ The Indianapolis Star Dave Overpeck 47 Newspapers.com May 24, 1984 August 31, 2024 The first alternate, Chris Kneifel was re-instated to the field to fill the vacancy.Kneifel Happy To Be In 500 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news/154371955/ Indianapolis News Zach Dunkin 51 Newspapers.com May 25, 1984 August 31, 2024 Kneifel became the last driver to start the Indianapolis 500 with a qualifying speed under 200 mph, and the first alternate starter since 1929. Pit Stop Contest The eliminations rounds for the 8th annual Miller Pit Stop Contest were held on Thursday May 24. The top four race qualifiers and their respective pit crews were automatically eligible: Tom Sneva, Howdy Holmes, Rick Mears, and Michael Andretti. Four additional spots would be available, for a total of eight participants. Qualifying heats were scheduled for Thursday May 17 in order to fill the four at-large berths. On May 17, seven teams took part in qualifying heats. The results were as follows: Al Holbert (14.250 seconds), Dick Simon (15.469 seconds), Teo Fabi (16.832 seconds), and Tom Gloy (19.423 seconds). Mario Andretti posted a time of 13.306 seconds, but was penalized 10 seconds for running over an air hose. Al Unser Jr. and Geoff Brabham also failed to advance.Acheson envies Sullivan's show https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/154370999/ The Indianapolis Star 49 Newspapers.com May 18, 1984 August 31, 2024 The eliminations would consist of two rounds. The preliminary round would feature two teams at a time, racing head-to-head against the clock. The two fastest teams overall - regardless of the individual head-to-head results - would advance to the final round. The preliminary pairings were as follows: Sneva vs. Gloy, Holmes vs. Fabi, Mears vs. Simon, and Andretti vs. Holbert. Rick Mears was issued a 3-second penalty for a loose nut, which dropped him from 2nd to 5th. Tom Gloy was disqualified for stalling his engine and crossing the finish line not under power. Andretti and Holmes registered the two fastest times during the preliminary round, and both advanced to the final round. Andretti and his KRACO Racing team won the finals, the first rookie driver to win the event.Rookie's crew wins pit stop contest https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sun/154373208/ The Sun 13 Newspapers.com May 25, 1984 August 31, 2024 + Preliminary RoundRank CarNo. Driver Team Time(seconds)199 Michael Andretti KRACO Racing12.318241 Howdy Holmes Mayer Motor Racing13.093333 Teo Fabi Forsythe Racing13.786422 Dick Simon Dick Simon Racing14.29656 Rick Mears Penske Racing15.73761 Tom Sneva Mayer Motor Racing16.714777 Tom Gloy Galles RacingNo time821 Al Holbert Alex Morales MotorsportsWithdrew99 Michael Andretti(KRACO Racing) 18.520 41 Howdy Holmes(Mayer Motor Racing) 18.948 Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside1USA 1 - Tom Sneva gold W silverUSA 41 - Howdy HolmesUSA 6 - Rick Mears gold W silver2USA 99 - Michael Andretti orange R silverUSA 20 - Gordon Johncock gold W silverUSA 3 - Mario Andretti gold W silver3COL 9 - Roberto Guerrero orange R silverAUS 18 - Geoff BrabhamUSA 28 - Herm Johnson4USA 2 - Al Unser gold W silverUSA 25 - Danny OngaisUSA 14 - A. J. Foyt gold W silver5USA 77 - Tom Gloy orange R silverITA 33 - Teo FabiUSA 7 - Al Unser Jr.6USA 21 - Al Holbert orange R silverUSA 16 - Tony Bettenhausen Jr.USA 5 - Bobby Rahal7USA 35 - Patrick BedardUSA 22 - Dick SimonUSA 10 - Pancho Carter8USA 40 - Chip GanassiBRA 47 - Emerson Fittipaldi orange R silverMEX 55 - Josele Garza9USA 57 - Spike GehlhausenUSA 37 - Scott BraytonUSA 98 - Kevin Cogan10USA 30 - Danny SullivanIRL 61 - Derek DalyUSA 84 - Johnny Rutherford gold W silver11USA 4 - George SniderAUS 50 - Dennis FirestoneUSA 73 - Chris Kneifel Qualified cars withdrawn Jacques Villeneuve (#76) – Withdrew qualified car due to practice crash on May 17 Alternates First alternate: Chris Kneifel (#73) - Bumped; Elevated to the starting field on May 24 Second alternate: none Failed to qualify 28em Stan Fox orange R silver (#24) – Too slow, waved off Gary Bettenhausen (#8, #60, #82) – Too slow, waved off Tom Bigelow (#75) – Car quit during qualifying attempt Pete Halsmer (#11) – Too slow, waved off Roger Mears (#55, #76) – Too slow, waved off Steve Chassey (#56, #65) – Wrecked during qualifying attempt Johnny Parsons (#34, #59) – Incomplete qualifying attempt Bill Alsup (#27) – Too slow, waved off Ed Pimm (#64) – Incomplete qualifying attempt Phil Caliva orange R silver (#69) – Incomplete qualifying attempt Jim Crawford (#68, #78) – Too slow, waved off Mike Chandler (#88) – Practice crash, injured John Paul Jr. (#12) – Practice crash, injured Steve Krisiloff (#87) – Practice crash, injured Jerry Sneva (#66) – Practice crash, injured Larry Cannon (#81) – Practice crash Chuck Ciprich orange R silver (#36) Dick Ferguson (#31, #51) Chet Fillip (#38) Bruno Giacomelli orange R silver (#52) Jerry Karl (#59) Phil Krueger (#85) Desiré Wilson orange R silver (#34) Al Loquasto (#86) – Withdrew; team sold car to GTS Racing for Emerson Fittipaldi orange R silver Race summary Start Race day dawned cool and clear, with temperatures in the 60s. Rain was forecast for later in the afternoon, but was not expected to affect the race. Mary F. Hulman gave the command to start engines just before 11 a.m., and all cars pulled away for the pace laps. At the start, Rick Mears got the jump and swept across the track to take the lead in turn one. Pole sitter Tom Sneva settled into second, and rookie Michael Andretti went from the inside of row 2 to take third. Mears led the first lap at a speed of 195.610 mph, a new Indy record for the opening lap.500 Race Records https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108154081/ The Indianapolis NewsOrlando Sentinel 20 Newspapers.com May 28, 1984 August 23, 2022 Geoff Brabham ducked into the pits after one lap, dropping out with a bad fuel line. A few laps later, Michael Andretti passed Tom Sneva to take second place. Gordon Johncock also went to the pits for an unscheduled pit stop. First half The first 100 miles were run clean, with no incidents. Tom Sneva led Al Unser Jr., Rick Mears, Mario and Michael Andretti. After 37 laps, race rookie and future two-time winner Emerson Fittipaldi dropped out due to low oil pressure. The two-time Formula One World Champion had a relatively quiet month of May, acclimating himself gradually to the Indy car circuit. It was a largely unnoticed effort in the underfunded W.I.T. Promotions entry, a pink-painted car. On lap 45, Spike Gehlhausen spun in turn 1, and came to a rest in turn 2 without contact bringing out the race's first caution flag. Rick Mears took the lead for the second time on lap 54. On lap 58, Patrick Bedard suffered a terrible crash in turn four. The car spun to the inside of the north shortchute, hit the inside wall, flipped over, and barrel-rolled through the grass. The car broke into two pieces, the tub and the engine. Debris littered the track, and a lengthy caution was needed to clean up the incident. Bedard was injured, but the injuries were not life-threatening. Under the caution, Danny Sullivan came up too fast and ran into the car of Roberto Guerrero, hopping up on two wheels, and damaging his right-front suspension. Sullivan dropped out of the race, but Guerrero was able to continue. The lead traded amongst Mears, Sneva, Mario Andretti, Teo Fabi, and Danny Ongais. After the lengthy caution for Bedard's crash, Tom Sneva came to the lead, and led at the halfway point. Around lap 70, the DataSpeed computer timing and scoring system crashed. The remainder of the race would have to be scored manually, and the scoring serials were at times incomplete. However, at no point was the leader of the race unknown or disputed.USAC finds bug in its computer https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13403120/ Dave Overpeck The Indianapolis Star 9 Newspapers.com May 28, 1984 April 2, 2019 thumb|DataSpeed Timing and Scoring System Second half At lap 100, Tom Sneva led, looking for back-to-back wins. Al Unser Jr. was in second, Rick Mears third, Mario Andretti fourth, and Michael Andretti fifth. The rest of the top ten was Bobby Rahal, Roberto Guerrero, Al Holbert, Al Unser Sr., and Teo Fabi. Four laps later, however, Fabi was out with a broken fuel system. On lap 103, Gordon Johncock hit the wall coming out of turn four. He spun to the inside, hit the pit wall, then spun back across the pits and hit the wall separating the pits from the track. He missed hitting Teo Fabi's car, which was being pushed back to the garage, and somehow missed hitting the crew members that were in the sign board area. Johncock injured his left ankle (he had suffered a right ankle injury at Michigan the previous year), and ultimately took a short retirement from racing. With Rick Mears now leading, Mario Andretti started slipping in the standings due to a broken exhaust pipe. The engine was losing rpm, but he was still managing to stay in contention. After running in the top five most of the day, Al Unser Jr. dropped out on lap 131 with a broken water pump. Tom Sneva briefly took the lead on laps 142-143 during a sequence of pit stops. Rick Mears was back in front on lap 144. With 50 laps to go, Rick Mears led Tom Sneva and Roberto Guerrero. Al Unser Sr. had now worked his way into the top five. Michael Andretti and Mario Andretti were also still in contention. On lap 153, Mario Andretti went into the pits for a routine stop. He was held up in traffic, and the car of Josele Garza cut in front of him down the pit lane. Garza's car made contact, and broke the nosecone of Mario's car. It was too damaged to continue, and Mario was forced to drop out. Finish With several contenders dropping out in quick succession, the race came down to two drivers in the final 100 miles: Rick Mears and Tom Sneva. Scott Brayton stalled on the track on the leader's lap 163, bringing out the final caution of the race. With 33 laps to go, Sneva's crew debated pitting, hoping to make it to the finish on one more stop. They planned on pitting with 30 laps to go. On lap 168, however, sparks came from the back of Sneva's car in turn 3 as the field was preparing to go back to green. Sneva immediately ducked into the pits with a broken CV joint, and he climbed from the car. Mears, post-race, would remark, "I feel bad for him, but it's a relief for me...he was my toughest competitor." With Sneva out of the race, Rick Mears now held a commanding lead. No other cars were in contention, with Mears now two laps ahead of the entire field. Mears cruised to the finish, and was not challenged the rest of the way. The only battle remained for second place, between Roberto Guerrero and Al Unser Sr. A light drizzle started entering the area in the final 30 laps or so, threatening to end the race early. The heavy rain did not come, and Mears completed the 200 laps at a race record 163.612 mph. Mears won his second Indy 500, with a margin of victory of over two laps. Due to the ongoing scoring issues from the DataSpeed timing and scoring system, Al Unser Sr. was tentatively hand scored in second, with Roberto Guerrero unofficially third. For a brief period, it was Penske Racing's first 1-2 finish in the Indy 500. However, when scoring was ultimately resolved, Guerrero was rightfully elevated to second, with Unser dropping to third.Unser Sr. survives 'one of those days' https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29901145/ Jerry Garau The Indianapolis Star 5 Newspapers.com May 28, 1984 March 25, 2019 After an eventful day - nearly being caught up in the Bedard crash, being hit by Sullivan during the ensuring yellow flag, overshooting his pit stall during one of his stops, and spinning in turn two - Guerrero was surprised to find out he finished second, and was voted co-Rookie of the Year with Michael Andretti.Guerrero finishes second, the hard way https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30189683/ David Benner The Indianapolis Star 5 Newspapers.com May 28, 1984 April 2, 2019 Box score FinishGridNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualLapsStatus136USA Rick Mears gold W silverPenske RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX207.847200163.612 mph279COL Roberto Guerrero orange R silverBignotti–Cotter RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX205.717 198 -2 Laps3102USA Al Unser gold W silverPenske RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX204.441 198 -2 Laps41621USA Al Holbert orange R silverAlex Morales MotorsportsMarch 84CCosworth DFX203.016 198 -2 Laps5499USA Michael Andretti orange R silverKRACO RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX207.805 198 -2 Laps61214USA A. J. Foyt gold W silverGilmore RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX203.860 197 -3 Laps7185USA Bobby RahalTruesportsMarch 84CCosworth DFX202.230 197 -3 Laps8928USA Herm JohnsonMeanrd RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX204.618 194 -6 Laps91125USA Danny OngaisInterscope RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX203.978 193 -7 Laps102455MEX Josele Garza Machinists Union RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX200.615 193 -7 Laps11314USA George SniderGilmore RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX201.861 193 -7 Laps123250AUS Dennis Firestone Pace RacingMarch 82CCosworth DFX201.217 186 -14 Laps13241USA Howdy Holmes Mayer RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX207.977 185 -15 Laps141377USA Tom Gloy orange R silverGalles RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX203.758 179Engine153373USA Chris KneifelPrimus RacingPrimus 84Cosworth DFX199.831 175Transmission1611USA Tom Sneva gold W silver Mayer RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX210.029 168Left CV Joint1763USA Mario Andretti gold W silver Newman/Haas RacingLola T800Cosworth DFX207.466 153Broken Nosecone182637USA Scott BraytonBrayton RacingMarch 84CBuick V-6203.637 150Transmission192110USA Pancho Carter American Dream RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX201.820 141Engine202798USA Kevin Cogan Forsythe RacingEagle 84SBPontiac V-8203.622 137Frozen Wheel21157USA Al Unser Jr. Galles RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX203.404 131Water Pump223084USA Johnny Rutherford gold W silverGilmore RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX202.062 116Engine232022USA Dick Simon Dick Simon RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX201.835 112In Pits241433ITA Teo Fabi Forsythe RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX203.600 104Fuel System25520USA Gordon Johncock gold W silver Patrick RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX207.545 103Crash T4261716USA Tony Bettenhausen Jr. Provimi Veal RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX202.814 86Piston272961IRL Derek DalyProvimi Veal RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX202.443 76Handling282240USA Chip Ganassi Patrick RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX201.612 61Engine292830USA Danny Sullivan Doug Shierson RacingLola T800Cosworth DFX203.567 57Broken Wheel301935USA Patrick BedardBrayton RacingMarch 84CBuick V-6201.915 55Crash NC312557USA Spike Gehlhausen Indy Auto RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX200.478 45Spun SC322347BRA Emerson Fittipaldi orange R silver GTS RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX201.078 37Oil Pressure33818AUS Geoff BrabhamKRACO RacingMarch 84CCosworth DFX204.931 1Fuel Line gold W silver Former Indianapolis 500 winner orange R silver Indianapolis 500 Rookie All cars utilized Goodyear tires. Statistics Lap Leaders Laps Leader 1–24 Rick Mears 25 Tom Sneva 26–47 Mario Andretti 48–49 Tom Sneva 50–53 Mario Andretti 54–59 Rick Mears 60 Tom Sneva 61–63 Mario Andretti 64–70 Teo Fabi 71–73 Danny Ongais 74–80 Teo Fabi 81–82 Tom Sneva 83–86 Al Unser Jr. 87–109 Tom Sneva 110–141 Rick Mears 142–143 Tom Sneva 144–200 Rick Mears Total laps led Driver Laps Rick Mears 119 Tom Sneva 31 Mario Andretti 29 Teo Fabi 14 Al Unser Jr. 4 Danny Ongais 3 Cautions: 5 for 34 lapsHow They Finished https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/15064099/ The Indianapolis Star 2 Newspapers.com May 28, 1984 August 22, 2024 Laps Reason 48–53 Spike Gehlhausen spin in turn 1 59–68 Patrick Bedard crash in turn 4 107–114 Gordon Johncock crash in pit area 154–158 Roberto Guerrero spin in turn 2 163–167 Scott Brayton stalled Broadcasting Radio The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network. Paul Page served as the chief announcer for the eighth year. It was Page's eleventh year overall as part of the network crew. Lou Palmer reported from victory lane. Luke Walton introduced the starting command during the pre-race ceremonies, but did not have on-air duties during the race itself. Bob Forbes spent the early segments of the race covering the center pits, then spent the second half of the race concentrating on covering the garage area and track hospital. Sally Larvick was once again used in a limited role, conducting interviews. She also reported from the track hospital in the early portions of the race. This was the last year of the Backstretch reporter. The Backstretch reporter would return for a two-year period from 1989 to 1990 but have a very limited role both years. This would be the final 500 on the crew for Doug Zink, who debuted in 1966. Zink died April 3, 2016.http://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2016/04/07/indy-500-announcer-doug-zink-motor-builder-larry-slutter-pass-away/ Indy 500 Announcer Doug Zink, Motor Builder Larry Slutter Pass Away NBC Sports Jerry Bonkowsik April 7, 2016 April 26, 2016 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network Booth AnnouncersTurn ReportersPit/garage reportersChief Announcer: Paul Page Driver expert: Rodger Ward Statistician: John DeCamp Historian: Donald DavidsonTurn 1: Ron Carrell Turn 2: Doug Zink Backstretch: Howdy Bell Turn 3: Larry Henry Turn 4: Bob JenkinsLuke Walton (pre-race)Sally Larvick (interviews/hospital)Jerry Baker (north pits)Chuck Marlowe (center pits)Bob Forbes (center pits/garages)Lou Palmer (south pits) Television The race was carried in the United States on ABC Sports on a same-day tape delay basis. Jackie Stewart served as the host position in "ABC Race Central" for the final time. Jack Arute joined the crew as a pit reporter, a position he would hold for over 20 years. After 1983, Chris Economaki left ABC, and joined CBS for the Daytona 500 and other NASCAR events. Larry Nuber debuted as a pit reporter in his first Indy assignment, and ABC News and ABC Sports correspondent Ray Gandolf supplied in-depth features. A new camera angle was introduced for this broadcast, located on the start's stand over the shoulder of the flagman. The angle would be used at the dropping of the green flag as well as the finish. The race was televised in Brasil for the first time, as the debut of former Formula One champion Emerson Fittipaldi attracted national interest. Record aired the race with Emerson's father Wilson Fittipaldi as announcer. The broadcast has re-aired on ESPN Classic since May 2011. ABC TelevisionBooth AnnouncersPit/garage reportersHost: Jackie Stewart Announcer: Jim McKay Color: Sam PoseyBill FlemmingJack AruteLarry NuberRay Gandolf (features) Gallery Notes See also 1983-84 USAC Championship Car season References Works cited 1984 Indianapolis Day-To-Day Trackside Report for the Media: Indianapolis Motor Speedway 1984 Indianapolis 500 Telecast: ABC-TV, May 27, 1984 Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats - Official Site 1984 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network 1983 Tom Sneva 1984 Rick Mears 1985 Danny Sullivan 163.612 162.962 mph(1972 Indianapolis 500) 170.722 mph(1986 Indianapolis 500) Category:Indianapolis 500 races Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500