From Long Beach to Miami, relive the 1987 season of IndyCar, then called CART PPG Indy Car World Series, now Indianapolis.
In 1987, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted CART for the third of fifteen races of the season. After an urban race in Long Beach, then a first oval race in Phoenix, it’s time for the most important race of the season, the 500 Miles.
In this month of May, Mario Andretti is untouchable. The rainiest of the tests, he takes pole position and his team wins the pit stop competition. Victorious in this race in 1969, Mario Andretti is still chasing another success at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the most famous oval on the planet.
The front row of the starting grid consists of Mario Andretti, Bobby Rahal and Rick Mears, which to date represents three wins. For the tenth anniversary of his fourth victory at Indy, AJ Foyt sets the fourth qualifying time at the wheel of a single-seater from his team.
Arriving in Indiana without a steering wheel for the race, veteran Al Unser, who will be 48 five days after the event, manages to find a steering wheel for Roger Penske’s team and qualifies in twentieth position. He then competed in his first race of the season.