This yr’s Indy 500 tempo automobile, the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray. (Penske Leisure: Joe Skibinski)
Earlier than Rick Mears received his fourth Indianapolis 500 in 1991, he already had his eye one candy prize.
Mears had turn into smitten in the course of the month with the Dodge Viper that may tempo the race, realizing that apart from cash and glory for an Indy victory, the successful driver historically wins a tempo automobile. To Mears, the Viper could be a trophy as a lot as a cool automobile.
The tempo automobiles from Mears’ first three Indy victories didn’t precisely transfer his needle – 1979 Fox physique Ford Mustang, 1984 mid-engine Pontiac Fiero and 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. The Viper, conceived as a modern-day Cobra with a snarling V-10, was a real scorching rod.
“I win the race and I’m considering I’m going to get a Viper,” Mears stated.
As a substitute, he acquired a Dodge Stealth. Similar colour because the Viper however clearly not the identical, and it started a quest by Mears to acquire a automobile that grew to become Indy 500 tempo automobile lore.
(Penske Leisure: Joe Skibinski)
Tempo automobiles are keepsakes for numerous causes, whether or not they’re owned by Indy 500-winning drivers, replicas desired by collectors, or automobiles so uncommon that they will solely be seen in museums. Every has a narrative, some wonderful and a few not.
A Stoddard-Dayton roadster in 1911 not solely paced the primary Indy 500, it was the primary tempo automobile in auto racing historical past. A Dodge Challenger crashed on pit street simply after main the beginning of the 1971 race, a 2001 Olds Bravada was the primary (and solely) SUV, and a Chevy SSR two years later was the one pickup truck. This yr’s tempo automobile, a Corvette E-Ray 3LZ, is the primary hybrid. Mustang, Camaro and Corvette tempo automobiles are among the many hottest for collectors.
“You have a look at the roster of tempo automobiles, and there’s some actually heavy-hitting automobiles which have paced this race,” stated Jason Vansickle, vice chairman of curation and training on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
About that Viper
The Viper was cutting-edge when it got here to the speedway in 1991, though it wasn’t speculated to be the tempo automobile. That honor went to the Stealth, which Dodge promoted closely as its efficiency mannequin whereas the Viper was nonetheless in its early days as a prototype that wouldn’t be out there to the general public till 1992.
The Stealth, although, was a re-badged model of the Japanese Mitsubishi 3000GT, and that brought about an outcry from many, significantly the United Auto Staff, after it was introduced because the 1991 tempo automobile.
“They claimed it wasn’t American and there ought to be an American automobile to tempo this American race,” Vansickle stated. “On the final minute, they pulled the automobile and put into fee the Dodge Viper.”
It was one of many first pre-production Vipers constructed, and Dodge rushed it to the speedway although it contained inconsistent panel gaps and different flaws typical of prototypes in the event you took a detailed look.
“Seeing this automobile 33 years later, you possibly can inform it was made in haste to get it prepared,” Vansickle stated. “When you hear the story and the truth that it’s one of many first, if not the primary, pre-production Vipers made, it’s a extremely neat automobile even with its points. The factor is quick as all get-out.”
Mears needed it so badly after he received the five hundred, he contacted officers with Dodge hoping he may swap the Stealth for a Viper. All he acquired was a tough “No!”
“I felt like they owed it to me,” Mears stated. “Lastly, I believed I might purchase one. They informed me there’s a supplier near my residence that has one, so I known as and requested how a lot. The man stated, ‘Ten over. That’s what we’re charging everybody.’ I stated thanks however no thanks. It wasn’t the ten over that was the issue, it was the concept I didn’t like.”
Congratulations, this is your Avanti
So Mears moved on, minus a automobile he actually needed. He wasn’t the primary Indy 500 winner to get a distinct automobile.
A Studebaker Lark Daytona convertible paced the 1962 race however Rodger Ward was introduced a Studebaker Avanti.
“It was one of many first Avantis constructed, and I don’t suppose they have been capable of get it prepared in time to tempo the race,” Vansickle stated. “However they nonetheless had one there to current to the winner.”
The 1969 Chevrolet Camaro tempo automobile duplicate stays one of the vital common, and most collected, in historical past.
“It’s such an iconic colour scheme of Dover White and Hugger Orange, and ’69 Camaros generally are simply common,” Vansickle stated.
Right here’s a little-known story concerning the 1969 tempo automobile: Due to a tire struggle that yr, Chevrolet ready two tempo automobiles for the speedway, one shod with Goodyear tires and the opposite with Firestone. The Firestone Camaro led the sector to start out the race and the Goodyear automobile dealt with post-race duties, together with the ceremonial lap across the monitor and photographs with the winner.
That winner, Mario Andretti, had sturdy ties with Firestone. Not solely was his race automobile fitted with Firestone tires, he owned a Firestone retailer close to the speedway. However historical past reveals him within the tempo automobile with Goodyear rubber as he celebrated the victory.
In contrast to the Corvettes of latest years which can be high-performance machines out the showroom door, many tempo automobiles wanted efficiency mods to attain the fast acceleration and speeds of 120 mph or extra wanted for on-track duties.
“They might run a few of these ’80s automobiles on methanol,” Vansickle stated. “They might actually undergo them and hop them up.”
Moreover efficiency adjustments, some have been altered cosmetically to deal with ceremonial duties or give them a particular look by producers.
The tempo automobile model of the 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88 had streamlined mirrors and a targa prime with a detachable sunroof. An in depth have a look at the automobile within the speedway museum assortment reveals slight imperfections the place unique mirrors had been mounted. Actor James Garner drove it to start out the race, and it grew to become one of many most-photographed of all tempo automobiles after A.J. Foyt grew to become the primary four-time winner of the five hundred.
“That C pillar is what Foyt and (speedway proprietor) Tony Hulman rode on the again in these legendary photographs,” Vansickle stated. “The again window can come out, too, which was distinctive to that automobile.”
That tempo automobile was the primary undertaking at Common Motors of Ed Welburn, who grew to become GM’s vice chairman of worldwide design and developed the Olds Aerotech, Cadillac Ciel and Buick Avista idea automobiles.
The 1911 Stoddard-Dayton, left, and 1923 Duesenberg Mannequin A
Origins
The 1911 Stoddard grew to become the primary automobile to tempo a flying begin in racing historical past. There have been standing begins at Indy in 1909 and 1910, however speedway proprietor Carl Fisher realized that each one the smoke they produced would make the beginning within the speedway’s first 500-mile race extraordinarily harmful in 1911.
“Having 40 automobiles within the first Indianapolis 500, not solely would a standing begin be a hazard for the drivers, it wouldn’t be that nice for the followers,” Vansickle stated. “Carl had this three-pronged thought in utilizing a tempo automobile: One, he was an auto supplier, so he may use it to promote automobiles. Two, it supplied a safer begin. Three, it began the custom of one of the vital distinctive issues in sports activities, the three-wide begin with 33 automobiles charging into Flip 1 within the 500. On the time it was 4 extensive, nevertheless it all started with the tempo automobile.”
Twelve years later, a Duesenberg Mannequin A paced the five hundred a few month after it made a 24-hour endurance run across the speedway that lined greater than 3,000 miles.
“It was a giant story,” Vansickle stated. “They needed to fill and repair the automobile whereas it was operating (nonstop for) 24 hours. They bolted two-by-fours down the operating boards so they might get one other Duesenberg Mannequin A subsequent to it whereas it was going across the monitor. It nonetheless had these on it (pacing the five hundred).”
Some tempo automobiles might not have appeared like future collectors’ objects on the time however grew to become fascinating due to distinctive options and, after all, the Indy connection. A brown/beige Buick Riviera convertible, with a 410-horsepower twin-turbo V6, paced the race in 1983.
“You’ll suppose a two-tone brown Buick V6 is just not a beautiful automobile, however being a convertible and being the tempo automobile make it fascinating in comparison with a normal mannequin,” Vansickle stated. “The Nineteen Eighties automobiles are coming in vogue.”
Ultimately a Viper
Mears, certainly one of solely 4 drivers to win the five hundred 4 instances, knew instantly in 1991 that the Viper was an incredible automobile. Regardless of the preliminary disappointment in getting the Stealth, his quest for the Viper had a cheerful ending. Figuring out how badly Mears needed it, his race staff proprietor, Roger Penske, purchased one for him.
“I neglect how lengthy it was down the street, however I acquired a name from Roger, and he stated, ‘Hey, I acquired our Vipers!” Mears stated.
Mears doesn’t have the opposite three tempo automobiles he received – the’79 Mustang, ’84 Fiero or ’88 Cutlass – however he cherishes that Viper.
“I’ve nonetheless acquired it,” he stated, “and I play with it!”
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