Indianapolis News and Headlines

Actions

1985 Indy 500: The famous 'Spin and Win'

1985 Indy 500: The famous 'Spin and Win'
1985 Indy 500: The famous 'Spin and Win'
Posted at 5:45 PM, Apr 27, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-27 17:55:18-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- In 1985, Indianapolis hosted the NBA All-Star Game at the Hoosier Dome with a record crowd of more than 43,000 people. 

The attendees marveled at a rookie named Michael Jordan playing in the league's showcase for the first time.

West of town at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, qualifying for the Indy 500 saw track records fall.

Pancho Carter's 4-lap average first set the bar at 212 miles per hour, and Scott Brayton's 214 miles per hour lap set new marks, too.

Both fast qualifiers had engine problems on race day and Carter finished last, while Brayton finished 30th.

Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi were the top class of the field for the first half of the race, but the day's key moment came on Lap 120.

Danny Sullivan went to pass for the lead over Andretti when his car spun a full 360 degrees in Turn 1. That brought out the caution flag and kept Andretti in the lead.

But Sullivan managed to keep his car off the wall, and he was able to continue.

Less than 20 laps later, he made another charge at Andretti, and was successful. He took the lead for good, owning the final 61 laps on his way to a victory that made his "Spin and Win" famous.

In turn, Andretti settled for his second runner-up position. 

MORE ON THE ROAD TO 100

1984 | 1983 | 1982 | 1981 | 1980 | 1979 | 1978 | 1977 | 1976 | 1975 | 1974 | 1973 | 1972 1971 | 1970 | 1965 | 1964 | 1963 | 1962 | 1961 | 1960 | 1959 1958 | 1957 | 1956 | 1955 | 1954 | 1953 | 1952 | 1951 | 1950 | 1949 |1948 1947 1946 1941 |  1940 | 1939 | 1938 | 1937 | 1936 | 1935 | 1934 | 1933 | 1932 | 1931 | 1930 | 1929 | 1928 | 1927 | 1926 | 1925 | 1924 | 1923 | 1922 | 1921 | 1920 | 1919 | 1916 | 1915 | 1914 | 1913 | 1912 | 1911 | Special Section: Road to 100 | Enter to win tickets to the Indy 500 | Start your engines: 100 stories in 100 days

Tune in to RTV6 News at 6 p.m. every night for our Road to 100, where we take a look back at each of the races leading up to the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500. 

Want tickets to this year's race? Tune in to RTV6 News at 6 p.m. and watch for the daily trivia question and answer, then click here to enter the answer to be entered daily for your chance to win tickets to the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29.