Host: Jackie Stewart Lap-by-lap: Jim McKay Color analyst: Sam Posey
Nielsen ratings
14.1 / 27
Chronology
Previous
Next
1982
1984
The 67th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday, May 29, 1983. After finishing second three times (1977, 1978, 1980), winning the pole position twice (1977–1978), and being the fastest qualifier one additional time (1981), Tom Sneva finally shook his "bridesmaid" status and won his first and only Indianapolis 500. The win also represented the record seventh Indy victory that chief mechanic George Bignotti was involved with.
In the final twenty laps, three-time winner Al Unser Sr. was leading Tom Sneva. Unser was seeking his record-tying fourth Indy victory. His son, rookie Al Unser Jr., was several laps down, but was positioned right behind his father. Al Jr. created a firestorm of controversy when it appeared that he was blocking Sneva intentionally to aid his father. Unser Jr. admitted to running interference for his father, claiming he was trying to create "dirty air" and turbulence for Sneva. He stopped short, however, of calling it "blocking". After several anxious laps, Sneva finally slipped both Al Jr. and Al Sr., using lapped traffic to his advantage. Sneva opened up an 11-second lead, and took the checkered flag for his long-awaited Indy victory.
Rookie Teo Fabi headlined time trials by winning the pole position, and on race day he led the first 23 laps. Fabi's day was short, however, as he dropped out with a bad fuel gasket. The effort earned him the rookie of the year award. Fabi would go on to win four races during the season and finished second to Al Unser Sr. for the CART points championship.
The 1983 Indy 500 ushered in a new era of civility and stability in the sport of Indy car racing. After four years of conflict and organizational disputes between USAC and CART, the two sanctioning bodies came to an amicable truce. The Indianapolis 500 would be sanctioned singly by USAC, and officially would be part of the ceremonial Gold Crown championship. However, the race was now recognized on the CART schedule, and counted towards the 1983 CART PPG Indy Car World Series points championship. The field for the Indy 500 going forward would consist primarily of CART-based teams, along with numerous one-off ("Indy-only") entries. Despite various squabbles and minor technical differences between the sanctioning bodies, this arrangement would remain in place, with relative harmony, through 1995.
^Fox, Jack C. (1994). The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 (4th ed.). Carl Hungness Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 0-915088-05-3.
^Miller, Robin (May 30, 1983). "Sneva! At last!". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
and 30 Related for: 1983 Indianapolis 500 information
The 67th Indianapolis500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday, May 29, 1983. After finishing second three times...
The Indianapolis500 (also called the Indianapolis500-Mile Race) is an annual American open-wheel car race held on American Memorial Day weekend at the...
The Indianapolis500, formally known as the Indianapolis500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis...
The 2024 Indianapolis500, branded as the 108th Running of the Indianapolis500 presented by Gainbridge for sponsorship reasons, was a 500-mile (804.5 km...
Due to the longevity of the Indianapolis500, numerous traditions surrounding the race have developed over the years. Traditions include procedures for...
The 2023 Indianapolis500, branded as the 107th Running of the Indianapolis500 presented by Gainbridge for sponsorship reasons, was a 500-mile (804.7 km...
The 66th Indianapolis500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 30, 1982. Gordon Johncock, who had previously...
Motorsport (Indianapolis500, Monaco Grand Prix, and 24 Hours of Le Mans): Graham Hill (1966 / 1963, 1964, 1965, 1968, 1969 / 1972) Won Indianapolis500, F1 World...
The 68th Indianapolis500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday May 27, 1984. Rick Mears, who previously won in 1979...
The 65th Indianapolis500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday, May 24, 1981. The race is widely considered one...
The 29th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1941. The start of the race was delayed...
The 12th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1924. L. L. Corum started the race in the...
The 28th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1940. The winner was Wilbur Shaw in the same Maserati...
The 79th Indianapolis500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 28, 1995. Sanctioned by USAC, it was part of...
The 41st International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 30, 1957. The event was part of the 1957 USAC...
The 42nd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1958. The event was part of the 1958 USAC National...
The 23rd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 30, 1935. Despite attempts to improve participant...
The 1912 Indianapolis500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the second such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway...
The 2020 Indianapolis500 (branded as the 104th Running of the Indianapolis500 presented by Gainbridge for sponsorship reasons) was a 500-mile (800 km...
The 2017 Indianapolis500 (branded as the 101st Running of the Indianapolis500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil for sponsorship reasons) was a Verizon...
This is a list of female motor racing drivers who have entered an Indianapolis500 race. Ten women racing drivers have officially entered at least once...
The 21st International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1933. Louis Meyer defeated Wilbur Shaw...
The 2019 Indianapolis500 (branded as the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis500 presented by Gainbridge for sponsorship reasons) was an IndyCar Series...
The 2016 Indianapolis500 (branded as the 100th Running of the Indianapolis500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil for sponsorship reasons) took place on...
The 36th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was a motor race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1952. It was the opening race of...
year-by-year history of the Indianapolis500 race. The first motorcycle and automobile races and demonstration runs are held the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in...
The 43rd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1959. The event was part of the 1959 USAC...
The 35th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 30, 1951. The event was part of the 1951 AAA...
The 27th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1939. The race was won by the number two car of...
Bignotti-Cotter Racing. With driver Tom Sneva, the team won the 1983Indianapolis500—Bignotti's final "500" win. The Bignotti-Cotter team appeared for three more...
Global Information
Tom Sneva
Teo Fabi
