I watched that whole race live and by then had become a Larry Nuber fan. He'd been at it a couple years and just kept getting better. Gordon Johncock was a good announcer too. It was a good race all the way through. CART really had its act together back then. This was Major League. It was the only Pocono 500 I have ever watched all the way through and it never got dull.
This was before I was born, but I knew open-wheel cars raced at Pocono. Didn't know it was this recent, I thought more of very early '80s or late '70s. This is great seeing how far Pocono has come in almost 25 years now. Great video!
Indy cars raced at Pocono until 1989, but if you notice even in '85 the cars were bouncing all over the place because the track surface was just awful. That's ultimately why they left...and based on watching the NASCAR guys hop skip and jump into the first turn nowadays, I'm guessing the surface hasn't improved much in the last 20 years.
They've repaved Pocono once since then, in about 1996 (I think). It needs it again, if only to fix the weeper problems that the track has. Outside of the Tunnel Turn, it's not that bumpy, to be honest.
Yeah 1996 was when it was last repaved. I think with the weather we have in Northeast PA (I'm from around Scranton), you'll never be able to keep the surface smooth for a long period of time. I'm sure if they took the time to get rid of some of the bumps (like in turn 1) it will be a temporary fix, but after a few years they'll come back.
You know, Johncock isnt that bad of an analyst. A few things, did he do more races than this? And second, is this ESPN? I thought NBC had the Pocono 500.
First, awesome clip. I have this race flag to flag on VHS tape. Second, this was indeed ESPN, it was the first time they carried a 500 mile Indycar race live on thier network. Bob Jenkins wasn't there for some reason, and Larry Nuber did an excellent job calling the race, and I was surprised to hear how well he and Johncock blended. Lastly, GO RICK MEARS! Eight 500 mile race wins in his career. He knew how to get it done. Best ever in 500 milers.
mustang6172 , i absolutely HATE IT when people say thar shit. there are countless dead and injured that surely do not appreciate you being inconvienenced by their lack of safety.
GoCougs2006 , yeaaaa, read it again and still didn't take it that way so piss off guy. it wasn't an "observation". it WAS the same shitty arguement that mutherfuckers always give when they feel that laps being clicked off under yellow are a waste of time instead of observing safe car clearing policies. you don't need an excuse to run your mouth fool, just come with a good point and i'll debate you all day long.
GoCougs2006, i know you think your funny but all you have to do is explain your point........i know you can't but hey! seriously, your a douchebag and weren't expecting to get your ass taken to school.
Yeah, no, sorry. I appreciate safety as much as the next guy, and while it might be possible to excuse the IRL's frequency of cautions on that basis, there's no excusing the duration. The races are too short already, and burning half the laps on a series of 15-lap yellows, most of which are triggered by the like of a one-car spin with light contact, is absurd. It's even worse on road courses, where a local yellow would almost always be sufficient. When I drive 8 hours to Mid-Ohio, I want a race.
I think Foyt was better than Mears simply because Foyt managed to win on dirt ovals while Mears didn't go through the dirt oval scene on his rise to Indycars.
He did do good in off road that prepared him for indy though.
Oh man this is so cool! Thanks for posting, man. For a guy who wasn't even born when this race occurred, it's really cool to see these old cars in action.
Thanks for posting! I had forgotten Gordy ever did any commentator work. Boy those Marches and Lolas are gorgeous cars. So much better than the crap they race now.
as a point of fact...if you ran them both at indianapolis right now the dallara hondas would blow them away. BY THE WAY.. in case you haven't heard, paul tracy can't get a ride in the series that he and all of the other line jumpers are in right now so........
I was referring to road courses, but I said it as joke to exaggerate how crappy they are :P I know PT cant get a ride, but did you hear that Power has gone to Penske in place of Castroneves?
announcers in the 80's include: jim lampley(sp), gordon johncoch, johnny rutherford, kevin cogan, jackie stewart, paul page, charlie jones, tom sneva, bob jenkins, etc. on the subject of crap.....the cars ARE NOT CRAP!! the are racing machines built to go fast and built by one manufacturer. not at all unique to open wheel and it's history here in america.
Other than the waning days of Champ Car, which was concurrent with the Dallara monopoly in the IRL, I can't think of another time when the top level of open wheel racing was a spec series. If you want to know why the grandstands are empty for Indy qualifying it's because we're guaranteed none of the surprises those time trial days used to hold. Everyone's got the same basic car now, and we already know which 3 or 4 teams know how to squeeze the most out of it. Not to mention, it's ugly as hell.
i can't really argue that. you know what the funny thing is about the dallara? on t.v. it is not very good looking but when i go to the shops around here and get up close to it ....it really is a nice looking car.
Obviously the Indycar Dallara is pretty ugly but the racing is still okay - not as good as in the past but hopefully the new Indycar spec will help that.
They should bring IRL (which back then was cart) Back to pocono
18carNASCAR 1 year ago
I watched that whole race live and by then had become a Larry Nuber fan. He'd been at it a couple years and just kept getting better. Gordon Johncock was a good announcer too. It was a good race all the way through. CART really had its act together back then. This was Major League. It was the only Pocono 500 I have ever watched all the way through and it never got dull.
3338MAN 2 years ago
That the widest track I've ever seen! Even the new modern F1 circuits don't possess straights so wide as that.
tugatomsk 2 years ago
look at that start.... four and five wide! awesome racing!
jbracer86 2 years ago
this is awesome!
WakeUpDummies 3 years ago
This was before I was born, but I knew open-wheel cars raced at Pocono. Didn't know it was this recent, I thought more of very early '80s or late '70s. This is great seeing how far Pocono has come in almost 25 years now. Great video!
Jrl24rules39 3 years ago
Indy cars raced at Pocono until 1989, but if you notice even in '85 the cars were bouncing all over the place because the track surface was just awful. That's ultimately why they left...and based on watching the NASCAR guys hop skip and jump into the first turn nowadays, I'm guessing the surface hasn't improved much in the last 20 years.
mjj237 3 years ago
They've repaved Pocono once since then, in about 1996 (I think). It needs it again, if only to fix the weeper problems that the track has. Outside of the Tunnel Turn, it's not that bumpy, to be honest.
Troggle84 2 years ago
Yeah 1996 was when it was last repaved. I think with the weather we have in Northeast PA (I'm from around Scranton), you'll never be able to keep the surface smooth for a long period of time. I'm sure if they took the time to get rid of some of the bumps (like in turn 1) it will be a temporary fix, but after a few years they'll come back.
Jrl24rules39 2 years ago
the late larry nuber and the man calling the race with him is gordon johncock
sir945 3 years ago
Who was the play-by-play announcer?
Andresouza23 3 years ago
Larry Nuber
AaronApolloCamp 3 years ago
I wish that hey would race at Pocono again or basically anywhere in Pa.
capworld 3 years ago
Great stuff! I looooooove seeing old school CART racing.
pcm61774 3 years ago
sweet! nice video
lukeCART1 3 years ago
You know, Johncock isnt that bad of an analyst. A few things, did he do more races than this? And second, is this ESPN? I thought NBC had the Pocono 500.
penske369 3 years ago
First, awesome clip. I have this race flag to flag on VHS tape. Second, this was indeed ESPN, it was the first time they carried a 500 mile Indycar race live on thier network. Bob Jenkins wasn't there for some reason, and Larry Nuber did an excellent job calling the race, and I was surprised to hear how well he and Johncock blended. Lastly, GO RICK MEARS! Eight 500 mile race wins in his career. He knew how to get it done. Best ever in 500 milers.
-SAVATS
MiniCHAMP7 3 years ago
That start was NUTS!
DavidSkywalker01 3 years ago
What is this at 5:22? Is that a car to the side of the track being moved to saftey without a caution? Wow.
mustang6172 3 years ago
mustang6172 , i absolutely HATE IT when people say thar shit. there are countless dead and injured that surely do not appreciate you being inconvienenced by their lack of safety.
penske13 3 years ago
Wow. Looks like he was merely making an observation. Perhaps reflecting on how far safety has come in this sport. Get over it, already.
GoCougs2006 3 years ago
GoCougs2006 , yeaaaa, read it again and still didn't take it that way so piss off guy. it wasn't an "observation". it WAS the same shitty arguement that mutherfuckers always give when they feel that laps being clicked off under yellow are a waste of time instead of observing safe car clearing policies. you don't need an excuse to run your mouth fool, just come with a good point and i'll debate you all day long.
penske13 3 years ago
Calm down gomer meathead
GoCougs2006 3 years ago
GoCougs2006, i know you think your funny but all you have to do is explain your point........i know you can't but hey! seriously, your a douchebag and weren't expecting to get your ass taken to school.
penske13 3 years ago
Yeah, no, sorry. I appreciate safety as much as the next guy, and while it might be possible to excuse the IRL's frequency of cautions on that basis, there's no excusing the duration. The races are too short already, and burning half the laps on a series of 15-lap yellows, most of which are triggered by the like of a one-car spin with light contact, is absurd. It's even worse on road courses, where a local yellow would almost always be sufficient. When I drive 8 hours to Mid-Ohio, I want a race.
mjj237 3 years ago
Rick Mears=best open wheel over driver history will ever see! Always a master of the 500 mile race of any sort.
racermac1988 3 years ago
I think Foyt was better than Mears simply because Foyt managed to win on dirt ovals while Mears didn't go through the dirt oval scene on his rise to Indycars.
He did do good in off road that prepared him for indy though.
AutoRacer5 3 years ago
Oh man this is so cool! Thanks for posting, man. For a guy who wasn't even born when this race occurred, it's really cool to see these old cars in action.
SparkyMonololak 3 years ago
Thanks for posting! I had forgotten Gordy ever did any commentator work. Boy those Marches and Lolas are gorgeous cars. So much better than the crap they race now.
markko17 3 years ago 3
Any car is better than the crapwagons the IRL use. I bet these are faster than them too.
Rivelution 3 years ago 3
as a point of fact...if you ran them both at indianapolis right now the dallara hondas would blow them away. BY THE WAY.. in case you haven't heard, paul tracy can't get a ride in the series that he and all of the other line jumpers are in right now so........
penske13 3 years ago
I was referring to road courses, but I said it as joke to exaggerate how crappy they are :P I know PT cant get a ride, but did you hear that Power has gone to Penske in place of Castroneves?
Rivelution 3 years ago
Qualifying speed for Indy this year was in the 227 range, while the 1985 lap record I think was a little over 212.
AutoRacer5 3 years ago
For the second time I said I was referring to road courses and I said it as an exaggeration to how crappy the cars are now!!
Rivelution 3 years ago
announcers in the 80's include: jim lampley(sp), gordon johncoch, johnny rutherford, kevin cogan, jackie stewart, paul page, charlie jones, tom sneva, bob jenkins, etc. on the subject of crap.....the cars ARE NOT CRAP!! the are racing machines built to go fast and built by one manufacturer. not at all unique to open wheel and it's history here in america.
penske13 3 years ago
Other than the waning days of Champ Car, which was concurrent with the Dallara monopoly in the IRL, I can't think of another time when the top level of open wheel racing was a spec series. If you want to know why the grandstands are empty for Indy qualifying it's because we're guaranteed none of the surprises those time trial days used to hold. Everyone's got the same basic car now, and we already know which 3 or 4 teams know how to squeeze the most out of it. Not to mention, it's ugly as hell.
mjj237 3 years ago
i can't really argue that. you know what the funny thing is about the dallara? on t.v. it is not very good looking but when i go to the shops around here and get up close to it ....it really is a nice looking car.
penske13 3 years ago
The cars they race now are not crap and are not that bad looking.
asimpson1 3 years ago
Look again idiot, u missed the days of REAL racing !
Manny1241 3 years ago
Obviously the Indycar Dallara is pretty ugly but the racing is still okay - not as good as in the past but hopefully the new Indycar spec will help that.
iRacerMatt 3 years ago