No other race in the world is as elevated and informed by its history and heritage as the Indianapolis 500. Born in 1911, and with the 107th running set for May 28, its 200 laps, 800 turns and 500 miles are a stage that creates heroes and legends, with 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway as important a character in the drama as the generations of drivers whose faces come to adorn the Borg-Warner Trophy.
In the April/May issue of Vintage Motorsport, we salute the legend that is Parnelli Jones, a one-time winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in 1963, but whose competitiveness in just seven “500” starts could have seen him a five-time victor, if not for the fickle fate that plays such a part in Brickyard lore.
We also revisit the achievements of Michigan’s Gordon Johncock, a two-time face on the Borg-Warner who might not be as revered as Parnelli, or A.J., or Mario, but is just as worthy an Indy 500 winner (or “Indy 332.5” in the case of his 1973 victory) as any of them.
For every driver who gets to drink the milk, there’s the guy who rues what could have been. Two-time runner-up Scott Goodyear talks about the fine margins between winning and finishing second and finally coming to terms with being on the wrong end of history by just 0.043sec.
Speaking of milk, we take a look at just a few of the traditions – planned and unplanned – that help make the Indy 500 such a unique and special event, plus there’s insight on the Vintage Indy Registry and how it’s helping to keep the wheels turning on cars from every era of the race.
Beyond the enduring pull of the Month of May, we rewind four decades to 1983 and the storied Cosworth DFV engine’s swansong season as a winning proposition in Formula 1, and we look back at the triumphant, but ultimately tragic arc of IMSA Hall of Famer Peter Gregg.
Fast-forwarding to the present, we’ve got action from the Goodwood Member’s Meeting, Historic F1 on the streets of Long Beach, drag racing’s storied March Meet, and the Wild Hare Run at VIR. Plus, we’re bringing you the latest news and happenings from the racing, concours and auction scenes.
The April/May issue of Vintage Motorsport is now mailing to subscribers and already available to read in digital format. We hope you enjoy it. And if you’re not a subscriber, you can go to VintageMotorsport.com/Subscribe or call (877) 425-4103. Single copies can be purchased at our online store HERE. And Vintage Motorsport magazine is also available at Barnes & Noble bookstores nationwide.
