[PAW]

Originally Posted by Seadog Let's not start this re-hashing of Tony George is the devil ***** again. Just pick 33 INDY 500 drivers. This "split" ended three years ago. Done. Over. Accept it and move on. We around here like the distant past. You like the recent past. We around here love our Saturday night short track heroes. Zanardi and Da Matta do not fit into that mold. I think the average age of posters on IOW is at least double your age. Just so you know what era our thoughts and feelings are coming from. You have to remember where you are posting. This is not a website called wineandcheeseracing.com.

:goodone:

[jim goerge]

Originally Posted by aussiemidgetfan Bourdais, da Matta and Zanardi would have been brickyard stars if Tony hadn't buggered everything up in 1996. Indycar would still have been a massive world phenomenon rather than a race supported by a series of unsupported races.

Aussie Stop it! You have got my sides hurting from laughing so hard! I got to ask what are you smokeing? Those three possibly INDY STARS LOL ! If they could have been Brickyard stars then I should run for pope next year

---------- Post added at 05:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:14 PM ----------

Wine and cheese racing Isn"t that where the driver ahead points to where he wants you to pass him. Can you picture the Demon pointing for Jon ? LOL

[gary curry]

How about Johnnie Parsons? Jim Hurtubise never won, but was fun to watch.

[Need For Speed]

Originally Posted by aussiemidgetfan Bourdais, da Matta and Zanardi would have been brickyard stars if Tony hadn't buggered everything up in 1996. Indycar would still have been a massive world phenomenon rather than a race supported by a series of unsupported races.

Whaa whaa frickin whaa.............

In this country, those names=also rans. They were never stars here. They never 'paid their dues' -here-.

This country's open wheel stars paid their dues with a driveshaft running between their legs.

[SUPERDUKE]

L meyer w shaw t horn m rose b holland a cross s hanks d nalon t ruttman b vukovich j mcgrath c stevenson j bryan j rathman e sach r ward p jones aj foyt j rutherford l ruby j mcelreath j hurtubise g johncock g bettenhausen r mears a unser b unser a unser jr mario andretti d & p carter m kenyon r mcluske

[TQ29m]

Originally Posted by Need For Speed Whaa whaa frickin whaa............. In this country, those names=also rans. They were never stars here. They never 'paid their dues' -here-. This country's open wheel stars paid their dues with a driveshaft running between their legs.

I'd have to agree, those names might be found in the isle marked "Imported Wine"!

My list of the 33 greatest Indy 500 drivers of all time
Row 1. Foyt, Unser Sr., Mears
Row 2. Mario Andretti, Ralph Depalma, Jim Clark
Row 3. Roger Ward, Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw
Row 4. Bobby Unser, Al Unser Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi
Row 5. Maurice Rose, Johnny Parsons, Bill Vukovich
Row 6. Sam Hanks, Jim Bryan, Graham Hill
Row 7. Johnny Rutherford, Gordon Johncock, Mark Donohue
Row 8. Tom Sneva, Helio Castroneves, Tony Stewart
Row 9. Tommy Milton, Parnelli Jones, Juan Montoya
Row 10. Michael Andretti, Paul Tracy, Jacques Villeneuve
Row 11. Dario Franchitti, Lloyd Ruby, Jackie Stewart

I know I've left off some good drivers and maybe included a couple that are on the bubble either way.

[Jerry Shaw]

Row 1
Rick Mears, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser

Row 2
Wilbur Shaw, Bobby Unser, Louis Meyer

Row 3
Bill Vukovich, Johnny Rutherford, Emerson Fittipaldi

Row 4
Maury Rose, Helio Castroneves, Mario Andretti

Row 5
Ralph DePalma, Parnelli Jones, Gordon Johncock

Row 6
Tommy Milton, Roger Ward, Arie Luyendyk

Row 7
Dario Franchitti, Bill Holland, Jim Clark

Row 8
Rex Mays, Billy Arnold, Michael Andretti

Row 9
Dan Weldon, Tom Sneva, Jimmy Bryan

Row 10
Al Unser, Jr., Mark Donahue, Jimmy Murphy

Row 11
Scott Dixon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jim Rathman

Picking the last ten was a lot tougher than the first.

Jerry

[brian26]

My turn- I'll try to do them in order on the first ten, after that it will be in no particular order (11-33)


1. Bill Vukovich Sr. - Go back and read up on his short career at indy, and look at the promise. He really could have won the race 4 times in a row!

2. A J Foyt- 4 wins, but it took 20 years, and a lot more support for to do it.

3. Mario Andretti- 1 win, but what sheer diversity he had! The only man to ever go from jalopies to formula one, by earning it the old way.

4. Al Unser sr.

5. Bobby Unser
6. Rick Mears
7. Johnny Rutherford
8. Parnelli Jones
9. Mauri Rose
10. Louie Meyer


and the rest-

Al Unser jr, Emmerson Fittipaldi, Gordon Johncock, Lloyd Ruby, Jimmy Clark, Eddie Sachs, Rodger Ward, Jimmy Bryan, Johnny Parsons, Tony Bettenhausen, Wilber Shaw, Ray Harroun, Tom Sneva, Troy Ruttman, Jim Rathman, Mark Donahue, Pat Flaherty (when he was mad), Micheal Andretti, Graham Hill, Tony Stewart(yes tony!), Gary Bettenhausen, Jim Hurtubise, Fred Frame.


This is the list I'm up to so far and as always, subject to change............

I base my list on level of difficulty of the times, skill diversity, speed records, win numbers in the 500, or the sheer ability to do it (Tony Stewart could have won both the 500 and the Brickyard 400).

As you can tell, I favor the front engine drivers the most, BECAUSE I'M AN AMERICAN AND WE DRIVE FRONT ENGINE CARS.

[ThrowbackRacingTeam]

my favorite memory of indy since they went to rear-engined cars was
the interview with bob kinser on pit lane when steve was running there.
PRICELESSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!