Your Favorite PPG Cart Indycar World Series Moment?

[Xpunk75]

I think it be great if we could all talk about our favorite moments of open wheel racing from 1979 to 1995 before the split ever happened.

My favorite season was 1993 when Nigel Mansel came from Formula 1 because Alain Prost ****ed him off so much because he didn't want him or Senna as a teammate.

My favorite race from that season has to be the opener at surfers paradise, tons of passing for the lead, and great drivers like Robby Gordon, Emo, and Paul Tracy.

My all time favorite moment was probably when Jack Villenuve won the Indy 500 in 1995.

[Tony Clifton]

1993 Milwaukee Mile, Mansell learned how to drive an oval and really did a job that day. Very exciting race.

[luke]

I didn't follow CART before the split but from the many races I have seen in the glory days I'd say most of the races from the 1993 season including, Surfers Paradise, Indy, Cleveland and Nazareth as great races. Mostly because of Nigel and the racing.

The 1995 Indy 500 for many reasons because it was exciting and the last 500 before the split and the horrid 25/8 rule.

[Knowlesy]

I actually didn't think the 1995 500, as symbolic as it was, was a particularly good example of how a 500 should be. It was exciting, but also a touch dubious. Fun, but a poor example all the same.

Favourite moment - there are so many for me personally, I can't even begin to pick just one.

For me, it is two years that I really enjoyed and got into. 1993 was my first year watching (thanks Nigel) and I just found it so exciting, so new. Wow, there was a world outside of F1 and it was actually far more interesting at times!

The other year was 1999. It had all the highs and lows that motor racing can possibly throw up, with some incredible racing and a title race that couldn't have ended any closer. That it ended in favour of JPM was a bonus. It was a year I will never, ever forget.

[Graz]

The 91 Indy 500 restart with a handful of laps to go - Michael Andretti passed mears around the outside into turn 1 in what was an awazing move only for Mears to return the compliment next lap by in an even more amazing move and then going on to win.

Zanardi's physically impossible pass on Bryan Herta in the Corkscrew in Laguna Seca. As unforgettable a move as it was, the year escapes me (!) it was 96 or 97 I think (or maybe 98...)

There are loads of others, Blundell heading for his first win only to run out of fuel yards from the line but then winning by a millionth of a second from DeFerran a few weeks later in Portland.


CART/Champcar in the 90's was just the best racing on the planet. Why did a handful of people cock it all up...

Worst moment - watching live when Greg Moore crashed. With the oval superspeedways there was always the chance of a bad accident but it was and is still shocking.

[Last2LiftOff]

Yes Graz, and on tape too. I remember watching Greg on one of the speedways, at full tilt IIRC, turning several 360's half way down the straight in a plume of smoke, and then righting the bloody thing and carrying-on. I wish I could recall a particular Cleveland race but a favourite was certainly one of those. JV's title season, and his Indy 500 win, Player's Forsythe, Team Green, and having a PPG sales rep. living next door. On and on it goes.

[nickyf1]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

The other year was 1999. It had all the highs and lows that motor racing can possibly throw up, with some incredible racing and a title race that couldn't have ended any closer. That it ended in favour of JPM was a bonus. It was a year I will never, ever forget.

CART in 1999-2001 was probably at it strongest since the split, the Indy Racing Leugue was almost unknown, for me atleast. But then again, I was 6..

[luke]

Originally Posted by nickyf1

CART in 1999-2001 was probably at it strongest since the split, the Indy Racing Leugue was almost unknown, for me atleast. But then again, I was 6..

Well I found out about the IRL by chance when they reported the deaths of the fans after the terrfying crash on the oval when the fans got killed from debris back in 2000 or 2001..I remember there being a lot of bad press. that was how i discovered the irl. not that it was ever covered by racing media or anything.

[mountainstar]

There are so many over the years.

1996 Laguna Seca
1995 Cleveland
1992 Indy 500

[Knowlesy]

Cleveland 1995, hehe, that was crazy!

[luke]

Especially what Robby Gordon did after the race..

[nickyf1]

Milwuake 1999

[Adam43]

I preferred Milwaukee 1999, but I know what you mean.

That and any race where Zanardi overtook Herta towards the end of a race! Especially Long Beach 1998 when he fought on cold tyres to stop himself from going a lap down.

[Xpunk75]

I kinda meant from they years when their was only one series but I guess it doesn't matter. I always though the Indy 500 where Danny Sullivan spun and then went on to win was incredible.

[Fish_Flake]

1989 Indianapolis 500 (Little Al goes into the wall, Emmo prevails)
1992 Indianapolis 500 (Little Al holds off Goodyear at the line)
1996 Laguna Seca ("The Pass" -- enough said)
1997 Detroit (Blundell and Gugelmin both run out of fuel on the final lap, Moore wins)
1999 U.S. 500 (Papis runs out of fuel with the finish line in sight, Montoya can't get by Kanaan at the line)
2000 Michigan 500 (Montoya uses Marques' slipstream to steal the win from Michael)
2001 Rockingham (Brack takes the lead with an assist from teammate Papis' pick, but de Ferran takes it back in the last corner)

[Knowlesy]

It just goes to show how good a finish the 1992 race had that it still manages to hold a place in peoples hearts despite the stop-start race and severe accidents. I didn't see it live, but I have it on DVD and I love it.

Similar to the 2007 Daytona 500 in many ways - poor for a long time, but built into something special.

[JohnSSC]

Gordon Johncock holding off Rick Mears in the 1982 Indy 500. A masterful performance from two of the greatest oval racers ever.

[johntt]

Originally Posted by Fish_Flake

2001 Rockingham (Brack takes the lead with an assist from teammate Papis' pick, but de Ferran takes it back in the last corner

I was at that race, one of the best i've ever seen live. Also saw CART at Long Beach and Brands in 03. Those 2.65l V8 turbos are one of the best sounding engines in the whole of motor racing, as synonymous with Indycar as a screaming V10 was with F1.

[baclightning]

1993 New Hampshire 200 - Nigel Mansell runs third with about ten laps to go, behind Emerson Fittipaldi and Paul Tracy. He passes Fittipaldi for second, then uses a back marker as a pick to pass Tracy with three laps left and hold on for the win...

[Peter Ford]

Think my favourite moment would be the 2006 surfer's paradise race,which was my first time seeing champcar live in the flesh and seeing nelson Phillipe won his first champcar race here.

[nobster]

Indy 500 1990 Arie for his first victory in record speed!

[Xpunk75]

I loved JV's first win in CART, when he beat the three Penske cars.

[dannydasilva]

my best Cart/ ChampCar moment
-1991 Indy 500
-1992 season fight with Michael Andretti and Bobby Rahal
-1993 Nigel Mansell's fantastic season
-1994 Michael Andretti's first win when it was starting to get dark!
-1996 Alex Zanardi's move in Laguna Seca
-1996 Superspeeday Imax film, Great !
-1997 Alex Zanardi's domination and Michael Andretti in beautifull black K-mart car/ Cleveland's 1997 race was one of the best (I was there!)
-1998 Long beach/ Michigan were fantastic
-1999 Juan Pablo Montoya in Cart was great
-2000 Montoya with terrible toyota engine

From 2002 when Penske left and Ganassi left, the series was getting less attractive for me.
The new Panoz was a great step forward.

[JohnSSC]

Welcome aboard, danny!

[nickyf1]

I found this great channel on youtube, race highlights from 1993 and 1994 and a nice Champcar Tribute.

http://www.youtube.com/user/champcar4ever