INDIANAPOLIS -- 1986. Union Station in downtown Indianapolis reopened with a new lease on life.
With the heyday of the railroad years behind it, a renovated Union Station opened in April filled with bars, restaurants and shops.
But in a nod to the past, some of its most historic elements were preserved, like the grand hall and stately clock tower.
A newly-renovated Gasoline Alley at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway welcomed drivers for the 70th Indianapolis 500.
During the offseason, the old wooden garages were demolished in favor of new concrete garages that offered more room to work.
And they had a lot of time to work that year, a whole extra week, thanks to rain.
Rain washed out race day and the following day.
With the forecasts not looking good, a deal was finally reached with ABC television to run the race the following Saturday.
A bright blue sky welcomed drivers and fans on Saturday, May 31.
Rick Mears was on the pole, but it soon became a three-way battle between Mears, Bobby Rahal and Kevin Cogan.
And it was quite the finish. After a restart with two laps to go, Rahal got the jump on Cogan and never looked back.
Rahal took the checkered flag and drove into a brand new Victory Lane that raised the car on a lift for all to see as it rotated 360 degrees. Rahal's one and only 500 win as a driver.
MORE ON THE ROAD TO 100
1985 | 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.
