Where Does The 2012 Indianapolis 500 Rank?

Sunday's race saw a record amount of lead changes, passing all over the place, a late restart that put many drivers in contention, a last lap, balls out, dive bomb for the lead into turn one that failed and a driver win their third Indianapolis 500. Not to mention a new car with new engines. How does this rank among the all-time great Indianapolis 500s? Here is part one of two parts. This will cover races post World War II.

2011 Indianapolis 500: I start with last year's race because it was actually I pretty great race. 23 lead changes among 10 drivers and  thrilling closing laps were aided by the double-file restarts. It was a fuel mileage race but the 100th anniversary race saw the lead change five times in th final 30 laps. Scott Dixon led the most laps and took the lead from Graham Rahal on lap 172. Dixon still had to make one more pit stop but it seemed things would cycle back around in favor of him and his teammate Dario Franchitti. Dixon's pitstop gave Danica Patrick the lead with 21 to go. In what was her final Indianapolis 500 as a full-time driver, Patrick was in a position to finally win at Indianapolis and becoming the first women to win the race but she was short on fuel and choose to pit. This gave the lead to one-off Bertrand Baguette. The Belgian was thought to be the worst possible for the storyline for this race. An unknown, driving for the then part-time team Rahal-Letterman Racing was in position where a late-race caution would all but guarantee him victory. However he was stretching his fuel mileage as well and pitted with three laps to go. This handed the lead to JR Hildebrand who seemed confident with fuel. We know the end of this story but what happened to the Ganassi drivers? Franchitti pitted the same lap as Hildebrand but was short and had to conserve and fell out of contention and actually ran out of fuel. Dixon seemed certain he was going to make it but found at late that he was going to be short and had to save. Meanwhile, Hildebrand seemed to have the race won. He ran high in turn four, got in the marbles, hit the wall, was passed by Dan Wheldon, came home second and stopped in turn one. Dixon would soon come to stop a little behind Hildebrand out of fuel. Wheldon and Bryan Herta Autosport were the underdog team that pulled off an amazing upset. Wheldon had been passed over for a full-time ride and he wasn't going to settle for an uncompetitive ride. He got what he felt was a shot with Herta and proved that the little team could.

1995 Indianapolis 500: When Penske's two cars of 1992, 1993 and 1994 winners Emerson Fittipaldi and Al Unser Jr. failed to qualify, the race got very interesting. An early throw a monkey wrench into he race and put Jacques Villeneuve in the lead. He did not know that and passed the pass car, twice. He was then penalized two laps. Michael Andretti had led 45 laps but hit the wall when in second and another potentially great 500 ended too early for Michael. Mauricio Gugelmin led the most laps but wasn't a factor in the end. Both Jimmy Vasser and Scott Pruett ended up hitting the wall while leading and his gave Scott Goodyear the lead. On the final restart, Goodyear blew by the past car and was black flagged. This handed the lead to Jacques Villeneuve who made up both laps and held on to win the Indianapolis 500. Quick note: Hiro Matsushita finished 10th.

1993 Indianapolis 500: The race saw three World Champions battling most of day. Mario Andretti led the most laps but Emerson Fittipaldi would go on to hold off the 1990 Indianapolis 500 winner, Arie Luyendyk and Nigel Mansell for his second victory at Indianapolis. Fittipaldi was able to pass Mansell on a late restart. Raul Boesel came home fourth and Mario ended up in fifth. Only the top ten completed 500 miles with Scott Brayton, Scott Goodyear, Al Unser Jr., Teo Fabi and John Andretti rounded out the top 10. This race, as in 2011, had 23 lead changes.

1992 Indianapolis 500: Not really a great race. It was cold, lots of spins and guys in the wall, lots of caution laps as well. What we all remember is Michael Andretti slowing and losing a race he dominated. This led to a closing battle between Al Unser Jr. and Scott Goodyear that is still the closes finishes in Indianapolis 500 history.

1991 Indianapolis 500: I look at the 91, 92 and 93 races this way. In order, one was a great duel, one was a great finish, and one was a great race. 1991 saw Rick Mears on pole and Michael Andretti lead 97 laps. The final thirty laps saw these two drivers go head-to-head. One for his fourth, the other for his first. Mears made a great pass on the outside and pulled away. He joined Foyt and Unser as four time winners.

1986 Indianapolis 500: The only 500 not held on Memorial Day weekend featured Bobby Rahal, Kevin Cogan and Rick Mears end up in a late dash for he win. Michael Andretti had great day end when he needed a splash for fuel. With two laps to go, Rahal passed Cogan on the final restart and won an emotional race for Jim Trueman. Only seven drivers lead laps, they finish 1st through seventh. In order, Rahal, Cogan, Mears, Roberto Guerrero, Michael Andretti, Al Unser Jr and Emerson Fittipaldi. It was also the first Indianapolis 500 completed in under 3 hours.

1982 Indianapolis 500: A frantic start took out Kevin Cogan, Mario Andretti,damaged AJ Foyt's car and left many pointing fingers. Foyt would go on to led 32 laps but have a transmission failure end his day. Gordon Johncock and Rick Mears fought toe-to-toe and both driver led a combined 134 laps. Johncock won his second Indianapolis 500 and held off Rick Mears in what is still the third closest finish in Indianapolis 500 history.

1972 Indianapolis 500: Gary Bettenhausen was dominating when his day ended on lap 182. Jerry Grant took the lead but had to make a late pit stop. In the pits he overshot his pit, took fuel from his teammate's (Bobby Unser) pit stall. He was disqualified after 188 laps. Mark Donohue won the race after leading only the final thirteen laps and gave Roger Penske his first victory. Al Unser finished second and just missed out on a three-peat.

1963 Indianapolis 500: Parnelli Jones led 167 laps but he had a oil leak late that almost gave Jim Clark and the rear-engine car its first victory. After Eddie Sachs accident in turn three, Colin Chapman and J.C. Agajanian both argued with Harlan Fengler over whether or not Parnelli should have been shown black flagged. On the next lap around the leak had stopped Parnelli was not given the black flag and he gave Agajanian his first first 500 victory since 1952.

1961 Indianapolis 500: In the 50th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, AJ Foyt and Eddie Sachs' duel saw both drivers going for their first Indianapolis 500 victories. On what was thought to be Foyt's final pit stop, the crew failed to get the car full of fuel and had to come in one more time. This seemed to give Sachs the win but Sachs notice that the cords were showing on his rear tires. He decided not to risk it and pitted for a tire change. AJ Foyt retook the lead and picked up his first of four Indianapolis 500s, Sachs finished second. Rodger Ward finished 3rd and led 7 laps and the top three led a combined 122 laps. Jack Brabham finished ninth in his Cooper-Climax, the first rear-engine car to race the Indianapolis 500.

1960 Indianapolis 500: This race had the most lead changes until Sunday. Jim Rathmann and Rodger Ward started 2nd and 3rd and finished 1st and 2nd after leading a combined 158 laps. Ward had to pit late for new tires. At that time, the 12.67 second margin of victory was the second closest in Indianapolis 500 history, only behind 1937 which was 2.16 seconds.

1959 Indianapolis 500: Rodger Ward beat Jim Rathmann this year and led 130 laps. He beat Jim Rathmann by 23.27 seconds. 3rd place Johnny Thomson finished about 50 seconds after Ward after lead 40 laps. The top three led a combined 189 laps.

Quick note: Most of these races are before my time. While I did not get to see these races live in person, I have gone back and watched as many race as I can and use the knowledge gain through seeing those races, stories heard and box scores. This is just for fun I do not mean to cause a stir if you fell that I am missing something or forgot a race. Please fell free to comment or tweet me (@4theloveofindy) if you have an opinion. Look for part two, pre-World War II tomorrow.