View source for 1983 Indianapolis 500

{{short description|67th running of the Indianapolis 500}}
{{Infobox Indy500
| race_name      = 67th Indianapolis 500
| race_logo      = Indy500winningcar1983.JPG
| sanction       = [[United States Auto Club|USAC]]
| season         = [[1983 CART PPG Indy Car World Series|1983 CART season]]<br>[[1982–83 USAC Championship Car season|1982-83 Gold Crown]]
| date           = May 29, 1983
| winner         = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Sneva]]
| team           = [[George Bignotti|Bignotti]]-Cotter Racing
| mph            = {{convert|162.117|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}
| pole           = {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Teo Fabi]]
| pole_speed     = {{convert|207.395|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}
| fast_time      ={{flagicon|ITA}} [[Teo Fabi]] 
| rookie         = {{flagicon|ITA}} [[Teo Fabi]]
| leader         = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Sneva]] (98)
| anthem         = James A. Hubert
| back_home      = [[Jim Nabors]]
| start_engines  = [[Mary Fendrich Hulman|Mary F. Hulman]]
| pace_car       = [[Buick Riviera]]
| pace_driver    = [[Duke Nalon]]
| starter        = Duane Sweeney<ref name="Illustrated">{{cite book|last=Fox|first=Jack C.|title =The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994|publisher =Carl Hungness Publishing|edition=4th|date=1994|pages=22|language=en|isbn=0-915088-05-3}}</ref>
| attendance     = 325,000<ref>{{cite news|title=Sneva! At last!|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11434676/|first=Robin|last=Miller|author-link=Robin Miller (journalist)|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|page=1|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 30, 1983|access-date=June 2, 2017}}{{Open access}}</ref>
| network        = [[ESPN on ABC|ABC]]
| rating         = 14.1
| share          = 27
| announcers     = '''Host:''' [[Jackie Stewart]]<br>'''Lap-by-lap:''' [[Jim McKay]]<br>'''Color analyst:''' [[Sam Posey]]
| previous       = [[1982 Indianapolis 500|1982]]
| next           = [[1984 Indianapolis 500|1984]]
}}
The '''67th Indianapolis 500''' was held at the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]] in [[Speedway, Indiana]], on Sunday, May 29, 1983. After finishing second three times ([[1977 Indianapolis 500|1977]], [[1978 Indianapolis 500|1978]], [[1980 Indianapolis 500|1980]]), winning the [[List of Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters|pole position]] twice (1977–1978), and being the fastest qualifier one additional time ([[1981 Indianapolis 500|1981]]), [[Tom Sneva]] finally shook his "[[bridesmaid]]" status and won his first and only Indianapolis 500. The win also represented the record seventh Indy victory that chief mechanic [[George Bignotti]] was involved with.

In the final twenty laps, three-time winner [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]] was leading Tom Sneva. Unser was seeking his record-tying fourth Indy victory. His son, rookie [[Al Unser Jr.]], was several laps down, but was positioned right behind his father. Al Jr. created a firestorm of controversy when it appeared that he was blocking Sneva intentionally to aid his father. Unser Jr. admitted to running interference for his father, claiming he was trying to create "dirty air" and [[turbulence]] for Sneva. He stopped short, however, of calling it "blocking". After several anxious laps, Sneva finally slipped both Al Jr. and Al Sr., using lapped traffic to his advantage. Sneva opened up an 11-second lead, and took the checkered flag for his long-awaited Indy victory.

Rookie [[Teo Fabi]] headlined time trials by winning the [[List of Indianapolis 500 pole-sitters|pole position]], and on race day he led the first 23 laps. Fabi's day was short, however, as he dropped out with a bad fuel [[gasket]]. The effort earned him the [[Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year|rookie of the year award]]. Fabi would go on to win four races during the season and finished second to Al Unser Sr. for the [[1983 CART PPG Indy Car World Series|CART points championship]].

The 1983 Indy 500 ushered in a new era of civility and stability in the sport of [[American Championship car racing|Indy car racing]]. After four years of conflict and organizational disputes between [[United States Auto Club|USAC]] and [[Championship Auto Racing Teams|CART]], the two sanctioning bodies came to an amicable truce. The Indianapolis 500 would be sanctioned singly by [[United States Auto Club|USAC]], and officially would be part of the ceremonial [[1982–83 USAC Championship Car season|Gold Crown championship]]. However, the race was now recognized on the [[Championship Auto Racing Teams|CART]] schedule, and counted towards the [[1983 CART PPG Indy Car World Series]] points championship. The field for the Indy 500 going forward would consist primarily of CART-based teams, along with numerous one-off ("Indy-only") entries. Despite various squabbles and minor technical differences between the sanctioning bodies, this arrangement would remain in place, with relative harmony, through [[1995 Indianapolis 500|1995]].

==Background==
The USAC technical committee issued rule changes for 1983, scaling back side skirts and declaring that "all bodywork or aerodynamic devices must be at least one inch above the bottom of the car's tub." During time trials, a total of 15 cars in the qualifying line would fail pre-qualifying technical inspection, raising tempers and drawing the ire of competitors. Some teams charged that USAC was inconsistent in their enforcement and their measuring, since they used a different (and possibly less-accurate) tool than the CART series officials utilized at other races. Some teams claimed the first several cars in line were not scrutinized as heavily as those deeper in line. In addition, turbocharger "boost" settings were reduced to 47 [[Inch of mercury|inHg]], down from 48 in 1982.<ref name="News05-13-1983pg30">{{cite news|title=200 Magic Disappearing?|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news/152146492/|newspaper=[[Indianapolis News]]|first=Dick|last=Mittman|page=30|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 13, 1983|access-date=July 27, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref>

The evolving aerodynamic rules coincided with the emergence of the [[Robin Herd]]-designed [[March Engineering|March]] chassis becoming the vehicle of choice for the mid-1980s. Coupled with the widely used [[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]] engine, the "customer car" era began to dominate the sport of Indy car racing. [[Team Penske|Penske]], among other teams, elected to scale back, or even abandon their in-house chassis programs in favor of the English-built March for the next few seasons. The March's aerodynamic advancements, downforce, and affordable cost were among the reasons it emerged as the favorite among the competitors. The "customer car" era also was popular with the smaller-budget teams, as it allowed them access to top equipment, leveling the playing field, and shrinking the differences between haves and the have-nots. The 1983 race would be the first of five consecutive Indy 500 victories for [[March Engineering]].

==Race schedule==
{|
|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"
|- valign="top"
!colspan=7|Race schedule — April 1983
|-
!scope="col" width="70"|Sun
!scope="col" width="70"|Mon
!scope="col" width="70"|Tue
!scope="col" width="70"|Wed
!scope="col" width="70"|Thu
!scope="col" width="70"|Fri
!scope="col" width="70"|Sat
|-
|10<br />&nbsp;
|11<br />&nbsp;
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|12<br /><small>ROP</small>
|13<br />&nbsp;
|14<br />&nbsp;
|15<br />&nbsp;
|16<br />&nbsp;
|- valign="top"
!colspan=7|Race schedule — May 1983
|-
| 1<br />&nbsp;
| 2<br />&nbsp;
| 3<br />&nbsp;
| 4<br />&nbsp;
| 5<br />&nbsp;
| 6<br />&nbsp;
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 7<br /><small>Practice</small>
|-
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 8<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 9<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|10<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|11<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|12<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|13<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"|14<br /><small>Time Trials</small>
|-
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"|15<br /><small>Time Trials</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|16<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|17<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|18<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|19<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|20<br /><small>Practice</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|21<br /><small>Time Trials</small>
|-
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"|22<br /><small>Bump Day</small>
|23<br />&nbsp;
|24<br />&nbsp;
|25<br />&nbsp;
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"|26<br /><small>Carb Day</small>
|27<br /><small>[[OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon|Mini-Marathon]]</small>
|28<br /><small>[[Indianapolis 500 traditions#500 Festival Parade|Parade]]</small>
|-
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"|29<br /><small>Indy 500</small>
|30<br /><small>Memorial Day</small>
|31<br />&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|&nbsp;
|}
|valign="top"|
{|
|
{| style="margin-right:0; font-size:85%; text-align:center;" class="wikitable"
! Color
! Notes
|- style="background:#DFFFDF;"
| Green
| Practice
|- style="background:#CFCFFF;"
| Dark Blue
| Time trials
|- style="background:#DFDFDF;"
| Silver
| Race day
|- style="background:#FFCFCF;"
| Red
| Rained out<nowiki>*</nowiki>
|-
| Blank
| No track activity
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> <small>Includes days where track<br />activity was significantly<br />limited due to rain</small>

<small>ROP — denotes Rookie<br />Orientation Program</small>
|}
|}

==Time trials==
Pole day time trials was scheduled for Saturday May 14. Rain, however, kept cars off the track nearly all day. At 4:15&nbsp;p.m., the track finally opened for practice, but it was brief and interrupted by several yellow lights. Officials closed the track at 5:49&nbsp;p.m., without a single car making a qualifying attempt. On Sunday May 15, rain washed out the entire day. It was the first time since 1978 that not a single car qualified on the first weekend. Pole day time trials was moved to the second weekend, with the USAC rule stating once the cars made one rotation around the qualifying draw, "pole qualifying" ends and third day qualifying begins.

Three-time winner [[Johnny Rutherford]] was sidelined after two major crashes. On May 8, he crashed in turn one, suffering minor injuries. On May 18, he suffered a more serious crash in turn 3. He broke his left foot and left ankle, and was forced to sit out the 1983 race.

===Pole Day – Saturday May 21===
Pole day started with [[Mike Mosley]] (205.372&nbsp;mph) taking the top spot early on. [[Rick Mears]], a favorite for the pole, had his effort fall short, and he qualified at 204.301&nbsp;mph.

[[Tom Sneva]] was the next shot at the front row, but his speed of 203.687&nbsp;mph was only third-fastest at the moment. The next car out was rookie [[Teo Fabi]], who had raised eyebrows during the week, posting practice speeds near the top of the speed chart. Fabi set a new one-lap track record of 208.049&nbsp;mph, and set a four-lap record of 207.395&nbsp;mph, securing the pole position. Fabi became the first rookie to win the pole since [[Walt Faulkner]] in [[1950 Indianapolis 500|1950]].

A very busy day saw 42 attempts and 33 cars complete qualifying runs. For the first time in modern history, the field was filled to 33 cars in one day.

On a sad note, Tony Foyt Sr., the father of [[A. J. Foyt]] as well as his former chief mechanic, died after battling lung cancer. After qualifying on Saturday, A. J. Foyt flew to Houston to visit his ailing father. At 8 p.m., Tony Foyt Sr. lapsed into a coma, and died at 10 p.m.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0qgyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7ucFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2826,3614053&dq=tony+foyt+sr&hl=en Foyt Sr. dies]</ref>

===Bump Day – Sunday May 22===
The day opened with [[John Mahler]] (180.022&nbsp;mph) on the bubble. Rain again hampered time trials, and the track did not open until nearly 2 p.m.

[[Phil Krueger]] wrecked during a practice run, and [[Gary Bettenhausen]] waved off a run after one lap over 193&nbsp;mph.

At 4:14&nbsp;p.m., [[Dennis Firestone]] completed a run of 190.888&nbsp;mph, with heavy rain beginning to fall on his last lap, bumping [[John Mahler|Mahler]], and the track was soaked and closed for the day. The 6 o'clock gun fired with several drivers, including [[Gary Bettenhausen|Bettenhausen]], [[Bill Alsup]], and [[Dick Ferguson]] all left sitting in line.

==Carburetion Day==
The final practice was held Thursday May 26. All 33 qualified cars took laps. Polesitter [[Teo Fabi]] (201.795 mph) was the fastest driver of the day. No incidents were reported, though [[Don Whittington]] managed only one lap due to mechanical problems.<ref name="Star05-27-1983pg44">{{cite news|title=Fabi fastest in 500 dry run|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/154513552/|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|first=Robin|last=Miller|author-link=Robin Miller (journalist)|page=44|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 27, 1983|access-date=September 2, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref>

===Pit Stop Contest===
The eliminations rounds for the 7th annual [[Miller Brewing Company|Miller High Life]] [[Pit Stop Challenge|Pit Stop Contest]] were held on Thursday May 26. The top four race qualifiers and their respective pit crews were automatically eligible: [[Teo Fabi]], [[Mike Mosley]], [[Rick Mears]], and [[Tom Sneva]]. Four additional spots would be available, for a total of eight participants. Qualifying heats were scheduled for May 17–20 in order to fill the four at-large berths.<ref name="Star05-11-1983pg041">{{cite news|title=Pit Stop contest has record purse|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-indy-500-pit-stop/154507460/|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|page=41|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 11, 1983|access-date=September 2, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref> Teams were required to change two tires and simulate a fuel hookup.

Since the first weekend of time trials for the race was rained out, the four automatic berths would not be confirmed until after the second weekend of qualifying. The pit spot contest qualifying heats were held as planned, with the results tentative until the automatic berths were known. The results were as follows: [[Howdy Holmes]] (14.489 seconds), [[Al Loquasto]] (15.691 seconds), [[Pancho Carter]] (16.220 seconds), [[Bobby Rahal]] (16.374 seconds), [[Tony Bettenhausen Jr.|Tony Bettenhausen]], [[Mario Andretti]] (17.833 seconds), [[Teo Fabi]] (21.497 seconds), and [[Ken Schrader]] (29.727 seconds).<ref name="Star05-21-1983pg33">{{cite news|title=Pit Pass|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/154508332/|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|page=33|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 21, 1983|access-date=September 2, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref> 

The eliminations consisted of two rounds. The preliminary round would feature two teams at a time, racing head-to-head against the clock. The two fastest teams overall - regardless of the individual head-to-head results - would advance to the final round. [[Rick Mears]] defeated [[Pancho Carter]] in the final round to win the event for the second year in a row.<ref name="Star05-27-1983pg45">{{cite news|title=Mears' crew wins pit stop contest
|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star-1983-indy-500-pit/114349721/|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|page=45|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 27, 1983|access-date=September 2, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref>

{|
|-
|
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|-
|+ Preliminary Round
|-
!Rank !!Car<br>No. !!Driver !!Team
|-
!3
|align="center"|33
| [[Teo Fabi]]
| [[Forsythe Championship Racing|Forsythe Racing]]
|-
!4
|align="center"|18
| [[Mike Mosley]]
| [[Kraco Enterprises|KRACO Racing]]
|-
!5
|align="center"|30
| [[Howdy Holmes]]<br />
| [[Doug Shierson Racing]]
|-
!6
|align="center"|5
| [[Tom Sneva]]
| [[George Bignotti|Bignotti]]-Carter
|-
!7
|align="center"|86
| [[Al Loquasto]]
| George T. Smith
|-
!8
|align="center"|4
| [[Bobby Rahal]]
| [[Truesports]]
|}
|
{{2TeamBracket
| RD1-seed1='''2'''
| RD1-team1='''[[Rick Mears]]'''<br />''([[Team Penske|Penske Racing]])''
| RD1-score1='''13.860'''

| RD1-seed2=21
| RD1-team2=[[Pancho Carter]]<br />''([[Alex Morales Motorsports|Alex Morales]])''
| RD1-score2=15.528
}}
|}

==Starting grid==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
!Row
!Inside
!Middle
!Outside
|-
!1
|{{flagicon|ITA}} [[Teo Fabi]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Mike Mosley]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Rick Mears]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|-
!2
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Sneva]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Al Unser Jr.]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bobby Rahal]]
|-
!3
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Al Unser]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Roger Mears]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tony Bettenhausen Jr.]]
|-
!4
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Gordon Johncock]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Mario Andretti]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Howdy Holmes]]
|-
!5
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[George Snider]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Pancho Carter]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bill Whittington]]
|-
!6
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chip Ganassi]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Patrick Bedard]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Josele Garza]]
|-
!7
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Chassey]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Dick Simon]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Danny Ongais]]
|-
!8
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Kevin Cogan]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Johnny Parsons]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[A. J. Foyt]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|-
!9
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chris Kneifel]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Brabham]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Don Whittington]]
|-
!10
|{{flagicon|IRL}} [[Derek Daly]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Scott Brayton]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Mike Chandler]]
|-
!11
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Krisiloff]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chet Fillip]]
|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Dennis Firestone]]
|}

===Alternates===
*First alternate: [[John Mahler]] (#92) – Bumped
*Second alternate: none

===Failed to qualify===
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
*[[Bill Alsup]] (#11) – Waved off
*[[Dick Ferguson]] (#69) – Waved off
*[[Bill Tempero]] (#15) – Waved off
*[[Spike Gehlhausen]] (#47) – Incomplete qualifying attempt
*[[Gary Bettenhausen]] (#28) – Incomplete qualifying attempt
*[[Larry Cannon (racecar driver)|Larry "Boom Boom" Cannon]] (#17) – in line when qualifying suspended
*[[Tom Bigelow]] (#6)
*[[Phil Caliva]] (#42)
*[[Herm Johnson]] (#42, #81)
*[[Jerry Karl]] (#61)
*[[Sheldon Kinser]] (#42)
*[[Phil Krueger]] (#46)
*[[Greg Leffler]] (#64)
*[[Al Loquasto]] (#86)
*[[Harry MacDonald (racing driver)|Harry MacDonald]] (#43)
*[[Roger Rager]] (#88)
*[[Jerry Sneva]] (#69) – replaced by Dick Ferguson
*[[Bill Vukovich II]] (#83)
*[[Ken Schrader]] (#98) – Wrecked in practice
*[[Jim Buick]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}''' (#26) – Wrecked in practice
*[[Rich Vogler]] (#8) – Wrecked in practice
*[[Bob Harkey]] (#79) – Wrecked in practice, injured
*[[John Paul Jr. (racing driver)|John Paul Jr.]] (#12) – Wrecked in practice, injured, replaced by Geoff Brabham
*[[Pete Halsmer]] (#66) – Wrecked in practice, injured - replaced by Johnny Parsons
*[[Doug Heveron]] (#41, #61) – Wrecked in practice, injured
*[[Johnny Rutherford]] (#40) – Wrecked in practice, injured
*[[Desiré Wilson]] (#54) – Incomplete refresher test (blew engine)
*[[Chuck Ciprich]] (#36) – Did not complete rookie test
*[[Mark Alderson]] (#17) – Did not complete rookie test
*[[Mack McClellan]] (#17) – Did not complete rookie test
*[[Teddy Pilette]] (#42) – Did not complete rookie test
*[[Amber Furst]] – Entry denied due to lack of experience<ref name="name">{{cite news
|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Wr9JAAAAIBAJ&sjid=phANAAAAIBAJ&pg=5512,1144523&dq=rookie+indianapolis&hl=en|title=Waiting game! Amber is give heave-ho|publisher=The Madison Courier|date=1983-04-23|access-date=2012-04-04}}</ref>
{{div col end}}

==Race summary==

===First half===
Rookie [[Teo Fabi]] took the lead from the pole position and led the first 23 laps. [[A. J. Foyt]], who earlier in the week had attended his father's funeral, dropped out early with a broken transmission u-joint linkage. At almost the same time, [[George Snider]], Foyt's other team car, dropped out with ignition failure. Both Foyt cars were out just beyond the 50-mile mark. After showing speed early, Fabi dropped out with a bad fuel gasket. During an early pit stop, the refueling mechanism failed, and fuel spilled around the car, but it did not ignite.

On lap 81, [[Johnny Parsons]] spun in front of [[Mario Andretti]] in turn one. Both cars crashed hard into the outside wall. It was Andretti's first ride at Indy with [[Newman/Haas Racing]], and yet another [[Andretti curse|misfortune]] for him at the 500.

===Second half===
First half contender [[Bobby Rahal]] dropped out with a punctured radiator. The lead in the second half was maintained by [[Tom Sneva]] and [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]] Sneva's teammate [[Kevin Cogan]], as well as [[Geoff Brabham]] were also running near the top five.

On lap 172, [[Tom Sneva]] led with [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]] second. Sneva was right behind the lapped car of [[Mike Mosley]] when his pit crew put out the sign board for him to make his final pit stop. Seconds later, Mosley spun right in front of Sneva coming out of turn one and crashed into the outside wall. Mosely suffered a bruised foot in the wreck.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/170843353|title=Fabi and Foyt are finished by a Couple of Thingamabobs|last=Ray|first=Pat|date=May 30, 1983|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-08-22|page=14|language=en|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Sneva veered to the inside and narrowly avoided the incident. Mosley's notable "Indy jinx" continued, and it would be his final lap at the Speedway - he was killed in a traffic accident less than a year later.

With the yellow out, Sneva pitted the next time around, his final scheduled pit stop of the day. [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]] was also in the pits. Unser had a much faster pit stop, electing not to change tires, and came out in the lead. Sneva was now second.

===Finish===
The green flag came back out on lap 176 with [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]] leading and [[Tom Sneva]] in second. As the cars were going through turn four, the 10th place car of rookie [[Al Unser Jr.]] (five laps down at the time) jumped the restart. He passed both Sneva and his father Al Sr. One lap later, Al Jr. allowed his father by, and settled in between his father and second place Tom Sneva. Over the next several laps, it became clear that Al Jr. was attempting to run interference for his father. Al Jr. was known to openly root for his father, and incidentally it was Al Sr.'s 44th birthday. As the race hit lap 180, officials started displaying Al Unser Jr. the [[Racing flags#Blue flag|blue flag]].
[[File:Auto Racing Blue.svg|right|thumb|100px|The blue "move over" [[Racing flags#Blue flag|courtesy flag.]]]]
While many feel Al Jr. did not actually make many onerous and intentional "blocking" moves, he did create a significant amount of [[Glossary of motorsport terms#D|"dirty air"]] for Sneva, and did not yield the preferred racing line. Despite the impedance, Al Sr. was not pulling away nor seemed able to extend his lead. The three cars continued to run very close together. As the laps dwindled, the controversy began to grow.

With 13 laps to go, Sneva pulled alongside Al Unser Jr. on the frontstretch. The two cars went side-by-side into turn one, but Al Jr. refused to give up the ground.

With ten laps to go, the three cars caught up to lapped traffic. Al Jr. got stuck behind the car of [[Dick Simon]], and Sneva immediately pounced on the moment. Sneva veered down low, passed Al Jr. and Simon in consecutive corners, and set his sights on the leader. Down the backstretch, Sneva set up his pass and easily got by Al Unser Sr. going into turn three. He passed two more cars before the end of the lap and immediately began building a lead.

With an open track ahead of him now, Tom Sneva picked up the pace and put considerable distance between himself and Unser. Sneva cruised to victory, by a margin of 11.174 seconds. It was Sneva's first Indy 500 victory (after three previous runner-up finishes) and chief mechanic [[George Bignotti]]'s record seventh Indy 500 victory.

After stirring up controversy, Al Unser Jr. ran out of fuel on the final lap. He stalled on the course before reaching the finish line, and was scored six laps down at the finish.

===Post race===
In post-race interviews, [[Al Unser Jr.]] admitted to running interference for his father, claiming he was trying to create "dirty air" and [[turbulence]] for Sneva. He stopped short, however, of calling it "blocking."<ref name="5-27-84">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-hRDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3KwMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3420,4720946&dq=al+unser+jr+1983&hl=en|title=Son May Duplicate Indy Move of 1983|publisher=[[The Albany Herald]]|date=1984-05-27|access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref> Al Jr. was highly criticized for the actions, by both competitors and media. However, after the race [[United States Auto Club|USAC]] examined the incident, and issued no penalties for blocking,<ref name="5-27-84"/> citing the fact that he did not actually break any written rules. [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]] claimed he did not know what was going on behind him, because he lost one of his rear-view mirrors, and the other one was broken.<ref name="5-27-84"/> Furthermore, Al Sr. noted that he made a miscalculation on his final pit stop, ordering his crew to not change tires. As a result, his handling went away in the closing laps. While Al Jr. and Sneva were sparring, Al Sr. was instead preoccupied with nursing his loose, ill-handling machine.

Sneva charged Al Jr. with jumping the restart and illegally passing the two leaders before the green came out.<ref name="5-30-83">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wEJJAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5oMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4322,5250179&dq=al+unser+jr&hl=en|title=Sneva Charges Illegal Passing|publisher=[[The Vindicator]]|date=1983-05-30|access-date=2012-03-08}}</ref> After the race Al Jr. was issued a two-lap penalty for passing two cars before the green light, but the penalty did not cost him any positions. Unser still finished in the top ten as the highest finishing rookie. However, he lost out on the [[Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year|rookie of the year award]], which went to polesitter [[Teo Fabi]].

==Box score==
{| class="wikitable"
!Finish
!Start
!No
!Name
!Qual
!Chassis
!Engine
!Laps
!Time/Retired
|-
!1
|4
|5
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Sneva]]
|203.687
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|200
|3:05:03.066
|-
!2
|7
|7
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Al Unser]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|201.954
|[[Penske PC-11]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|200
| +11.174 seconds
|-
!3
|3
|2
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Rick Mears]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|204.300
|[[Penske PC-11]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|200
| +21.862 seconds
|-
!4
|26
|12
|{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Geoff Brabham]]
|198.618
|[[Penske PC-10]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|199
| -1 lap
|-
!5
|22
|16
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Kevin Cogan]]
|201.528
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|198
| -2 laps
|-
!6
|12
|30
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Howdy Holmes]]
|199.295
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|198
| -2 laps
|-
!7
|14
|21
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Pancho Carter]]
|198.237
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 82C|82C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|197
| -3 laps
|-
!8
|16
|60
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Chip Ganassi]]
|197.608
|[[Patrick Racing|Wildcat]] IX
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|195
| -5 laps
|-
!9
|29
|37
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Scott Brayton]]
|196.713
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|195
| -5 laps
|-
!10
|5
|19
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Al Unser Jr.]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''**
|202.146
|[[All American Racers|Eagle]] 83
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|192
|Out of fuel
|-
!11
|19
|56
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Chassey]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|195.108
|[[All American Racers|Eagle]] 82
|[[Chevrolet|Chevy]] V-6
|191
| -9 laps
|-
!12
|25
|72
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Chris Kneifel]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|198.625
|Primus 83
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|191
| -9 laps
|-
!13
|2
|18
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Mike Mosley]]
|205.372
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|169
|Crash T1
|-
!14
|10
|20
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Gordon Johncock]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|199.748
|[[Patrick Racing|Wildcat]] IX
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|163
|Gearbox
|-
!15
|20
|22
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Dick Simon]]
|192.993
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|161
| -39 laps
|-
!16
|30
|29
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Mike Chandler]]
|194.934
|Rattlesnake
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|153
|Gearbox
|-
!17
|9
|10
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Tony Bettenhausen Jr.]]
|199.894
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|152
|Half shaft
|-
!18
|15
|94
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Bill Whittington]]
|197.755
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 81C|81C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|144
|Gearbox
|-
!19
|28
|34
|{{Flagicon|IRL}} [[Derek Daly]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|197.658
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|126
|Engine
|-
!20
|6
|4
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Bobby Rahal]]
|202.005
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|110
|Radiator
|-
!21
|21
|25
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Danny Ongais]]
|202.320
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|101
|Handling
|-
!22
|23
|66
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Johnny Parsons]]
|199.985
|[[Penske PC-10|Penske PC-10B]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|80
|Crash T1
|-
!23
|11
|3
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Mario Andretti]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''*
|199.404
|[[Lola Cars|Lola]] [[Lola T700|T700]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|79
|Crash T1
|-
!24
|33
|90
|{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Dennis Firestone]]
|190.888
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|77
|Oil leak
|-
!25
|18
|55
|{{Flagicon|MEX}} [[Josele Garza]]
|195.671
|[[Penske PC-10]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|64
|Oil leak
|-
!26
|1
|33
|{{Flagicon|ITA}} [[Teo Fabi]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|207.395
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|47
|Fuel gasket
|-
!27
|27
|91
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Don Whittington]]
|198.596
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|44
|Ignition
|-
!28
|8
|9
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Roger Mears]]
|200.108
|[[Penske PC-10]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|43
|Crash T1
|-
!29
|31
|43
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Steve Krisiloff]]
|191.192
|[[Lola Cars|Lola]] [[Lola T700|T700]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|42
|U-Joint
|-
!30
|17
|35
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Patrick Bedard]] '''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}'''
|195.941
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|25
|Crash FS
|-
!31
|24
|14
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[A. J. Foyt]] '''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}'''
|199.557
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|24
|Shift linkage
|-
!32
|13
|1
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[George Snider]]
|198.544
|[[March Engineering|March]] [[March 83C|83C]]
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|22
|Ignition
|-
!33
|32
|38
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Chet Fillip]]
|183.145
|[[All American Racers|Eagle]] 83
|[[Cosworth DFV#DFX|Cosworth DFX]]
|11
|Black Flagged
|-
! colspan="11" |References: <ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/races/1983-indianapolis-500|title=1983 Indianapolis 500|date=2017-06-12|work=Motor Sport Magazine|access-date=2017-08-22|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Indianapolis Motor Speedway |url=https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/history/historical-stats/race-stats/race-results/1983 |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com |language=en}}</ref>
|}

'''{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}''' Former Indianapolis 500 winner

'''{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}''' Indianapolis 500 Rookie

All cars utilized [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]] tires.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Mario Andretti was penalized one lap for running over Al Unser Jr's hose during a pit stop.<ref name=":0" /> Parsons and Andretti collided with one another on lap 81; the penalty put Andretti into 23rd place one lap behind Parsons.

<nowiki>**</nowiki> Al Unser Jr. was penalized two laps for passing cars under yellow before the lap 176 restart, taking him from +6 laps (where he ran out of fuel) to +8 laps.

===Race statistics===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{|class="wikitable"
!colspan=2|Lap Leaders
|-
! Laps
! Leader
|-
| 1–23 || [[Teo Fabi]]
|-
| 24 || [[Mike Mosley]]
|-
| 25–26 || [[Rick Mears]]
|-
| 27–35 || [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]]
|-
| 36–46 || [[Tom Sneva]]
|-
| 47–52 || [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]]
|-
| 53–66 || [[Bobby Rahal]]
|-
| 67–73 || [[Tom Sneva]]
|-
| 74 || [[Bobby Rahal]]
|-
| 75–80 || [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]]
|-
| 81–89 || [[Tom Sneva]]
|-
| 90–108 || [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]]
|-
| 109–143 || [[Tom Sneva]]
|-
| 144–146 || [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]]
|-
| 147–173 || [[Tom Sneva]]
|-
| 174–190 || [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]]
|-
| 191–200 || [[Tom Sneva]]
|}
{{col-break}}
{|class="wikitable"
!colspan=2|Total laps led
|-
! Driver
! Laps
|-
| [[Tom Sneva]] || 98
|-
| [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]] || 61
|-
| [[Teo Fabi]] || 23
|-
| [[Bobby Rahal]] || 15
|-
| [[Rick Mears]] || 2
|-
| [[Mike Mosley]] || 1
|}
{{col-break}}
{|class="wikitable"
!colspan=2|Cautions: 5 for 30 laps<ref>{{cite news|title=How They Finished|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-star/15062739/|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|page=7|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 30, 1983|accessdate=April 15, 2024}}{{Open access}}</ref>
|-
! Laps
! Reason
|-
|28–32 || [[Patrick Bedard]] crash turn 4
|-
|45–51 || [[Roger Mears]] crash turn 1
|-
|83–90 || [[Johnny Parsons]], [[Mario Andretti]] crash turn 1
|-
|157–160 || [[Bill Whittington]] tow-in
|-
|171–176 || [[Mike Mosley]] crash turn 4
|}
{{col-end}}

==Broadcasting==

===Radio===
The race was carried live on the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network|IMS Radio Network]]. [[Paul Page]] served as anchor for the seventh year. [[Lou Palmer (motorsport broadcaster)|Lou Palmer]] reported from victory lane. The crew saw little change from 1982, but some of the assignments were shifted. Longtime radio veteran Luke Walton assumed his customary duty during the pre-race ceremonies of introducing the starting command.<ref name="Star05-28-1983pg50">{{cite news|title=TV, radio coverage extensive|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17710386/1983_indy_500_radiotv/|first=Julia|last=Inman|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|page=50|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|date=May 28, 1983|access-date=February 23, 2018}}{{Open access}}</ref> However, he did not serve as a pit reporter during the race itself. Walton would continue on the broadcast, but only in a limited role, through 1988.

Bob Forbes rode in one of the pace cars during the parade lap.

Lou Palmer maintained his traditional location at the far south end of the pits. However, the other pit reporters appeared to have lesser-defined zones for 1983. During the first half of the race, all pit reporters congregated around the leaders' pits, including roving reporter Bob Forbes. During the second half of the race, Jerry Baker moved up to the north pits and Chuck Marlowe covered the center pits. Forbes then moved to the garage area and track hospital, while Palmer stayed in the south end. Sally Larvick returned for her second race, conducting interviews throughout the broadcast.

For 1983, after a brief one-year change, the famous commercial out-cue was restored back to ''"Now stay tuned for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing."'' For the first time, the broadcast signed on at 10:00 a.m. local time, providing one-hour of pre-race coverage.<ref name="Star05-28-1983pg50"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!colspan=3|[[Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network]] 
|-
!Booth Announcers!!Turn Reporters!![[Sideline reporter|Pit/garage reporters]]
|-
|valign="top" rowspan=2|
'''[[Play-by-play|Chief Announcer]]:''' [[Paul Page]]<br />
'''Driver expert:''' [[Rodger Ward]]<br />
'''[[Statistician]]:''' John DeCamp<br />
'''[[Historian]]:''' [[Donald Davidson (historian)|Donald Davidson]]<br />
|valign="top" rowspan=2|
'''Turn 1:''' Ron Carrell<br />
'''Turn 2:''' Doug Zink<br />
'''Backstretch:''' Howdy Bell<br />
'''Turn 3:''' Larry Henry<br />
'''Turn 4:''' [[Bob Jenkins]]<br />
|align="center" valign="top"|Luke Walton (pre-race)<br />Sally Larvick (interviews)<br />Bob Forbes (pits/garages)<br />
|-
|align="center" valign="top"|[[Jerry Baker (announcer)|Jerry Baker]] (north pits)<br />Chuck Marlowe (center pits)<br />[[Lou Palmer (motorsport broadcaster)|Lou Palmer]] (south pits)<br />
|}

===Television===
The race was carried in the United States on [[ESPN on ABC|ABC Sports]] on a [[Tape delay (broadcasting)|same-day tape delay]] basis. [[Jim McKay]] returned as anchor, while [[Jackie Stewart]] reprised the host position in "ABC Race Central." [[Sam Posey]] returned to the booth as driver expert, while [[Jim Lampley]] made his first appearance, covering primarily the garages and medical center. Anne Simon, a sideline reporter at ABC Sports, joined the crew for in-depth features, and is believed to be the first female television reporter at Indy.

For the first time ever, the broadcast featured a [[RaceCam]]. On-board cameras were mounted in the cars of [[Rick Mears]] and [[Al Unser|Al Unser Sr.]], but both failed partway through the race.

The broadcast has re-aired on [[ESPN Classic]] starting in May 2011.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!colspan=2|[[ESPN on ABC|ABC]] [[List of Indianapolis 500 broadcasters|Television]]
|-
!Booth Announcers!![[Sideline reporter|Pit/garage reporters]]
|-
|valign="top"|
'''Host:''' [[Jackie Stewart]]<br />
'''[[Play-by-play|Announcer]]:''' [[Jim McKay]]<br />
'''[[Color commentator|Color]]:''' [[Sam Posey]]<br />
|align="center" valign="top"|[[Chris Economaki]]<br />[[Bill Flemming]]<br />[[Jim Lampley]]<br />Anne Simon (features)<br />
|}

== Gallery ==
{{Commons category}}
<gallery>
File:Indypacecar1983.jpg|1983 Buick Riviera pace car
File:TomSneva.jpg|Race winner [[Tom Sneva]]
</gallery>

==Notes==

===See also===
* [[1982–83 USAC Championship Car season]]

===References===
{{Reflist}}

5. https://www.nytimes.com/1983/05/30/sports/sneva-takes-indianapolis-500-with-al-unser-sr-2d.html

===Works cited===
*''1983 Indianapolis 500 Day-By-Day Trackside Report For the Media''
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120427163136/https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/history/stats/ Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats] - Official Site
*1983 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network]]

{{
Indy 500 Walker|
Previous_race = 1982|
Previous_winner = [[Gordon Johncock]]|
This_race = 1983|
This_winner = [[Tom Sneva]]|
Next_race = 1984|
Next_winner = [[Rick Mears]]|
}}

{{Indy 500}}
{{IndyCar Series on ABC}}

[[Category:Indianapolis 500 races]]
[[Category:1983 in CART|Indianapolis 500]]
[[Category:1983 in sports in Indiana|Indianapolis 500]]
[[Category:1983 in American motorsport|Indianapolis 500]]