Rick Mears

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Mears was born in Wichita, Kansas and raised in Bakersfield, California. He began his racing career in off-road racing. In 1976, he was recommended by a representative of Bill Simpson's helmet company, and Simpson gave him a ride at the USAC Champ Car's California 500 in an old Eagle-Offenhauser, finishing eighth. Simpson then sold the car to Art Sugai, on the condition that Mears would continue driving it. In mid 1977, he switched to Theodore Racing. Mears' speed attracted the attention of Roger Penske. In 1978, Mears was offered a part-time ride in nine of the 18 championship races, filling in when Mario Andretti was overseas. The arrangement also included a ride at the 1978 Indianapolis 500. In his rookie appearance at Indianapolis, Mears put his car on the front row and was the first rookie to qualify over 200 mph. He retired at 104 laps with a blown engine and shared 'Rookie of the Year' honors with Larry Rice. Two weeks later, at the Rex Mays Classic at Milwaukee, he won his first race. He added another win a month later at Atlanta and rounded out the year with his first road course win at Brands Hatch. Mears was elevated to full-time status at Penske Racing for 1979 after teammate and series champion Tom Sneva parted company with Penske. In 1979, Mears won his first Indianapolis 500 and his first championship. In 1980, he finished fourth in the points with one win, earned at Mexico City. In 1980, Mears tested with Team Brabham twice, once at Paul Ricard and once at Riverside. Bernie Ecclestone offered Mears a contract with Brabham for 1981, but Mears declined. The 1981 and 1982 seasons Mears went on to win two more championships. Despite facial burns during a pit fire in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, Mears' ten race victories in the two-year span were enough for two more Indycar championships. At the 1982 Indianapolis 500, he came within 0.16 of a second from securing his second Indianapolis 500 win. In 1984, Mears scored his second Indianapolis 500 win, but suffered severe leg injuries later in the year in a crash at the Sanair Super Speedway. Over the next three seasons, he won only two races. In 1988, Mears won the Indianapolis 500. A year later in 1989, he took a record-setting fifth pole at Indy, but retired from the race with mechanical problems. Emerson Fittipaldi beat out Mears for the Championship in the last race at Laguna Seca Raceway, despite

In Their Own Story

At the 1982 Indianapolis 500, Mears came within 0.16 of a second from securing his second Indianapolis 500 win. With less than 20 laps to go, on his final pit stop, the crew filled up the entire tank rather than giving him only the amount he needed to finish. The delay left him more than 11 seconds behind Gordon Johncock. Nevertheless, Mears made up the difference when Johncock suffered handling problems; however, his valiant effort fell short as he was narrowly beaten out by Johncock. The photo finish stood for ten years as the closest finish at the Indianapolis 500. The photo-finish also quieted the controversy surrounding the pace-lap crash with teammate Kevin Cogan when he appeared to spin out of control for no apparent reason; fellow drivers Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, and Bobby Unser said that Mears was to blame for the crash as he brought the field down too slowly at the start of the race.

Reader's Guide

Mears is a three-time Indycar series champion (1979, 1981, 1982). He won the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991). He holds the record for pole positions at the Indianapolis 500 with six (1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991). He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times. He is the most successful Indycar racer of the 1980s in terms of race wins.

Did You Know?

• Mears was the first rookie to qualify over 200 mph at the Indianapolis 500.
• He shared 'Rookie of the Year' honors with Larry Rice at the 1978 Indianapolis 500.
• Mears tested for Team Brabham in Formula One in 1980 and was offered a contract for 1981, but declined.
• He suffered facial burns during a pit fire in the 1981 Indianapolis 500.
• Mears broke a wrist in a crash during practice for the 1992 Indianapolis 500.