A few moe photos from the IMS Museum’s new exhibit, SECOND
Seconds from SECOND
Tag: IMS Museum
SECOND- Drivers Who Almost Drank the Milk
Photo-Sam Hornish edges Marco Andretti for the win in 2006
“No one remembers who finished second except the guy who finished second.” Bobby Unser
Twists of fate kept several drivers from winning the Indianapolis 500. Some went on to win later on, but for many, second place was their best finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Some had many more chances, while some never returned to the race.
Second place at Indianapolis mostly goes unnoticed Unlike other races on the schedule, there is no podium; only the winner receives recognition.
The IMS Museum gives the spotlight to these drivers, many of whom I believe are remembered for finishing second. While the display focuses on runners-up who never won, tribute is paid to those who eventually drank the milk or owned the winning car.
Here are some of the stories on display.
Whether due to controversial scoring, rain, car damage, or a late yellow, fans and drivers have to wonder what might have been. Controversy reigned in the first 500 in 1911. Ray Harroun was awarded the victory, and Ralph Mulford finished second. Or is that really how the race ended. Mulford maintained for a long time that he won he first 500.
Perhaps the most controversial finish since 1911 occurred in 2002. Paul Tracy pulled ahead of leader Helio Castroneves on lap 198 just as the yellow flag came out. Did Tracy pass Castroneves before or after the flag was thrown? Officials ruled that the yellow was out when the pass was made. Castroneves got first place back and won his second straight 500,
Oh, So Close!
While most races ended with the winner easily ahead, there have been some very close finishes since 1982. When Gordon Johncock beat Ric Mears to the line that year, the two drivers broke a record that had stood since 1937. Wilbur Shaw beat Ralph Hepburn by 2.16 seconds in winning his first of three 500s.
Al Unser, Jr. nipped Scott Goodyear in 1992 by 0.43 seconds. Sam Hornish edged Marco Andretti in 2006 by 0.635 seconds.
Late Trouble
Roberto Guerrero looked to have the 1987 race in habd when he tangled with tony bettenhausen between turns 3 and 4. A tire from bettenhausen’s car flew into the stands, fatally injuring a spectator. Guerrero continued, but there was internal damage. On his last pit stop, the car stalled with a clutch problem, and Al Unser, Sr. took the lead and held on for his fourth win.
In 1961 Eddie Sachs appeared to have the upper after a spirited duel with A. J. Foyt, who had to make an extra stop for fuel. But with just three laps left, Sachs suddenly pulled into the pits, concerned that his right front tire wouldn’t last. Foyt took the lead and his first of four checkered flags at the speedway.
In 2011 J. R. Hildebrand ended up leading after a furious flurry of late fuel stops. He went wide to avoid a lapped car at the exit to turn 4 on the final lap and hit the wall. Dan Wheldon went past for his second Indianapolis 500.
Andretti Heartbreak
Rick Mears passed Michael Andretti on a late restart in 1991 to join the four-time winners club. Andretti had dominated the race, but once Mears took the lead, Andretti could not catch him. It was Andretti’s only second place finish among his five top five finishes.
Winners as Owners
Harry Hartz finished second three times, in 1922, 1923, and 1926, but won twice as a car owner in 1930 and 1932. Hartz holds the dubious honor of having the most second place finishes without winning the race.
Lou Moore, second place finisher in 1928, owned five winning cars- 1938, 1941, and 1947-49. His five wins as a car owner stood as the record until Roger Penske began fielding winning cars in 1972.
Michael Andretti’s team has also had success, with 500 wins in 2005,2007, 2016, and 2017.
There are fascinating stories in this display- heartbreaking, poignant tales of lost opportunities, sometimes with no second chances. I hope you can get out to see this exhibit. It is one of the best the IMS Musuem has offered.
I will have some more photos up tomorrow.
New Engine Gets Some Running; Testing Cancelled; Notes
Weather was the big story at IMS last week, as the test planned for Thursday and postponed until Friday never happened. There were cars on track earlier int he week, however, as the new 2.4 liter engines from Honda and Chevy got its first track test.
Both OEMs said they were pleased with the test despite the limited test time. I lijke the sound of the new engine. It is a very deep tone. The video is of the Chevy.
Andretti Autosport and Team Penske will test at barber tomorrow before heading to Long Beach.
I understand a test on the IMS road course is scheduled for June.
Harvey Cleared to Drive
Jack Harvey is now clear to drive at the Acura Grand prix of Long Beach. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver had a hard crash during final practice for the EXPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway last month and was held out of the race.
Santino Ferrucci replaced Harvey in the race. Ferrucci started last and finished ninth.
Music City Presale
The Music City Presale begins at noon tomorrow for last year’s ticket holders. General public sales can’t be too far away.
I’m interested in seeing what improvements, if any the event has made after its first year. I hope they have made tickets easier to access and have employed a more fan friendly security company.
500 Festival Cars Debut
Tomorrow morning the 500 festival event cars will appear on the front stretch of IMS as we will be just 55 days away from the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500.
While I am at the track tomorrow I will check out the new exhibit at the IMS Museum, Roadsters 2 Records, 1960-1972. The display covers the transition from front engine cars to rear engine machines and the golden age of driving talent and technology in the time period.
IMS Museum Open During Test Days, But…
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum announced today that it will remain open Thursday and Friday during the Indycar test on the 21/2 mile oval. However, there is a catch. Vehicles will not be allowed entrance to the museum parking lot. Instead visitors will park in the lot across from Gate 2 on Polco Street. Free shuttles will transport people to the museum and return them to their cars when they are ready to leave. The turn 2 mounds are closed. Shuttles will run from 9 am until 5 pm or until all visitors have left. I believe the museum limits the number of guests in the building at one time.
The release from the museum:
Track action available via NBC’s Peacock streaming service
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum will remain open to the public during the Thursday, April 8 and Friday, April 9 Indy 500 testing at the legendary 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
IMS announced April 5 that the test will be closed to the public as it prioritizes planning and preparations for the Month of May. Fans will have access to both days of NTT INDYCAR SERIES track action via NBC’s new Peacock streaming service.
All visitors to the IMS Museum on April 8-9 will be directed to park in the IMS-owned gravel parking lot located on the east side of Polco Street and south of 16th Street. (See accompanying map for illustration.)
Museum guests should plan to use the lot entrance located on Polco just a few feet south of 16th Street, and IMS Museum owned tour busses will serve as free shuttles to and from the Museum main entrance. Shuttles will run continuously during regular Museum hours, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET), and until the last visitor is delivered to the designated parking area. The Turn 2 viewing mounds will not be open on Thursday or Friday while the test is taking place.
“The IMS team is laser-focused on preparations for the Month of May, and we know everyone is excited about the prospect of coming ‘Back Home Again,’” said IMS Museum President Joe Hale. “In the meantime, we’re glad we’ve been able to work together with IMS to keep the museum open and available to visitors later this week, and we can’t wait to see people coming through our doors.”
IMS and INDYCAR officials are working closely with NBC Sports to provide live, in-depth coverage of testing on NBC’s Peacock streaming platform, featuring NBC’s regular NTT INDYCAR SERIES broadcast team. Fans can take advantage of Peacock’s seven-day free trial to watch the test – and then sign up for Peacock Premium for just $4.99/month to access coverage of the entire 17-race INDYCAR schedule, including practices, qualifying and races.
To learn more about Peacock, click here.
Public access to the IMS Museum parking inside the oval via Gate 2 (the four-lane tunnel on 16th Street) is scheduled resume Saturday, April 10.
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About the IMS Museum: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is home to one of the world’s premier motorsports and automobile collections, with interpretive emphasis on the Indianapolis 500 and its role as an American icon of sporting tradition and innovation.
Located inside the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the IMS Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization which relies on the support of visitors, members, donors and corporate partners, who make possible our daily operations, exhibits, educational programming, and restoration and preservation initiatives.
For more information on the IMS Museum, please visit www.indyracingmuseum.org, contact the Museum at 317-492-6784, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Testing Schedule
Thursday’s session has three segments:
11-1 Veterans
1-3 Rookie Orientation and refreshers
4-6 All cars.
Friday’s session runs from 10-4.
Museum Underground
Photo from IMS Museum website
As the elevator reached the bottom floor, I felt I was entering hallowed ground. My Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Basement tour was just moments away. The museum recently began offering tours of what had until now been a very exclusive area of the building. It was like the Speedway’s Forbidden City. People I know who had the fortune to see it seemed sworn to secrecy about its contents. Some of its treasures have been revealed in the From the Vault collection exhibit running currently on the main floor. The exhibit rotates items. there were a few new vehicles upstairs this trip.
My knowledgeable guide, Dennis, and I walked down a quiet hallway past large solid doors with big security combination locks on them. It lent an air of mystery and somberness to the area. We stopped in front of a set of double doors. Dennis opened them. It was pitch black. When the lights finally came on, the hair on my arms stood up and I felt a chill. For someone like me who loves classic cars, I thought I had gone to heaven.
My excitement was tempered a bit when Dennis said I could not take pictures. Since I was already there, I decided to proceed with the tour anyway. Just to the right of the door as we entered were three Formula 1 cars. The first one was Michael Schumacher’s rookie car. next to it sat one of Mario Andretti’s F1 machines, the Parnelli Jones owned car. Dennis took a picture of me standing next to the Schumacher car.
I’m not sure how many cars reside in the basement, but there were double rows of automobiles, race cars and passenger cars, all around the perimeter walls. Dennis told me some car will be sold because the museum’s future focus will be cars that have some relationship to the Speedway. others belong to the Hulman-George family and will be returned to them.
One of the race cars that caught my eye was a dirt/speedway car from the early 1950’s. Jimmy Bryan drove it to second place in the 1954 Indianapolis 500. Jim Rathmann, Bob Sweikert, and A. J. Foyt also drove the car. it wears the livery of Dean Van Lines. This car compares to the Boyle Maserati in having a string of outstanding drivers in the pilot’s seat. The Maserati was driven by Wilbur Shaw, Ted Horn, and Bill Vukovich.
Some other vehicles of note are Mary Hulman’s Rolls-Royce, which she drove just one time to the grocery store. The car attracted so much attention that she hired a chauffeur to drive it after that. I liked the early 1900s Apperson and the Duesenbergs that reside in the depths of the museum. There are also several of the actual pace cars. Of note is the original 1996 Dodge Viper that was scheduled to pace the field, but was pulled at the last minute because it contained Japanese parts. Another version of the Viper, which also sits in the vault, led the field to the green that year.
A single row of vintage cars along the wall to the right includes an 1886 Daimler and a Benz of the same year. these were basically carts with bench seats and a rudder for steering with a tiny motor in the back. Some other cars along that wall, from 1916, have roots in the Hulman-George family. Tony George was driven to school in one of them.
The 30 minute tour costs $100 and online reservations are recommended at indyracingmuseum.org. I had planned to just visit the museum and make a reservation for the tour another day. Since it was early and they had no tours scheduled, I got to take the tour immediately. .
Mr. 500- Andy Granatelli’s Love Affair with IMS
In the 1960s it was impossible to talk about the Indianapolis 500 without mentioning Andy Granatelli. His only victory came in 1969 with Mario Andretti driving, but his showmanship and innovations grabbed headlines throughout the decade. His strong presence at the track each May was felt by everyone there.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum introduced a new exhibit, “Granatelli,” on August 1. It is running concurrently with the “From the Vault” display. The Granatelli exhibit occupies the north hall. It is a small exhibit, with about a half dozen cars and a showcase of memorabilia.
Granatelli is remembered for two things: attempting to prolong the run of the popular Novi and for bringing the turbine powered car into the race. neither car had much success, but both had fans talking about Granatelli and his team.
A Granatelli quote in the display says. “The Novi did everything but win races.”
Granatelli tried to qualify for the 1948 race. On his qualifying run he had an average of 123 mph working through three laps. The right rear tire blew and he crashed his Miller Ford Offenhauser in turn two.
A Granatelli entry was converted to turbine power as a test car in 1955. Known as the SAC Fireboid, Henry Banks drove demonstration laps in 1955. the car then became property of Firestone as a test car. As a Granatelli entry the Kurtis Kraft KK 3000 was driven by Pat Flaherty in 1950 and Jim Rathmann to second place in 1952. Freddie Agabashian also had a turn behind the wheel of this machine.
The walls in the exhibit are are covered with murals with quotes and text from Granatelli’s biography, They Call Me Mr. 500. The one that stood out to me captures the essence of what every fan, driver, and car owner feels about the race and the speedway.
Althpugh the display is not large, it packs a lot of history about a great era at IMS and one of the most intriguing figures of that time. The exhibit runs through June 20, 2021.
I will have some more photos posted on my Facebook page, The Pit Window later tonight.
IMS Museum to Close During Track Activity Days
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, Offices Closing on All 2020 Indy 500 Track Activity Days
Museum will maintain normal tour, operating hours Aug. 17-20
In light of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s decision to conduct all 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge track activity without fans, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum will be closed on all “500” track activity days.
The days the IMS Museum will be closed are: Aug. 12-16 (practice and Crown Royal Armed Forces Qualifying days); and Aug. 21-23 (Miller Lite Carb Day, Legends Day presented by Firestone, and “500” Race Day, respectively). This includes the Museum’s corporate offices.
The Museum will welcome visitors during its normal hours, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET), on all other days, and “Kiss the Bricks” track tours will be available from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. The Museum’s popular and in-depth Golf Cart Tours will not be available beginning Aug. 10 and will resume Aug. 26.
Two featured exhibits are on display at the IMS Museum: “Granatelli: Larger Than Life presented by O’Donovan & McCardel Wealth Management by Raymond James,” which opened Aug. 1 and runs through June 20, and “From the Vault presented by Bank of America,” which runs through March 21.
The IMS Museum is a public, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization located in the infield of the world-famous 2.5-mile IMS oval, requiring its closure in order to comply with the decision to not allow fans at IMS for the 2020 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Like most museums and arts organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted revenue and finances for the IMS Museum. Donations are always welcomed; the generosity of our members, corporate sponsors, visitors and donors make it possible for Museum staff to preserve and share the 111-year history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and its events, plus Indiana’s rich automotive heritage. At this time, your support is appreciated more than ever. To learn more about the many ways you can show your support – including memberships and our popular “Adopt-a-Car” program – please click here.
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About the IMS Museum: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is home to one of the world’s premier motorsports and automobile collections, with interpretive emphasis on the Indianapolis 500 and its role as an American icon of sporting tradition and innovation.
Located inside the famed 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the IMS Museum is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization which relies on the support of visitors, members, donors and corporate partners, who make possible our daily operations, exhibits, educational programming, and restoration and preservation initiatives.
For more information on the IMS Museum, please visit www.indyracingmuseum.org, contact the Museum at 317-492-6784, or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Indycar News Roundup: IMS Museum Sets Opening Date; Palou, VeeKay in Limbo
It’s nice to start the day with some good news. the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum announced today that it will re-open July 7 and extend the From the Vault exhibit. I did not get a chance to see this exhibit in the fall, so I’m thrilled to get an opportunity to see it. Here are some important points from the museum’s announcement:
- We have developed and revised, on almost a daily basis, protocols to keep our guests and staff as safe as possible. When we re-open, we will allow fewer people in the Museum and will have new guidelines for social distancing. These protocols are unprecedented, and we are learning what will work for us from such sources as the American Alliance of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, and other museums in the city, as well as our local groceries and big-box stores.
- The Museum will reopen on Tuesday, July 7, under the governor’s executive order, the “Back on Track” re-opening plan, and further discussion with IMS officials. Our tours are scheduled to restart at the same time. This may change, however, and I encourage you to check our website before making plans. We will post our re-opening protocols there, too, at indyracingmusuem.org.
- We are extending the run of From the Vault presented by Bank of America. Cut short by our closure, the full exhibit will run through mid-July, and then be contracted a bit to allow us to open a new exhibit on August 1. We will update and supplement From the Vault with additional cars this summer, and in October we will switch out about 10 of the cars to give you a great reason to return.
- In fact, From the Vault presented by Bank of America is a great reason for you to have a museum membership. We plan on rotating a variety of cars through the exhibit, so you will want to come back several times. One thing that won’t change: our members always get into the Museum for free!
- Our new exhibit is . . . going to remain a secret for a while longer. As soon as our printers can get back to work, we will get the banners and signage created, with a plan to start installing the exhibit about July 20. That exhibit will run through June 20, 2021.
- We have been sharing a wide variety of film and video content on our YouTube channel and through our social media. If you do not follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or our YouTube channel, you are missing out on a lot of great race history.
Will Palou and VeeKay Race at Texas?
The Department of Homeland Security has made an exception to its travel ban to allow foreign athletes to enter the United States. The agency did not include motorsports. While this exclusion greatly affects IMSA, Indycar is also affected. Two rookies, Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay are currently in Europe. Indycar, their teams, Dale Coyne Racing and Ed Carpenter Racing, are working with the the government and embassies to work out arrangements for them to enter the country. Indiana senator Mike Braun has written the DHS asking the department to add motorsports to its exception list. I think Roger Penske knows a guy in DC who can help as well.
Speculation as to who might replace Palou or VeeKay has been swirling. i will leave that discussion until it is necessary.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 