If you joined us for 30 Days in May earlier this year, you’ll see some familiar faces from that countdown. We’ve also added some new entries for 23 Days in August. So let’s celebrate some notable drivers and cars from the glorious past of the Indianapolis 500!
the pole in 1970.
23 Days in
August: No. 21, Al Unser, 1977 American Racing Parnelli/Cosworth. 1977 was
Al Unser’s last year with the Vel’s Parnelli Jones team, an association that
dated back to 1969. (Unser missed Indianapolis that year after breaking a leg
in a motorcycle mishap in the Speedway infield, then returned to win the next
two 500s.)
As the 1970s wore on, the team wasn’t as dominant as it was at the outset but began a bit of a renaissance as its work and development on the then-new Cosworth engine started to pay off.
Unser and teammate Mario Andretti practiced in a new Parnelli chassis built for the Cosworth in 1975 before opting for the proven Eagle/Offy combination. In 1976, Unser, put the first Cosworth in the 500 field, starting fourth and ending up seventh in the rain-shortened race.
In 1977, Unser did a little better, starting third and finishing third. For many drivers, such a result would be a career highlight, but for Unser at Indianapolis, it was just another day at the track. In addition to his record-tying four victories, Unser had an additional SEVEN top-three finishes in 27 Indianapolis 500 starts!
Unser is the all-time lap leader in the 500 at 644, a record that is likely to stand for at least another year. The closest active driver, Scott Dixon, would need to lead almost every lap on Sunday to overtake him. (Dixon is ninth with 452 laps led.)
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