1989 Indianapolis 500

73rd Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning bodyUSAC
Season1989 CART season
1988–89 Gold Crown
DateMay 28, 1989
WinnerBrazil Emerson Fittipaldi
Winning teamPatrick Racing
Average speed167.581 mph (269.695 km/h)
Pole positionUnited States Rick Mears
Pole speed223.885 mph (360.308 km/h)
Fastest qualifierUnited States Rick Mears
Rookie of the YearMexico Bernard Jourdain & United States Scott Pruett (tie)
Most laps ledBrazil Emerson Fittipaldi (158)
Pre-race ceremonies
National anthemTom Hudnut
"Back Home Again in Indiana"Jim Nabors
Starting commandMary F. Hulman
Pace carPontiac Trans Am
Pace car driverBobby Unser
StarterDuane Sweeney[1]
Estimated attendance400,000[2]
TV in the United States
NetworkABC
AnnouncersHost/Lap-by-lap: Paul Page
Color Analyst: Sam Posey
Color Analyst: Bobby Unser
Nielsen ratings7.8 / 28
Chronology
Previous Next
1988 1990

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.

On the 199th lap, Unser was leading Fittipaldi, at which time the two leaders encountered slower traffic. Down the backstretch, Unser and Fittipaldi weaved through the slower cars, then Fittipaldi dived underneath going into turn three. The two cars touched wheels, and Unser spun out, crashing into the outside retaining wall. Fittipaldi completed the final lap under caution behind the pace car to score his first of two Indy 500 victories. Unser was uninjured, and despite the crash, was still credited with second place. Fittipaldi received $1,001,600 in prize money, the first time an Indianapolis 500 winner received over one million dollars.[3]

After dominating the previous year's race, all three cars of the Penske team failed to finish the race in 1989. Danny Sullivan suffered a broken arm in a practice crash, then mechanical failures sidelined all three cars on race day. It was the only year in the decade of the 1980s, and the first time since 1976, that the Penske team failed to score a top five finish. However, Fittipaldi won the race in a Penske PC-18, which Patrick Racing had purchased from Penske.

The race was sanctioned by USAC, and was included as part of the 1989 CART PPG Indy Car World Series. At season's end, Fittipaldi became the fourth driver since 1979 to win the Indy 500 and CART championship in the same season. The win was also Patrick Racing's third and final Indy victory. Former driver Chip Ganassi, who had become a co-owner at Patrick Racing in 1989, enjoyed his first of six Indy wins (as of 2024) as a car owner or co-owner.

  1. ^ Fox, Jack C. (1994). The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 (4th ed.). Carl Hungness Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 0-915088-05-3.
  2. ^ Ford, Lynn (May 29, 1989). "From Letterman to bikinis, fans found diversions". The Indianapolis Star. p. 7. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  3. ^ "The Greatest 33 Profile: Emerson Fittipaldi". Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2012-03-30.