rssRain At Indianapolis

At Indy, Rain Rarely Spoils the Show

The Indy 500 has enjoyed relatively fair weather over its 100 year history, despite being held in the rainiest time of the year. The first Indy 500 Mile Race ran on May 30, 1911. It ran as scheduled from start to finish without any weather related interference. Although rain has threatened to be a spoiler many times over the past 100 years, the race has somehow managed to run on schedule and unimpeded by weather for most of that time.

Our history reminds us that the race has run every year since 1911, with the exception of 1917, 1918, 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945, when the race was cancelled due to America’s involvement in the war in Europe. The race has never been cancelled as a result of rain or any other weather related threat. However, there have been a few years where the presence of rain altered the schedule in one way or another.

Of the 94 Indy 500 Mile races run in the past 100 years, all but 8 of them ran all 500 miles and 2 of the 8 races that didn’t run to completion, at least had one or more drivers that completed all 500 miles before the race was called. Only 8 races experienced a delayed start and 2 of those races were only delayed by a few minutes. Of the 19 races that were interrupted by rain, all but 3 resumed the same day. Overall, the Indy 500 has enjoyed a long history of fair weather.

No account of the Indy 500 weather history would be complete, however, if it didn’t include a description of the three most notorious bad weather years of all time. In 1973, 1986 and again in 1997 torrential rains descended upon Indianapolis and forced rain delays that postponed the event for days on end.

In 1973 the race was scheduled to being at 11:00 A.M. on May 28. Rain delayed the start of the race for four hours. At 3:00 P.M. the race finally began, but an horrific accident occurred just past the start finish line as the car driven by Salt Walther spun out of control, careened into the outside catch fence and sprayed fuel into the crowed before igniting into a ball of flames. The crash required extensive repairs to the safety fence and clean-up on the track further delaying the race and when rain began to fall track officials finally decided to negate the start, suspend racing for the day and schedule a restart for the following day. Rain delayed the next day’s restart until 10:15. As the cars circled the track for the parade lap, rain began to fall again, which forced another red flag and postponement of the race. Rain continued all day, forcing the restart into the third day. On May 30th rains continued all morning. At 2:10 that afternoon, the race officially started and the race was underway. Fifty-Nine laps into the race, driver Swede Savage

crashed his car as he exited turn 4. Racing was completely suspended for over an hour to manage the rescue effort for Savage and one of his crew members who was struck and killed in the pit area by a fire truck speeding down the wrong way of the pits to assist Savage after his accident. The race resumed, then rain began to fall once again as the field completed its 129th lap. The yellow flag was thrown and locked drivers in their positions with Gordon Johocock in the lead. Four laps into the yellow, the rain began to fall harder and the race was called and Johncock declared the winner after running 232 and ½ miles. Sadly, Swede Savage died of his injuries one month later.

1986 will also be remembered for the havoc reeked by rain. Unlike the 1973 race, however, it was not filled with human tragedy. The race was scheduled to run on Sunday, May 25 but could not be run due to relentless rain. The rain continued into Monday. The rain was so persistent no start was even attempted the first 2 days. ABC television had contracted to cover the race live wire to wire that year. As discussions ensued about the prospects for running the race from start to finish on Tuesday with rain in the forecast and empty grandstands, track officials decided to reschedule the entire race for the following Saturday, May 31st. The race began and ran wire to wire on that following weekend as Bobby Rahal took the checkered flag for his first Indy 500 victory.

In 1997 the race, which was scheduled to be run on Sunday May 25th could not even attempt a start due to rain. The race was postponed until the following day, Monday, May 26th. On Monday, the race began on time, but was red flagged after 15 laps due to rain. At this point track officials were faced with a dilemma similar to the situation they found themselves in back in 1986, when the start of the race was postponed until the following weekend. This year, however, was different because the race had actually begun on Monday and 15 laps were recorded. Officials determined that they had an obligation to commence racing on the “next raceable day”. Consequently, the race resumed on Tuesday and ran to completion without further weather interruption.

So all you weather fearing race fans take heart. History has demonstrated that despite its ever present threat, rain has proven to be a remarkably weak foe. Even when it makes an appearance, it rarely spoils the show.

Drive an Indy Car

Drive an Indy Car

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