23 replies to this topic

[HistoryFan]

Dan Wheldon won the Indy 500 and he didn't race a race before in this season. Is there a list of drivers they did the same?

[cpbell]

Dan Wheldon won the Indy 500 and he didn't race a race before in this season. Is there a list of drivers they did the same?

As I understand it, he hasn't won it yet.

[Vitesse2]

Clark (1965) and Hill (1966) for a starter.

[RStock]

As I understand it, he hasn't won it yet.

Huh?

[ryan86]

Huh?

I think I've read Panther are protesting that he passed JR under yellows.

[Vitesse2]

Huh?

It's being suggested he passed Hildebrand under yellows The words "sour" and "grapes" come to mind. Let's face it, what was he supposed to do - stop until Hildebrand had slithered over the line?

[cpbell]

If the protest is upheld it'll make the race a laughing stock. Trouble is, as a British person, I can't be too smug about Formula 1 at present either.

[ensign14]

Montoya, Castroneves the first time, Vukovich, and of course in the thirties there wasn't much of a championship of which to speak...

[Bloggsworth]

Clark (1965) and Hill (1966) for a starter.

Clark & Hill had already competed in several races that year - This was Wheldon's only race this year.

[Flat Black 84]

It's being suggested he passed Hildebrand under yellows The words "sour" and "grapes" come to mind. Let's face it, what was he supposed to do - stop until Hildebrand had slithered over the line?

It's the Indy 500. People will try to win it by hook or crook.

[Bloggsworth]

It's the Indy 500. People will try to win it by hook or crook.

A) The flag didn't come out until after Wheldon had passed the crashed car, the green was still showing when Wheldon crossed the line, and

B) For Wheldon not to have passed Hilderbrand he would have had to have the examiner hitting the dasboard with a rolled up newspaper, then carried out an emergency stop without endangering the cars behind approaching at 200 MPH, and

C) In America they always let the result stand, they don't believe in Provisional Results, they didn't penalise Parnelli Jones for leaking oil all over the Brickyard for 50 laps....

Edited by Bloggsworth, 29 May 2011 - 22:11.

[Flat Black 84]

A) The flag didn't come out until after Wheldon had passed the crashed car, the green was still showing when Wheldon crossed the line, and

B) For Wheldon not to have passed Hilderbrand he would have had to have the examiner hitting the dasboard with a rolled up newspaper, then carried out an emergency stop without endangering the cars behind approaching at 200 MPH, and

C) In America they always let the result stand, they don't believe in Provisional Results, they didn't penalise Parnelli Jones for leaking oil all over the Brickyard for 50 laps....

Nobody said otherwise. I simply said--or implied very strongly--that the Indy 500 is such a massive prize that folks will sell their soul to the devil to win it. And filing a protest stops somewhat short of bartering with Baal.

[RA Historian]

Wheldon is the winner. SpeedTV.com's Marshall Pruett reports:


Speculation surrounded the finish as the final lap was officially run under a yellow flag. The rules dictate that the finish would normally revert back to the running order on the previous lap--Lap 199, which Hildebrand led--but because Hildebrand caused the yellow, the results will stand.

"[IndyCar Race Director] Brian Barnhart explained to us that because JR was a wounded car on the last lap, he was fair game," said Barnes. "I'm fine with that. It's a classy decision and we're not going to protest."

End of story.

[Lemnpiper]

Dan Wheldon won the Indy 500 and he didn't race a race before in this season. Is there a list of drivers they did the same?

I think Wilbur Shaw and Mauri Rose would be two likely candidates. As i recall back in the 1930's and 1940's some drivers would race only in the Indy 500 and Shaw & Rose seem to be the only winners that did it

[stevewf1]

While I certainly don't know the rule book, but I think it's OK to pass a car that's been in an accident - even if that car is still going 150 mph...

Otherwise, all the cars would have to come to a screeching halt every time anyone hit the wall in order "not to pass".

[JtP1]

At one time the Indy 500 was the first race in the USAC championship, so it could have happened quite often. The most obvious candidate would be Pat Flaherty in 57 who did not have a regular drive, his Indy win being a one off drive with the car owner. So he probably was not doing the dirt oval circuit.

[David McKinney]

Presumably you mean his 1956 win

He'd won the Milwaukee 250 in 1955

[JtP1]

Presumably you mean his 1956 win

He'd won the Milwaukee 250 in 1955

Brain fade on year. The original point was winning the Indy 500 as your first race of the year.

[David McKinney]

Sorry. The thread title is so confusing I misunderstood it

I took it to mean not competing the previous season - you read it (probably correctly) as not competing in any earlier race the same season

[Hieronymus]

Congratulations to Mr. Wheldon!!

Is there a bigger torture on earth than watching an Indy 500 on ESPN? There you can see everything, except racing...!!!!

[Lemnpiper]

Congratulations to Mr. Wheldon!!

Is there a bigger torture on earth than watching an Indy 500 on ESPN? There you can see everything, except racing...!!!!

Yeah watching it on ABC

Allways Broadcasting Commericals

[Risil]

Al Unser, Sr in 1987 having been drafted in at the last minute to replace Danny Ongais, of course. Though he raced later in the year, including a drive for the short-lived Porsche-Porsche factory team.

Edited by Risil, 31 May 2011 - 03:24.

[Nigel Beresford]

Montoya, Castroneves the first time, Vukovich, and of course in the thirties there wasn't much of a championship of which to speak...

Not quite accurate... Castroneves ran Phoenix in '01 as a warm up.

Thanks

Nigel

[racer69]

Is there a bigger torture on earth than watching an Indy 500 on ESPN? There you can see everything, except racing...!!!!

I watched the race from turn 4, then went to a pub that night to watch the local telecast of the race hoping to help fill in the gaps of a very entertaining last ten laps (from trackside, there was too much going on to follow lol)... i was none-the-wiser really, infact they missed alot of the goings on (like Dixon slowing etc...)