1987 Indianapolis 500

The71st Indianapolis 500was held at theIndianapolis Motor SpeedwayinSpeedway, Indiana,on Sunday May 24, 1987. After dominating practice, qualifying, and most of the race, leaderMario Andrettislowed with mechanical problems with only 23 laps to go. Five laps later,Al Unser Sr.assumed the lead, and won his record-tying fourthIndianapolis 500victory. At age 47, just days short of his 48th birthday, Unser became the oldest winner of the Indy 500, a record that still stands as of2024.During the month of May, an unusually high 25 crashes occurred during practice and qualifying, with one driver in particular,Jim Crawford,suffering serious leg injuries.

71st Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body	USAC
Season	1987 CART season 1986–87 Gold Crown
Date	May 24, 1987
Winner	Al Unser Sr.
Winning team	Penske Racing
Average speed	162.175
Pole position	Mario Andretti
Pole speed	215.390
Fastest qualifier	Mario Andretti
Rookie of the Year	Fabrizio Barbazza
Most laps led	Mario Andretti(170)
Pre-race ceremonies
National anthem	Sandi Patty
"Back Home Again in Indiana"	Jim Nabors
Starting command	Mary F. Hulman
Pace car	Chrysler LeBaron
Pace car driver	Carroll Shelby
Starter	Duane Sweeney
Estimated attendance	400,000
TV in the United States
Network	ABC
Announcers	Host:Jim McKay Lap-by-lap:Jim Lampley Color Analyst:Sam Posey Color Analyst:Bobby Unser
Nielsen ratings	11.0 / 36
Chronology
Previous Next 1986 1988

Al Unser's victory is considered one of the biggest upsets in Indianapolis 500 history.Unser, whose driving career was beginning to wind down, had dropped down to part-time status a year earlier. He entered the 1987 month of May without a ride and without sponsorship money, which left him on the sidelines during the first week of practice. AfterDanny Ongaissuffered a concussion in a practice crash, Unser was hired byPensketo fill the vacant seat. Unser proceeded to win the race with a year-oldMarch86Cchassis, and the venerableCosworth DFX,the powerplant's tenth consecutive Indy victory. Unser's car, originally entered as a back-up, had been sitting in a hotel lobby inReading, Pennsylvania,as ashow carjust weeks prior.

The race was sanctioned by theUnited States Auto Club,and was included as part of the1987 CART PPG Indy Car World Series.Of the notable statistics, the 1987 Indy 500 was the first such where the entry list did not include a single car built in the United States.

During the race, a spectator waskilledwhen an errant tire was hit into the grandstand, the first spectator fatality at the event in a racing-related incident since 1938.

Background

Defending Indy 500 winnerBobby Rahalwent on to win the1986 CART championship.During the offseason, hisTruesportsracing team made a highly publicized switch from theMarchchassis to the up-and-comingLolachassis.Truesports, however, stayed with the provenCosworthengine. Rahal was a strong favorite to repeat as winner.

For 1987, theIlmor-Chevrolet 265-A engineexpanded its participation inIndy car racing.Penske Racingfielded a three-car effort with the powerplant, while resuming its in-house chassis program. ThePC-16chassis was the primary car for the team, but as a backup, three one-year-oldMarch 86Cchassis were also entered.Newman/Haas Racingjoined the Ilmor Chevrolet program, pairing the engine with aLolaT87.With it,Mario Andrettiscored the engine's first victory a month earlier atLong Beach.Patrick Racing(Emerson Fittipaldi&Kevin Cogan) was the third team to utilize the Ilmor Chevrolet, but they used theMarch87Cchassis.

Roberto Guerrerowon the second race of the season, held atPhoenix.Guerrero was a rising star on the circuit, and the impressive victory from last starting position at Phoenix made him a favorite for Indy. For 1987, his Vince Granatelli Racing team was sporting aspecial paint job,a "throwback" day-glow orange which resembled theAndy Granatellientries from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

A new engine arrived at Indianapolis in 1987. TheJudd AV V-8wasbadgedas theBrabham-Honda,and was fielded byGalles Racing.After part-time use during the1986 CART season,the engine was utilized full-time beginning in 1987. Indy veteranGeoff Brabham,son ofJack Brabham(co-founder ofEngine Developments Ltd.) and rookieJeff MacPhersonwere the drivers.

AtPenske Racing,Rick MearsandDanny Sullivanreturned as the full-time entries. During the offseason, three-time Indy 500 winner (1970,1971,1978), and three-time national champion (1970,1983,1985)Al Unser Sr.retired from full-time driving duties. Unser had been driving for Penske from 1983 to 1986, and was still interested in driving part-time, particularly at Indianapolis and the other 500-mile races (MichiganandPocono). Meanwhile, businessman and mediamogulTed Fieldarranged a deal withRoger Pensketo field Indy veteranDanny Ongaisin the third Penske entry.Al Unserwas unable to secure a ride before the month of May, and arrived at the track unemployed, albeit shopping around for a competitive car.

Goodyeararrived at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time with a newradial tire.After a few years of development in the CART series, the radials were ready for competition in the Indy 500.

The most noticeable construction project completed at theIndianapolis Motor Speedwayfor 1987 was a series of electronicdot matrixscoreboardsinstalled around the track.

Race schedule

Race schedule – April/May 1987 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 19 20 21 22 23 24 ROP 25 ROP 26 ROP 27 28 29 30 1 2 Practice 3 Practice 4 Practice 5 Practice 6 Practice 7 Practice 8 Practice 9 Pole Day 10 Time Trials 11 Practice 12 Practice 13 Practice 14 Practice 15 Practice 16 Time Trials 17 Bump Day 18 19 20 21 Carb Day 22 Mini-Marathon 23 Parade 24 Indy 500 25 Memorial Day 26 27 28 29 30 31

Color Notes Green Practice Dark Blue Time trials Silver Race day Red Rained out* Blank No track activity *Includes days where track activity was significantly limited due to rain ROP – denotes Rookie Orientation Program

Practice – week 1

Rick Mears in aPenske PC-16chassis during the first week of practice

Saturday May 2

Practice started on Opening Day, Saturday May 2. RookieLudwig Heimrath Jr.was the first car on the track. A somewhat light day of activity saw several drivers pass their rookie tests.Michael Andrettiposted the fastest lap of the day, at 210.772 mph (339.205 km/h).His fatherMario,however, did not take any laps.

Sunday May 3

The second day of practice saw increased activity.Mario Andrettiposted the fastest lap of the day at 213.371 mph (343.387 km/h). Later in the day, the weather cooled, and wind picked up. At 5:58 p.m.,Pancho Cartersuffered a spectacular crash. His car spun in turn three,air got underneath, and flipped upside-down. The car landed on the pavement on its roll bar, and proceeded to skid about 600 feet (180 m) through the north chute.The car hit the outside wall in turn four, and came to a rest still upside-down. Carter, however, was not seriously injured.His helmet had three major scrapes from rubbing along the pavement.Carter later proudly showed off the helmet, showing where he had rotated his head to spread the abrasion damage.

Monday May 4

High winds kept the speeds down.Dennis FirestoneandRoberto Guerrerotied for fast lap of the day (211.565 mph), whileMario Andrettiwas third.

Tuesday May 5

Tuesday saw the fastest lap in Indy history to date.Mario Andrettiblistered the track at an unofficial track record of 218.204 mph (351.165 km/h).It made him the favorite for the pole position.The next fastest time, turned in byBobby Rahalwas a full 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h) slower. The second crash of the month occurred, involvingDennis Firestone.He spun and crashed in turn four, breaking bones in his left foot and fracturing his left leg, eventually this crash with a second crash would sideline him for the month.

Wednesday May 6

Four crashes occurred during practice on Wednesday.Kevin Cogandrifted high exiting turn 1, and crashed into the outside wall. Later,Scott Braytonhit the wall in turn four.Derek DalyandDick Fergusonboth brushed the wall in the south short chutes, but both nursed their cars back to the pits. None of the four drivers were seriously injured.Mario Andretticontinued his dominance of practice, leading the speed charts again, at 216.502 mph (348.426 km/h).A surprising second-fastest wasJim Crawford,driving aBuick-powered 1986 March to a lap of 215.982 mph (347.589 km/h).Cogan,Brayton,andDalywere all driving 1987Marchchassis. By mid-week, teams fielding the 1987 March chassis were finding the cars difficult to handle with the new Goodyearradial tires.Coupled with the warmer temperatures, and often windy conditions, many teams were finding the search for speed difficult.

Thursday May 7

Danny Ongaisduring practice prior to his accident

Breezy conditions continued on Thursday.The most serious crash of the month to date occurred less than an hour into the day.Danny Ongais,driving the thirdPenskeentry, crashed hard into the outside wall in turn 4. He suffered aconcussionand was sidelined for the rest of the month. The crash added to the frustration thePenske teamwas having so far during the month. While they were having little trouble with the Ilmor Chevrolet engine, thePC-16chassis was deemed alemon.Rick MearsandDanny Sullivanwere struggling to keep pace, and were rarely amongst the top ten each day on the speed chart.Meanwhile,Mario Andretticontinued to top the speed chart, again by 2 mph (3.2 km/h), with a lap at 218.234 mph (351.214 km/h).Rocky Moranupped the crash tally for the week to eight, when he crashed exiting turn 2.

Late in the afternoon of May 7,Penske Racingdecided to park thePC-16chassis in favor of their stable of 1986Marches.However, none were presently at the track, nor immediately race ready. In some cases, they were serving asshow cars.The first car would arrive the following morning, andRick MearsandDanny Sullivanflipped a coin to see who would drive it. Mears won the toss.

"Fast" Friday May 8

The final day of practice before Pole Day was warm and windy.Mario Andrettiled the speed chart once again (216.242 mph), butBobby Rahalwas a close second (215.568 mph). Four more crashes occurred, bringing the total for the month to twelve.Tom Snevacrashed exiting turn one.Dick Fergusoncrashed for the second time, and suffered major damage.Gary Bettenhausenspun, andPhil Kruegersuffered rear suspension damage after tagging the turn four wall.

Time trials – weekend 1

Pole-sitterMario Andrettiwaits by his car during a practice session.

Pole day qualifying – Saturday May 9

During morning practice on Saturday May 9,Bobby Rahalled the speed chart at 216.609 mph (348.598 km/h).Mario Andrettiwas second-fastest.Rick Mears,who only a day earlier stepped into a 1986March,already had the car up to speed at 213.371 mph (343.387 km/h).Stan Foxwas involved in the 13th crash of the month, when he spun out of turn three and tapped the inside wall.

Hot, slick, and windy conditions were observed during pole day. Many teams who had struggled during the week with handling problems, sat idle on pole day, waiting for better track conditions.The first two cars waved off, andRick Mearsbecame the first car in the field at 211.467 mph (340.323 km/h).

Bobby Rahaltentatively secured the top spot with a run of 213.316 mph (343.299 km/h). Over the next hour and a half, five cars started runs, but all were waved off. By 1 p.m., there were still only two cars in the field.

At 1:09 p.m.,Mario Andrettitook to the track. Despite hot and slick conditions, and gusty winds, Andretti took the pole position with a speed of 215.390 mph (346.637 km/h). Andretti's run was "nerve-wracking", inconsistent, and at times he lost traction, but the battle for the pole was settled. After Andretti's run, sparse activity took place until late in the day. Most teams stayed off the track altogether. Veteran drivers,Johnny RutherfordandDick Simonmanaged successful runs, and filled the field to five cars.

Jim Crawford,adarkhorsefavorite for the front row in aBuickentry, made his first attempt at 2:25 p.m. The crew waved off after a slower-than-expected speed. A little over an hour later, Crawford returned to the track. After a quick warm-up lap, he lost control in turn one, and hit the wall nose-first. He suffered severe injuries, fractures to both ankles, a fractured lower right shin, and a fractured left knee.He would be sidelined for an entire year.Johnny Parsonsalso brushed the wall in turn 2 during a practice run, upping the total to 15 accidents during the month.

Late in the day, several veterans took to the track in an attempt to qualify. Among the fastest wereRoberto GuerreroandArie Luyendyk.Shortly after 5 p.m.,A. J. Foytqualified in 4th position, extending his streak to a record thirty consecutive Indy 500 races. With reluctance,Danny Sullivancompleted a slow qualifying run in his PC-16/Chevrolet. It was a strategic move, in order to secure Sullivan a tentative spot in the field in case time trials were rained out on the second weekend.

At the close of pole day, only eleven cars had completed qualifying runs. With Andretti, Rahal, and Mears taking the top three spots, it was the first time since 1975 that the front row consisted of all former winners (and only the second time ever). With A. J. Foyt qualifying fourth, it was also the first time that former winners swept the top four positions.Rick Mearssurprised observers by putting a year-old car (with only two days of shake-down practice) on the outside of the front row, his record seventh front row start. VeteranDick Simonenjoyed his first start in the front two rows by qualifying 6th. The Ilmor-Chevy Indy V-8 engine won the qualifying battle, placing machines 1st and 3rd, while Cosworth's best car (Rahal) was 2nd.

Second day qualifying – Sunday May 10

Three more crashes occurred on Sunday May 10, lifting the total for the month to 18. The most serious byTom Sneva,his second crash in three days.

Former winnerGordon Johncockwas announced as the replacement for the injuredJim Crawford.Johncock initially retired before the 1985 race, but had tentative plans for a return in 1986. Johncock was expected to immediately begin practicing on the track.

The second day of time trials opened with two attempts, by rookieLudwig Heimrath Jr.andRich Vogler.Over an hour and half hour later, more cars lined up to qualify. By the end of the day, the field was filled to 18 cars, with Heimrath the fastest of the afternoon. Among those not yet in the field wereAl Unser Jr.,Tom Sneva,andKevin Cogan.

Practice – week 2

Monday May 11

Gordon Johncocktook to the track for his first stint of laps at speed. At night, the first significant rain in many days washed the track of some rubber buildup.Mario Andretti(211.714 mph) was the fastest car of the day.

Tuesday May 12

Penske RacingdriverDanny Ongaiswas officially withdrawn from his entry. Following his crash on May 7, Ongais was diagnosed with aconcussion,and was not medically cleared to drive. No replacement was yet announced, butAl Unserwas rumored as the choice.

Track activity was leisurely, withMario Andrettileading the speed chart at 212.916 in a back-up car. RookieFabrizio Barbazzawas the fastest driver not yet qualified at 206.091.Dominic Dobson,another rookie, used the afternoon to finish the final phases of his rookie test.

Wednesday May 13

Three-time Indy 500 winnerAl Unser Sr.was officially announced as the replacement for the injuredDanny OngaisatPenske Racing.Unsertook his first laps of the month, driving a newly arrived 1986March/Cosworth.Unser had entered the month unemployed, and was at the track supporting his sonAl Unser Jr.in his efforts atDoug Shierson Racing,all the while shopping around the garage area for a competitive ride for himself.

Al Unser Jr. had been struggling to get his 1987 March/Cosworth up to speed during the first week of practice, and was unable to qualify during the first weekend of time trials. Unser Sr. had planned to go home toAlbuquerqueby Monday, if he had not yet secured a ride. But he decided to stay through the week to help his son Unser Jr. get his car up to speed.About a day later, he was approached to drive for Penske.

Al Unser Sr.'sPenske RacingteammateDanny Sullivanstarted taking laps for the first time in a 1986Marchchassis, powered by anIlmor Chevrolet Indy V-8.Plans were being made to withdraw Sullivan's PC-16/Chevrolet from the qualified field, and re-qualify in the year-old March. Meanwhile, Penske was already prepping a third 1986 March for Unser, but his would be powered by a Cosworth engine.

Late in the dayGeoff Brabhambroke a wheel, and slid into the wall in turn three. It was the 19th crash of the month.

Thursday May 14

Al Unser Jr.,after two weeks of struggling with speed, led the non-qualified cars at 208.913 mph (336.213 km/h).Mario Andretticontinued to practice in his back-up car, posting the fourth-fastest speed of the day. Two single-car crashes byJohnny ParsonsandRick Miaskiewiczrespectively, brought the total of the month to 21 crashes. Parsons suffered a broken ankle, and was sidelined for the rest of the month.

Friday May 15

The final regular day of practice took place on Friday May 15.Dennis Firestonesuffered his second crash in a week, and 22nd overall for the month. In turn four, he slid into the outside wall, suffering a neck fracture and concussion. This would sideline him for the remainder of the month.Al Unser Jr.again led the non-qualified cars at 210.231 mph (338.334 km/h).

Time trials – weekend 2

Third day qualifying – Saturday May 16

Al Unser Jr.making a qualification attempt

The third day of time trials took place on May 16. Several veteran drivers, as well as a couple rookies, completed qualifying runs. By the end of the day, the field was filled to 30 cars.

Among the veterans qualifying early on wereAl Unser Jr.,Gordon Johncock,andAl Unser Sr.Danny Sullivanwithdrew his already-qualifiedPC-16/Chevrolet, and re-qualified with a 1986March/Chevrolet. His qualifying speed increased by 5 miles per hour (8.0 km/h).

Late in the afternoon,Kevin Coganmade the field, as well asTony Bettehausen.After suffering two crashes during practice,Tom Snevafinally put a car in the field at over 207 mph (333 km/h). Shortly thereafter, the track closed for the day.

Bump day qualifying – Sunday May 17

Pancho Carterduring his qualification attempt

The final day of qualifying was held on May 17. At the start of the day, three positions in the starting field were vacant.Steve Chasseywas the first driver to attempt to qualify, but waved off after only one lap of 195 mph (314 km/h). Chassey's car, a small single-car team, was entered by Lydia Laughrey,a rarefemalecar owner.

Pancho Carterwithdrew his qualified car, and re-qualified faster in a backup.Phil Kruegerwas the third car out on the track, and his first lap would have been fast enough to ultimately make the field. On his second lap, however, he dipped low in turn one, hit the outside wall, then spun and hit the wall again. It was the 24th crash of the month. After the crash, the track stayed mostly quiet until 4:45 p.m.

Steve Chasseymade his second attempt to qualify, but again waved off following three, slow, inconsistent laps.Rocky Moranwas next, and despite only a 199 mph (320 km/h) average, he completed his run.Dominic DobsonandDavy Jones(driving forFoyt Racing) then filled the field to 33 cars. Jones in the process, became the fastest rookie qualifier in the field.

With 49 minutes to go before the 6 o'clockgun,George Snidertook anotherFoytback-up car and bumped outRocky Moran.It was the fourth Foyt entry to qualify for the field. The move put rookieDominic Dobson(201.240 mph) on the bubble. Dobson survived attempts byEd PimmandRick Miaskiewicz,and at 5:30 p.m., still clung to the starting field.

Steve Chasseymade his third and final allotted attempt. At 202.488 mph (325.873 km/h), he bumped his way into the field by just over 1 mph. Dobson was out, andSammy Swindell(201.840 mph) was now on the bubble.Ed Pimm,after days of frustration, handling problems, and with the oil light flashing during his run, managed to bump Swindell out. That move dropped Chassey down to the bubble spot. Over the final twenty minutes, Chassey held on, and the field was set.

Carburetion Day

On Thursday May 21, the final scheduled practice session was held. The weather continued to be hot and dry. Two incidents during the session altered the grid for race day, bringing the total for the month to 25 crashes leading up to the race.

About a half hour into the session,A. J. Foyt,who qualified 4th on the grid, got into turbulence in turn one. He lost control, did a half spin, and crashed hard into the wall. About an hour later,Emerson Fittipaldi,nursing an ill-handling car, spun and crashed in turn three.

Foyt was uninjured, but was furious with himself after warning his rookie drivers about the challenging conditions, only to crash himself. Foyt's car was deemed repairable, and the crew worked over the next three days to put it back together, using pieces from back-up cars. By race day the car was finished, and he would be able to grid in his qualified position. Fittipaldi's car, however, was a total loss, and he would be required to start a backup car on race day. He was moved from the 10th starting position to the rear of the field (33rd).

Pit Stop Contest

The semifinals and finals for the 11th annualMillerPit Stop Contestwere held on Thursday May 21. The top three race qualifiers and their respective pit crews were automatically eligible:Mario Andretti,Bobby Rahal,andRick Mears.However, Mears declined the invitation.A. J. Foyt(who qualified 4th) filled that spot.Roberto Guerrerosecured the fourth and final spot in the contest during preliminaries which were on held on Thursday May 14. Guerrero's team (13.945 seconds) advanced ahead of a few others who attempted to qualify.

Mario AndrettiandBobby Rahaleasily won their semifinal matches. Rahal'sTruesportscrew was led by chief mechanic Steve Horne, and was decked out in casualHawaiian shirtsfor the occasion. Andretti's crew was led by chief mechanic Colin Duff. Andretti, marching closer to a clean sweep for the month, defeated Rahal in the final round to notchNewman/Haas Racing's first and only victory in the Pit Stop Contest. Rahal beat Andretti off the line, but Rahal's crew had difficulty changing the left front wheel. Andretti's team had a smooth, trouble-free stop, and won easily.

	Semifinals					Finals
	5	Mario Andretti (Newman/Haas Racing)	21.96
	4	Roberto Guerrero (Vince Granatelli Racing)	24.94
						5	Mario Andretti (Newman/Haas Racing)	18.05
						1	Bobby Rahal (Truesports)	23.27
	1	Bobby Rahal (Truesports)	21.34
	14	A. J. Foyt (A. J. Foyt Enterprises)	23.24

Starting grid

Row	Inside		Middle		Outside
1	5	Mario Andretti Hanna Auto Wash Newman/Haas Racing Lola T8700, Chevrolet 265 215.39 mph (346.64 km/h)	1	Bobby Rahal Budweiser Truesports Lola T8700, Cosworth DFX 213.316 mph (343.299 km/h)	8	Rick Mears Pennzoil Z-7 Penske Racing March 86C, Chevrolet 265 211.467 mph (340.323 km/h)
2	14	A.J. Foyt Copenhagen/Gilmore A. J. Foyt Enterprises Lola T8700, Cosworth DFX 210.935 mph (339.467 km/h)	4	Roberto Guerrero True Value/STP Granatelli Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 210.68 mph (339.06 km/h)	22	Dick Simon Soundesign Dick Simon Racing Lola T8700, Cosworth DFX 209.96 mph (337.90 km/h)
3	71	Arie Luyendyk Living Well/Provimi Veal/WTTV Hemelgarn Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 208.337 mph (335.286 km/h)	21	Johnny Rutherford Vermont American Alex Morales Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 208.296 mph (335.220 km/h)	18	Michael Andretti Kraco/STP Kraco Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 206.129 mph (331.732 km/h)
4	23	Ludwig Heimrath Jr. MacKenzie Financial/Tim Horton Doughnuts Dick Simon Racing Lola T8700, Cosworth DFX 207.591 mph (334.085 km/h)	81	Rich Vogler Byrd's Kentucky Fried Chicken/Living Well Hemelgarn Racing March 87C, Buick V-6 205.887 mph (331.343 km/h)	11	Jeff MacPherson McHoward Leasing Galles Racing March 87C, Judd 205.688 mph (331.023 km/h)
5	91	Scott Brayton Amway/Autostyle Hemelgarn Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 205.647 mph (330.957 km/h)	15	Geoff Brabham Team Valvoline Galles Racing March 87C, Judd 205.503 mph (330.725 km/h)	56	Gary Bettenhausen Genesee Beer Wagon Gohr Racing March 86C, Cosworth DFX 204.504 mph (329.117 km/h)
6	3	Danny Sullivan Miller American Penske Racing March 86C, Chevrolet 265 210.271 mph (338.398 km/h)	12	Fabrizio Barbazza Arciero Winery Arciero Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 208.038 mph (334.805 km/h)	2	Gordon Johncock STP Oil Treatment American Racing March 86C, Buick V-6 207.99 mph (334.73 km/h)
7	77	Derek Daly Scheid Tire/Superior Training/Metrolink Pace Racing March 87C, Buick V-6 207.522 mph (333.974 km/h)	25	Al Unser Cummins/Holset Turbo Penske Racing March 86C, Cosworth DFX 207.423 mph (333.815 km/h)	33	Tom Sneva Skoal Bandit Mike Curb March 86C, Buick V-6 207.254 mph (333.543 km/h)
8	30	Al Unser Jr. Domino's Pizza Doug Shierson Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 206.752 mph (332.735 km/h)	24	Randy Lewis Toshiba/Altos/Oracle Leader Cards Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 206.209 mph (331.861 km/h)	7	Kevin Cogan Marlboro Patrick Racing March 87C, Chevrolet 265 205.999 mph (331.523 km/h)
9	55	Josele Garza Bryant Heating & Cooling/Schaefer Machinists Union Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 205.692 mph (331.029 km/h)	41	Stan Fox Kerker Exhaust/Skoal Classic A. J. Foyt Enterprises March 86C, Cosworth DFX 204.518 mph (329.140 km/h)	16	Tony Bettenhausen Jr. Nationwise/Payless Bettenhausen Motorsports March 86C, Cosworth DFX 203.892 mph (328.132 km/h)
10	44	Davy Jones Skoal Classic/Gilmore/UNO A. J. Foyt Enterprises March 86C, Cosworth DFX 208.117 mph (334.932 km/h)	29	Pancho Carter Hardee's Machinists Union Racing March 87C, Cosworth DFX 205.154 mph (330.163 km/h)	98	Ed Pimm Skoal Classic Mike Curb March 86C, Cosworth DFX 203.284 mph (327.154 km/h)
11	84	George Snider Calumet/Copenhagen A. J. Foyt Enterprises March 86C, Chevy V-6 203.192 mph (327.006 km/h)	87	Steve Chassey United Oil/Life of Indiana United Oil March 87C, Cosworth DFX 202.488 mph (325.873 km/h)	20	Emerson Fittipaldi† Marlboro Patrick Racing March 87C, Chevrolet 265 205.584 mph (330.855 km/h)

• †-Emerson Fittipaldiqualified 10th on pole day. On Carburetion Day, he crashed his already-qualified car, and it was damaged beyond repair. The car was replaced with a back-up car, and was moved the rear of the field.

Alternates

• First alternate:Sammy SwindellR(#59) – bumped
• Second alternate:Dominic DobsonR(#17) – bumped

Failed to qualify

• Rocky Moran(#76) – bumped
• Rick MiaskiewiczR(#97) – too slow
• Jim Crawford(#2T) – wrecked qualifying on pole day; suffered serious injuries to feet and legs, replaced byGordon Johncock
• Phil Krueger(#10T) – wrecked qualifying on bump day
• Danny Ongais(#25) – wrecked in practice; suffered concussion and replaced byAl Unser
• Dick Ferguson(#19) - wrecked in practice; car was rebuilt by bump day but never turned a lap at speed
• Dennis Firestone(#10) - wrecked in practice, injured
• Spike Gehlhausen(#35) - did not attempt to qualify
• Johnny Parsons(#91) - wrecked in practice, broken leg

Race summary

Start

Race day dawned warm with clear blue skies. During the pace lap, the car ofGeorge Snidercaught fire, with aturbochargerfailure. Snider pulled into the pits, as the rest of the field took the green flag.Mario Andretticharged from the pole position, and led the field into turn one.

In the first turn of the first lap,Josele Garzawas down low on the white line, and lost the back end of the car. Right next toAl Unser,he started spinning. Unser slipped by cleanly, but reported being tagged gently from behind. Garza spun up the track, and collectedPancho Carter.Neither driver was injured, but both cars suffered damage.

First half

On lap 6, the green came back out, with Mario Andretti continuing to lead. Driving at a blistering pace, it took only seven laps for him to start lapping backmarkers. On lap 25,Ludwig Heimrathwas running 7th, and made his first pit stop, but one of the wheels was not properly secured. The wheel came off, and he spun in turn four. Under the caution, Mario Andretti pitted, and managed to stay in the lead. Only seven cars remained on the lead lap.

Around the 100-mile (160 km) mark, several cars were dropping out of contention.Kevin Coganblew an engine,Randy Lewisdropped out with a gearbox failure, andMichael Andrettibroke a CV joint, then had a pit fire. On lap 34,Bobby Rahal,who had been running as high as second, made an unscheduled, five-minute long pit stop due to an electrical problem. After several long stops, Rahal would eventually drop out.

Mario Andretti continued to dominate, giving up the lead temporarily only through the sequence of pit stops.Roberto GuerreroandDanny Sullivanconsistently were chasing him. Shortly before the halfway point,Rick Mearswas forced to the pits with an electrical problem, and would also be forced to drop out.

At the 90 lap mark,Al Unser Sr.had worked up to 4th, andTom Sneva5th. Unser had been lapped by Andretti early in the going. At that juncture, he elected to change his strategy and started charging up the standings. Andretti was still dominating, running laps in the low 200 mph range, while most other cars were in the 190 mph range, or slower.Dick Simonwas running 7th, but ran the car out of fuel on the backstretch. He lost several laps as he was towed back to the pits, but received fuel, and returned to the track.

Second half

The dominance byMario Andretticontinued in the second half, leadingRoberto Guerreroby several seconds. The rest of the field was at least one lap down. Several of the other competitors were falling by the wayside, includingA. J. Foyt(who was running 9th) andRich Vogler.Sullivan and Unser Sr., both in the top 5, were now close to 2 laps down. Meanwhile,Tom SnevaandArie Luyendyk,clinging to the top ten, both started losing ground toFabrizio Barbazza.

Spectator fatality

A replica ofRoberto Guerrero's 1987 March/Cosworth (shown in road course trim)

A close-up look of the 1987 March chassis nose cone area with the cover removed. Note the location of thebrakemaster cylinderandclutchslave cylinder nestled inside. This part of the car was damaged when Guerrero struck the errant wheel.

On the 130th lap,Tony Bettenhausenstarted suffering a handling problem exiting turn two. Down the backstretch, his right-front wheel lug nut may have come off the car, and the wheel began to loosen. In turn three, the wheel came off and began rolling though the north short chute. Second placeRoberto Guerrerocame up on the wheel suddenly, and hit it with his nosecone. The nosecone cover was broken off, and the wheel was punted high into the air. The wheel cleared the catchfencing, and flew towards the "K" grandstand. Spectators were witnessed fleeing the seating in a "V" shape as the 18-pound wheel headed their direction. The wheel came down and struck 41-year-old Lyle Kurtenbach ofRothschild, Wisconsinin the head, sitting in the top row of the grandstand. He suffered massive head injuries, and was pronounced dead atMethodist Hospitalshortly afterwards. The wheel bounded and came to rest in the tunnel underneath the north short chute.

Guerrero slowed, and nursed his car back to the pits.Under the caution flag, the pit crew worked to replace the nosecone, and got Guerrero back on to the track, albeit a lap down.It was not immediately discovered at the time, but striking the tire had damaged theclutchslave cylinder,which was located in the nose. Fluid had begun to leak from the cylinder, which would ultimately render the clutch inoperable. At speed, use of the clutch was unnecessary, but exiting the pits would pose increasing difficulty.

The incident was reported live on theIndianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Networkby fourth turn reporterBob Jenkins.The extent of injury was unknown at the time. The live ABC television broadcast, however, was at commercial when it occurred.During the commercial, the incident was noticed by the producers and commentators.When they returned on-air, however, footage of the incident was not shown, nor were specific details given of what had occurred.Instead,still imagesof Guerrero's nosecone and pit crew were shown.No further information was given during the remainder of the race. During the post-race coverage,Jim McKaybriefly announced on-air that theAssociated Presswire servicewas reporting that a spectator fatality had occurred,but he did not connect the incidents.

Late race

With 25 laps to go,Mario Andrettiheld a one-lap lead over second placeRoberto Guerrero,and an almost two-lap lead over third placeAl UnserSr. The field had dwindled down to only 12 cars running, most of which were many laps down. WithRick MearsandDanny Sullivanboth out of the race,Roger Pensketook over the pit of Al Unser Sr. As Penske took over Unser's pit stall, Danny Sullivan and Rick Mears stood near Unser's pit stall to watch the race finish and pull for their teammate.

Andretti, Guerrero, and Unser all needed one final fuel stop to make it to the finish. Unser Sr. made his final pit stop first. Roger Penske called Unser into the pits a few laps early, in an effort to "put the pressure on Guerrero"in hopes of moving up to second place.

Andretti, leading by 1 lap, slowed down between turns 3 and 4, allowing Guerrero to pass him. At first it was believed that Andretti was ducking into the pits for his final pit stop. However, after leading 170 of 177 laps, Andretti suddenly slowed down the frontstretch on lap 177. An electrical failure in thefuel metering device,part of thefuel injectionsystem, began flooding the engine with rawfuel.After the race, it was determined that Andretti had begun to back off to protect his lead. His lower revs developed aharmonicimbalancein the engine, which led to a brokenvalvespring.

The misfortune reinforced the perceivedAndretti Curse.Andretti coasted around to the pit area, and the team immediately replaced thespark boxandwastegate.Guerrero stormed into the lead, but still had one pit stop remaining. Sitting still in the pit area, the once dominating Andretti started slipping in the standings.

Finish

With twenty laps to go,Roberto Guerreroled second placeUnser Sr.by almost a full lap. He came upon Unser Sr. in traffic, and decisively put him a lap down on lap 180. Two laps later, Guerrero went to the pits for his final fuel stop. With his clutch failing from the earlier incident, entering and exiting the pits was becoming increasingly difficult.Sometime during the race, Guerrero had also broken third gear.While stopped in the pit box, his car became stuck in gear. When refueling was complete, he attempted to pull out of the pits, but the engine stalled. Unser Sr. was driving through the turn three at the time. The crew refired the engine, and the car started to roll away. With Unser Sr. heading down the mainstretch, Guerrero's car stalled once again. The lifeless car sat on the pit road as Unser Sr. drove by to take the lead.

Guerrero's frenzied crew ran out to the car and pulled it back to the pit. At that point, they simply tried to push start the car, which was successful. Guerrero finally got back on to the track, but by that time, Unser Sr. had put him a full lap down. Meanwhile, Mario Andretti's team had made some hasty repairs, and returned him to the track.After one slow lap, still being scored in the top 8, he returned to the pits for further repairs.

Guerrero spent the next several laps furiously chasing Unser Sr. in an attempt to get his lap back. With 11 laps to go, Unser was slowing his pace as the third place car, rookieFabrizio Barbazzawas momentarily holding him back. Barbazza was trying to avoid going two laps down. Unser's crew asked officials to wave the "blue flag"to order Barbazza to pull over and allow Unser past. Officials waved the blue flag to Barbazza who refused to acknowledge. The issue became moot when Barbazza ducked into the pits for a late pit stop. With 9 laps to go, Guerrero unlapped himself.Meanwhile, Mario Andretti tried once again to get his car back up to speed.

Mario Andretti's second return to the track was also short-lived, and his car stalled. The car coasted to a stop in turn four and brought out the race's final caution on lap 192.The yellow flag bunched up the field, and allowed Guerrero to make up the rest of the lap;he lined up only six cars behind Unser Sr. The green flag came out with four laps to go, and Al Unser Sr. held off Roberto Guerrero by 4.496 seconds, to win his record-tying fourthIndianapolis 500 victory.By leading the final 18 laps, Unser Sr. tied the all-time record formost laps ledin Indy 500 competition, and, at 47 years of age, also became the oldest winner of the 500.

Post-race notes

A replica of Al Unser Sr.'s winning car with "Cummins" decals accurately depicted in original race day configuration; mixed case on the left sidepod (top), and all-caps on the right sidepod (bottom)

Mario Andretti's dominance of the month, and subsequent failure to achieve victory, was largely unprecedented in modern times. He led the practice speed chart on 11 of the 17 days(he participated in only 13 days), won thepole position,won thepit stop contest,had the fastest leading lap of the race, and led 170 of the first 177 laps. Despite not running at the finish, due to high attrition, Andretti was still credited with 9th place, his 8th top-10 finish at Indy.

Al Unser Sr.'s victory in a year-old car was unusual in theCARTera. Just weeks prior to being used in the race, the car had been sitting on display at aSheratonhotel inReading, Pennsylvania.The car went fromHertzsponsorship toCumminsafter a couple of days. Due to time constraints, proper decals were unavailable in time for qualifying. Unser Sr.'s car was fitted withsentence case"Cummins" decals (the proper form of the company'slogo) on the left sidepod - the side most visible, and the side used for most official photographs. Allupper case"CUMMINS" decals (an improper rendition of the company's logo) were used on the right sidepod (the side least visible, and seldom photographed).

In post-race interviews, brothers Bobby Unser and Al Unser had a live conversation from the television broadcasting booth to victory circle, with Bobby congratulating his brother Al. It is believed to be the only time brothers were part of the victory lane interview. Bobby was seen in tears of joy as he watched his family celebrate in victory lane, from the broadcast booth. Bobby was in his first race broadcasting the Indy 500 on ABC television (the previous year he was part of the radio network crew).

Two nights before the race, at theHulman Hundred,Al Unser Sr.'s nephewRobby Unsersuffered a broken leg in a crash. Robby listened to the race on the radio at the hospital, while Robby's fatherBobby Unsercalled the race live onABC Sports.

This was the final Indy 500 for famous spectator Larry Bisceglia ofYuma.He traditionally was the first person in line since 1950, as well as 1948–1949 when he was one of the first in line.Bisceglia died on December 7, 1988.

A little more than two months after the race, theIndianapolis Motor Speedwayhosted theopening ceremoniesfor thePan Am Games.

Box score

Finish	Start	No	Name	Chassis	Engine	Laps	Status	Points
1	20	25	Al UnserW	March86C	Cosworth DFX	200	162.175 mph	20
2	5	4	Roberto Guerrero	March87C	Cosworth DFX	200	+4.496 seconds	16
3	17	12	Fabrizio BarbazzaR	March87C	Cosworth DFX	198	-2 Laps	14
4	22	30	Al Unser Jr.	March87C	Cosworth DFX	196	-4 Laps	12
5	15	56	Gary Bettenhausen	March86C	Cosworth DFX	195	-5 Laps	10
6	6	22	Dick Simon	LolaT87/00	Cosworth DFX	193	-7 Laps	8
7	26	41	Stan FoxR	March86C	Cosworth DFX	192	-8 Laps	6
8	12	11	Jeff MacPhersonR	March87C	Brabham-Honda	182	-18 Laps	5
9	1	5	Mario AndrettiW	LolaT87/00	Ilmor-Chevrolet	180	Valve spring	6(2)
10	27	16	Tony Bettenhausen Jr.	March86C	Cosworth DFX	171	Engine	3
11	8	21	Johnny RutherfordW	March87C	Cosworth DFX	171	-29 Laps	2
12	13	91	Scott Brayton	March87C	Cosworth DFX	167	Engine	1
13	16	3	Danny SullivanW	March86C	Ilmor-Chevrolet	160	Engine	0
14	21	33	Tom SnevaW	March86C	Buick V-6	143	Crash T2	0
15	19	77	Derek Daly	March87C	Buick V-6	133	Engine	0
16	33	20	Emerson Fittipaldi	March87C	Ilmor-Chevrolet	131	Lost Power	0
17	25	55	Josele Garza	March87C	Cosworth DFX	129	Flagged	0
18	7	71	Arie Luyendyk	March87C	Cosworth DFX	125	Suspension	0
19	4	14	A. J. FoytW	LolaT87/00	Cosworth DFX	117	Oil Seal	0
20	11	81	Rich Vogler	March87C	Buick V-6	109	Rocker Arm	0
21	30	98	Ed Pimm	March86C	Cosworth DFX	109	Lost Boost	0
22	18	2	Gordon JohncockW	March86C	Buick V-6	76	Valve	0
23	3	8	Rick MearsW	March86C	Ilmor-Chevrolet	75	Coil Wire	0
24	14	15	Geoff Brabham	March87C	Brabham-Honda	71	Oil Pressure	0
25	32	87	Steve Chassey	March87C	Cosworth DFX	68	Engine	0
26	2	1	Bobby RahalW	LolaT87/00	Cosworth DFX	57	Ignition	0
27	29	29	Pancho Carter	March87C	Cosworth DFX	45	Valve	0
28	28	44	Davy JonesR	March86C	Cosworth DFX	34	Engine	0
29	9	18	Michael Andretti	March87C	Cosworth DFX	28	CV Joint	0
30	10	23	Ludwig HeimrathR	LolaT87/00	Cosworth DFX	25	Spin	0
31	24	7	Kevin Cogan	March87C	Ilmor-Chevrolet	21	Oil Pump	0
32	23	24	Randy LewisR	March87C	Cosworth DFX	8	Gearbox	0
33	31	84	George Snider	March86C	ChevyV-6	0	Fuel Leak	0

WFormer Indianapolis 500 winner

RIndianapolis 500 Rookie

All cars utilizedGoodyeartires.

Race statistics

Lap leaders
Laps	Leader
1–27	Mario Andretti
28	Roberto Guerrero
29–60	Mario Andretti
61–64	Danny Sullivan
65–80	Mario Andretti
81	Roberto Guerrero
82–96	Mario Andretti
97	Roberto Guerrero
98–177	Mario Andretti
178–182	Roberto Guerrero
183–200	Al Unser Sr.

Total laps led
Driver	Laps
Mario Andretti	170
Al Unser Sr.	18
Roberto Guerrero	8
Danny Sullivan	4

Cautions: 10 for 54 laps
Laps	Reason
1–5	Josele Garza,Pancho Cartercrash in turn 1
27–33	Ludwig Heimrathspun/lost wheel in turn 4
39–42	Debris
62–67	Debris
81–84	Danny Sullivanspun in turn 4
96–101	Dick Simonstalled on backstretch
131–134	Tony Bettenhausenlost wheel in turn 3
150–158	Tom Snevacrash in turn 3
162–166	Fabrizio Barbazzaspun in turn 3
192–196	Mario Andrettistalled in turn 4

Broadcasting

Radio

The race was carried live on theIMS Radio Network.This would be the final 500 that featured the familiar crew that worked the race from the mid-1970s to the late-1980s.Paul Pageserved as the chief announcer for the eleventh and final year (until 2014). It would be Page's fourteenth year overall as part of the network crew.Lou Palmer,who debuted in 1958, had become a fixture of the south pits and victory lane since 1963. The 1987 race would be the final time Palmer reported from the pit area, and the final time he conducted the victory lane winner's interview.

Parnelli Jonesjoined the crew as the "driver expert." After only one year on the radio crew,Bobby Unserleft to become a driver analyst for the ABC television crew. Luke Walton reprised his traditional duty of introducing thestarting commandduring the pre-race; however, he did not have an active role during the race. With four pit reporters now part of the crew, Bob Forbes went back to exclusive duty covering the garage area and track hospital.

Later in the year,Paul Pageleft NBC Sports and joinedABCin September. As a result, Page left the IMS Radio Network, and ultimately would be replaced as anchor byLou Palmerfor 1988.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network
Booth announcers	Turn reporters	Pit/garage reporters
Chief Announcer:Paul Page Driver expert:Parnelli Jones Statistician:John DeCamp Historian:Donald Davidson	Turn 1:Jerry Baker Turn 2:Howdy Bell Turn 3:Larry Henry Turn 4:Bob Jenkins	Luke Walton (pre-race) Sally Larvick (interviews) Bob Forbes (garages)
		Ron Carrell (north pits) Chuck Marlowe (north-central pits) Gary Gerould(south-central pits) Lou Palmer(south pits)

Television

ABC Sportscarried live flag-to-flag coverage in the United States for the first time on the scheduled race day.Jim McKayserved as host, his 20th and final "500" on ABC.Jim Lampleyserved as announcer for the second and final time.Bobby Unserjoined ABC starting in 1987, serving as color commentator alongsideSam Posey.Unser had been workingCARTseries races on NBC (with anchor Paul Page) and had been part of the IMS Radio Network crew in 1986.

Three pit reporters served on the crew:Jack Arute,Al Trautwig,and Jerry Gappens (the future CEO ofNew Hampshire Motor Speedway). The 1987 race was Gappens' lone appearance at Indy, and Trautwig's assignments primarily focused on features and interviews. The victory lane interview of race winnerAl Unser Sr.,conducted by Arute, featured a unique moment whenBobby Unsertook over and conducted a brief interview with his brother.

The broadcast has re-aired numerous times onESPN Classicsince the mid-2000s.

ABCTelevision
Booth announcers	Pit/garage reporters
Host:Jim McKay Announcer:Jim Lampley Color:Sam Posey Color:Bobby Unser	Jack Arute Jerry Gappens Al Trautwig

CART standings following the race

Note: Only the top 10 are listed.

Rank	Driver	Points	Diff	Pos change
1	Mario Andretti	39	Leader	0
2	Roberto Guerrero	38	-1	+1
3	Al Unser Jr.	28	-11	+2
4	Michael Andretti	24	-15	-2
5	Al Unser	20	-19	Unranked
6	Josele Garza	18	-21	-2
7	Bobby Rahal	16	-23	-2
8	Fabrizio Barbazza	15	-24	+12
9	Tom Sneva	14	-25	-2
9	Arie Luyendyk	14	-25	-2

1986–87 USAC Gold Crown Championship

The1986–87 USAC Gold Crown Championshipseason consisted of one sanctioned race. The schedule was based on a split-calendar, beginning in June 1986 and running through May 1987. Starting in 1981,USACscaled back their participation in top-levelIndy car racing,and ultimately ceased sanctioning races outside of theIndianapolis 500following their1983–84 season.Subsequently theGold Crown Championshipwould consist of only one event annually; the winner of the Indianapolis 500 would be thede factoGold Crown champion, as it was their lone points-paying event. The preeminentnational championship seasonwas instead sanctioned byCART,and the Indy 500 paid championship points separately (on a different scale) toward theCART championshipas well.

Al Unser Sr.,by virtue of winning the 1987 Indianapolis 500, also won the 1986–87 USAC Championship.

Final points standings (top five)

Further information:List of American Championship car racing points scoring systems § USAC Gold Crown Championship 1981–1995

Pos	Driver	INDY	Pts
1	Al Unser Sr.	1	1000
2	Roberto Guerrero	2	800
3	Fabrizio Barbazza	3	700
4	Al Unser Jr.	4	600
5	Gary Bettenhausen	5	500

Quotes

And history is matched as the twin checkered flags come out for our second four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, Al Unser!

— Paul Pagedescribing the finish of the race for theIndianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network

Lampley:And now, here it is. Your[Unser's]brother, Al Unser joins A.J. Foyt as one of only two man ever to win the Indianapolis 500 4 times in his life.
Unser:That is fabulous. That is absolutely fabulous. I just cannot believe it.

— Jim LampleyandBobby Unserdescribing the finish of the race forABC Sports

Notes

Works cited

• 1987 Indianapolis 500 Day-By-Day Trackside Report For the Media
• Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats– official site
• 1987 Indianapolis 500 radio broadcast,Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network