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Indy 500: Andretti, Mears, Fittipaldi, Granatelli, Nalon, Leonard to be honored during Indy 500

24 February 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

INDIANAPOLIS - A capsule look at the Indianapolis 500 careers of the five drivers - Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi, Joe Leonard, Rick Mears and Duke Nalon - and car owner Andy Granatelli, who will be saluted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May as Legends of the Speedway.

Dates for appearances of the Legends are:

May 14: Joe Leonard
May 15: Duke Nalon
May 16: Emerson Fittipaldi
May 17: Rick Mears
May 18: Mario Andretti
May 19: Andy Granatelli

This will be the third consecutive year for great racing personalities of the past to enjoy once again a day in the sun at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. They will be interviewed over the track public-address system, take a lap around the track to acknowledge the fans and meet the world media during a press conference.

JOE LEONARD (May 14)

Best finish: Third (1967, 1972)
Best start: First (1968)
First start: 1965 (Started 27th, finished 29th)
Final start: 1973 (Started 29th, finished 18th)
Career starts: 9
Event records, honors: Set one- and four-lap qualification records while winning pole in 1968 in turbine-engine car owned by Andy Granatelli.

DUKE NALON (May 15)

Best finish: Third (1948)
Best start: First (1951)
First start: 1938 (Started 33rd, finished 11th)
Final start: 1953 (Started 26th, finished 11th)
Career starts: 10
Event records, honors: Won pole in 1951 in legendary, powerful Novi, setting one-lap and four-lap qualification records.

EMERSON FITTIPALDI (May 16)

Best finish: First (1989, 1993)
Best start: First (1990)
First start: 1984 (Started 23rd, finished 32nd)
Final start: 1994 (Started third, finished 17th)
Career starts: 11
Event records, honors: Became first driver to surpass 225 mph at Speedway with lap of 225.575 in 1990 -- Late duel with Al Unser Jr. in 1989 one of the most memorable finishes in motorsports history -- Fourth-leading Indy 500 money winner of all time with $4,042,767 -- Only Brazilian to win Indianapolis 500.

RICK MEARS (May 17)

Best finish: First (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991)
Best start: First (1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991)
First start: 1978 (Started third, finished 23rd)
Final start: 1992 (Started ninth, finished 26th)
Career starts: 15
Event records, honors: One of only three four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500. Others are A.J. Foyt and Al Unser -- Only driver to win Indy in three different decades -- Holds race record for poles (six), front-row starts (11), consecutive front-row starts (six), consecutive races led (six) -- Set four-lap track record five times (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989), an event record -- Set one-lap track record five times (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989), sharing record with Mario Andretti -- Only three-time winner from the pole (1979, 1988, 1991) -- Became first driver to surpass 220 mph at Speedway with lap of 220.453 in 1988 -- Second-leading Indy 500 money winner of all time with $4,299,392 -- 1978 co-Rookie of the Year after starting third, finishing 23rd.

MARIO ANDRETTI (May 18)

Best finish: First (1969)
Best start: First (1966, 1967, 1987)
First start: 1965 (Started fourth, finished third)
Final start: 1994 (Started ninth, finished 32nd)
Career starts: 29
Event records, honors: Second in all-time Indy 500 starts with 29, trailing only A.J. Foyts 35 -- Third on all-time laps led list at Indy with 556 -- Fourth on all-time miles completed list at Indy with 7,625 -- Set one-lap track record five times (1965, 1966, 1967, 1972, 1984), sharing record with Rick Mears -- 1965 Rookie of the Year after starting fourth, finishing third.

ANDY GRANATELLI (May 19)

Event records, honors: Introduced turbine engine to Indianapolis in late 1960s -- Owned car driven to victory by Mario Andretti in 1969 -- Owned turbine-powered car that Joe Leonard drove to pole, one- and four-lap qualification records in 1968 -- Renowned for outlandish team uniforms, securing STP sponsorship and planting kiss on Andretti in Victory Lane in 1969.

Text provided by IMS

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