Completing the List I started with my last post, here are my picks for the 50 most important people in the history of the Indianapolis 500.50. Jules Goux: The Frenchman was the first European winner of the 500, but his real contribution was in the legend of drinking a small bottle of wine at each pit stop. As immortalized in broadcaster Jim McKay's telling of the tale, in Victory Lane he proclaimed "If not for the good wine, I could not have won."
49. Dario Franchitti: Scottish driver with an Italian name and a Hollywood star wife (now former wife), he won three Indianapolis 500s before injuries cut his career short. His greatest disappointment -- all three wins came under yellow.
48. Janet Guthrie: To put Janet Guthrie in perspective, women were not even allowed in the garage area -- Gasoline Alley -- at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway until 1971. Six years later, in 1977, Janet Guthrie made the race. Like Jackie Robinson in baseball, she absorbed ridicule, name-calling, and accusations that she -- and all women -- were not capable of competing with men and handling an Indycar at near 200 mph. Guthrie made three races, finishing ninth in 1978. Perhaps the most interesting story was from Guthrie's first effort at the Speedway in 1976. Stuck in an uncompetitive car with a low-budget team, she was not reaching the speed necessary to make the race. On the last day of qualifying, old guard warrior A.J. Foyt, rolled out one of his backup Coyote race cars and let Guthrie take it out for a practice session. She quickly reached a speed that would have made the race. Foyt couldn't add an additional car to his race effort, but his gesture showed that Guthrie was capable of making the race. The next year she did. Women are now expected in the Indianapolis 500. Nine women have raced in the 500, with four women making the starting grid in three races. All of them are following in Guthrie's tire tracks.
47. Eddie Sachs: The Clown Prince of Racing. An incredibly popular driver known as much for his humor as his considerable ability. He twice won the pole position and finished second to AJ Foyt in 1961. The video of Eddie Sachs describing his emotions before the 1964 race is one of the most moving descriptions of why drivers race. Later that morning, he and rookie Dave McDonald died in a fireball on the second lap of the race.
46. Al Unser Jr.: Two-time winner, including the closest finish in race history, nudging out Scott Goodyear's attempted pass at the line. Perhpas even more exciting was the wheel-to-wheel duel with Emerson Fittipaldi in 1989. When they touched wheels on lap 198, Fittipaldi held on and Unser went into the wall.
45. Michael Andretti: Andretti led more laps than any other driver not to win the race. Andretti bad luck kept him out of Victory Lane, including 1992 when he was leading by 2 laps when his car broke with only 11 laps remaining. But Andretti-owned cars have now won four Indy 500s.
44. Kevin Forbes: Speedway's director of engineering and construction who oversaw development of the SAFER barrier and construction of the infield road course.
43. George Bignotti: Crew chief of seven race winners, including Al Unser's back-to-back Johnny LIghtning wins
42. Chip Ganassi: A talented driver, but a better team owner. His cars have gone nose to nose with Penske and ended up in Victory Lane four times.
41. Mark Donohue: The driver chosen by Roger Penske to lead his attack on Indianapolis, he won in his fourth attempt in 1972. But perhaps more importantly, Donahue signaled a different type of driver. With an engineering degree from Brown, he understood the intricacies of suspensions and down force in the modern race car. No longer were drivers simply high-speed chauffeurs who might be able to turn a wrench. After retiring from racing, he returned to drive for Roger Penske's Formula One effort in 1975. He was killed in a practice crash at the Austrian Grand Prix.
40. Jimmy Murphy: Winner of 1922 Indianapolis 500 and the 1921 French Grand Prix, he gave American drivers international credibility. He died in a dirt track accident in 1924, posthumously being awarded the national championship.
39. Tommy Milton: First two-time winner and later chief steward of the race.
38. Ray Harroun: He won the first Indianapolis 500 in the Marmon Wasp -- then retired.
37. Lou Moore: Driver and car owner. Cars he owned won the 1947-49 races. As a driver, he finished second as a rookie in 1928 and third twice. He also started from the pole in '32.
36. Mauri Rose: Three-time winner, including two wins driving the Blue Crown Spark Plug Special.
35. Joe Cloutier: Tony Hulman's right hand man from his purchase of the track until Hulman's death in 1977. Succeeded Hulman as Speedway President, but never game the "Start your engines" command.
34. Bill Simpson: A middling race driver, Simpson excelled as a developer and promoter of racing safety. Many drivers owe their lives not only to Simpson's products, but to his courage in speaking out and doing something about safety when few others would.
33. Jim Rathmann: After three second place finishes, Rathmann won one of the greatest races ever, dueling side by side with Roger Ward for nearly 100 laps.
32. Dan Gurney: Teamed with Jim Clark to bring the rear-engine Lotus cars to Indianapolis. He finished second in 1968 and 1969, and his Gurney-designed Eagles were dominant in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s.
31. Tom Binford: Indianapolis businessman and long-time Indycar fan and also part of a group that owned an Indy car. He took over as chief steward following the disastrous 1973 race. His leadership and credibility saved the race from its greatest post WWII crisis. He held the position for 21 years.
30. Harry Miller: In the 1920s, he built beautiful cars that performed as well as they looked. His cars won nine races and dominated the entries during the Roaring 20s.
29. Fred Offenhauser: For thirty years, if you wanted to win the Indianapolis 500, you needed an "Offy." These engines, later produced by Meyer-Drake, dominated from resumption of racing after WWII until the mid-1960s, winning 27 races.
28. Tom Sneva: A fan favorite, he collected one win in a duel with Al Unser and Al Unser, Jr., three second place finishes (including one from 33rd starting position), and sat on the pole three times. Perhaps best remembered by fans for breaking the 200 mph barrier and walking away from a horrendous crash in Turn 2 in 1975
27. Jim Nabors: Singing "Back Home Again in Indiana" for nearly 40 years, he became an unlikely Speedway tradition.
26. Helio Castroneves: Three-time winner who came within one spot of winning his first three races at Indianapolis. His vibrant personality and enthusiasm captured fans, as did his impromptu fence climbing, which has now become a tradition for the Indianapolis winner and crew. And the man can dance.
25. Johnny Rutherford: Three-time winner and for decades a spokesman for the sport -- despite the fact that when I was a young reporter, he stood me up for an interview.
24. Rodger Ward: Two time winner and consistent top finisher, Ward was always a man of style. His retirement speech at the Victory Banquet in 1966 was one of the most moving moments in the history of that event.
23. Emerson Fittipaldi: Already a two-time world champion, Fittipaldi turned to Indycar, where he won twice, and gave away a third race making a late-race mistake while trying to lap second place teammate Al Unser Jr. He drew international attention and opened the way for Brazilian drivers such as Castroneves and Kanaan. "Is fantastic." Only black mark - his refusal on his second trip to Victory Lane to drink milk, instead opting for orange juice to promote his orange growing business in Brazil.
22. Parnelli Jones: Though he won the race just once, in 1963, he's one of the great pursuers of speed. He was the first to top 150 mph in qualifying and started the race twice from the pole. He also won the race as a team owner in 1970 and '71 with Al Unser driving.
21. Colin Chapman: Looking and speaking like David Niven, Chapman brought his stylish rear-engine Lotus cars and the panache of Grand Prix racing to the Indianapolis Speedway from 1963 until 1969, and revolutionized the sport. The loss of Jim Clark and Mike Spence, both close friends, within a month in 1968 seemed to take away his passion for racing. In 1969, his wedge designed cars were withdrawn from the Indianapolis 500 following a horrifying practice crash with Mario Andretti and concerns over the hub design. Chapman and his Lotus cars never returned to Indianapolis.
20. Al Unser, Sr.: The second four-time winner, Big Al also dominated the 1979 race in "The Yellow Submarine" until it broke near the end of the race. He holds the career record for laps led at 644. While he drive fast, perhaps only Lloyd Ruby and Jim McElreath spoke slower.
19. Bobby Unser: Three-time winner and always a contender. He also became a staple of the ABC television broadcast of the 500.
18. Jim McKay: The ABC broadcaster's storytelling style was perfect for the Indianapolis 500. From it's initial edited delayed broadcast on ABC's Wide World of Sports to the eventual live broadcast of the race, it was McKay's passionate interest in the race and his drivers that brought the event to an entirely new audience.
17. Ralph DePalma: DePalma won the 1915 Indianapolis 500, but it was his non-winning performance in 1912 that created one of the first great Speedway legends. Leading by an insurmountable margin, DePalma's car broke in the fourth turn of Lap 198. He and his riding mechanic pushed the car to the finish line to the wild cheers of the fans. He was still a lap short, and Joe Dawson won the race. But all anybody really remembered was that iconic photo of determination as DePalma pushed his car.
16. Andy Granatelli: CEO of motor oil company STP, his autobiography was titled, "They Call Me Mr. 500." With brother Vince, they started fielding cars in the 500 after WWII, even driving them on the highways from Chicago. Despite owning perhaps 100 cars entered in the race and as many as 11 in one year, he won only once with Mario Andretti in 1969. All the frustration came out when Granatelli planted a big kiss on Mario in Victory Lane. He was also known for his "STP pajama" clad crews on pit lane and the turbines, including the 1967 turbine driven by Parnelli Jones, which dominated the race until a $5 bearing failed with three laps remaining.
15. James Allison: One of the four Speedway founders and Fisher's right hand man in running the track. Founder of Allison Transmissions, among other manufacturing businesses.
14. Rick Mears: Four time winner, six time pole sitter. No one was cooler behind the wheel. There is no question that had he chosen to extend his career, Mears could have won six times.
13. Tom Carnegie: "It's a new track record," and "Mario is slowing down" became iconic because of Carnegie's resonant delivery over the public address system, which became part of the very fabric of the track experience for 60 years.
12. Louis Meyer: First three-time winner. He started the milk tradition by asking for buttermilk in Victory Lane in 1936. His Meyer-Drake Engineering firm took over production of the Offy.
11. Tony George: For good and ill, Tony George made a major impact. The grandson of Tony Hulman, he turned the racing world upside down with his ham-handed power play, creating Indy Racing League and splitting open wheel racing into two warring factions. While Indycar eventually reunited, it still deals with the lost sponsorships, lost attendance, and damaged image caused by George's precipitous actions. His positive impact came from adding the Brickyard 400 and building the road course which has been used for Grand Prix racing, Moto GP, sports car racing, vintage car events and now the Angie's List Indycar Grand Prix.
10. Mario Andretti: From his first lap at the Speedway through his 29 races, there Mario Andretti has been special. He won only one race -- and that in a backup Brawner Hawk that was never intended for the Indy 500. But he came so close so many times. And his international appeal, frequently juggling Grand Prix racing with the Indianapolis 500, and then driving for movie star Paul Newman, continued to bring world attention to the race.
9. Eddie Rickenbacker: Before he was a WWI flying hero, Rickenbacker drove in the Indianapolis 500. In 1927, when Carl Fisher's interest turned to developing Miami Beach, Rickenbacker bought the track. He shepherded it through the difficult depression years, including fighting off a threatened driver boycott. After WWII, he turned his attention to American Airlines and sold the track to Tony Hulman..
8. Jim Clark: While he only won a single race, the importance of Jim Clark is difficult to over-estimate. The quiet Scotsman captured the hearts of Indianapolis race fans who were not predisposed toward liking foreigners, particularly those who changed Indy traditions. While rear-engined cars had appeared at the Speedway before Clark and Dan Gurney arrived in a Lotus Ford in 1963, none had the impact. Clark finished second in his first race. By the next year, half the field were rear-engine cars, and by 1965 when Clark dominated and won, the transformation was nearly complete. As two-time World Driving Champion inspired an influx of European drivers including World Champions Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, and Joachin Rindt. His legacy inspired many more to follow, including 3-time winner Dario Franchitti. .
7. Bill Vukovich: In his short career, Vukovich was the most dominating driver ever seen at the Speedway. In his five races, he came within a whisker of winning four in a row. In 1952, his steering pin broke while leading with only eight laps left. He dominated to win in 1953 and 1954. In 1955, he was on the cover of Sports Illustrated leading up to the race. While leading on lap 55, several cars spun in front of him. Vukovich catapulted end over end and crashing in flames outside the track. But his legend still reverberates through the track and with Indy racing fans
6. Sid Collins: The true "Voice of the 500," his descriptions took the Indianapolis 500 to the world from 1952 through 1976. Perhaps more than any other person, he took the Indianapolis 500 into the hearts and imaginations of race fans around the world.
5. Roger Penske: Since 1972 when Mark Donahue gave him his first win, the Captain has seen his cars in Victory Lane 16 times. No other owner has won more than five.
4. A.J. Foyt: Started 35 races, the first 4-time winner, and simply known as "Super Tex." Also known for expressing his opinion with words and fists about the driving ability of Kevin Cogan, the racing tactics of Arie Leyundyke and the fact that his car was driving "like a bucket of s**t" As a driver or owner, he has participated in 58 of the 100 Indianapolis 500s.
3. Wilbur Shaw: A three-time winner of the 500, Shaw's greatest contribution was convincing Terre Haute businessman Tony Hulman to buy the track after WWII. He served as Speedway president, giving the command "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines," which became the title of his best selling autobiography. He died in 1954 in a plane crash. A Shelbyville native, Shaw was the last Hoosier-born winner of the Indianapolis 500.
2. Carl Fisher: Fisher was the visionary (he later developed Miami Beach) without whom the Indianapolis 500 would never exist. As early as 1903, he envisioned a large racetrack to be used as a proving ground for the automobile industry -- although if Fisher's original vision had come true, we might be talking about the French Lick 500. But a troublesome automobile trip in 1908 to Dayton with Fisher's good friend Lem Trotter spurred Fisher into action, and with the assistance of Allison, Newby and Wheeler, he bought a 320-acre farm west of Indianapolis and began constructing a 2 1/2 mile race course. In 1910 it was repaved with bricks, and on Memorial Day 1911 the first Indianapolis 500 was contested.
1. Anton "Tony" Hulman: With the encouragement of Wilbur Shaw, Hulman bought the track in December 1945 from Eddie Rickenbacker. It was a shambles, untouched since the outbreak of WWII and wanted by developers to meet the post-war housing boom. But Hulman was a sportsman and valued the history of the race. He poured in money and set up a management team that would guide the track for the next 30 years and beyond. He constantly poured money back into the facility, making it beyond question the world's greatest race course.
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