Post by illeagle10 on Apr 16, 2015 13:48:10 GMT -5
Triple Crown 500 Winners
From 1971 to 1989 there was a series within the Indy Car series called the Triple Crown. From 1971 to 1980 the Triple Crown included the Indy 500, Pocono 500 and California 500. From 1981 to 1989 the Triple Crown included the Indy 500, Michigan 500 and the Pocono 500. This was for any driver that could win all three 500s within one season. Many drivers came close over the first few years that it was in effect. Johnny Rutherford came close in 1974 winning the Indy 500 and the Pocono 500 and finishing 27th in the California 500. A.J. Foyt came even closer the following year in 1975 winning the Pocono 500 and the California 500 and finishing 3rd in the Indy 500. The breakthrough would come in 1978 with Al Unser, Sr. winning the three 500s that year, the Indy 500, Pocono 500 and California 500. It seemed at that time with such great drivers and the close instances of double wins that someone would do this again and maybe even a number of times. However, the Triple Crown would remain elusive for the years to follow after Al Unser, Sr. had accomplished this feat. Bobby Unser would win two 500s in 1980, Gordon Johncock would win two in 1982. In 1991 Rick Mears would win the Indy 500 and the Michigan 500. By that time the Triple Crown had ended after the 1989 season, due to CART opting out of Pocono Race track. Poor track conditions and poor revenue at Pocono led to future races at the track being cancelled and no other track or promoter picked up a 500 mile oval race.
In 2013 Indy cars returned to Pocono for the first time in fourteen years. Pocono resurfaced the track and added safer barriers. This again now opens up the competition for a Triple Crown championship. To promote this the Verizon Indy Car series through Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, known as the Fuzzy’s Triple Crown has offered a million dollar bonus for any driver that can win all three 500s in one season. After two years that the Triple Crown has been resurrected no one has come any closer. As 2015 approaches we may see the last of the Triple Crown again this year, since there has been poor attendance by spectators for the Pocono race. I for one will be very sad if that happens. While there was only one Triple Crown winner thus far, there have been many 500 race winners. I have listed the 500 winners during and in between the running of the Triple Crowns.
Year Indy 500 Ontario 500 Michigan 500 Pocono 500 Fontana 500
1971 A. Unser J. Leonard M. Donohue
1972 M. Donohue R. McCluskey J. Leonard
1973 G. Johncock W. Dallenbach A. J. Foyt
1974 J. Rutherford B. Unser J. Rutherford
1975 B. Unser A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt
1976 J. Rutherford B.Unser A. Unser
1977 A. J. Foyt A. Unser T. Sneva
1978 A. Unser A. Unser A. Unser
1979 R. Mears B. Unser A. J. Foyt
1980 J. Rutherford B. Unser B. Unser
1981 B. Unser P. Carter A. J. Foyt
1982 G. Johncock G. Johncock R. Mears
1983 T. Sneva J. Paul, Jr. T. Fabi
1984 R. Mears Ma. Andretti D. Sullivan
1985 D. Sullivan E. Fittipaldi R. Mears
1986 B. Rahal J. Rutherford Ma. Andretti
1987 A. Unser Mi. Andretti R. Mears
1988 R. Mears D. Sullivan B. Rahal
1989 E. Fittipaldi Mi. Andretti D. Sullivan
1990 A. Lyundyk A. Unser, Jr.
1991 R. Mears R. Mears
1992 A. Unser, Jr. S. Goodyear
1993 E. Fittipaldi N. Mansell
1994 A. Unser, Jr. S. Goodyear
1995 J. Villenueve S. Pruett
1996 B. Lazier J. Vasser (US 500) (split begins)
A. Ribeiro (MI 500)
1997 A. Lyundyk A. Zanardi (US 500) M. Blundell
1998 E. Cheever R. Moore (US 500) J. Vasser
1999 K. Brack T. Kanaan (US 500) A. Fernandez
2000 J. P. Montoya J. P. Montoya C. Fittipaldi
2001 H. Castroneves P. Carpantier C. DeMata
2002 H. Castroneves J. Vasser
2003 G. deFerran
2004 B. Rice
2005 D. Wheldon
2006 S. Hornish, Jr.
2007 D. Franchitti
2008 S. Dixon (reunification)
2009 H. Castroneves
2010 D. Franchitti
2011 D. Wheldon
2012 D. Franchitti E. Carpenter
2013 T. Kanaan S. Dixon W. Power
2014 R. Hunter-Raey J. P. Montoya T. Kanaan
2015 J. P. Montoya R. Hunter-Raey G. Rahal
2016 A. Rossi W. Power
2017 T. Sato W. Power
Jim
From 1971 to 1989 there was a series within the Indy Car series called the Triple Crown. From 1971 to 1980 the Triple Crown included the Indy 500, Pocono 500 and California 500. From 1981 to 1989 the Triple Crown included the Indy 500, Michigan 500 and the Pocono 500. This was for any driver that could win all three 500s within one season. Many drivers came close over the first few years that it was in effect. Johnny Rutherford came close in 1974 winning the Indy 500 and the Pocono 500 and finishing 27th in the California 500. A.J. Foyt came even closer the following year in 1975 winning the Pocono 500 and the California 500 and finishing 3rd in the Indy 500. The breakthrough would come in 1978 with Al Unser, Sr. winning the three 500s that year, the Indy 500, Pocono 500 and California 500. It seemed at that time with such great drivers and the close instances of double wins that someone would do this again and maybe even a number of times. However, the Triple Crown would remain elusive for the years to follow after Al Unser, Sr. had accomplished this feat. Bobby Unser would win two 500s in 1980, Gordon Johncock would win two in 1982. In 1991 Rick Mears would win the Indy 500 and the Michigan 500. By that time the Triple Crown had ended after the 1989 season, due to CART opting out of Pocono Race track. Poor track conditions and poor revenue at Pocono led to future races at the track being cancelled and no other track or promoter picked up a 500 mile oval race.
In 2013 Indy cars returned to Pocono for the first time in fourteen years. Pocono resurfaced the track and added safer barriers. This again now opens up the competition for a Triple Crown championship. To promote this the Verizon Indy Car series through Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka, known as the Fuzzy’s Triple Crown has offered a million dollar bonus for any driver that can win all three 500s in one season. After two years that the Triple Crown has been resurrected no one has come any closer. As 2015 approaches we may see the last of the Triple Crown again this year, since there has been poor attendance by spectators for the Pocono race. I for one will be very sad if that happens. While there was only one Triple Crown winner thus far, there have been many 500 race winners. I have listed the 500 winners during and in between the running of the Triple Crowns.
One final note, when Al Unser, Sr. won the Triple Crown there was no million dollar bonus. Another feat that went unnoticed was that Al had won the 1977 California 500 making it four 500s in a row!
As an update to the tracking of 500 winners and the Triple Crown, unfortunately three 500s in one season ended after the 2015 season. Surprisingly it wasn't Pocono, it was Fontana that would end the short lived Triple Crown competition. Pocono would go after the 2019 season. Now there is only one true 500 miler, Indy.
Year Indy 500 Ontario 500 Michigan 500 Pocono 500 Fontana 500
1971 A. Unser J. Leonard M. Donohue
1972 M. Donohue R. McCluskey J. Leonard
1973 G. Johncock W. Dallenbach A. J. Foyt
1974 J. Rutherford B. Unser J. Rutherford
1975 B. Unser A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt
1976 J. Rutherford B.Unser A. Unser
1977 A. J. Foyt A. Unser T. Sneva
1978 A. Unser A. Unser A. Unser
1979 R. Mears B. Unser A. J. Foyt
1980 J. Rutherford B. Unser B. Unser
1981 B. Unser P. Carter A. J. Foyt
1982 G. Johncock G. Johncock R. Mears
1983 T. Sneva J. Paul, Jr. T. Fabi
1984 R. Mears Ma. Andretti D. Sullivan
1985 D. Sullivan E. Fittipaldi R. Mears
1986 B. Rahal J. Rutherford Ma. Andretti
1987 A. Unser Mi. Andretti R. Mears
1988 R. Mears D. Sullivan B. Rahal
1989 E. Fittipaldi Mi. Andretti D. Sullivan
1990 A. Lyundyk A. Unser, Jr.
1991 R. Mears R. Mears
1992 A. Unser, Jr. S. Goodyear
1993 E. Fittipaldi N. Mansell
1994 A. Unser, Jr. S. Goodyear
1995 J. Villenueve S. Pruett
1996 B. Lazier J. Vasser (US 500) (split begins)
A. Ribeiro (MI 500)
1997 A. Lyundyk A. Zanardi (US 500) M. Blundell
1998 E. Cheever R. Moore (US 500) J. Vasser
1999 K. Brack T. Kanaan (US 500) A. Fernandez
2000 J. P. Montoya J. P. Montoya C. Fittipaldi
2001 H. Castroneves P. Carpantier C. DeMata
2002 H. Castroneves J. Vasser
2003 G. deFerran
2004 B. Rice
2005 D. Wheldon
2006 S. Hornish, Jr.
2007 D. Franchitti
2008 S. Dixon (reunification)
2009 H. Castroneves
2010 D. Franchitti
2011 D. Wheldon
2012 D. Franchitti E. Carpenter
2013 T. Kanaan S. Dixon W. Power
2014 R. Hunter-Raey J. P. Montoya T. Kanaan
2015 J. P. Montoya R. Hunter-Raey G. Rahal
2016 A. Rossi W. Power
2017 T. Sato W. Power
2018 W. Power A. Rossi
2019 S. Pagenaud W. Power
2020 T. Sato
2021 H. Castroneves
2022 M. Ericsson
2023 J. NewgardenJim