Sports Illustrated Cover of the Week

June 3rd 1985

Danny Sullivan and his "Spin and Win" at the 69th running of the Indianapolis 500

Top 10 Indy 500 Moments

Celebrating the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 

May 27th 2018

Sports Illustrated Cover of the Week

June 2nd 1980

Johnny Rutherford wins his 3rd Indianapolis 500

Sports Illustrated Cover of the Week

Mark Donohue wins the 1972 Indianapolis 500

June 5th 1972

The Jack Benny Show 1952-53 Radio Season

This episode of The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny ends with Jack trying to tune in the radio broadcast of the 1953 Indianapolis 500.

The 1953 Indy 500 was called "The Hottest 500" due to the track temperature exceeding 130 degrees.  This led to many drivers needing relief drivers but the winner, Bill Vukovich, did not.
 Bill Vuckovich had led 150 laps of the 200 in the 1952 Indy 500 but in 1953 he proved even more dominant.   He led 195 of the 200 and was the winner going away from the field.
This was the first of 2 consecutive wins for Vukovich and he was leading the 1955 race (which would have been his 3rd straight win), but was involved in a horrific accident that led to his car tumbling over the backstretch wall and landing upside down and killing him instantly.

Thanks to Buck Benny and his wonderful OTR podcast that features Jack and the Gang.

The Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny

"Jack Listens to the Indy 500"

05/31/1953

Great color newsreel about the month of May in Indianapolis 1953.  

This covers time trials and race day.  Great film footage.

Memorial Day Flashback - 1983

Memorial Day Weekend 1983
(30 years ago)

May 29th

Tom Sneva wins his first Indianapolis 500 by getting past Al Unser Jr and Al Unser Sr in the last 10 laps.

May 29th

Neil Bonnett wins his second consecutive NASCAR World 600 
(now called the Coca Cola 600)

May 29th

The Philadelphia 76ers win game 3 of the NBA finals, beating the LA Lakers 111-94 to take a 3-0 series lead.  They would sweep the Lakers by winning Game 4 on Tuesday May 31st to win the 1983 NBA World Championship

Topping the Billboard Hot 100 was the title song to the movie Flashdance,
 Irene Cara was spending her first of 6 consecutive weeks at #1 with 
"Flashdance...What a Feeling"

On prime time television "60 Minutes" was the #1 show for the 1982-83 season

Topping the NY Times bestseller list for fiction was John Le Carre's 
"Little Drummer Girl"

In Case You Missed It - Indianapolis 500

Today was the Centennial Anniversary running of the Greatest Spectacle in racing, the Indianapolis 500.

True to tradition nothing is easy at the brickyard.   JR Hildebrand, a rookie, was leading and going into turn 4 to take the checkered flag, he passed a slower car and got to high in the turn and smacked the wall.  As he was sliding down the front stretch and trying to coax the car to the victory, former 500 winner Dan Wheldon whizzed by to take a stunning victory in his first race in the 2011 season.