1982 Indianapolis 500 (Radio Call)

[altfactor]

Not as well-known as Jim McKay's (tape-delayed) TV call, but a great clip nevertheless.

[paulsonj72]

@altfactor

Actually ABC had the talen do the final laps of the race "live" as it happened. Of course the race aired on tape delay that night.

[jamie24cfc]

Is there anywhere I can hear the race on the IMS radio network? I'm from Scotland and have to endure crap commentary every year since Paul Page & Bob Jenkins were forced out the box, and every time abc takes a break we go to the sky sports studio and I end up missing about 5 laps every time

[jtruns]

@jamie24cfc You might try checking the website for WIBC, the station in Indy that broadcasts the 500 every year. Either they'll have it streaming on their website, or maybe you can contact someone there to help you out.

[jamie24cfc]

@jtruns will try that for the next 500, many thanks

[pnutbutrncrackers]

I fight the tears on this one. Remember it so well, too. Huge respect for Mears, but tbh was happy for Johncock on that day. Fabulous Indy. Epic dual between two classy credits to the sport. Definitely on the short list of best 500's ever.

[jamie24cfc]

Was Bob Jenkins part of the IMS radio announcers that year? it sounded like him in turn 4

[racermac1988]

@jamie24cfc yes

[4JayeP]

I've been watching the Indy 500 since about '77 or so. This is still my favorite Indy 500 race, by far !!! These days it seems that everyone has the same everything, back then you could pretty much do whatever you wanted. Great race in '82. no speed limit in the pits, too.

[USACCARTIRL]

Johncock's car was pushing. I sat with my dad in Penthouse B at the head of the pits. Gordy is going very high into #1 as fast as he can and just shuts the door. He says in interviews that we were just "gonna go into the fence" if Mears didnt back down. L200 You see how near the wall he gets in the short chute exit due to the pushing in the car that allowed Mears to catch him. This is perhaps the greatest moment in the history on motorsports or even sports in general. Crowd was going insane.

[jenie0]

no pit road speed limit!!! the has got to be the most exciting 500 in history

[iRacerMatt]

definite yellow would have come out these days with that smoking car at 2:10

[mueber0513]

No pit lane speed limit. Thumbs Up!

[jcjmarl]

Just think, under the current rules Johncock would have been penalized for blocking on the last lap.

[1more4theroad]

I had the entire '89 Indy radio broadcast on cassette tape. Never trust anyone with anything of value.

I wish I had those tapes today. Would love to hear the countdown at 10-lap intervals and all of the great IMS Radio Network talent of the day.

[gazork123]

I had the 1982 race, and several other years on audio cassette.....until we had two feet of water in our basement. I know there were at least two other 500s that had closer finishes than 1982, but they just didn't compare with the lap after lap after lap nail-biting tension. It was great!

[jlonnon]

Does there always have to be goofy background music? Cut it out and let us hear it raw...how it really was...without the silly music.

[gazork123]

I agree completely! I had the '82 race on audio cassette, and there was another car in the field, further back in the race, that had the most fabulous exhaust roar as it would fly past the microphones. Too bad we can't hear it because of the music!

[altfactor]

Since the race was not shown live on TV, many fans remember listening to this on radio and then watching it on tape about eight hours later.

[altfactor]

@altfactor And I was one of those who listened to the race live on radio and then saw the tape of it on TV that evening.

[pajasa62]

Team Penske blew this one on Mears last stop when they loaded up his car with more than the necessary amount of fuel needed. I have the ABC broadcast of the '78 race (Jim McKay/Jackie Stewart) when Al Unser Sr. won. For Tom Sneva's last pit stop, Penske was standing over the fuel man with a stopwatch and at the right time tapped the fuelman twice with a stick to disengage the fuel line....how could Penke "forget" to do this 4 years later? (Sneva finished about 10 seconds behind Al Sr.)

[bduddy55555]

The fuel might have helped the balance of Mears' car... the short fueling really hurt Johncock's.

[mightycowhero]

lol at 3:18.

[Dimage25]

This is indy 500 broadcast at its best this is shear excitment :-)

[Dimage25]

Rick lost because of that idiot who was driving slow in the middle of the pitlane so that Rick coulnd't get by which cost him 3-4 seconds and a possible win

[csampang1]

Don't forget that Penske's crew mistakenly filled the fuel tank entirely - when they only needed enough fuel for 14 laps. Still, his car was outhandling Gordy's Wildcat rather easily, that obstacle considered.

[mightycowhero]

best indy 500 ever.

[VampireYoshi]

Best automobile race ever, and also the most important in American history. Ever since, the announcers (especially the IMS Radio Network) have shouted nonstop at the end of races (again, especially Indy), even when the situation doesn't call for it. Why? Everyone is "drunk on 1982" and wants to relive the kind of call that begins at 2:06 on this tape.

[mightycowhero]

yeah missed this year's 500 but heard it was weak.

[csampang1]

Anything after 1995 is rather weak, IMO

[AutoRacer5]

This is from the Indianapolis 500 Legacy Series DVDs. More specifically, from the 1980s DVD, under Dynamic Duels.

[racermac1988]

Congrats. You are the first one to figure that out. All four DVD's are wonderful aren't they?

[AutoRacer5]

Yes they are. My favorites are of course the 80s and 90s. I just wish that during the DVDs, that the radio would be more in sync with the race.

[MiniCHAMP7]

LOL!! I feel the same way. I LOVE the series. All 4 decades.. But times like when they show Big Al in 1987 under yellow, but the sound is going vvvvvvvVVVVVVROOM!!!!! like he just went by at 200mph makes my piss myself. Oh, and Rick Mears is the best ever. And the Zimdycar racing league is awesome if you love Indycar racing online.

-SAVATS

[malinwj]

It's way better on IMS than on TV. I miss Paul Page's exciting coverage - he was so into it! My dad and I still listen to it every year, we think it's better (via internet now, as our local radio stations don't carry the broadcast :( )

[jlonnon]

I enjoy the 4 man announcing crew on the Indy radio network...its awesome how they coordinate each turn when they only each have about 5 seconds to talk.

[zuel660]

Open wheel racing at its best! Something fender fans will never understand.

[csampang1]

The ground effects era that coincidentally came in when CART began (as Jim Hall's Chaparral outfit was one of the original CART squads) made this possible - if I remember correctly, the previous closest finish at Indy was 3 seconds. This race, and subsequent battles (Indy in 83, 85, and 86, and Michigan from 82-84) ushered a transformation of the 500 mile open-wheel race from an reliability-based endurance event not unlike a shorter LeMans, to a long close wheel to wheel battle.

[VampireYoshi]

2.16 seconds, in 1937.

[JoeytheHDK]

Wow, that's one hell of a call. Kinda better than the Posey/McKay call.

[csampang1]

Remember also that Posey and McKay did not do it live, but in a studio during the ABC tape delay (while CART's Michigan 500 was televised live as early as 1981, the Indy 500 was not live until 1986 or so).

[MiniCHAMP7]

only about 20% of the "call" of the race was done after the race. The finish however, was in fact a live call.

-SAVATS

[IllinoisHighwayMan]

The greatest example of a driver pushing an ill-handling car to its limit and beyond.