Simply 75 drivers have received the Indianapolis 500 since its inception in 1911. As we shut in on this weekend’s 109th working of the famed occasion, we’re having a look again in any respect the greats and making an attempt to determine which ones did it greatest. Going again via all of time, who’s the only biggest? Earlier this week we requested all of you to call your Indy 500 GOAT, and so a lot of you had some nice concepts for who you’ll decide. I am unsure it is potential to slender it all the way down to only one particular person, so we compiled a listing of our favourite Borg-Warner Trophy winners right here on your perusal. For those who suppose there’s somebody lacking from the listing, be happy to hold forth within the feedback part and we will have a pleasant energetic dialog about it.
Taku-san
Because it’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I am going with Takuma Sato.
Recommended by Giantsgiants
JPM FTW
I do know Rick Mears, AJ Foyt, Al Unser, and Helio Castroneves are tied for essentially the most Indy 500 wins.
However my reply is Juan Pablo Montoya.
He received the 2000 Indy 500 in his first Indycar begin, then proceded to go away CART/Indycar for System 1, after which Nascar, successful races in each. He returned to Indycar in 2014, and in 2015, received the Indy 500 once more, that means he received 2 of his first 3 begins on the speedway, with over a decade between the first and 2nd begin. He took lower than two years to acclimate to a completely completely different automotive than what he left behind, and managed to do one thing extremely tough.
Mario Andretti and Tony Stewart are two guys which are completely within the dialog for the best driver of all time, and Mario solely received the five hundred as soon as, and Tony by no means did, so I do not suppose I am unreasonable to contemplate him regardless of there being 4 completely different four-time winners, in addition to six three-time winners (Johnny Rutherford, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Louis Meyer, Bobby Unser, and Dario Franchitti). Montoya had a knack for Indy that was insane, and I’ve zero doubts that he’d have both 4 or 5 wins if he hadn’t left for Indycar and Nascar.
Recommended by MustangIIMatt
Ricky
Mears – with out query. Received all of his 500’s inside a 12 12 months span with the a lot sooner rear engine race-cars, by no means going greater than 5 years w/o a win. Each Unser Sr. and Foyt share a 16 12 months span over all their wins, so it is a toss-up between each of these drivers. Helio – should not even be on this dialogue. Received all his 500’s throughout the IRL spec automotive period and was gifted his second 500 win when the Indy officers screwed Paul Tracy again in ’02 when former CART drivers have been nonetheless detested by the IRL Principals. I might put Franchitti and Rutherford forward of Helio within the three-win class. Yeah, it is evident that I can not stand Helio.
Recommended by Scarbourgeoisie
Doing the unimaginable
How about Danny Sullivan’s “Spin and Win” throughout the 1985 Indianapolis 500, the place he spun out in entrance of Mario Andretti however managed to regain management and go on to win the race?
Recommended by George Z
Is it Villeneuve?
It is laborious to pin level one driver as Indy 500 GOAT with out contemplating their total profession.
Anyone who received races in F1 and received the Indy 500 is on the high of my listing.
Recommended by MattGehlhoff
For the document, the listing contains Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jacques Villeneuve, and Juan Pablo Montoya.
Large Al
I’ve to say that Al Unser Sr. is within the combine. 4 wins, second most laps led, oldest driver to ever win it.
Recommended by dinovelvet
Altering historical past
I prompt Clark as a result of he was an entire outsider who confirmed up and received decisively in a automotive that was an entire departure and that modified all the things.
Recommended by Michael Rosenfeld
Mario the, uh, bride?
I nominate the Andretti Household for a particular “All the time the Bridesmaid by no means the Bride” award.
Recommended by Adam Minter
The hardest to do it
It must be A.J. Foyt. Others have received the race 4 occasions; he did it earlier than anybody else.
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Again residence once more
For the totality of Indy, Jim Nabors is the GOAT.
I acquired goosebumps yearly once I heard “BACK HOME AGAIN…”
Dude delivered each. single. 12 months.
RIP.
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