4 points 

When Gordon Johncock had the lead in a race he was like a dog who wouldn't give up the stick. A.J Foyt commented that had it been him and Gordy the guy runnng 3rd would have won the race because they would have taken each other out! Johncock was as tough as they come. He won the 500 miler at Michigan later that same year. In the 1991 Indy 500 Gordy started in 33rd position and finished sixth in a "one-off" effort. Gordy had lots of talent and was underrated.

3 points 

IN 1960 I SAW RATHMAN & WARD IN RACE LONG DUEL, BUT
1982 WAS THE BEST 500 OF ALL FOR ME.THE DRAMA IN THE
PITS WITH BOTH TEAMS WAS A GREAT SHOW IN ITSELF.BOTH DRIVERS DID A GREAT JOB ,BUT GORDON JOHNCOCK SHOWED US ALL WHAT A GREAT OVAL TRACK
RACER FROM THE BULLRINGS COULD DO. RICK HITS A SLOWER CAR ENTERING THE PITS , GORDON PASSES A SLOWER CAR ON THE LEFT , RACE SAVEY. GREAT STUFF.

2 points 

Of course we can't forget the Kevin Cogan / Mario Andretti / and others front straightaway mess that kicked the day off!
My wife and I were married on May 29, 1982 - and where were we on the first day of our honeymoon? - YEP - on the inside stands on the main straight - right about the place Cogan hit Mario. I had my Super-8 movie camera rolling for the start, and I've never really checked over the years if it gave any better angles to what happened.
Anyway, this finish, both on TV with McKay and Posey and in person with my new bride, was only rivaled (for me) when, years later in 2006 (after making a career change from banking into OW Racing in 1997) I stood in about the same 1982 place on the inside of the front straight, but now on the upper deck of the suites, and as a proud part of the Marlboro Team Penske operation, watched Sam Hornish, Jr. PASS another one of those amazing Andrettis for the last-second win.
Of course, who was there at the Marlboro Team Penske celebration back at Hospitality? The man I was pulling for on that last straightaway in 1982 - Rick Mears!

2 points 

Not to put a damper on this, but ABC-TV totally blew the coverage when they received the white flag. As Mears pulled alongside Johncock, what did ABC do? They cut away to Mears wife for 4 seconds and BLEW showing that great duel going down the straightaway into turn one. I went to my first Indy 500 last year (I know I've got NOTHING on the people that go year after year for decades), but I've decided myself to go every year and never miss going....it kills me to see empty seats and the infield crowd to be so sparse.

5 points 

The 1982 Indy 500 is the epitomy of auto racing nothing before it could match it and nothing else has come close since with the possible exception of the 92 Indy 500. Because the finish was so close that aspect of the race is focused on. And that is all that we have embedded in our collective memory. It sure was neat watching Rick reel in Johncock in those finals laps. But those of us who watched the race in it's entirety had a pretty good idea Rick would not be able to pass Gordon. And this is where the popular view of the 82 race does a disservice to the officianados of Indy and Open Wheel.

Through out the race Rick made 6 attempts to pass Johncock but was only successful on only 2 of them. Including one stretch where Mears made 3 straight unsuccessful attempts to pass Johncock that had the crowd swooning ! It was little surprise in the closing laps of the race when Rick was unsuccesful in his 7th and final attempt. Johncock had a big psychological at that point. But what was just as important was the flow of the race. As the second half of the race unfolded there were times when it looked like Mears would run away from the field while Johncock was struggling. Then Gordon would come into the Pits and come out setting a record pace of his own. Then Penske would call Mears in and make changes to his car that would push him back up to the front. It wasn't just driver against driver, it was crew against crew. And let's not forget the pits stops. You know the one where Mears hit the slower car of Jim Hickman while Johncock would encounter his own traffic in the pits and swooped underneath it at speed without sustaining contact. While that stuff would be illegal today it sure was fun to watch. But even with the new rules the Indy 500 still maintains a very unique characteristic. The race usually boils down to a duel between two drivers at the end of the race. It is the essence of Natural Selection. For 28 Years NASCAR has been trying to catch and bottle that excitement with their Competition Yellow Flags and has never come close.

Don't get me wrong the Centennial Piece was well produced and a credit to the race but lets remember the other aspects of that race which are equally noteworthy for producing a true classic.

3 points 

Greatest race at indy......Just think if Roger Penske wouldn't have called for a full load of fuel in the last pitstop? what would of happen?.....1982 made up for the 1973 victory for Gordy. Gordy was in the rookie class with andretti and Unser but really didn't get the hype but was as good of a driver.

2 points 

Every time I see it, I still think Mears is going to catch him. And Jim McKay, what can you say? The whole thing is genius.

0 points 

Mr Marbles is way off. Anyone who thinks Foyt couldn't have won in this era obviously knows nothing about a true racer. Mears and Unser Sr. were good but both of them had to go to Penske to win their fourth INDY. Foyt his forth with a Foyt Car (Coyote), Foyt engine and Foyt driver. He and his dad built these cars themself from the ground up. They were the engineers and engine builders. This just shows how clueless you are. Penske drivers always have an advantage at the 500. Castroneves will probalbly win six or seven 500's with Penske but anyone who knows racing knows Castroneves wouldn't hold a candle to Foyt. Foyt won in everything he ever raced in. Mario is the same way. These two are the best ever plain and simple.

-1 points 

Talk about the best representative for a sport. Everyone talks about A.J. All the publicity and hype talks abou the history surrounding A.J. He was never the close to being a representative of what was best about the Indy 500. Unser Sr. and Mears were far better.
But Mears was a witch. His 1988 and 1991 wins were masterpieces. He finished more races, and finished in the top 5 a greater percentage of the time than any other driver, and he did it without throwing a single wrench, or swearing at his crew, or swearing at the media. He could take any car put under him and get more out of it than anyone else. If had only had 2 more laps. He'd be the only 5 time winner. A.J. couldn't win in the modern era of ground effects. Mears was the the engineers dream as a driver in a car.
You only hear about the Unsers and A.J. My vote for greatest indy car driver of all time...Rick Mears.