SULLIVAN SPINS AND WINS
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Mario Andretti led the majority of the first half of the race, but Danny Sullivan had learned well from Penske team-mate Rick Mears about constantly fine-tuning his car for the final shootout in 500-mile races.
Sullivan’s March 85C got stronger and he found it relatively easy to haul up onto Andretti’s tail at the start of lap 120. Moving out to make the pass on the inside of Turn 1, Sullivan found himself having to use the track and the apron, and the transition wobbled his car into a spin.
Remarkably he completed 360 degrees without striking the wall. Equally remarkably, 1969 500 winner Andretti avoided him. Less than 20 laps later, a fired-up Sullivan moved into a lead that he’d never lose, able to pull away after all subsequent restarts.