1986 Michigan 500

Last updated • 5 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

The 1986 Michigan 500, the sixth running of the event, was held at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, on Saturday, August 2, 1986. The race was won by Johnny Rutherford, his 27th and final Indy Car victory. It was Rutherford's sixth win in IndyCar racing's Triple Crown of 500 mile races, and his first at the Michigan 500. The event was race number 9 of 17 in the 1986 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. 42°03′58.68″N84°14′29.18″W / 42.0663000°N 84.2414389°W / 42.0663000; -84.2414389

Contents

Flag of the United States.svg 1986 Michigan 500
Race details
Race 9 of 17 in the 1986 CART season
Michigan International Speedway track map.png
DateAugust 2, 1986
Official name 1986 Michigan 500
Location Michigan International Speedway, Brooklyn, Michigan, United States
CoursePermanent racing facility
2.000 mi / 3.219 km
Distance250 laps
500.000 mi / 804.672 km
WeatherPartly Cloudy with temperatures up to 82 °F (28 °C); wind speeds reaching up to 17 miles per hour (27 km/h) [1]
Pole position
Driver Flag of the United States.svg Rick Mears  (Team Penske)
Time223.401 mph (359.529 km/h)
Podium
First Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford  (Alex Morales Racing)
Second Flag of Mexico.svg Josele Garza  (Machinist Union Racing Team)
Third Flag of the United States.svg Pancho Carter  (Galles Racing)

Background

After years of being defined by a rough, bumpy, asphalt surface, Michigan International Speedway was repaved in the spring of 1986. The smooth new surface produced higher grips and higher speeds. In testing on July 23, Rick Mears ran a lap speed of 222.5 mph. It was unofficially the first time an Indy car ran a lap speed over 220 mph. [2]

As was the case the past three years, Domino's Pizza offered a one million dollar bonus to any driver who could win IndyCar's Triple Crown of 500 Mile Races: The Indianapolis 500, Michigan 500, and Pocono 500. [3] Bobby Rahal won the 1986 Indianapolis 500 and entered Michigan still eligible to win the million dollars.

Practice and Time Trials

Practice opened on Wednesday, July 30. Bobby Rahal set the fastest practice speed at 220.723 mph. Rick Mears was second at 220.467 mph. Roberto Guerrero, Ed Pimm, and Randy Lanier comprised the top-five fastest cars. [4]

The opening round of Time Trials was held on Thursday, July 31. Rick Mears broke the world closed-course speed record with a lap of 223.401 mph. The previous record had been 221.160, set by Mark Donohue at Talladega Superspeedway in August 1975. Mears was nearly four miles per hour faster than Al Unser in second place at 219.552 mph. Bobby Rahal completed the front row with a speed of 218.759 mph. [5]

Roughly one hour after his pole-winning time, Rick Mears crashed his car in turn two. After losing control, the car impacted the wall and damaged the nose and left-front suspension. [6] If Mears's team was unable to repair the car, he would have lost his pole position and had to start from the rear of the field.

Upon inspection, the crew found Mears's crash was the result of a failure of the right-rear CV Joint. [7] Mears's Team Penske crew worked 15 hours to repair to car by Friday morning. [8]

During practice on Friday, Bobby Rahal set the fastest speed at 217.753 mph. Mears's repaired car was second fastest at 217.615 mph. Roberto Moreno crashed in turn two and suffered damage to the right side of the car. His team was able to repair the vehicle before the race. Geoff Brabham's team withdrew his Cosworth powered car and substituted it with a Judd powered car. The change meant he would start the race in last position. [9]

Race

At the start of the race, Rick Mears took the lead. On only the third lap, Steve Chassey crashed in turn two to bring out the first caution of the race. [10]

Rain began to fall on lap 14. The race was stopped for 90 minutes while the shower passed and the track dried. [11]

When the race restarted, Michael Andretti held the lead for 15 laps. Roberto Guerrero charged to the lead, passing Andretti to the inside in turn one on lap 37. After 11 laps in the lead, Guerrero hit oil in turn three and spun backwards into the wall. Guerrero was knocked unconscious in the wreck but soon walked to the ambulance and was transported to a local hospital where he was released later that afternoon. [12] Mario Andretti and Tom Sneva also crashed out of the race in single car incidents.

On lap 100, Randy Lanier crashed in turn three, impacting the wall hard with the right side of the car. Lanier suffered a fractured right leg and underwent surgery later that night. [13] Two trackside observers for CART were struck by debris and hospitalized. Robert Vanice suffered a laceration to the back of his head and Brian Brown was struck in the back. Both were treated and released at a local hospital. [14] It ultimately was the last auto race for Lanier who was indicted and later convicted on drug smuggling charges in October 1986. [15]

Throughout the midway point of the race, Bobby Rahal and Rick Mears led significant portions of the event. Both drivers would retire with engine failures. [16]

While leading on lap 195, Michael Andretti blew an engine and brought out the ninth caution of the day. That gave the lead to Johnny Rutherford.

With eight laps remaining, the third-place car driven by Geoff Brabham lost power in turn two and was hit from behind by Al Unser Jr. Brabham hit the outside wall and Unser spun to the infield. Unser lost his front and rear wings, had a damaged nose, and wired the oil cooler to the gearbox, but returned to the track and finished the race in 8th. Because of the high attrition, Brabham still finished fourth. [17]

The race restarted with four laps to go. By running laps over 217 mph (over 5 mph faster than his qualifying speed), Rutherford extended his lead over Josele Garza who was seeking his first win. Garza was unable to catch Rutherford who won the Michigan 500 by 1.82 seconds. [18]

Rutherford became the first driver to win 500 mile Indy car races at all four tracks that held them: Indianapolis, Ontario, Pocono, and Michigan.

Only seven of the 28 starters finished the race. The 10 cautions slowed the average speed to 137.139 mph. [19]

Box score

FinishGridNoNameEntrantChassisEngineLapsTime/StatusLedPoints
11421 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Rutherford Alex Morales Motorsports March 86C Cosworth 2503:38:45.3205620
22255 Flag of Mexico.svg Josele Garza Machinists Union Racing March 86C Cosworth 250+1.820016
31515 Flag of the United States.svg Pancho Carter Galles Racing Lola T86/00 Cosworth 248+2 Laps014
4288 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Brabham Galles Racing Lola T86/00 Judd-Honda 239Crash012
52422 Flag of Brazil.svg Raul Boesel Dick Simon Racing Lola T86/00 Cosworth 239+11 Laps010
6199 Flag of Brazil.svg Roberto Moreno Galles Racing Lola T86/00 Cosworth 238+12 Laps08
72710 Flag of the United States.svg Spike Gehlhausen JP Racing Lola T900 Cosworth 237+13 Laps06
82030 Flag of the United States.svg Al Unser Jr. Doug Shierson Racing Lola T86/00 Cosworth 235+15 Laps05
91114 Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Enterprises March 86C Cosworth 229Engine04
1033 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Rahal Truesports March 86C Cosworth 219Engine644
11618 Flag of the United States.svg Michael Andretti Kraco Racing March 86C Cosworth 195Engine532
1211 Flag of the United States.svg Rick Mears Penske Racing March 86C Cosworth 181Engine502
131771 Flag of the United States.svg Scott Brayton Hemelgarn Racing March 86C Cosworth 167CV joint00
14211 Flag of the United States.svg Al Unser Penske Racing March 86C Ilmor-Chevrolet 164Engine00
15766 Flag of the United States.svg Ed Pimm Mike Curb Racing March 86C Cosworth 163Engine00
161859 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Parsons Machinists Union Racing March 86C Cosworth 126Crash00
172136 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dennis Firestone Raynor Motorsports Lola T86/00 Cosworth 123Engine00
18833 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Sneva Mike Curb Racing March 86C Cosworth 110Crash120
19512 Flag of the United States.svg Randy Lanier Arciero Racing March 86C Cosworth 98Crash10
201320 Flag of Brazil.svg Emerson Fittipaldi Patrick Racing March 86C Cosworth 82Engine10
21105 Flag of the United States.svg Mario Andretti Newman/Haas Racing Lola T86/00 Cosworth 69Crash00
22127 Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Cogan Patrick Racing March 86C Cosworth 63Handling00
231661 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Arie Luyendyk Provimi Veal Racing March 86C Cosworth 50Oil leak00
2442 Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero Bignotti-Cotter Racing March 86C Cosworth 47Crash130
2594 Flag of the United States.svg Danny Sullivan Penske Racing March 86C Cosworth 33Suspension00
262324 Flag of the United States.svg Gary Bettenhausen Leader Card Racers March 86C Cosworth 15Oil leak00
272584 Flag of the United States.svg George Snider A. J. Foyt Enterprises March 86C Cosworth 9Handling00
282656 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Chassey Gohr Racing March 86C Buick 2Crash00
Source: [20] [21]

Failed to qualify

Race statistics

Broadcasting

For the first time, NBC chose to televise the race on a tape-delayed format eight days after the event on Sunday, August 10. [22] CART's decision to postpone the 1985 Michigan 500 cost NBC a reported $400,000 and the network was reluctant to broadcast a live 500-mile event again. [23]

Paul Page was the lead announcer and was joined by Bobby Unser as color commentator. Gary Gerould and Bruce Jenner served as pit reporters. [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Mears</span> American racing driver (born 1951)

Richard Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six. Mears is also a three-time Indycar series/World Series champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1992 Indianapolis 500</span> 76th running of the Indianapolis 500

The 76th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday, May 24, 1992. The race is famous for the fierce battle in the closing laps, as race winner Al Unser Jr. held off second place Scott Goodyear for the victory by 0.043 seconds, the closest finish in Indy history. Unser Jr. became the first second-generation driver to win the Indy 500, following in the footsteps of his father Al Unser Sr. He also became the third member of the famous Unser family to win the race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1991 Indianapolis 500</span> 75th running of the Indianapolis 500

The 75th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday, May 26, 1991. Rick Mears won from the pole position, becoming the third four-time winner of the Indy 500, joining A. J. Foyt and Al Unser. During time trials, Mears also established an Indy record by winning his sixth career pole position. The month of May for Mears was tumultuous, as he suffered his first ever crash at Indy since arriving as a rookie in 1977. The wreck during a practice run totaled his primary car, and broke a bone in his right foot. Mears kept the injury mostly secret, and later admitted that the pain he experienced during the race was so bad, he had to cross his legs in the car and push the accelerator pedal down with his left foot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 Indianapolis 500</span> 74th running of the Indianapolis 500

The 74th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 27, 1990. Dutchman Arie Luyendyk took the lead with 32 laps to go, and earned his first-ever victory in championship-level competition. It was the second consecutive year the Indy 500 was won by a foreign-born competitor, the first time that had occurred since 1965–1966. Luyendyk completed the 500 miles at an average speed of 185.981 mph (299.307 km/h), a record that stood for 23 years until 2013. In reference to the long-standing speed record, for many years the 1990 race was often referred to as "The Fastest 500".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1989 Indianapolis 500</span> 73rd running of the Indianapolis 500

The 73rd Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 28, 1989. The race was won by Emerson Fittipaldi, a two-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion. Fittipaldi became the first Indianapolis 500 winner from Brazil, the first foreign-born winner of the race since Mario Andretti in 1969, and the first non-American winner since Graham Hill in 1966. Though Fittipaldi started on the front row and dominated much of the race, he found himself running second in the waning laps. Michael Andretti passed Fittipaldi for the lead on lap 154, then led until his engine blew. Al Unser Jr. moved up to second, but trailed Fittipaldi by a big margin. Gambling on fuel mileage, Unser caught up to Fittipaldi after a fortuitous caution period on lap 181, and subsequently took the lead on lap 196.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Indianapolis 500</span> 72nd running of the Indianapolis 500

The 72nd Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday May 29, 1988. Team Penske dominated the month, sweeping the top three starting positions with Rick Mears winning the pole position, Danny Sullivan at the center of the front row, and Al Unser, Sr. on the outside. Mears set a new track record, becoming the first driver to break the 220 mph barrier in time trials. On race day, the three Penske teammates proceeded to lead 192 of the 200 laps, with Rick Mears taking the checkered flag, his third-career Indy 500 victory. The race represented the milestone 50th victory in Championship car racing for owner Roger Penske and Penske Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Indianapolis 500</span> 71st running of the Indianapolis 500

The 71st Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday May 24, 1987. After dominating practice, qualifying, and most of the race, leader Mario Andretti slowed with mechanical problems with only 23 laps to go. Five laps later, Al Unser Sr. assumed the lead, and won his record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory. At age 47, just days short of his 48th birthday, Unser became the oldest winner of the Indy 500, a record that still stands as of 2024. During the month of May, an unusually high 25 crashes occurred during practice and qualifying, with one driver in particular, Jim Crawford, suffering serious leg injuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 Indianapolis 500</span> 70th running of the Indianapolis 500

The 70th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Saturday, May 31, 1986. After being rained out on May 25–26, the race was rescheduled for the following weekend. Bobby Rahal was the winner, becoming the first driver in Indy history to complete the 500 miles (800 km) in less than three hours. At an average speed of 170.722 mph (274.750 km/h), it was the fastest 500-mile Indy car race to that point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984 Indianapolis 500</span> 68th running of the Indianapolis 500

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 Indy 500 victories driving for Penske. Contenders Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti dropped out of the race in the second half, leaving Mears alone two laps ahead of the field, and he cruised to the victory. Mears set a new speed record for 500 miles, breaking Mark Donohue's 1972 record. It is also tied for the largest margin of victory since the "pack-up" rule was adopted in 1979. Three months after the race, however, Mears would suffer severe leg injuries in a practice crash at Sanair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan 500</span> Indy car race at Michigan

The Michigan 500 was an IndyCar Series race held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan. Held from 1981 to 2001, the event was held in high prestige, constituting part of Indy car racing's 500-mile "Triple Crown".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pocono 500 (IndyCar)</span> IndyCar race at Pocono

The Pocono 500 was an IndyCar Series race held at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, located in the Pocono Mountains. The first Indy car race at Pocono was held in 1971. It was the first major event held at the track, shortly after its completion. The race was sanctioned by USAC from 1971 to 1981, and then by CART from 1982 to 1989, and was known as the Pocono 500. The race was removed from the CART calendar following the 1989 running, due to poor track conditions, as well as poor revenue for the promoter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Pocono 500</span> Motor car race

The 1985 Pocono 500, the 15th running of the event, was held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, August 18, 1985. Branded as the 1985 Domino's Pizza 500 for sponsorship reasons, the race was won by Rick Mears, his first victory since suffering severe leg injuries in a September 1984 crash.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1986 Pocono 500</span> Motor car race

The 1986 Pocono 500, the 16th running of the event, was held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, August 17, 1986. Branded as the 1986 Domino's Pizza 500 for sponsorship reasons, the race was won by Mario Andretti in his 14th attempt to win the Pocono 500 at the track near his Pennsylvania home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Pocono 500</span> Motor car race

The 1987 Pocono 500, the 17th running of the event, was held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, August 16, 1987. Branded as the 1987 Quaker State 500 for sponsorship reasons, the race was won by Rick Mears, snapping a two-year winless drought, and earning his third Pocono 500 win.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Pocono 500</span> Motor car race

The 1988 Pocono 500, the 18th running of the event, was held at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, August 21, 1988. Branded as the 1988 Quaker State 500 for sponsorship reasons, the race was won by Bobby Rahal, the first and only win for the Judd engine in Indy car racing. It was also the last win for the Truesports team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1985 Michigan 500</span> Motor car race

The 1985 Michigan 500, the fifth running of the event, was held at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, on Sunday, July 28, 1985. The event was race number 7 of 15 in the 1985 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. The race was won by Emerson Fittipaldi, his first Indy Car victory. The race was delayed for one week over concerns about Goodyear's new radial tires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1987 Michigan 500</span> Motor car race

The 1987 Michigan 500, the seventh running of the event, was held at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, on Sunday, August 2, 1987. Branded as the 1987 Marlboro 500 for sponsorship reasons, the race was won by Michael Andretti, his first Michigan 500 victory. The event was race number 9 of 15 in the 1987 CART PPG Indy Car World Series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1988 Michigan 500</span> Motor car race

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1990 Michigan 500</span> Motor car race

The 1990 Michigan 500, the tenth running of the event, was held at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, on Sunday, August 5, 1990. Branded as the 1990 Marlboro 500 for sponsorship reasons, the event was race number 10 of 16 in the 1990 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. The race was won by Al Unser Jr., his first 500-mile Indy Car victory. With an average speed of 189.727 mph, it remained the fastest 500 mile Indy car race until the 2002 The 500 at California Speedway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1991 Michigan 500</span> Motor car race

The 1991 Marlboro 500, the eleventh running of the event, was held at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, on Sunday, August 4, 1991. Branded as the 1991 Marlboro 500 for sponsorship reasons, the race was won by Rick Mears, his final Indy Car victory. It was also Mears' only win in the Michigan 500. The event was race number 11 of 17 in the 1991 CART PPG Indy Car World Series.

References

  1. ↑ Weather information for the 1986 Michigan 500 at Wunderground
  2. ↑ "Mears Breaks 220 Mph in Practice Run at MIS". Battle Creek Enquirer. (Michigan). Associated Press. August 3, 1986. p. 73.
  3. ↑ "Domino s Pizza Sets $1 Million Triple Crown Award". industrydocuments.ucsf.edu. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Rahal, Mears Like Going 220 in Practice for Michigan 500". Palladium-Item. (Indiana). Associated Press. July 31, 1986. p. 11.
  5. ↑ "Mears Sets Record, Crashes Later". Detroit Free-Press. (Michigan). Associated Press. August 1, 1986. p. 49.
  6. ↑ "Mears Sets Record, Crashes Later". Detroit Free-Press. (Michigan). Associated Press. August 1, 1986. p. 49.
  7. ↑ "Mears Sizzles to 223.4, them Finds MIS Wall". Indianapolis Star. (Indiana). Associated Press. August 1, 1986. p. 31.
  8. ↑ "Quick Repair Job Keeps Mears on Pole for Michigan 500". Detroit Free-Press. (Michigan). Associated Press. August 1, 1986. p. 31.
  9. ↑ "Quick Fix Keeps Mears on Pole". Detroit Free-Press. (Michigan). Associated Press. August 2, 1986. p. 27.
  10. ↑ "Rutherford Survives, Wins Michigan 500". Springfield Leader and Press. (Missouri). Associated Press. August 3, 1986. p. 54.
  11. ↑ "Rutherford Survives, Wins Michigan 500". Springfield Leader and Press. (Missouri). Associated Press. August 3, 1986. p. 54.
  12. ↑ "JR Survives Wet and Wild Michigan 500". Indianapolis Star. (Indiana). Associated Press. August 3, 1986. p. 73.
  13. ↑ "JR Survives Wet and Wild Michigan 500". Indianapolis Star. (Indiana). Associated Press. August 3, 1986. p. 73.
  14. ↑ "Rutherford Survives, Wins Michigan 500". Springfield Leader and Press. (Missouri). Associated Press. August 3, 1986. p. 54.
  15. ↑ "Arciero Team to Retain Lanier Despite Smuggling Charges". Fort Lauderdale News. (Florida). Associated Press. October 17, 1986. p. 36.
  16. ↑ "1986 Michigan 500 Results".
  17. ↑ "JR Survives Wet and Wild Michigan 500". Indianapolis Star. (Indiana). Associated Press. August 3, 1986. p. 73.
  18. ↑ "JR Survives Wet and Wild Michigan 500". Indianapolis Star. (Indiana). Associated Press. August 3, 1986. p. 73.
  19. ↑ "1986 Michigan 500 Results".
  20. ↑ 1986 Michigan 500
  21. ↑ 1986 Michigan 500 - Round 9
  22. ↑ "Michigan 500". Detroit Free-Press. (Michigan). Associated Press. August 1, 1986. p. 31.
  23. ↑ "CART Has Big Purse, But TV Troubles Too". Star Gazette. February 27, 1986. p. 26. Retrieved January 4, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  24. ↑ 1986 Michigan 500 Telecast: NBC-TV, August 10, 1986
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.