HISTORY SAYS 3-PEAT UNLIKELY AT INDY 500.Byline: TIM TIM Timothy TIM Technical Interchange Meeting TIM Transient Intermodulation Distortion TIM Time Is Money TIM The Invisible Man (movie) TIM Telecom Italia Mobile (Italian cellular provider) HADDOCK Motor Sports If history is any indicator, Sunday's Indianapolis 500 should be filled with controversy and drama. Helio Castroneves has a chance to become the first driver to win three consecutive Indy 500s. Starting from the pole, he has to like his chances. ``In motor racing motor racing n (BRIT) → carreras fpl de coches; automovilismo motor racing motor n (Brit) → course f automobile ,'' he said, ``you never know what's going to happen.'' It's probably safe to assume Wilbur Shaw Warren Wilbur Shaw (October 31, 1902 - October 30, 1954) was a noted American racing driver and president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death. Indianapolis , Mauri Rose Mauri Rose (May 26 1906 Columbus, Ohio - January 1 1981 Royal Oak, Michigan) was an American racecar driver. He started from the pole position driving a Maserati in the 1941 Indianapolis 500, but spark plug problems put him out of the race after sixty laps. , Bill Vukovich Bill Vukovich (born December 13, 1918 in Fresno, California, died May 30, 1955), was an American automobile racing driver, of Serbian descent. He was known variously as "Vuky" and "The Mad Russian" for his intense driving style, as well as the "Silent Serb" for his cool demeanor. and Al Unser This article is about the automobile racer. For the baseball player, see Al Unser (baseball). Alfred Unser (born May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of Bobby Unser and father of Al Unser, Sr. liked their chances, too. Shaw, Rose, Vukovich and Unser, the only other drivers to win consecutive Indy 500s, each met disappointment, heartache and, in one case, death in their respective chases for three Indys in a row. Shaw well could have been the only driver to win four and, if not for World War II, five, maybe even six, in a row. He won his first Indy 500 in 1937. Two years later, driving a Maserati sponsored by Chicago industrialist Mike Boyle Mike Boyle, born Los Angeles, California on January 19, 1944, is a former mayor of Omaha, Nebraska and is a current member of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners. Biography , he won back-to-back 500s. Shaw's bid to win three in a row saw him lay claim to a five-lap lead on the field in 1941. But his car's wheel hub broke, sending Shaw into the wall; the crash fractured three spinal vertebrae Vertebrae Bones in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the body that make up the vertebral column. Vertebrae have a central foramen (hole), and their superposition makes up the vertebral canal that encloses the spinal cord. . It was the last time Shaw raced at Indianapolis, but he is credited with saving the track after World War II and continuing the tradition of the Memorial Day weekend race. Rose, along with co-driver Floyd Davis Floyd Eldon Davis (March 5, 1909 Oakford, Illinois – May 31, 1977 Indianapolis, Indiana) was the co-winner of the 1941 Indianapolis 500. Floyd Davis drove the first 72 laps of the 1941 race before being replaced by Mauri Rose, who completed the race in the lead. , won the 1941 race. But because of World War II - the Indianapolis 500 was on hiatus from 1942 to 1945 - Rose never got the chance to defend his title. Still, in 1947, Rose won what had become known as the EZ 500. His Blue Crown Special teammate, Bill Holland, held a commanding lead and was coasting to victory. Rose, a distant second, was all but assuring team owner Lou Moore Lou Moore (12 September 1904 Hinton, Oklahoma – 25 March 1956 Atlanta, Georgia) was an American racecar driver, most known during his career for qualifying for the pole position of the 1932 Indianapolis 500. After his driving career, Moore became a legendary car owner. of a 1-2 finish. From the pits, Holland's crew held up an ``EZ'' sign, telling Holland not to take any chances late in the race. Holland heeded the sign, but Rose did not. Rose caught Holland, who waved him past to take the lead. Later, Holland would say he thought Rose was a lap down and wasn't racing for the top spot. It wasn't until Holland reached his pit stall he realized he had lost. Rose won handily hand·i·ly adv. 1. In an easy manner. 2. In a convenient manner. Adv. 1. handily - in a convenient manner; "the switch was conveniently located" conveniently 2. in 1948 and gave Moore another 1-2 finish. In his bid for three in a row, Rose again battled Holland, but this time it was Holland who prevailed; Rose was running in second when, with eight laps to go, his car broke. Vukovich, a West Coast and national midget champion from Fresno who raced at dirt tracks such as Gilmore Stadium Gilmore Stadium was a multi-use stadium in Los Angeles, California. It was opened in May 1934 and demolished in 1952, when the land was used to build CBS Television City. The stadium held 18,000. It was located next to Gilmore Field. in Los Angeles and Bonnelli Stadium - which later became Saugus Speedway - in Santa Clarita, might have had the most dominating two-year run. Driving for the retired Rose in a car owned by Howard Keck, Vukovich led 195 of 200 laps to win his first Indy 500 in 1953. He set the record for the fastest race at the time, with an average speed of 134.85 mph, to win again in 1954. But 55 laps into the 1955 Indy 500, Vukovich, who was released by Keck to car owner Lindsay Hopkins, was involved in a fiery crash that killed him. He was 36. Unser won from the pole in 1970, joining brother Bobby as the only brothers to win the Indy 500. Bobby Unser won his first Indy 500 in 1968. Al Unser defended his title in 1971 but fell one place short of winning three in a row in 1972. Mark Donohue won his only Indy 500 that year, with Al finishing second. Castroneves already has a hint of controversy surrounding his run at Indianapolis. Last year's race was marred by a late yellow flag that allowed Paul Tracy to pass Castroneves with one lap to go. Track officials ruled Tracy made the pass under yellow and forced him to the second-place spot. Castroneves went on to win his second Indy 500 under caution. But Castroneves has been racing long enough to know the Indy 500 isn't won or lost on the last lap - at least not in his experience. ``So ultimately it's a lot of hard work for everyone, but that's what's fun about it,'' Castroneves said. ``We are coming here. We know that we have good equipment. Everyone is committed to do our best. And again, it's been wonderful so far.'' INDIANAPOLIS 500 When: Sunday, 8 a.m. TV: Ch. 7 Pole sitter: Helio Castroneves CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) On Sunday, Helio Castroneves will attempt to do what no other driver has done before: win the Indianapolis 500 for a third time. Tom Strattman/Associated Press Box: RACE WEEKEND |
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