Indianapolis Motor Speedway Trackside Report: The Race
28 May 1997
IMS Trackside Report
May 27, 1997
Luyendyk Wins 1997 Indy 500 -- 3rd Closest Finish in History
For Immediate Release
INDIANAPOLIS, May 27, 1997 -- Arie Luyendyk wheeled into the lead seven
laps from the finish Tuesday and recorded his second Indianapolis 500
victory by .57 of a second over Treadway Racing teammate Scott
Goodyear in the third closest finish in "500" history.
Luyendyk, the 1990 winner who had been in command four previous times in
the race, took the lead from Goodyear on the back straightaway on the 194th
of the 200 circuits around the 2 1/2-mile oval and survived a last-lap
restart to claim the victory.
Rookie Jeff Ward, who led 49 laps during the race and had turned the lead
over to Goodyear with eight laps remaining, finished third, followed by
defending "500" winner Buddy Lazier and second-place starter Tony Stewart.
The finish followed only Al Unser Jr.'s victory by .043 of a second over
Goodyear in 1992 and Gordon Johncock's .16 of a second win over Rick Mears
in 1982 as the closest finishes in the "500."
"I had to work a lot harder today than in _90," Luyendyk said. "It was a
lot more difficult today, therefore, more gratifying. I ran this thing hard
all day."
For Goodyear, it was his second runner-up finish at Indianapolis by less
than a second. He fell short by .043 of a second to Al Unser Jr. in 1992.
"I'm obviously disappointed," he said. "I'm not here for second so it
doesn't feel good at all. If I had to lose, I guess I have to lose to my
teammate."
The race marked the first time since Rodger Ward and Len Sutton finished
1-2 for the Leader Card team in 1962 that teammates had captured the top two
positions of a "500."
Since 15 laps of the race were run on Monday before rain postponed it,
Stewart became the second driver to lead the same race on two different
dates, joining Parnelli Jones, who led both days of the rain-delayed race in
1967.
Two other rookies finished in the top 10 -- Billy Boat in seventh and Robbie
Groff in ninth. Boat, who started 22nd, led the 51st lap.
In all, seven drivers led the race, with Lazier and Robbie Buhl joining
Luyendyk, Stewart, Ward, Goodyear and Boat.
Although several accidents occurred, Paul Durant was the only driver
transported to Methodist Hospital. Durant and rookie Billy Roe tangled in
Turn 3 on Lap 114 and Durant was admitted to Methodist with a broken pelvis
and a concussion, otherwise in good condition.
Stewart had the fastest lap of the race on Lap 105 at 215.626 miles an
hour. Luyendyk had the fastest leading lap on the 108th circuit at 215.115.
Mike Groff, who finished 12th, continues to lead the 1996-97 Indy Racing
League point standings. Groff now has 148 points to lead Davey Hamilton, who
finished sixth, by five.
..97IMS-20..
UNOFFICIAL BOX SCORE
81st Running - May 27, 1997
Indianapolis 500-Mile Race
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F S Laps Running/
P P CAR DRIVER CAR NAME C/E/T Comp Reason
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1 1 5 WF Arie Luyendyk
Wavephore/Sprint PCS/Miller Lite/Provimi G/A/F 200 Running
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2 5 6 F Scott Goodyear
Nortel/Sprint PCS/Quebecor Printing G/A/F 200 Running
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3 7 52 R Jeff Ward
FirstPlus Team Cheever G/A/G 200 Running
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4 10 91 WF Buddy Lazier
Delta Faucet-Montana-Hemelgarn Racing D/A/F 200 Running
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5 2 2 F Tony Stewart
Glidden/Menards/Special G/A/F 200 Running
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6 8 14 F Davey Hamilton
AJ Foyt PowerTeam Racing G/A/G 199 Running
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7 22 11 R Billy Boat
Conseco AJ Foyt Racing D/A/G 199 Running
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8 4 3 F Robbie Buhl
Quaker State/Special G/A/F 199 Running
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9 21 30 RF Robbie Groff
Alfa-Laval/Team Losi/McCormack Motorsports G/A/G 197 Running
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10 29 33 F Fermin Velez
Old Navy Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel D/A/G 195 Running
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11 16 12 F Buzz Calkins
Bradley Food Marts G/A/G 188 Rt Half Shaft
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12 18 10 F Mike Groff G/I/F 188 Running
Jonathan Byrd's Cafeteria/Visionaire/Bryant
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13 34 90 Lyn St. James D/I/F 186 Accident T4
LifetimeTV-Cinergy-Delta Faucet-Hemelgarn
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14 20 44 R Steve Kinser D/A/G 185 Accident T4
SRS/One Call/Menards/Quaker State/St. Elmo's
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15 28 54 F Dennis Vitolo D/I/F 173 Running
SmithKline Beecham/Kroger/Beck Motorsports
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16 27 22 F Marco Greco D/A/G 166 Gearbox
Side Play Int'l Sport Scandia Alta Xcel
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17 3 8 RF Vincenzo Sospiri D/A/G 163 Running
Old Navy Scandia Royal Purple Alta Xcel
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18 35 9 Johnny Unser D/I/F 158 Oil Pressure
Delta Faucet-Montana-Cinergy-Hemelgarn
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19 26 18 RF Tyce Carlson D/A/G 156 Accident, T2
Klipsch Tnemec Overhead Door Pyle V-Line Earl's
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20 17 40 RF Dr. Jack Miller
AMS/Crest Racing/Trane/Spot-On D/I/F 131 Accident, T3
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21 33 1 F Paul Durant
Conseco AJ Foyt Racing G/A/G 111 Accident, T3
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22 24 50 R Billy Roe D/A/F 110 Accident, T3
Sega/Progressive Elect./KECO/U.J.T./Eurointernat'l
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23 11 51 F Eddie Cheever, Jr.
FirstPlus Team Cheever G/A/G 84 Timing Chain
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24 9 7 F Eliseo Salazar
Copec/Cristal/Scandia D/A/G 70 Accident, T2
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25r 30 97 R Greg Ray
Tobacco Free Kids D/A/F 48 Water Pump
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26 6 27 F Jim Guthrie
Blueprint/Jacuzzi/Armour Golf/ERTL D/A/F 43 Engine
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27 19 21 F Roberto Guerrero
Pennzoil-Pagan Racing Dallara Infiniti D/I/G 25 Steering Gear
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28 25 28 F Mark Dismore D/A/G 24 Accident, T4
Kelley Automotive Mechanics Laundry Bombardier Grainger
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29 12 42 Robby Gordon
Coors Light G/A/G 19 Fire
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30 32 72 R Claude Bourbonnais
Blueprint/Jacuzzi/Armour Golf/ERTL D/A/F 9 Engine
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31 13 77 F Stephan Gregoire G/A/G 0 Accident, T4
Chastain Motorsports-Estridge-Miller-Eads
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32 14 17 RF Affonso Giaffone D/A/G 0 Accident, T4
General Motors Brazil Chitwood Dallara
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33 15 4 RF Kenny Brack G/A/G 0 Accident, T4
Monsoon Galles Racing
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34 23 16 R Sam Schmidt D/A/F 0 Engine
Blueprint/HOPE Prepaid Fuel Card
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35 31 34 Alessandro Zampedri D/A/G 0 Oil Leak
Mi-Jack Scandia Royal Purple
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Time of Race: 3.25:43.388
Average Speed: 145.827
Margin of Victory: 0.570
Fastest Lap: #2 Tony Stewart,Lap 105 - 215.626
Leading Lap: #5 Arie Luyendyk, Lap 108 - 215.115
LEGEND: SP-Start Position; R-Rookie; W-Former Winner; F-Officially In The Field.
CHASSIS LEGEND: D-Dallara; G-G Force.
ENGINE LEGEND: A-Oldsmobile Aurora V-8; I-Nissan Infiniti Indy V-8.
TIRE LEGEND: F-Firestone; G-Goodyear.
Lap Leaders:
1 - 50 #2 Tony Stewart
51 - 51 #11 Billy Boat
52 - 62 #2 Tony Stewart
63 - 78 #5 Arie Luyendyk
79 - 79 #2 Tony Stewart
80 - 82 #91 Buddy Lazier
83 - 109 #5 Arie Luyendyk
110 -111 #2 Tony Stewart
112 -115 #91 Buddy Lazier
116 -131 #3 Robbie Buhl
132 -140 #5 Arie Luyendyk
141 -141 #6 Scott Goodyear
142 -166 #52 Jeff Ward
167 -168 #5 Arie Luyendyk
169 -192 #52 Jeff Ward
193 -193 #6 Scott Goodyear
194 -200 #5 Arie Luyendyk
Lap Leader Summary:
#2 Tony Stewart 64 $28,800
#5 Arie Luyendyk 61 $27,450
#52 Jeff Ward 49 $22,050
#3 Robbie Buhl 16 $7,200
#91 Buddy Lazier 7 $3,150
#6 Scott Goodyear 2 $900
#11 Billy Boat 1 $450
Caution Flags:
Pace Lap Accident, #17 Giaffone, #4 Brack,#77 Gregoire, Turn 4 (4 Caution Laps Run)
Laps 10-10 Smoking Car, #72 Bourbonnais
Laps 11-14 Moisture Reported
Lap 15 Red Flag, Moisture, Postponed
Laps 16-18 Race Continues under caution (5/27/97)
Laps 20-23 #42 Gordon, Stops in Turn1, Fire
Laps 24-28 #44 Kinser,#7 Salazar,#28 Dismore-Accident T4
Laps 59-62 #27 Guthrie stalls on Front Straight
Laps 94-99 #7Salazar Spun & Hit wall in Turn 2
Laps 114-123 Accident, #50 Roe & #1Durant, Turn 3
Laps 137-142 Accident, #40 Miller , #10 M.Groff, North short chute
Laps 165-169 #18Carlson, Spin, Turn 2.. #9 Unser,Blown Engine T2
Laps 189-193 #44Kinser, Accident, Turn 4. #90 St.James, T4 (stopped in T1)
Laps 196-197 Debris
Laps 198-199 #2 Stewart Brushed Wall, T4
1996-97 IRL Season
Driver Point Standings
(after Indianapolis 500 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway - May 27)
No. of Running Highest Laps Laps
Points Driver Starts at Finish Finish Led Completed Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Mike Groff 5 5 2 0 930 148
2 Davey Hamilton 5 5 3 0 930 143
3 Buzz Calkins 5 3 2 14 916 137
4 Tony Stewart 5 2 2 445 805 133
5 Marco Greco 5 4 4 0 899 131
6 Roberto Guerrero 5 3 4 0 669 114
7 Arie Luyendyk 5 2 1 97 584 112
8 Jim Guthrie (R) 5 3 1 74 574 107
9 Scott Sharp 4 2 1 22 582 104
10 Buddy Lazier 5 1 4 7 481 102
11 Eddie Cheever, Jr. 5 3 1 4 546 100
12 John Paul, Jr. 4 3 9 22 585 88
13 Stephan Gregoire 5 2 5 0 420 86
14 Robbie Buhl 4 2 8 16 445 84
15 Scott Goodyear 3 2 2 2 401 83
16 Fermin Velez (R) 3 2 9 0 436 72
17 Eliseo Salazar 3 2 7 0 456 65
18 Michele Alboreto 2 2 3 0 397 62
19 Richie Hearn 2 1 1 96 366 59
20 Tyce Carlson (R) 3 1 11 0 396 52
21 Jeff Ward (R) 2 1 3 49 263 51
22 Dr. Jack Miller (R) 3 0 15 0 249 50
23 Affonso Giaffone (R) 3 1 10 13 304 50
24 Mark Dismore 3 0 17 0 216 40
25 Jeret Schroeder (R) 2 0 14 0 144 37
26 Stan Wattles (R) 2 0 16 0 282 36
27 Billy Roe (R) 2 0 15 0 192 33
28 Michel Jourdain, Jr. 1 1 2 0 200 33
29 Johnny Unser 2 0 18 0 225 30
30 Billy Boat (R) 1 1 7 1 199 28
31 Robby Gordon 2 0 14 60 198 27
32 Robbie Groff (R) 1 1 9 0 197 26
33 Kenny Brack (R) 2 0 11 24 145 26
34 Sam Schmidt (R) 2 0 10 0 176 26
35 Brad Murphey (R) 2 0 18 0 105 25
36 Johnny O'Connell 1 0 12 3 183 23
37 Lyn St. James 1 0 13 0 186 22
38 Danny Ongais 1 0 13 0 94 22
39 Steve Kinser (R) 1 0 14 0 185 21
40 Dennis Vitolo 1 1 15 0 173 20
41 Vincenzo Sospiri (R) 1 1 17 0 163 18
42 David Kudrave 1 0 17 0 118 18
43 J.C. Carbonell (R) 1 0 19 0 112 16
44 Joe Gosek 1 0 21 0 30 14
45 Paul Durant 1 0 21 0 111 14
46 Greg Ray (R) 1 0 25 0 48 10
47 Johnny Parsons 1 0 28 0 7 7
48 Claude Bourbonnais (R) 1 0 30 0 0 5
49 Alessandro Zampedri 1 0 35 0 0 1
Legend: R- League Rookie