The Greatest 33: No. 18 - Jim Clark

With 17 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, Drive Hard, Turn Left SB Nation Indiana looks at one of the world's top racers, Jim Clark.

Jim Clark ushered out the roadster at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Arriving in 1963 with the rear-engined Lotus, Clark was also in the midst of capturing the first of two Formula One world championships.  From the beginning, it was apparent that the green and yellow Lotus was bringing about a new era in motorsports at IMS, as he pushed Parnelli Jones and his Watson-Offy to the limit in Jones' lone 500 win.

Having led 28 laps, earning Rookie of the Year honors, expectations were once again high for Clark in 1964, especially after he qualified on the pole.  However, a suspension failure took him out of the race just 14 laps into the event.

Returning for a third crack at Indianapolis, Clark finally found the winning formula, dominating the '65 edition.  A.J. Foyt led ten laps, but other than that, Clark paced the field, leading the final 125 laps and 190 overall.  The No. 82 Lotus-Ford remains one of the iconic cars to have won at IMS.  In the Formula One ranks, Clark would claim his second world championship, becoming the only driver to have won the Indianapolis 500 and drivers championship in the same year.

Coming back in 1966, Clark looked to be one of the top cars again, as he started on the front row (second) for the third straight year.  Clark's three-year qualifying run was the top three-year run of qualifying at IMS in the 1960's.  The Lotus-Ford led 66 laps on the day, but it was Clark's fellow Formula One competitor, Graham Hill, who would take the checkered flag.  

The 66 laps led gave Scotsman 298 on his career, while he led in his fourth straight 500.

One more appearance at IMS would see Clark finish 31st with an engine failure, before his untimely death seven weeks before the 1968 Indy 500 following a wreck on the Hockenheim circuit.

In five runs at Indianapolis, Clark changed the trajectory of the sport with his Lotus.  No front engine car has won since his 1965 win, as the rear-engined era with increased downforces took over the sport. 

The Greatest 33:
Row 6
18. Jim Clark
Row 7
19. Jim Rathmann
20. Tommy Milton
21. Ralph DePalma
Row 8
22. Scott Dixon
23. Juan Pablo Montoya
24. Billy Arnold
Row 9
25. Bill Holland
26. Dan Wheldon
27. Ray Harroun
Row 10
28. Mark Donohue
29. Jacques Villeneuve
30. Danny Sullivan
Row 11
31. Tony Kanaan
32. Michael Andretti
33. Eddie Sachs

The Greatest 33: No. 21 - Ralph DePalma

With 20 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana looks at the first major star of the 500, Ralph DePalma.

Ralph DePalma won the Indianapolis 500 just once, but over his 10-year run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, gained international fame for his efforts on the track.  In fact, one could make the argument that DePalma had the infamous 'Andretti Luck' before Mario hit the Speedway grounds in 1965.

In his 10 runs at IMS, DePalma led 612 laps, including race-high amounts in 1912, 1915 and 1921.  However, DePalma would capture the checkered flag in just one of those runnings, the 1915 500.  It was not DePalma's most dominant 500 - he earned his fame three years earlier in the one of the iconic images of IMS - but he still led 132 laps in his Mercedes en route to becoming the fourth victor of the 500.

It was three years earlier, in the 1912 Indianapolis 500, that DePalma ensured that he would be part of 500 lore regardless of his future success.  The Italian dominated the race, taking the lead on Lap 3 and building a lead of over 11 minutes on Indianapolis native Joe Dawson.  However, DePalma's Mercedes began to lose power just three laps from the conclusion of the race.  Nursing the failing engine through Lap 198, DePalma and riding mechanic Rupert Jeffkins hopped out and began pushing the car.  

Passed by Dawson, DePalma was stopped scoring after Lap 198, as his car was dead.  As a result, he received no prize money, as only those who completed 200 laps received a financial reward.  However, DePalma still won in the hearts and minds of the public, including the 80,000 spectators who rose and cheered the duo as they attempted to complete the 500.  Images of DePalma and Jeffkins circulated worldwide, increasing the popularity of what would become "The Most Important Race in History."

The Greatest 33:
Row 7
21. Ralph DePalma
Row 8
22. Scott Dixon
23. Juan Pablo Montoya
24. Billy Arnold
Row 9
25. Bill Holland
26. Dan Wheldon
27. Ray Harroun
Row 10
28. Mark Donohue
29. Jacques Villeneuve
30. Danny Sullivan
Row 11
31. Tony Kanaan
32. Michael Andretti
33. Eddie Sachs

The Greatest 33: No. 23 - Juan Pablo Montoya

With 23 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana looks at the last driver to go 1-for-1 at IMS, Juan Pablo Montoya.

During the Split, when CART and the IRL went head-to-head, a generation of drivers made limited appearances in the Indianapolis 500, or missed out on competing in the race altogether.  Fortunately, Juan Pablo Montoya did make a single appearance in the Indianapolis 500, becoming the only driver to make a single appearance in the 500 and walk away with the win.

That Montoya won the 500 was not a surprise - he was the 1999 CART champion.  His owner, Chip Ganassi, became the first CART owner to break ranks and return to Indianapolis after five years, setting in motion the rejoining of the two series in 2008.  

Montoya qualified second in the race, and that seemed like a dubious spot for the Columbian, as no driver had won from the middle of Row 1 since Mario Andretti in 1969.  However, Montoya stalked pole sitter Greg Ray over the first 26 laps, until Ray blinked, crashing and handing Montoya the lead.

From there, Montoya put on one of the most dominating efforts in the modern Indycar era, leading 167 of the final 174 laps in collecting the win.  Watching the race in the IMS Paddock, the ease at which Montoya continually stretched the lead and controlled the race was remarkable.  By the checkered flags, Montoya had lapped 27 cars and won by over 7 seconds.

Collecting Rookie of the Year honors as well, Montoya, like Jacques Villeneuve five years before him, would soon be off to the ranks of Formula One, where he would compete in the United States Grand Prix on the IMS road circuit from 2001-06.

Moving to NASCAR Sprint Cup in 2007, Montoya would once again dominate a race at IMS in 2009 at the Brickyard 400, but speeding on pit road in his final stop of the race, Montoya was forced to serve a drive through penalty, relegating him to 11th.  The victory would have made him the first driver to capture titles at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in both the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400.

The Greatest 33:
Row 8
23. Juan Pablo Montoya
24. Billy Arnold
Row 9
25. Bill Holland
26. Dan Wheldon
27. Ray Harroun
Row 10
28. Mark Donohue
29. Jacques Villeneuve
30. Danny Sullivan
Row 11
31. Tony Kanaan
32. Michael Andretti
33. Eddie Sachs

The Greatest 33: No. 25 - Bill Holland

With 24 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, SB Nation Indiana looks at a driver who had the hottest start to a career at IMS, Bill Holland.

Like Dan Wheldon in yesterday's Greatest 33 profile, Bill Holland could have won the Indianapolis 500 on at least two occasions, had he been more lucky.  As it was, the Pennsylvanian enjoyed the best start to one's career at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for nearly 90 runnings of the race, until Helio Castroneves took first place in his first two 500s.

Holland first came to Indianapolis in 1947, starting eighth in the second race at IMS since World War II ended.  Driving for Lou Moore, Holland dominated the race, leading 148 laps; however, with laps dwindling, the team gave Holland a confusing message of "EZY" as he ran ahead of teammate Mauri Rose.  Believing Rose was a lap down, Holland allowed his teammate to pass with eight laps to go, finishing second.  The following year, Holland would once again finish runner-up to Rose.

1949 was Holland's year to shine.  He dominated the race, just as he had in 1947, taking the lead on Lap 55 and never letting go the remainder of the 500.  

For the fourth straight year, Holland had a chance to win the 500 in 1950.  Swapping the lead with Rose and second-year driver Johnny Parsons (who finished second to Holland in '49), Holland was at the front of the field for eight laps, 110-117, but it was Parsons who had the dominant car on the day, leading 115 laps.  Parsons took the lead back on Lap 118 before rain moved over Speedway.  After 138 laps, the race was called, with Holland in second place.

No driver has averaged a better finish in their first four starts in the Indianapolis 500, as Holland's average place of 1.75 (2nd-2nd-1st-2nd) trumps Castroneves' 3.25 (1st-1st-2nd-9th).

The Greatest 33:
Row 9
25. Bill Holland
26. Dan Wheldon
27. Ray Harroun
Row 10
28. Mark Donohue
29. Jacques Villeneuve
30. Danny Sullivan
Row 11
31. Tony Kanaan
32. Michael Andretti
33. Eddie Sachs

The Greatest 33: No. 26 - Dan Wheldon

With 25 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left & SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, we look at one of IMS' finest drivers of the last decade, Dan Wheldon.

For a driver raised across the Atlantic on the road courses of Great Britain, Dan Wheldon took to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway like a duck to water.  In eight starts in the Indianapolis 500, Wheldon has led in four races and taken home top six finishes on five occasions.  If not for a little more luck at the track, Wheldon might be a two or three-time champion of the race.

Arriving for his first 500 in 2003, Wheldon was part of a dominant lineup for Andretti Green Racing (now Andretti Autosport), qualifying in the middle of Row 2 as a rookie.  However, an accident would knock Wheldon out of the race 14 laps from the finish.  By the next year, Wheldon was one of the dominant drivers with Andretti Green, finishing third in the rain-shortened event as the team went 2-3-4 in the 500.

2005 felt like Wheldon's year at IMS.  With three wins in the Indy Racing League season prior to arriving at Indianapolis, the driver of the No. 26 was the odds-on-favorite to capture the Borg Warner Trophy.  However, after two years of strong qualifying runs, Wheldon started just 16th in 2005.  

Methodically working his way through the field, Wheldon took his first lead of the day three-quarters of the way through the race.  With 10 laps to go, Wheldon was back in front, but was passed by Danica Patrick; three laps later though, Wheldon grabbed the lead back and cruised to his first win at the 500, the first won by an Englishman since Graham Hill in 1966.

Moving to Target Chip Ganassi Racing in 2006, it seemed as if Wheldon would continue to dominate at Indianapolis, as from the drop of the green flag it was apparent that the No. 10 car was the best in the field.  Wheldon would lead 148 laps on the day, but a tire puncture forced him to the pits earlier than planned and he was not able to get back to the front of the field and finished fourth.

Wheldon would not finish as high again until leaving Ganassi and joining Panther Racing in 2009.  The Englishman would repeat the effort in 2010 and looked to be in position to catch a slowing Dario Franchitti until a wreck on Lap 199 brought the race to a yellow flag conclusion.

In 2011, Wheldon will be back at Indianapolis, this time as an entry of Bryan Herta Autosport, his former teammate at Andretti Green Racing.

The Greatest 33: No. 27 - Ray Harroun

With 25 days remaining until the 100th Anniversary running of the Indianapolis 500, Drive Hard, Turn Left and SB Nation Indiana is starting its countdown of the Greatest 33, the ultimate Indianapolis 500 field. Fans can build their own field by clicking here. Today, we look at the first driver to take the checkered flags at the 500, Ray Harroun.

With 100 years of history, comparing eras of drivers is fairly tricky.  Still, Ray Harroun deserves a place among the greatest 33 drivers in Indianapolis 500 history not only for his historic win on May 30, 1911, but for his work leading up to the 'Most Important Race in History.'

After the founding of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1909, Harroun was among the early stars at IMS, taking seven victories prior to the first running of the 500.  Among Harroun's wins for auto manufacturer Marmon were the 200 mile Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race and the 50 mile Remy Grand Brassard, both in 1910 as the Speedway held a series of races around Memorial Day and the 4th of July.  When AAA retroactively awarded points for the 1910 racing season, it was Harroun who was declared the champion of 1910.

Thus, Harroun was a fitting winner of the inaugural Indianapolis 500 race.  However, before the race, Harroun was a controversial participant in the 500; with the majority of drivers utilizing a riding mechanic to monitor car conditions and the locations of competitors, Harroun eschewed tradition, installing instead a prototype of today's rearview mirror.

While others fretted over Harroun's ability to keep himself and the field safe, Harroun instead became part of a long line of drivers, mechanics and owners to lend racing innovations to the American automobile industry.  For years, one of the traditions of Indianapolis was that the parts and technology used in the 500 could then be found in the average car in the coming years, whether it came from newer, safer tires, more efficient engines, or something as simple as the rearview mirror.

Having captured the first 500, Harroun would never race again at IMS, as he retired to work with Marmon, with whom he won in the Marmon 'Wasp.'

The Greatest 33:
27. Ray Harroun
28. Mark Donohue
29. Jacques Villeneuve
30. Danny Sullivan
31. Tony Kanaan
32. Michael Andretti
33. Eddie Sachs

Looking Back on the 500

At the time, I did not fully realize what IMS meant to me (see here for more), but as I sorted through old college papers over the weekend, I came across a 20-page paper I wrote on the Indianapolis 500 my sophomore year at Boston College for a History of Sport class (I didn't even mind that it was a 9 a.m. Monday-Wednesday-Friday course).

My teacher was an old, East Coast salt, but he remembered the "glory days" of the 500 quite well, as he frequently referred to Indianapolis as "Indiana-no-place," which I suppose it may have been back before the Hoosier Dome and the downtown Renaissance of the 1980's.  In any case, he assigned each student to compose a 20-page paper on a subject of our choice.

Knowing I was heading home over Easter Break (we had 5 days off, courtesy of the Catholic school schedule), I proposed a paper that would incorporate a tour of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, several books on the subject (including an outstanding biography of Carl Fisher, "The Pacesetter," by Jerry Fisher), and an interview with noted Speedway historian Donald Davidson.

What followed was the longest paper of my college tenure (when you're a Broadcasting & Journalism major, your writing assignments aren't terribly long).  The pictures have been removed from the paper for the sake of brevity, but if you want a detailed assessment of the history and origins of some of the 500's traditions, feel free to take a look by clicking here.