The Jigger Award

The Jigger Award was an award presented annually by the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) at the Indianapolis 500. The perpetual trophy is made up of a gold-colored metal whiskey jigger mounted on a base attached to a plaque. Each recipient’s name was listed on the plaque with the year that the award was presented. The trophy was established in 1969, and was (typically) presented to the driver who experienced a “hard luck” incident during qualifying for the Indianapolis 500.

The award was named in honor of former racing driver Leon Duray “Jigger” Sirois. His experience during time trials for the 1969 Indianapolis 500 was the inspiration for the trophy, and his plight became a source of Indy 500 lore. Sirois is the son of longtime “500” mechanic Earl “Frenchy” Sirois, who worked on the Belond “Laydown Offy” that was driven to victory at the Indianapolis 500 by Sam Hanks in 1957 and by Jimmy Bryan in 1958.

The award gained notoriety over the years and made Sirois himself a popular figure in racing circles – despite the fact that never once in his career did he qualify for (and race in) the Indianapolis 500.

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Jigger Sirois

Leon Duray Sirois was born April 16, 1935 in Shelby, Indiana. He was named after former Indy driver Leon Duray from the 1920s–1930s (whose real name was actually George Stewart). He started going by the nickname “Jigger”, a reference to John “Jigger” Johnson, a former Indy 500 chief mechanic and riding mechanic, and a family friend. Johnson was the riding mechanic for the winning cars of Louis Schneider (1931) and Wilbur Shaw (1937). He was also the winning chief mechanic for Shaw in 1939, by which time, riding mechanics had been eliminated. Sirois claimed that the “Jigger” nickname was given to him by his older sister when he was an infant.

Jigger Sirois was an accomplished driver in midget car racing, and was the 1961 UARA midget champion. He won four track championships, a 100-mile race at Milwaukee, and midget race at Daytona Beach, Florida. Sirois made his USAC Championship Car debut in 1967, but failed to qualify for any of the races for which he was entered that season. In 1968, he made four starts, with a best finish of 10th at Michigan. He had been running as high as 2nd in that Michigan race, but dropped out very late in the going with transmission failure. In 1969, he finished 5th in the season opener at Phoenix. He made a total of 10 career starts between 1969 and 1973, and the 5th place at Phoenix would be his best career best in an Indy car.

Sirois was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2013. In his later years, he became an advocate for awareness and treatment of stuttering disorders in youth. At age 3, Sirois had developed a stutter after a tornado scare while living near Shelby, Indiana. After enduring it through his childhood and most of his adult life, he learned to manage his stutter with professional help at the age of 65. Sirois retired from auto racing in 1978, and worked as a pipe fitter and welder.

Despite his competitive and positive accomplishments both on and off the track, Jigger Sirois is still best-remembered for a notorious qualifying gaffe which occurred during time trials for the 1969 Indianapolis 500.

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Time Trials – A (very) brief history

Dating back to the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911, all drivers have been required to qualify for the race based on speed, and several different formats have been utilized to set the starting grid. For 1911, the starting lineup was set based on the order in which entries were received. The pole position was awarded to the first car that was entered. In order to qualify, cars had to average at least 75 mph over a quarter-mile segment measured out on the track. From a flying start, cars (one at a time) had to complete the quarter-mile in 12 seconds or less. No speeds were recorded, as officials only announced a pass/fail for each car. Each entry was permitted up to three attempts.

For 1912, the starting lineup was again set based on the order in which entries were received. However time trials consisted of one timed lap at an average speed of 75 mph or faster. Once again, the cars took to the track and made their attempts one at a time. In 1913 and 1914, the starting lineup was determined by a blind draw held at some point before the race. Some competitors, particularly overseas participants, had complained that it was unfair to set the field by the order in which entries were received. This prevented the slow delivery of mail from being a factor. One-lap elimination trials were still required, at a prescribed minimum speed.

Starting in 1915, the field was lined up based on their qualifying speed. For 1915–1916 and again in 1919, one-lap time trial runs were utilized. (Note that the “500” was not held in 1917–1918 due to World War I). Multiple days were scheduled for time trials, or as they were called at the time, “Elimination Trials”.

Beginning in 1919, the field was lined up based not only by their speed rank, but by the day they qualified. The First Day qualifiers would line up by speed rank, with the fastest qualifier on the First Day winning the pole position. This led to the first day of time trials eventually being referred to as “Pole Day”. Second Day qualifiers would line up by speed rank behind the First Day qualifiers. Third Day qualifiers would line up by speed rank behind the Second Day qualifiers, and so on.

This change in procedure was made in order to encourage participants to qualify early on, rather that wait until the last minute. The track was traditionally made available for practice on (or before) May 1. However, some participants would not arrive at the facility until mid-month, or just before time trials. Some would wait to qualify until the day they saw fit, trying to gauge and anticipate optimal conditions. Some might wait until the last day for strategy, to act as a foil to the other qualifiers. Officials and Speedway management wanted the battle for the pole to be an event in its own rite, and Pole Day soon became a significant part of the month of May.

Due to this style of grouping on the grid, it was possible (and it did occasionally happen) for the pole position winner to not be the overall fastest qualifier in the field. If a driver on the second day, for instance, posted a qualifying speed faster than the pole, he would simply be the fastest driver on the Second Day and would be ineligible for the pole position. As a Second Day qualifier, he would line up behind all of the First Day qualifiers. In most cases, the top drivers/teams, and fastest cars during practice, would all attempt to qualify on Pole Day.

1955 Indianapolis 500

A small controversy erupted during time trials in 1955. Pole Day (Saturday May 14) dawned with gusty winds up to 36 mph. Nearly all of the competitors stayed off the track due to the poor weather conditions. Few practiced, and when qualifying opened at 10 a.m., nobody was in line. The drivers decided amongst themselves to sit out time trials for the day, and await better conditions on Sunday. However, the officials made no formal rulings, and the track nonetheless remained open all afternoon. The way this was expected to unfold was that there would be zero qualifiers on the “First Day”. Thus the fastest qualifier on the “Second Day” would end up winning the pole position. A long, boring afternoon unfolded, with a rabbit running down the frontstretch the only entertainment. Some fans headed for the exits when it appeared that no track activity was going to occur. The fans that did remain sat around watching an empty race track, played cards, or kept themselves otherwise entertained in the lively and sometimes rowdy infield.

With less than thirty minutes left in the day, Jerry Hoyt – who claimed he was unaware of the aforementioned ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ – pushed his car into the qualifying line. His speed of 140.045 mph was not spectacular, but as the only car to complete a qualifying attempt, he was on the pole position. Without hesitation, Tony Bettenhausen scrambled and pushed his car into the qualifying line. Despite wind gusts, he put his car in second position. Sam Hanks and Pat O’Connor also got their cars ready, but neither were able to complete attempts. The 6 o’clock gun went off before anyone else was able to go out, and Pole Day was over with only two cars in the field. Hoyt was the surprise pole winner, to the dismay of several in the paddock.

Most of the drivers who stayed off the track Saturday made qualifying attempts Sunday. Jack McGrath (142.582 mph) was the fastest qualifier on the Second Day. He lined up third (behind Hoyt and Bettenhausen) and wound up being the overall fastest qualifier in the field. When qualifying concluded, Hoyt’s pole speed ranked 8th-fastest overall – not anywhere near of being in danger of being bumped (although it is still the record for the slowest-ranked pole winner).

The events of 1955 exposed some shortcomings and “loopholes” in the qualifying rules. The way things were structured, the pole position went to the fastest driver on the first scheduled day of time trials, even if only one driver had completed an attempt. It did not provide all drivers with an guaranteed opportunity to make an attempt in the pole round.  Since all but two drivers essentially ‘passed up’ on an attempt to qualify on Saturday – of their own volition – there really was not anything the officials could have done in this specific instance. But it did capture the attention of competitors and media.

Qualifying draw

Prior to 1965, the qualifying order was set on a first-come, first-served basis. On the night before pole day, after practice was finished for the afternoon, teams started lining up in the garage area. The queue typically stretched down the pit lane and through Gasoline Alley. The mostly unorganized scramble to roll the cars into line often led to heated exchanges, collisions, and unfair situations. Though some teams lined up their actual race car, sometimes teams simply used a golf cart or tractor to hold their place in line. After years of complaints, for 1965 USAC instituted a blind draw to set the qualifying order. The night before pole day, every car entered (including back-up cars) drew for a spot in the qualifying line. Teams had to adhere to the order, and if they failed to present their car on pit lane (or simply elected not to go out at that time) they forfeited their spot in line. Once the original qualifying draw order had been exhausted, IF there was still time left in the day before the 6 o’clock gun, the track was open for qualifying on a first-come, first-served basis – and importantly, those runs completed before 6 p.m. still counted as part of the pole round.

Not taking part in the Friday night blind draw did not prohibit a driver from ever making a qualifying attempt. They simply could not push their car into the qualifying line until after the original qualifying draw had exhausted. Teams that did not participate in the draw usually did so for a reason. Usually their car was not ready (mechanical problems or repairs), no driver was assigned yet to the car, or they were simply aiming towards a qualifying attempt during the second weekend.

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1969 Indianapolis 500

In 1969, pole qualifying for the 53rd Indianapolis 500 was scheduled for Saturday May 17. The forecast, however, was for showers and thunderstorms. As had been the procedure since 1965, the drivers participated in a blind draw to determine the qualifying order. On Friday evening (May 16), Bob Higman, crew chief for race rookie Jigger Sorois, drew the coveted #1 spot in the qualifying order. If rain were to interrupt Pole Day – and the entire qualifying draw had not yet had an attempt – the rules at the time were ambiguous, some might even say incomplete, unfair, or shortsighted. They did not specifically provide for an extension of the pole round in case of inclement weather. Once the 6 o’clock gun went off, if there were still cars left in the original qualifying line (even if they had not gotten through every car in the draw from Friday night), they were simply out of luck and had to qualify in the next round (next day). This especially hurt drivers who happened to draw a late spot in the order. This was a glaring oversight that had not yet been tested since the qualifying draw was introduced four years earlier.

It was not until 1971 that USAC would firm up the rules regarding pole day qualifying. Starting that year, all drivers/cars in the original qualifying draw order would be allowed the opportunity to make at least one attempt in the pole round regardless if rain delayed the session, halted the session, and/or pushed it into another day(s). An easy way that it was sometimes described is as follows – ‘the pole round ends at 6 o’clock on Pole Day (Saturday) or when the original qualifying draw order had been exhausted, whichever came last’.

As of the eve of time trials (Friday May 16), a total of 55 cars had passed initial technical inspection, and of those, 38 had received their final qualifying sticker (which meant they were permitted to make a qualifying attempt). However, only 33 of the 38 eligible entries took part the blind draw.

On Saturday morning (“Pole Day”), the gates opened to the public at 7 a.m., and an estimated 200,000 fans arrived. The track was scheduled to open for pre-qualifying practice from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., followed by qualifying from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Rain however, kept the track closed until the mid-afternoon. The rain ceased and the track surface was dried. The track opened for practice at 2:53 p.m., and 34 cars went out and took laps. USAC officials planned to provide at least thirty minutes of green light time for pre-qualifying practice. At 3:35 p.m., Art Pollard suffered a spin in turn three, but did not make any contact with the wall, and drove his car back to the pits. It was reported that a glass bottle had been thrown out on the track, causing Pollard to spin to avoid it. The yellow light came on to clean up the debris. Mario Andretti (171.2 mph), turned the fastest lap of the session. At 4:03 p.m., a light rain started to fall again, but it lasted only about five minutes.

At 4:12 p.m., 34-year old Indy rookie Jigger Sirois, driving the #14 Quaker State Oil Special, raised his hand to alert the officials, and took the green flag to start the first qualifying attempt of the day. His speeds were as follows:

• Lap 1: 55.63 seconds — 161.783 mph
• Lap 2: 55.46 seconds — 162.279 mph
• Lap 3: 56.06 seconds — 160.542 mph
• Lap 4: Waved off

On his fourth and final lap, car owner Myron Caves ordered his pit crew to wave off the attempt. They were unsatisfied with the speed, and were concerned that it would not hold up once bumping began. His final lap (unofficially) was clocked at 161.398 mph, which would have given him a four-lap average of 161.486 mph. The public address announcer had reported that Sirois had a ‘frantic slide’ in turn three, which may have influenced the crew’s decision to wave off the run. Arnie Knepper was the next car in line. He pulled away for his qualifying attempt. But on his second warm-up lap, rain started to fall and Knepper was forced to abort the run. Heavy rains ensued, and the track officially closed for the day at 5:31 p.m. with no qualifiers.

The Second Day of time trials (Sunday May 18) was another washout. A much smaller crowd of only 30,000 arrived and saw very little. The track opened for practice at 1:04 p.m., but track activity lasted for only 18 minutes. A downpour coupled with a tornado watch put an end to the day. Chief steward Harlan Fengler officially closed the track at 4:45 p.m., but by that time, most fans had already headed for the exits. Pole qualifying was postponed to the Third Day of time trials – Saturday May 24. It was the first time that the entire first weekend of time trials was washed out without a single car completing a qualifying attempt.

It was quickly noticed by observers and the press that has Jigger Sirois’ crew not waved off the run, he would have been the lone qualifier on Saturday. In fact, the lone qualifier for the whole weekend. Sirois would have won the pole position, and been presented with about $20,000 in prizes. Conversely, the debate raged as to whether Sirois would have also proved to be the first pole winner to be bumped. His average speed of about 161.4 mph was universally thought to have been too slow to ultimately hang on and make the field.

When time trials resumed on Saturday May 24, A.J. Foyt won the pole position. Mario Andretti qualified second, and Bobby Unser third. The field was filled to 25 cars on Saturday. After a brief media buzz over Sirois, the attention for the week shifted to Foyt and Andretti. Andretti had crashed his four-wheel drive Lotus on Wednesday, but rebounded to put his Brawner-Hawk in the middle of the front row. The news of Foyt winning the pole position was even relayed to the astronauts on the Apollo 10 mission. Meanwhile, Jigger Sirois had turned a top practice lap of 161.050 mph on Wednesday, leaving him still near the bottom of the speed charts. Sirois made his second qualifying attempt on Saturday, but the crew waved him off again. This time he was averaging about 162.4 mph after three laps, about the same as his run a week earlier.

Other teams on Saturday – including Mel Kenyon, Carl Williams, Denis Hulme, and Jerry Grant – all waved off runs that were averaging in the 164 mph range. This seemed to support the belief that Sirois’ speed of 161.486 mph was not an acceptable speed to have taken.

Eight spots remained open for Bump Day (Sunday May 25). At this point, Denis Hulme (165.092 mph) was the slowest qualifier thus far, for the moment, still backing up those who believed that Sirois would have been bumped had he finished his run the previous Saturday. When qualifying got underway Sunday, speeds were coming in lower than expected. As time was running out, Sirois had one last chance, his third and final attempt. After taking the green flag, he dropped a valve and was forced to abort the run. Sirois failed to qualify. At the 6 o’clock gun, Peter Revson (160.851 mph) bumped Rick Muther and the field was set. It was at that time people realized that the speed Sirois had going for him the previous Saturday would have ranked 31st overall. He would have held on to make the field, would not have been bumped, and would have sat on the pole position.

Legacy

The race went on without Sirois. Mario Andretti, after suffering burns to his face in the practice crash, took the checkered flag for a popular victory. In the aftermath of the situation, Sirois became an empathetic figure in the racing world. He received numerous well-wishing phone calls and letters from fans, to which (at first, at least) he said he was largely uninterested in the sympathy. As the years went by, the legend of the so-called pole day gaffe by Sorois grew. It eventually became one of the most famous and most talked about moments in the history of Indy 500 time trials. The story, however, became so overtold that on Donald Davidson’s radio program The Talk of Gasoline Alley, it eventually was placed on a list of ‘taboo’ topics, since he and everyone else felt it had been discussed and repeated ad nauseum.

Jigger Sirois returned to the Speedway in subsequent years, but never managed to qualify. He was bumped from the field during the final minutes in 1974. In his final year at the Speedway (1975), Sirois wrecked on opening day, just twenty minutes after the track had opened for month. About a week later the team had repaired the car. The next day, however, Sirois called it quits, and never entered at the “500” again.

Now at age 90, Leon Duray “Jigger” Sirois lives in the Williamsburg, Virginia area.

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The Jigger Award

Sirois took his qualifying failure in 1969 with good grace and did not blame his crew. He won over the press with his sincerity and appreciation for his owner and crew, and for devoting over an hour to the media to answer questions afterwards. On the day before the race, the American Automobile Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) held their annual pre-race awards meeting. Sportswriter Dick Mittman of The Indianapolis News presented the first annual “Jigger Award”. It was to be given yearly “to the person who experiences the most unusual occurrence during the month of May at the Speedway”. Jigger Sirois was naturally the inaugural recipient. It became known as ‘the award nobody wanted to win’.

Over the years, the award focused largely on “hard luck” occurrences during Indy 500 Time Trials. Voting would be conducted by AARWBA members, and the winner would usually be announced during the week leading up to the race. The AARWBA (sometimes pronounced by members as “Ah-ROOH-ba”) commonly hosted a breakfast in which they handed out their awards and scholarships. Bad luck that occurred during the race itself was almost never considered, as the award was normally voted on and handed out prior to race day. Recipients were often drivers who were bumped and/or failed to qualify – especially if a mistake or unforeseen/unusual circumstances intervened. Voting criteria was very loose, and in some years a car owner was actually the one named (because the car owner was the one who actually made the mistake or the bad decision which kept his driver out). On more than one occasion, “blanket” awards for the entire month were handed out, musing over a controversy that hovered over that year’s running of the event. Co-winners were named in two instances. One year, the AARWBA actually gave the award to themselves – for misplacing the trophy. It was not found until a couple months after the race.

The winners’ names were affixed to a perpetual trophy made up of a gold-colored metal whiskey jigger mounted on a base attached to a plaque. The trophy was usually stored at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. The winners themselves were presented with a ‘Keeper’s Plaque’. In some years, an amusing message or phrase was written on the Keeper’s Plaque to describe what had unfolded. Like the Last Row Party, the Jigger Award represented a humorous and a somewhat irreverent side to covering the Indy 500, but was never meant to be disrespectful or degrading. It was one of several awards the AARWBA handed out, which included the prestigious Angelo Angelopolous Award, the All-America Racing Team and Jerry Titus Memorial Trophy, scholarships, and various other special awards.

Two drivers – Salt Walther and Johnny Rutherford – won two Jigger Awards. Another driver, Emerson Fittipaldi (though technically he was only named once) was also directly involved in two instances. A.J. Foyt (as an owner) was tied to six Jigger Awards, and Roger Penske to two. Jigger Sirois himself usually attended the AARWBA breakfast and was normally there to present the Keepers Plaque. His final year attending was 2018, after which time the award was quietly retired.

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1969 — Jigger Sirois

Lap 1 – 161.783 mph
Lap 2 – 162.279 mph
Lap 3 – 160.542 mph
Lap 4 – Waved off by crew and ultimately failed to qualify.

The inaugural award was inspired by and went to its namesake recipient, Leon Duray “Jigger” Sirois.

1970 — Tony Adamowicz

“[He] had three good laps and was on his way to a solid qualifying run when a yellow light flashed back on momentarily by mistake.”

Rookie driver Tony Adamowicz went out for his first qualifying attempt on Pole Day (Saturday May 16). After taking the green flag to start the run, the yellow light reportedly flashed on by error, possibly because the officials missed his hand signal to start the run. Adamowicz got off the throttle, but picked it back up in turn two when the green light came back on. His first lap was a slow 160.829 mph, but his subsequent laps jumped into the 165–166 mph range. Adamowicz and his crew decided to stick with the run, and his four-lap average came in at 164.820 mph.

On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 23), Adamowicz was bumped from the field. Without the slow first lap, Adamowicz likely would have qualified for the race. Adamowicz made one other appearance at Indy in 1971, but again failed to qualify.

1971 — John Mahler

“He qualified the car and was bumped by car owner Dick Simon because of sponsor commitments.”

Dick Simon entered two cars, one for himself and one for rookie John Mahler. Simon put his #10 Travel Lodge Special in the field with a speed of 168.903 mph on Pole Day (Saturday May 15). On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 22), Mahler put his #44 car in the field with an impressive 170.164 mph. He established himself as the fastest rookie qualifier, and faster than his boss Dick Simon. Speeds climbed, the bumping started early, and Simon found himself slipping uncomfortably close to the bubble spot.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 23), strong winds kept speeds in check. With about two hours left in the day, Bob Harkey bumped out Simon. In the final hour, Simon got into another car, the #33 Walmotor machine. He waved off after a lap of only 166.7 mph. When the 6 o’clock gun went off, Simon was left waiting in the qualifying line. Almost immediately, it was being reported that Mahler would start the race, but would hand the car over to Simon on the first pit stop.

One day later, reportedly due to sponsorship commitments with Travel Lodge, Simon announced that he would replace Mahler in the #44 car. As a result, the car was moved to the back of the starting grid. The decision was met with some controversy, but was not specifically prohibited by the rules.

1972 — Art Pollard

During the first weekend of time trials, Art Pollard qualified for the third row driving the #40 STP Lola. During a practice run on May 16, a hub broke, crashing his car into the outside wall in turn three. Pollard suffered a broken leg, and was forced to sit out the race. Wally Dallenbach, who was bumped from the field (and was the First Alternate) in the #10 Gilmore Special, was hired to fill the vacant seat on race day.

It would have been Pollard’s sixth Indy 500 start. A year later Pollard was fatally injured in a practice crash on the morning of pole day (May 12, 1973).

1973 — Johnny Parsons

Rookie Johnny Parsons, son of the 1950 winner Johnnie Parsons, had more than his fair share of frustration during the month. Driving the #94 car for Bill Finley, he lost an engine trying to complete his rookie test on April 30. A few days later, a broken scavenge pump sprayed oil all over the engine. During the second week of practice, while the team was trying to dial in the chassis settings, inclement weather robbed him (and everyone else for that matter) of valuable track time. Ostensibly not yet ready to put the car in the field, Parsons and the team did not make a qualifying attempt during the first weekend of time trials. The team elected to change out engines and possibly qualify on the second weekend.

On Thursday May 18, the team suffered another setback, when Parson’s fresh engine lost oil pressure and blew. After a very late late night ‘burning the midnight oil’ Friday, Parsons was back out for practice on Saturday morning. They experienced more of the same, with persistent oil pressure issues. Stormy weather kept the cars off of the track most of the day on Saturday – the Third Day of time trials – and time was running out. The team was forced to piece together a working engine out of a collection of old parts, and worked well into the night

On Bump Day (Sunday May 20), during a practice run on Sunday afternoon, Parsons turned a hot lap of 184 mph, but moments later, the engine threw a rod. The “Finley Fleagle” as it was called, was done once and for all with a hole in the side of the crankcase. Parsons jumped over to the #58 Midwest Dura-Pot car, but in his first shakedown laps with the machine, car, the looped the car in turn four. In the final hour, A.J. Foyt put Parsons in his #82 car. Foyt’s #14 car (qualified on the first weekend) was slipping dangerously close to the bubble spot, and he and George Snider were scheming to make sure at least one (or as many as three) Foyt cars would be in the lineup. Both the #82 and the #84 were pushed into the qualifying line. In the final few minutes, it became clear that Foyt’s #14 (sitting 32nd-fastest) was going to be safe. At that instant, Foyt pulled Parsons out of the #82 and George Snider climbed in. At 5:59 p.m., Snider was dispatched from the pits and bumped Sam Posey as time expired. Parsons was left on the sidelines.

1974 — Al Loquasto

During the hectic, abbreviated, and rain-shortened (and ultimately controversial) Time Trials of 1974, Al Loquasto missed his opportunity to qualify for the race. For 1974, the schedule for time trials was reduced to only two days (Saturday May 11 and Saturday May 18), and rain threw a wrench into the whole schedule.

Loquasto’s spot in the qualifying order finally came at 11:51 a.m. on May 18. After having turned practice laps over 181 mph, Loquasto pulled away for his three allotted warm up laps. However, chief mechanic Clint Brawner lost count of his warm up laps, and neglected to wave the green flag to signal a to start Loquasto’s qualifying attempt. Loquasto was forced to abort the run. He returned to the pits and got back in the qualifying line. The 6 o’clock gun went off before he ever made it to the front of the line, and he never got a second chance to make an attempt. He was not alone, as several other cars were left waiting in line – some that controversially never even got a first attempt.

1975 — AARWBA

“For losing the trophy, later recovered by Jack Martin and John Fugate behind a door in the museum.”

In 1975, the AARWBA celebrated their 20th anniversary and their annual breakfast was scheduled for Saturday May 24th at the Speedway Motel. AARWBA decided to give the Jigger Award to themselves in 1975, after inexplicably misplacing the trophy. Some time later, it was found stashed behind a door at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Rick Muther, the last driver bumped out, and who wound up the First Alternate, was presented instead with the Dale Mueller Award at the annual AARWBA breakfast.

1976 — Salt Walther

On Pole Day, Salt Walther surprisingly pulled in and waved off his first qualifying attempt (after laps of 182.113 mph, 183.524 mph, and 180.216 mph). His speed would have easily qualified him for the field, quite possibly in the top ten. Walther eventually made the field on the second weekend of time trials. Instead of starting somewhere around row 3, he wound up starting on the inside of row 8.

Incidentally, his final qualifying speed of 182.797 mph was about the same as he had going during his first attempt.

1977 — Vern Schuppan

“Out of fuel! Schuppan graciously accepted and said, I owe this to my crew.”

On Pole Day (Saturday May 14), Vern Schuppan made his first qualifying attempt at 2:47 p.m. He waved off after two laps in the 185–186 mph range. The next day (Sunday May 15), Schuppan went out for his second attempt, this time much quicker. He was the last car to make it out (5:58 p.m.) on the Second Day of time trials. His laps were as follows:

Lap 1 – 190.436 mph
Lap 2 – 191.612 mph
Lap 3 – 189.633 mph
Lap 4 – Out of fuel

His speed would have comfortably put him in the field (likely either the second or third fastest of the day on Sunday), and he would have started in either row 6 or 7. Instead, his car ran out of fuel in turn three on the fourth and final lap. Schuppan had now used up two of his allotted three attempts.

On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 21), Schuppan went out for his third attempt, but pulled in before the green flag (an attempt was not charged). At 4:53 p.m., he was out yet again – his fourth time in the qualifying line. He finally completed a qualifying attempt, this time much slower (184.578 mph) than before. On Bump Day (Sunday May 22), Schuppan slipped down to the bubble spot, and was bumped from the field with just over one hour left in the day.

1978 — Larry Cannon (co-winner)

1st attempt – Oil tank exploded
2nd attempt – 190.476 mph an lap 1, then on the second lap, Boom Boom…hit the wall!

Larry “Boom Boom” Cannon, a veteran of two previous Indy starts, was the first car entered and first car to pass inspection for the month. On Opening Day, however, (despite trying) he narrowly missed out on earning “first driver on the track” honors. The first weekend of time trials was rained out, pushing all qualifying to the second weekend.

Cannon drew an early spot in the qualifying order. On his first attempt, he took the green flag but immediately aborted the run. He pulled to the apron and stalled with a blown oil tank. The next day, on his second attempt, he turned a lap of over 190 mph, but spun and brushed the wall. The car had only minor damage, and he drove it back to the pits. Cannon made his third and final attempt with about 28 minutes left in the day, but he was too slow to bump his way in.

1978 — Roger Rager (co-winner)

1st attempt – 188+ mph, yellow
2nd attempt – During the warm-up lap, hit the wall!

Rookie Roger Rager suffered a spin in practice on May 9. The car avoided contact with the wall, and he was later able to complete his rookie test.

On Sunday May 22, Rager made his first qualifying attempt at 2:17 p.m.. After three laps in the 187 mph range, he was waved off by his crew. His speed was marginally close to being able to make the field. About an hour and a half later, Rager went out for his second attempt. On his second warm up lap, he crashed in turns three and four. He suffered a broken wrist and a fractured finger. The car suffered moderate damage. He rode the car through the apron, around turn four, and finally came to rest at the entrance to the pits.

For the first time, the AARWBA decided to award co-winners for the Jigger Award.

1979 — United States Auto Club (USAC)

“For the month of May, may it rest in peace.”

Three controversies on and off the track dominated the headlines during the month of May 1979. Going into the 1979 season, several car owners broke off from USAC and formed Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) to sanction the sport of Indy Car Racing. It was the beginning of the first open-wheel “Split”. USAC rejected the entries of six CART-based teams, some of the top teams and drivers in the sport. After a court injunction, the “rejected six” teams were allowed to participate, but damage was already being done to the sport.

In September 1978, then again in January 1979, USAC drafted new turbocharger boosts rules, attempting to iron out an equivalency formula between the newer V-8 quadcam engines (e.g. Cosworth DFX) and venerable Offenhauser. The result was a mix-mosh of regulations, which left many competitors unsatisfied. USAC then tweaked the rules yet again just before the month of May started, which drew the ire of some.

During qualifying, another controversy erupted regarding the turbocharger wastegate manifolds. The specifications called for wastegate pipes to be a minimum of 1.470 inches in diameter. Some teams discovered what they considered a “loophole” in the rules. They used a larger diameter pipe, and welded a washer inside with an opening of exactly 1.470 inches in diameter. During the second weekend of time trials, three cars were disqualified for illegal wastegate exhaust pipes. But a closer examination of the rules exposed a potential “gray area” in the rulebook. USAC released a memo banning the practice, but was accused of changing the rules in the middle of qualifying. Eventually a fifth day of qualifying was held, and two additional cars were added to the grid, for a field of 35 cars.

1980 — Janet Guthrie

“Waved off by car owner”

Janet Guthrie became the first female driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1977. She made three starts, with a best finish of 9th in 1978. She arrived at Indy in 1980 seeking her fourth start, entered this time with the Lindsey Hopkins team, and carrying Texaco Star sponsorship. By the end of the first week of practice, Guthrie had a top lap of 184.665 mph. On Pole Day (Saturday May 10), Guthrie made her first qualifying attempt. After three laps in the 184 mph range, she was waved off by the crew.

Lap 1 – 184.089 mph
Lap 2 – 184.691 mph
Lap 3 – 184.124 mph
Lap 4 – Wave off

Later in the day, she was out for a practice run when she lost a wheel. The car was undamaged. When the first weekend of time trials ended, Guthrie was not yet qualified. Teammate Johnny Parsons voiced his displeasure, stating Guthrie was “not a competitive race driver” and that the team’s best car – a ground effects car – was assigned to “an inferior driver”. He claimed that he himself could have put the car in question ‘on the front row‘. Parsons had managed to put his car, a non-ground effects, four-cylinder Offenhauser, in the field with a speed of 187.412 mph. Guthrie countered, saying that Parsons did not go any faster in the car than she did.

Rain washed out qualifying on the Third Day (Saturday May 17). On the morning of Bump Day (Sunday May 18), Parsons was sent out to run some practice laps in Guthrie’s car, but blew the engine. The team scrambled to install a new motor, and got the car pushed into the qualifying line. But at 4:20 p.m., rain shut the track down for the day, and qualifying came to a close. Guthrie’s car was left waiting in line, and she failed to qualify. Her speed from the first weekend would have been plenty fast to make the field.

1981 — Bob Frey

“Sitting at the line when the rains came. Puked engine. Too slow. At line, stalled three times at the 6 o’clock gun”

Rookie driver Bob Frey was entered with a nine-year-old Eagle chassis. He suffered engine trouble on May 3, but was able to pass his rookie test on May 15. On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 16), Frey made his first qualifying attempt at 5:40 p.m., but waved off after one slow lap of only 169.811 mph.

Frey’s crew was able to get him back in the qualifying line, and he got to the front with just seconds left. The car stalled two or three times and the 6 o’clock gun fired before he was able to pull away.

 

1982 — Geoff Brabham

“Over 200 mph with ease. A warm up too long. A rules change forgotten, put him back in the pack.”

Second-year driver Geoff Brabham had turned a fast lap of 199.2 mph during practice on Wednesday, then topped it with a lap of 201.027 mph on the morning of Pole Day. Brabham had drawn a fairly favorable spot in the qualifying order, and went out for his first attempt at 11:47 a.m. However, after two warm up laps, the officials turned on the yellow light, and Brabham was sent back to the pits.

Confusion arose as to what had unfolded. A crew member claimed that USAC neglected to give chief mechanic George Bignotti a ride in the golf cart up to the north end of the pits – so he could standby and hold up the green flag to signify the start of the run. However, USAC countered, proving that they indeed had driven Bigotti up to the crew station.

What really happened was that the crew was unaware (or had forgotten) that the rules for qualifying were changed for 1982. Cars were now given only two warm-up laps instead of the previous three. When by Brabham came around the second time, no flag was held up, so officials waved off the run.

Since Brabham had not actually started his run, an official attempt was not charged. Late in the afternoon, Brabham got back out for another try. He burned a piston on the first lap, and had to abort the run. After an overnight engine change, he eventually qualified for the 21st position, a disappointing result after such high hopes.

1983 —  Johnny Rutherford

 “Who wound up in the hospital with his cars in a junkyard and a rookie on the pole!”

Three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford missed the race for the first time since 1966. On May 8, Rutherford crashed in turn one, suffering a bruised left foot and a puncture wound. Even as the first weekend of time trials was rained out, Rutherford nevertheless struggled getting speed out of his car. On May 18, Rutherford suffered a second crash, this time more serious. He ended up with a fractured left foot and fractured left ankle. Rutherford was sidelined until the Pocono 500 in August.

1984 — Bill Alsup

“Finally he got something for being next in line.”

Rain was in the forecast for Bump Day, so teams were scrambling to put their cars in the field on the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 19). Bill Alsup was the first car out for the day, but waved off after two laps in the 198.8 mph range.

In the final hour, the attention was focused on Johnny Rutherford, who dramatically bumped his way into the field in the final ten minutes. Bill Alsup was left waiting in the qualifying line when the 6 o’clock gun went off.

As predicted, rain washed out qualifying on Sunday, and Alsup was out of luck.

1985 — Chet Fillip

“First he crashed, then was mashed by a bumper. Out of cars, Circle Bars was a dumper.”

On Pole Day (Saturday May 11), Chet Fillip – driving the #38 Circle Bar Truck Corral Lola-Cosworth, waved off after two laps in the low-199 mph range. The following day (Sunday May 12), Fillip put his car in the field at 203.661 mph. His third lap (204.518 mph) was his fastest single lap of the month.

During the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 18), Fillip began slipping down uncomfortably close to the bubble spot. His crew wheeled out his backup car (#38T) and he began taking practice laps. At 2:40 p.m., Fillip crashed heavily in turn two. He was not seriously injured. Later in the afternoon, Fillip’s primary car was bumped. With his backup car wrecked, and without another car, Fillip was finished for the month.

1986 — Mike Nish

“211 mph, then the wall. The Nish wish went swish!”

Rookie Mike Nish was initially entered for A.J. Foyt Enterprises, fielding the stock block Chevy V-6. Nish put in an impressive practice lap of over 210 mph, prompting Foyt to put him in the qualifying line on the Second Day of time trials (Sunday May 11). After Foyt himself put his own car safely in the field, Nish was sent out for his first attempt.

After a so-so first lap of 208.290 mph, Nish turned up the boost and his second lap came in at impressive 211.094 mph. The next time around, however, Nish brushed the wall in turn one, and aborted the run. The car suffered minor suspension damage, but Nish was able to drive it back to the pits. It was the second year in a row Nish had crashed one of Foyt’s cars. Two days later, Foyt and Nish “parted ways“.

Nish switched over to the Machinists Union team of Andy Kenopensky. During practice on Bump Day (Sunday May 18), Nish clipped wheels with Rick Miaskiewcz, and the two cars spun out in turn two. Neither car was damaged, but Nish apparently was finished with that car – a year-old machine that had not cracked 204 mph. Moments later, Nish was in the qualifying line, but surprisingly back in a Foyt back-up car. Foyt had just gotten George Snider successfully into the field, and was prepping a third car. After being turned down by Steve Chassey, Foyt offered the car to Nish. They put the car in line but rain started falling while it was still going through technical inspection. The remainder of the day was washed out.

Nish’s subsequent stint with Machinists Union was brief, and he never returned to race at Indy again.

1987 — Phil Krueger

“Mechanic and driver – and a May to forget!”

Phil Krueger started out the month as the chief mechanic for Dennis Firestone at the Raynor Motorsports team. After setting a fast lap of 212.929 mph on Tuesday May 5, Firestone wrecked his car with two minutes remaining in the day, suffering a broken foot. With Firestone on the sidelines, Krueger took over the team’s backup car, a year-old ’86 Lola, while the team attempted to secure a new primary car.

On Friday May 8, Krueger tagged the wall in the southchute, spinning out, and damaging the rear suspension. He drove the car back to the pits, and was uninjured. The team sat out the first weekend of Time Trials.

Dennis Firestone was cleared to drive on Wednesday May 13, nursing two small broken bones in his left foot. The team rolled out a new ’87 Lola, but on Friday May 15, Firestone crashed again, this time more seriously. He backed the car into the wall in turn four, suffering a concussion and a fractured neck. Firestone was sidelined for the month, and he would never race again.

Krueger got back into the backup car, and on Bump Day (Sunday May 17), the team put the car in the qualifying line. His first lap came in at 203.920 mph (which would have been fast enough to make the field), but on lap two, he crashed in turn one. He suffered minor injuries, and failed to qualify for the race.

1988 — Pancho Carter

“A lap at 209 mph had Pancho feeling fine. But then two crashes…and left on the line.”

Indy veteran Pancho Carter ran a lap of 213.878 mph, the fastest of the non-qualified cars during the second week of practice. On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 21), Carter went out for his second attempt at 11:18 a.m. After a first lap of over 209, his speed dropped to 206, then went back up to 208. On his final lap, he brushed the wall in turn four, and crashed down the mainstretch. Later in the day, Carter crashed again, this time in a backup car. He hit the wall in turn two, and came to rest along the inside wall of the backstretch. He was not injured in either accident, but it was a major setback for the team.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 22), Carter’s team purchased a backup car from Hemelgarn Racing. With limited time to get the car prepared, Carter struggled to get the car up to speed. He managed a practice lap of 205 mph (not quite fast enough to bump his way in). Carter’s team put the car in the qualifying line, but time ran out. When the 6 o’clock gun went off, Rich Vogler bumped out Gordon Johncock, and Carter was left waiting in line.

1989 — Johnny Rutherford

“The 25th race was not to be. A bump, and blue smoke for all to see.”

Three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford put a car in the field on Bump Day (Sunday May 21), driving for Team Menard. As the day wore on, however, he slipped down to the bubble spot. Rutherford was bumped from the field by Rich Volger with about 15 minutes left in the day. In a last-minute effort, Rutherford climbed in an A.J. Foyt back-up car. It was the second time Foyt had helped out Rutherford when he was in need. In 1984, Rutherford successfully put a Foyt back-up car in the field in a last-minute effort.

With less than two minutes remaining in the day, Rutherford pulled away for a qualifying attempt. After a fast warm-up lap of 217 mph, Rutherford took the green flag to start the run – but blew his engine going into turn one. Rutherford failed to qualify for what would have been his 25th Indy 500 start. In subsequent years, Rutherford never made the field again, and never achieved his milestone 25th start.

It was Lone Star J.R.’s second career Jigger Award (1983, 1989).

1990 — Salt Walther

“Longest wait to return – shortest wait to be bumped!”

Salt Walther had not qualified at Indianapolis since 1979, and had not started an Indy car race since 1981 at Michigan. Walther was attempting to make a return in 1990. On Bump Day (Sunday May 20), Walther bumped Jeff Andretti from the field with less than 15 minutes left in the day. Himself now on the bubble, and time running out, Walther survived an attempt by Johnny Rutherford. With four minutes left until the 6 o’clock gun, Rocky Moran made it out for his third and final attempt. Moran bumped out Walther as time expired, and Walther failed to qualify.

It was Salt’s second career Jigger Award (1976, 1990).

 

1991 — Roger Penske

“Won the pole position with Rick Mears. Lost second in lineup by waving off Emerson Fittipaldi.”

Pole Day (Saturday May 11) dawned warm and humid, with a chance of late-afternoon thunderstorms. Emerson Fittipaldi of Penske Racing, set the fastest practice lap of the month on Friday (226.705 mph), then followed it up with with a fast lap on Saturday morning (226.615 mph). During the first two hours of qualifying, several teams waved off their runs or simply pulled out of line, deciding to wait for better conditions. A.J. Foyt was the first car out to qualify at 11 a.m., and his speed of 222.443 mph would be fast enough for the front row. Fittipaldi’s teammate Rick Mears went out at 12:54 p.m., and took over the pole position with a four-lap average of 224.113 mph. Meanwhile, Fittipaldi’s car was pulled out of line.

Over two hours went by with very little track activity. Teams appeared to be waiting until the final hour and cooler temperatures. At 3:30 p.m., things started revving up, but rain was also moving into the vicinity. With Mears tentatively sitting on the pole, Penske sent Fittipaldi out for his first qualifying attempt at 3:52 p.m. After three laps in the 222–223 mph range, the run was waved off. Unbeknownst to Roger Penske and the crew, rain was fast approaching from the east (a somewhat unusual weather pattern for the Speedway). Within minutes, rain was falling on turn three and the backstretch, and soon consumed the entire track. The track was closed for the day, and pole qualifying was over.

Roger Penske stated that he was unsatisfied with Fittipaldi’s 223 mph average, and wanted to give him another fair shot at knocking Mears off of the pole. He also seemed to have no idea that rain was at his back. Weather at the Speedway almost always arrives from the west, and is usually in full view of crews on pit lane (hence the old adage of the “window over Terra Haute”). Weather seldom arrives from the east, and with grandstands blocking their view, they neglected to check the conditions of the skies behind them. Fittipaldi – along with several other quick cars, were forced to come back on Sunday and qualify on the Second Day. Had Fittipaldi simply been allowed to finish the run, he would most likely have ranked second, and Team Penske would have lined up 1st–2nd. Roger Penske himself was presented with the Jigger Award, the first time a car owner was given the honor.

1992 — Mike Groff

“Qualified for Row 10, but got the business!”

Walker Motorsports entered multiple cars for the 1992 race, a Lola T92/00 and a Lola T91/00, both powered by the Ilmor-Chevrolet “A” engine. Scott Goodyear was the full time, primary driver, and Mike Groff was eventually hired to drive an Indy-only second entry. A third car, another Lola T91/00-Chevy A (#17) for veteran Johnny Rutherford was announced, but the sponsorship deal fell through at the last minute. The #17 was parked until new sponsorship money could be found.

Goodyear was initially assigned to the 1992 chassis (#15), and Groff was assigned to the 1991 (#15T). During the first week of practice, Goodyear’s primary car was suffering from an oil starvation issue, which caused multiple blown engines. While the crew was trying to diagnose the problem, the team rolled out and started prepping their spare car (the ’91 Lola).

The first weekend of time trials arrived. Morning rain threw a wrench into the schedule for Pole Day, and qualifying would not start until 4 p.m. A damp track, made worse by persistent weepers, severely cut available track time, and made for a hectic round of pole qualifying. During pre-qualifying practice on Pole Day (Saturday May 9), Goodyear – himself suffering from some sort of 24-hour virus – blew another engine in the ’92 Lola. With no time to change engines, the crew rolled out their spare car (the ’91 Lola) and put it in the qualifying line. While the crew was trying to diagnose the problem in the ’92 Lola, they decided to have Scott Goodyear make a qualifying attempt in the ’91 Lola. It was a strategic, and mostly safe move, because if weather were to interfere on the second weekend of time trials, at least the team would have one car in the field. Goodyear put #15T in the field with a four-lap average of 219.054 mph.

During the second week of practice, the team finally solved the oil pressure issue in the ’92 Lola. A faulty oil scavenging tube was to blame. Once the repairs were made, the car was back on the track with Groff behind the wheel. Goodyear himself also took laps to help set-up the chassis. Meanwhile, the team started preparing the third car for Johnny Rutherford after new sponsorship was secured.

On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 16), Mike Groff qualified car #15 with a four-lap average of 221.801 mph. Car owner Derrick Walker announced that the team’s plans were to swap cars for the drivers come race day. Goodyear would drive the ’92 Lola, and Groff would drive the ’91 Lola. As a result, both cars would be required to move to the rear of the starting grid on race day.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 17), the ’91 Lola, which had been qualified by Goodyear on the first weekend, slipped down to the bubble spot. In the final hour, the car survived four attempts, but was finally bumped by Ted Prappas at 5:54 p.m. Johnny Rutherford got out for a last-ditch attempt at 5:59 p.m., but was too slow. At the conclusion of qualifying, Walker Motorsports had only one car in the starting lineup. The #15T wound up 34th-fastest, and was designated the First Alternate.

On Sunday evening, Walker announced that Goodyear and Groff would swap cars. Goodyear would take over the #15 (’92 Lola), and Groff would take over the #15T (’91 Lola). The #15 was moved to the rear of the starting grid on race day. Groff was demoted to the First Alternate, and was presented with the Jigger Award for his effort. On race day, Goodyear started last, and finished second to Al Unser Jr. in the closest finish in Indy 500 history, 0.043 seconds.

1993 —  Robby Gordon

“Accomplished in one day, what the media couldn’t do in ten years.”

Race rookie Robby Gordon was driving the #41 car for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. Foyt, who had hinted at retirement as far back as 1985, and more seriously in 1991, retracted any of those ideas, and drove in the race in 1992. It was his record 35th consecutive “500”. In 1993, Foyt was back, again entered for what would be his 36th consecutive Indy 500.

Foyt took his first shakedown laps on Tuesday May 11, and by the end of the week, he had turned in a lap of 217.976 mph in the #14 car. On the morning of Pole Day (Saturday May 15), Robby Gordon took to the track for the pre-qualifying practice session in the #41. At 8:11 a.m., Gordon spun coming out of turn one, hitting the outside wall in the southchute, then hitting the wall again in turn two. Gordon was not seriously injured. Minutes after the crash, Foyt made the abrupt decision to retire from driving, and focus entirely on car owner duties.

Foyt took a ceremonial lap for the fans, and announced his retirement on the public address system with announcer Tom Carnegie.

1994 — Mark Smith

“Bumpity, bumpity, bump! No Smith in the race again!”

After failing to qualify for the race in 1993, rookie Mark Smith failed yet again, adding to the lore of the Curse of the Smiths at Indianapolis. In 1993, Smith was driving for Arciero Racing. Twice he was bumped from the field. On Bump Day (Sunday May 23, 1993), Didier Theys bumped him out with less than six minutes remaining. Smith was not voted for the Jigger Award that year, seemingly as other more compelling stories headlined time trials (e.g., the retirement of A.J. Foyt, and former winner Bobby Rahal also being bumped).

For 1994, Mark Smith (and the Craftsman Tools sponsorship) moved over to Walker Racing. He drove a ’94 Lola/Ford-Cosworth XB. Smith suffered a crash at Phoenix and sat out that race. He took part in Rookie Orientation at Indy in late-April and passed his refresher test without incident.

During the first week of practice, Smith was slowly getting his primary car up to speed. He had a top lap of 219.320 mph, which was not quite fast enough to make a qualifying attempt. The team suffered a setback on Friday May 13 when Smith went high and brushed the wall in turn three. He was able to drive the car back to the pits, but the car suffered damage. He switched to his backup car, a ’93 Lola-Ford Cosworth XB for a couple days (some reports state his backup car was a ’94 Lola). After a top practice lap of only 211.238 mph, the team elected to not make a qualifying attempt during the first weekend of time trials.

The team repaired the primary car, and during the second week of practice, he topped 222.327 mph. On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 21), Smith completed a qualifying attempt at 220.683 mph. With less than 20 minutes left in the day, Smith filled the field to 33 cars. However, he was the slowest car in the field and found himself already on the bubble. In quick succession, Rahal-Hogan Racing teammates Bobby Rahal and Mike Groff withdrew their already-qualified Honda-powered machines, and re-qualified with cars loaned from Team Penske. Davy Jones also completed a run. Mark Smith was bumped at about 5:54 p.m.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 22), Mark Smith switched to his backup car #15T. At 5:45 p.m., he took to the track for another qualifying attempt. After taking the green flag, he drifted high in turn one and scraped the outside wall. He then did a half spin and crashed in the south shortchute on his first lap, and failed to make the race for the second year in a row. It would be Smith’s final appearance at Indy, and at season’s end, Smith was out of the CART Indy Car Series.

1995 —  Emerson Fittipaldi

Lap 1 – 224.955 mph
Lap 2 – 225.445 mph
Lap 3 – 226.097 mph
Lap 4 – Penske yellow

One of the biggest stories of the 1995 Indianapolis 500 was Team Penske failing to qualify. Two-time and defending race winner (and defending CART series champion) Al Unser Jr., and his teammate, two-time Indy 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi did not make the starting lineup. It was a stunning turn of events, the team’s difficulties and failures were many and at times inexplicable.

Unser and Fittipaldi were off the pace all week during the week of practice. At the end of the first weekend of time trials, neither had made a qualifying attempt. During the second week of practice, they parked their Penske PC-24 chassis, and borrowed Lola chassis from Rahal-Hogan Racing. It was essentially a return favor, as Penske had loaned cars to Rahal in 1994 when they were similarly struggling. On Friday May 19, Fittipaldi turned a practice lap of 227.814 mph, and things seemed to be heading in the right direction.

On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 20), Al Unser Jr. went out for his first qualifying attempt. After practicing minutes earlier at 227 mph, he managed only two laps in the 224 mph range, and the run was waved off. Fittipaldi’s first attempt was mixed as well, but each lap was increasing. His third lap came in at 227.097 mph, but Roger Penske nevertheless decided to wave it off. The move angered Fittipaldi, and surprised other observers. Ultimately, the speed likely would have held up and been fast enough to make the lineup.

With time running out, Unser and Fittipaldi were in desperation mode come Bump Day (Sunday May 21). Fittipaldi was sent out for a second attempt, this time it was run to completion. At a four-lap average of 224.907 mph, it was slower than Saturday’s attempt. Fittipaldi slipped down to the bubble spot with about thirty minutes remaining in the day. He was bumped out with less than 12 minutes to go. When the 6 o’clock gun fired, both Penske drivers had shockingly failed to qualify.

Car owner Roger Penske’s decision to wave off Emerson Fittipaldi’s Saturday run was, in hindsight, the clincher for the Jigger Award. It was the second time (after 1991), that Penske & Fittipaldi were Jigger Award honorees. Due to the open wheel “Split” in 1996, Penske Racing did not participate in the 1996 Indianapolis 500, and he team would not return until 2001. It was also Fittipaldi’s final appearance at the Speedway. He suffered a neck fracture and other serious injuries in a crash at Michigan in July 1996, and ultimately retired from racing.

1996 —  Two 500-mile races

“Indianapolis 500 and U.S. 500 on May 26th. Phooey!”

The CART/IRL open-wheel “Split” was – unfortunately – the story of the month in 1996. Nearly all of the CART-based teams boycotted the 1996 Indianapolis 500, protesting the formation of the Indy Racing League (IRL) and a perceived lockout. The debate centered, among other issues, around the “25/8 Rule”, which reserved 25 of the 33 spots in the starting lineup to the top 25 drivers in IRL points standings. The 25 “locked-in” entries left only eight spots in the lineup open to non-IRL-based entries (so-called “at-large” entries). This was the case even if “at-large” entries qualified faster than the “locked-in” entries.

The CART-based teams instead scheduled a competing race the same day (Sunday May 26, 1996), the U.S. 500 at Michigan International Speedway. It was the beginning of the CART/IRL “Split”, a twelve-year organizational dispute which lasted until 2008. It prompted a barrage of criticism and negative media coverage, fractured the sport, and embittered a significant portion of the fanbase.

1997 —  IRL 25/8 rule

“Backfired in 1997. Cancelled for 1998.”

The second year of the open wheel “Split” had seen little in the way of reconciliation between the IRL and CART. The IRL introduced a new chassis and normally-aspirated engine package in January 1997. Once again, no CART-based teams entered at the Indy 500, and the two sides seemed even further apart than the year before. Aside from the ongoing split, the “25/8 Rule” itself caused a qualifying controversy that led to bumped cars being re-instated to the field.

When qualifying closed on Bump Day, the cars of Lyn St. James and Johnny Unser (both of Hemelgarn Racing) had been bumped. Both cars were considered “at-large” entries, not among the top 25 in IRL points. However, both had posted qualifying speeds among the “fastest 33” cars.

As qualifying was approaching its conclusion, it started to become clear that due to the 25/8 Rule, the starting field would most likely not be comprised on the fastest 33 cars. It was long considered a tradition that the field for the Indy 500 was made up of the “fastest 33 cars”. In 1996, despite the implementation of the 25/8 Rule, the field still [coincidentally] was made up of the fastest thirty-three qualifiers.

In the final few hours, St. James, Unser, and Alessandro Zampedri – all “at-large” entries, were dangerously close to being bumped. Zampedri avoided missing the race, re-qualifying in a back-up car. When the 6 o’clock gun went off, both St. James and Unser were out, despite posting the overall 27th and 28th fastest speeds, respectively. A short time later, USAC announced that any cars that had posted speeds among top 33 would be re-instated to the field. St. James and Unser were re-added to the field, in 34th and 35th position. It was the first time since 1979 (and only the second time since 1933) that the field would have more than the traditional 33 cars.

USAC immediately scrapped the 25/8 Rule for 1998 and beyond.

1998 —  Scott Harrington

“Determination is your asset. Misfortune your regret. If you quit racing, boxing is your best bet.”

Scott Harrington made seven appearances at Indy, qualifying only once (1996). In 1997, Harrington crashed on Bump Day while attempting to qualify with less than ten minutes left. For 1998, Harrington was back, driving for LP Racing. On Bump Day (Sunday May 17), Harrington went out for his first qualifying attempt at 12:29 p.m. After a lap of 217.923 mph (plenty fast to make the field), the engine blew going into turn one. The car did a half spin, and hit the outside wall with the left side, sustaining heavy damage.

Harrington was not seriously injured, but without a backup car, he was done for the month.

1999 —  Mike Borkowski

“A Rookie Mistake – The Indy 500 song is NOT Back Home Again In Alabama”

Since 1946, the song “Back Home Again in Indiana” has traditionally been performed before the start of the Indianapolis 500. Someone in the press overheard rookie Mike Borkowski make a major flub of the song’s title.

“You just get goosebumps, watching the cars, and listening to Back Home Again in Alabama“.

Borkowski never got a chance to qualify for the race. Driving for PDM Racing, he suffered crashes on May 17 and again on May 21. Ranking down at the bottom of the speed chart, his chances to make the race were growing increasingly slim. On Bump Day (May 23), he was being prepped with a back-up car from Tri-Star Motorsports. Rain cut the day short, and they never made it to the qualifying line.

In his career, Borkowski made only one Indy Racing League start, at Charlotte in May 1999. That race was cancelled, and subsequently struck from record. After failing to qualify at Indy, Borkowski never again raced in an Indy car.

2000 —  Roberto Guerrero

“Hired by A.J. Waved off by A.J. Fired by A.J.”

Fifteen-year Indy veteran Roberto Guerrero was hired late in the week to drive a third car (#41) for A.J. Foyt Racing. He was quickly up to speed with a practice lap of 219.227 mph. On Pole Day (Saturday May 21), Guerrero made two qualifying attempts, but car owner A.J. Foyt waved him off both times. His first run was in the mid-218 mph range, and his second was actually a tick faster.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 22), with only one attempt left on car #41, Foyt decided to replace Guerrero in the car with Billy Boat. In the final hour, Boat went out for the third and final attempt in the #41, but the engine quit on lap three. His four-lap average of 192.105 mph was well off the pace, and he was bumped minutes later. Boat made a dramatic last-minute attempt in the Foyt #11T car, and bumped Dr. Jack Miller as time expired.

In the end, either Guerrero’s speeds from Saturday probably would have been fast enough to make the field. Guerrero himself got a last minute offer to qualify a car for the Hubbard-Immke #20 team. After one lap of only 206 mph, he waved off and missed the race for the first time since 1989.

2001 —  Raul Boesel

“From Brazil to Indy. Four lap average of 221.879 mph. But Treadway’d away. Back to Brazil.”

Indy veteran Raul Boesel was hired mid-week to drive a back-up car for Treadway Racing. During practice runs, Boesel was quickly getting the car up to speed, turning a lap of 222.547 mph on Saturday May 19.

On Bump Day, Boesel’s four-lap average of 221.879 mph qualified him for the inside of Row 11. By the end of the day, however, Treadway-Hubbard Racing’s Felipe Giaffone had been bumped. A day later, for sponsorship reasons, the team replaced Boesel in the car with Giaffone.

2002 —  Billy Roe

“Two times in. Two times out. That’s what the Jigger Award is all about!”

Two-time former starter Billy Roe was driving for Zali Racing in the #81 car. In an effort self-described as “low on engine, low on body work, low on track time, and low on funds”, Roe was a long-shot to make the field. On Bump Day (Sunday May 19), Roe was bumped not once but twice. Yet due to rain, he nearly “fluked” his way into the starting lineup.

Three days of time trials were scheduled for 2002. A total of 24 cars completed qualifying attempts on Pole Day (Saturday May 11), then the Second Day of time trials (Sunday May 12) was rained out. Bump Day (Sunday May 18) dawned with eight spots left on the grid, and rain threatening. The track was dried, and opened for qualifying just after 1 p.m. A hectic session saw 13 cars go out in just over an hour. At 1:57 p.m., Billy Roe made his first attempt. His speed was slow (212.283 mph), but it filled the field to 33 cars. Rain was approaching, and if it were to close the track for the day, Roe potentially could have hung on to qualify 33rd.

Roe survived attempts by Robby McGehee and Oriol Servia, as both waved off. At 2:15 p.m., Roe still clung to the lineup, and no cars were in the qualifying line. A light rain brought out the yellow light at 2:28 p.m., but did not last long. At 2:35 p.m., rookie George Mack bumped out Roe with a four-lap average of 227.150 mph.

Oriol Servia waved off a second time, and Jimmy Kite stalled before he could pull away for his attempt. At 3:13 p.m., Michael Andretti’s team withdrew his already-qualified car and wheeled out a back-up machine. Andretti had posted a rather slow speed the previous weekend (226.780 mph), and the team was concerned that he was slipping too close to the bubble spot. The move momentarily reinstated Roe’s car to the starting lineup. Andretti completed his four-lap run without incident. His speed of 228.713 mph was much faster than his previous speed, and Roe was bumped for a second time. With no backup car, and time running out, Roe’s month was done.

The rain that Roe had hoped for started falling about twenty minutes later. The track went yellow at 3:40 p.m., and the track was officially closed for day at 4:51 p.m. Roe ended up being assigned as the first alternate.

2003 —  Jeff Ward

“Won the IRL race at Texas in 2002. Had helmet in hand and nothing to do. Came to Indy with the promise of a ride, At month’s end had only his pride!”

At the 2003 Indianapolis 500, due to various cost issues, and a shortage of engines and chassis, there was a possibility that the field may fall short of the traditional 33 cars. Bump Day, the final day of time trials, was derisively referred to as “Fill Day“, and there was apprehension and anxiety throughout the garage area about potentially rolling out extra cars to merely fill the field. Teams were already being stretched to their limits, and the potential of unexpected mechanical problems or a crash could have foiled the day. In the end, exactly 33 cars made successful qualifying attempts – filling the field – and avoiding a public relations “black eye”.

At 3 p.m. on Bump Day (Sunday May 18), two spots remained unfilled. Only two cars remained on the sidelines, Robby McGehee and Vitor Meira. McGehee went out at 3:23 p.m., and became the 32nd qualifier. Meanwhile, Chip Ganassi Racing was rumored to be possibly wheeling out a car for veteran Jeff Ward. In 2002, Ward drove full-time in the IRL for Ganassi, winning at Texas. But he was out of a ride for 2003.

Meira, named to the Menard team Sunday morning, went out for a qualifying attempt at 4:40 p.m. He filled the field to 33 cars. With about an hour and 45 minutes still left in the day, Ganassi elected not to put Ward in the car. The track closed at 6 o’clock without any additional qualifying attempts. It was the first time in modern years, and first time since the Jigger Award had existed, that no cars were bumped from the starting lineup.

2004 — A.J. Foyt and Tony Stewart

“A pair of trouble makers at Indy”

On Bump Day (Sunday May 23), the field was filled to 33 cars at 1:41 p.m. Robby McGehee was sitting on the bubble, but it did not appear that there were any other cars preparing to make a qualifying attempt. It was the second year in a row that exactly 33 cars would go out to qualify and that no bumping would happen. The only driver on the sidelines was Jaques Lazier, who had practiced for Foyt Racing, but the ride had failed to materialize. The track went quiet, and scattered rain showers kept the track mostly closed until 4:50 p.m.

Tony Stewart – an Indy veteran with five previous starts – and who was now driving full time in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, visited the track on Sunday morning. Stewart had raced in the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge (at Charlotte) the night before. Stewart was in the suites watching the track activity. Before too long, A.J. Foyt called Stewart on the phone and invited him to go out and shake down one of his cars. Stewart quickly passed his physical, and at 4:42 p.m., car #14T was being wheeled to pit lane. With little else going on, rumors started to spread about Stewart making an impromptu qualifying attempt and unexpectedly doing the Indy-Charlotte “Double Duty” the following weekend. Stewart changed into a driving suit, and shortly after 5 o’clock was on pit lane surrounded by a throng of media. The engine was fired up by the crew, but Stewart never took any laps. His contractual obligations with Joe Gibbs Racing, Chevrolet, and Home Depot stood in the way of Stewart driving Foyt’s Toyota-powered machine.

Foyt afterwards said of Tony Stewart “He’s a friend of mine. I stay in trouble. He stays in trouble. So we enjoy trouble together. That’s why we’re friends”.

2005 —  Arie Luyendyk Jr.

“Late to qualify. Fighting an uphill battle. Squeezing 215.039 mph for 33rd for a few hours. Bumped by Giaffone.”

Arie Luyendyk Jr., son of two-time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, struggled to get his car up to speed. He was not able to complete his rookie orientation test until the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 21), and later that afternoon, he brushed the wall during a practice run. On the morning of Bump Day (Sunday May 22), one spot remained empty in the starting grid. The 2005 month of May was the first to utilize the new 11/11/11 qualifying format, but rain and a shortage of cars had more or less prevented it from unfolding the way it was conceived. Going into the weekend, there was some concern about the field filling to 33 cars. It was the third year in a row that issue was a possibility. Luyendyk’s team was the only car along pit lane confirming an intent to qualify, and barring a crash or mechanical problem, Luyendyk Jr. was expected to fill the field.

At 3:10 p.m., Luyendyk Jr. went out for his first qualifying attempt. His four-lap average of 215.039 mph was the slowest overall (by more than 3 mph), but he finished the four laps without incident, and it was enough to fill the field. For a moment it appeared that qualifying was essentially over. However, at about 1:30 p.m. (unbeknownst to most at the track), A.J. Foyt had made a cell phone call to Indy veteran Felipe Giaffone, a driver who did not have an Indy car ride for 2005. Foyt invited him to jump in one of his back-up cars for the day. Giaffone and his wife were shopping at the Babies “Я” Us store in nearby Castleton. Giaffone dropped everything, and rushed over to the Speedway. According to Giaffone, he did not yet have credentials for 2005, and essentially snuck in through the main gate using a credential from 2004. Just two hours after the phone call, Giaffone was suited up, strapped in, and pulling away for his first practice laps of the month. At 5:36 p.m., Giaffone was in line for a qualifying attempt. His speed of 217.645 mph bumped Arie Luyendyk Jr. from the field.

At 5:59 p.m., Luyendyk Jr. made one last-ditch effort to bump his way back in. His speed of 210.351 mph was far too slow to qualify. After no bumping had occurred in 2003–2004, A.J. Foyt managed to make it happen, and in the process grabbed some attention on Bump Day for the second year in a row.

2006 —  Marty Roth

“Practice, spin. Practice, spin. Practice, spin, practice, slide – Hit the wall – That’s all.”

For 2006, a total of 34 car/driver combinations were going after the 33 starting spots. For the first time since 2002, it appeared that there was likely going to be at least one bump – that is, without A.J. Foyt or another team rolling out a back-up car at the last minute. Second year driver Marty Roth was down near the bottom of the speed chart each day. During practice on Thursday May 11, Roth did a half-spin in turn 2. He did not make contact, and was able to drive the car back to the pits. On Friday May 19, Roth suffered his second spin. This time he lost control in turn three, and did a half-spin in the north shortchute. Again, he did not make contact, and returned to the pits.

The first weekend of time trials was rained out. In the second year using the 11/11/11 qualifying format, once again rain prevented it from unfolding the way it had been planned. Pole Day was moved to the third day (Saturday May 20). Roth drew the 4th spot in the qualifying order, but pulled out of line and did not go when it was his turn. Later in the afternoon, he suffered his third spin. He went sideways through turn one, then came to a rest (without contact) in the warm-up lane in the south shortchute. The incident damaged his engine, and Honda representatives determined that they needed to take time to install a fresh engine.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 21), one position was left unfilled in the starting grid. Roth and rookie Thiago Medeiros (PDM Racing) were the only two cars left that had not yet made a qualifying attempt. Medeiros was back out on the track after a crash on Thursday. A.J. Foyt once again wheeled a back-up car to the pits, with Ryan Briscoe standing by. The pressure was starting to build on Roth and Medeiros. At 5:08 p.m., Medeiros was the first to go out. His four-lap average of 215.729 mph put him in the 33rd position, and filled the field.

Roth went out for a practice run in the final half hour. After some help from the Vision Racing crew, Roth was aiming at making an attempt just before the 6 o’clock gun. At 5:37 p.m., he went high and crashed in turn one. The car suffered heavy damage. Roth was not seriously injured, but he was done for the month. Medeiros held on to make the field, and a rumored last-minute run by the Foyt team never materialized.

2007 —  P.J. Jones

“The scale is not the real deal, so P.J. is out of the field”

P.J. Jones, son of 1963 Indy 500 winner Parnelli Jones, was attempting to qualify for his third “500”. Jones was sporting a throwback livery, inspired by Parnelli’s 1967 #40 STP Turbine car (nicknamed by some the “Whoosh-mobile”). Near the bottom of the speed charts all month, the team struggled to get the car handling correctly and never got it sufficiently up to speed. On Bump Day (Sunday May 20), they realized at one point that their scales were off by 40 pounds. They were also approaching their engine mileage limit. With about 15 minutes left in the day, the team pulled out of line, having never made a single qualifying attempt.

2008 —  Mario Dominguez

“Three spins. Three crashes. Three chances. Nothing more.”

Rookie Mario Dominguez, one of the former Champ Car World Series drivers entered, completed his rookie test on May 5. But he did not have a very happy month. On Fast Friday, he spun exiting the pits, suffering suspension damage. He would not make a qualifying attempt during the first weekend of time trials.

On the Third Day of time trials (Saturday May 17) Dominguez wrecked during the morning practice session. He would have to wait until Sunday to make his first qualifying attempt.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 18), Dominguez made his first attempt, but was too slow. In the final half hour, he made his second attempt, this time bumping Roger Yasukawa. But before long, Dominguez himself was on the bubble. He survived an attempt by Max Papis, who failed to leave the pits due to a clutch problem. Buddy Lazier then bumped out Dominguez with less than 13 minutes to go. With Marty Roth now on the bubble, Dominguez managed to get out for his third and final attempt just before the 6 o’clock gun. After one lap that was going to be fast enough to bump Roth, Dominguez crashed in turn one and failed to make the race.

2009 —  Bruno Junqueira

“Qualified late afternoon. Bumped at midnight.”

A late addition at Conquest Racing, Indy veteran (and former “500” pole winner) Bruno Junquiera qualified 30th on Bump Day (Sunday May 17). He made the field on his first attempt without incident. Later in the afternoon, John Andretti dramatically bumped his way into the field with less than 8 minutes remaining. Andretti bumped Ryan Hunter-Reay, but Hunter-Reay was able to get back in line and re-qualify. As the 6 o’clock gun fired, Hunter-Reay bumped out Alex Tagliani by 0.0324 seconds.

After the conclusion of time trials, shortly before midnight on Sunday night, Conquest Racing announced that Alex Tagliani would replace his teammate Bruno Junqueira in the #36 car for race day. After mixed results, this would be the final year for the 11/11/11 format. It is also the last time that time trials would be scheduled for four days.

2010 —  Jay Howard

“Bubble Trouble. In – Out.”

In one of the most dramatic and heartbreaking Bump Days in years, Jay Howard, driving for Sarah Fisher Racing, came up short and by some accounts, “self-bumped” himself out of the field. A new two-day qualifying format (“24/8”) was introduced for 2010. Positions 1st–24th would be filled on Pole Day, and positions 25th–33rd would be filled on Bump Day. In addition, the top nine qualifiers would advance to the “Fast Nine Shootout” to determine the pole position as well as positions 2nd-9th.

On Bump Day (Sunday May 23), qualifying began at 12 p.m. During the first hour, ten cars made attempts, and Jay Howard (223.824 mph) tentatively ranked 31st. A break in the line occurred around 1:10 p.m., and due to hot conditions, most cars stayed off the track, awaiting better conditions. Rookie Sebastian Saavedra, who was tentatively ranked 34th (already on the outside looking in), wrecked his car in a practice run and was taken to the hospital. If he were to be bumped from the field, he would be unable to re-qualify and/or defend.

With 22 minutes left in the day, Jay Howard slipped down to the bubble spot (33rd). Takuma Sato bumped out Howard, and now Paul Tracy was on the bubble. Howard went out for his second attempt, but he was too slow to bump his way back in. In a surprising move, Paul Tracy’s team withdrew his car from the lineup. Tracy hoped to post a safer speed, and at the same time, run out the clock and prevent Howard from another chance. When Tracy withdrew, Howard was tentatively reinstated to 33rd position. Tracy got very loose in the hot conditions, and his speed ended up being slower. He waved off after only two laps, and rushed back to the pits to get back in the qualifying line.

After quick wave-offs by Jaques Lazier and Milka Duno, Howard was now at the head of the qualifying line. Tracy was second in line. With less than two minutes to go, Sarah Fisher Racing decided to withdraw Howard’s speed and have him re-qualify. The strategy was to use up the time and keep Tracy off of the track. However, by withdrawing, Sebastian Saavedra was now elevated to the 33rd position. Howard was tasked with bumping his way back into the field. The hot conditions proved too much for Howard, and he too went slower that before. The 6 o’clock gun fired, and Howard failed to qualify. Tracy was left waiting in line. Saavedra, driving on a shoestring budget for Bryan Herta Autosport, shockingly made the field as he was laying in a hospital bed.

2012 —  Jean Alesi

“No wave off. Slowest qualifier since 1988.”

A new chassis/engine formula debuted in the IndyCar Series for 2012. The Dallara DW-12 chassis was powered by a choice of three engines, Chevrolet (Ilmor), Honda (HPD), and Lotus (Judd). Two teams entered with the Lotus: HVM Racing (Simona de Silvestro) and Fan Force United (Jean Alesi). Alesi, a former Formula One driver (with one F1 victory to his credit) was excited to be at Indy, despite his uncompetitive ride. When practice began, the Lotus machines were noticeably off the pace. Alesi had to get special permission to use qualifying boost levels just so he could pass his mandatory rookie test. Only 33 car/driver combinations were initially entered, so the two Lotus entries needed to complete qualifying attempts to guarantee a full 33-car field. Rumors of possible extra cars by Foyt and others never came to fruition.

On Bump Day, Jean Alesi’s four-lap average speed of 210.094 mph was the slowest in the field, and the slowest since 1988. But the field was filled to 33 cars. Both de Silvestro and Alesi were informed that they would be black flagged if they did not maintain 105% of the leader’s speed. On race day, both cars were black flagged and called off the track before lap 10. Alesi finished 33rd in his only Indy 500 appearance.

2013 —   Michel Jourdain Jr.

“Failed to qualify for the race”

The entry list for the 2013 Indianapolis 500 included 34 entries for the 33 starting positions. Michel Jourdain Jr., driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, struggled all week to get his car up to speed. On the first day of qualifying (Saturday May 17), Jourdain’s qualifying attempt (218.329 mph) was almost 5 mph off of the next-slowest car. He failed to make the top 24, and was not locked-in to the field.

On the second day of qualifying (Sunday May 18), Jourdain and his crew continued to struggle. Ten drivers were vying for nine unfilled positions (25th–33rd). Katherine Legge got in a car for Schmidt-Peterson Motorsports, turning her first laps of the month. She put up a qualifying speed of 223.176 mph, and the field was filled to 33 cars. As the afternoon wore on, Jourdain was not making progress. The crew tried several drastic changes to the chassis setups, but nothing worked. His practice laps were all over the board, ranging from a 219.229 mph (still not fast enough) down to a 212. At about 5:45 p.m. the team announced that they were not going to make another qualifying attempt and wheeled the car back to the garage area.

2014 —  Sage Karam

“Missed his high school prom and graduation, but he qualified for Indy 500.”

There were exactly 33 car/driver combinations entered for the 2014 race, so no drivers were expected to be bumped. Rookie Sage Karam, the 2013 Indy Lights champion, was one of seven rookies entered. Karam qualified 31st , and would eventually finish 9th on race day.

On March 5, just a little over two months prior to the race, Karam turned 19 years old, making him one of the youngest starting drivers in Indy history. He was a senior preparing to graduate from Nazareth Area High School (class of 2014). It was the same high school that Michael and Jeff Andretti had attended. Due to his busy racing schedule, he was forced to miss his own high school prom. During the week leading up to the race, Karam’s team set up a makeshift “prom” party in the garage area for him and his then-girlfriend.

The AARWBA voters appear to have taken a little bit of liberty with their description on his plaque, as Karam’s actual graduation ceremony had not yet happened. It was scheduled for June 10. Karam was still planning to attend. Nevertheless, it was a lighthearted moment in a year that otherwise had no bumping and no other good candidates.

2016 —  Marco Andretti

There were 33 entries for the 2016 Indianapolis 500, so no drivers were expected to be bumped. On the first day of time trials (Saturday May 21), the top nine qualifiers from the ‘early’ session would advance to the Fast Nine Shootout. In the final minutes of the early session, Marco Andretti (fastest in practice on Day 1) went out trying to bump his way into the top nine. He bumped out his teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay, but just minutes later, Hunter-Reay got back in the qualifying line. He bumped Andretti from the top nine with seven minutes to go. Andretti ended up 11th after the first day.

On the second day of time trials (Sunday May 22), during the 10th–33rd session, Andretti was hampered by a broken fifth gear. He wound up qualifying 14th. Andretti was voted the Jigger Award, a first for the Andretti family.

2018 — James Hinchliffe

The last “real” winner of the Jigger Award was James Hinchcliffe in 2018. A three-time front row starter, and the 2016 Indy 500 pole winner, Hinchcliffe was bumped from the field in the final half hour, and shockingly was unable to get back out and make another attempt. On the First Day of time trials (Saturday May 19), under the rules at the time, all cars would make at least one qualifying attempt, with additional attempts permitted, time/weather permitting. At 5:50 p.m., the gun would sound, and the fastest 33 cars of the day would make up the starting field. The actual grid positions, however, would be determined during time trials – including the Fast Nine Shootout – on the Second Day (Sunday May 20).

Hinchliffe, driving the Arrow Electronics #5 for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, drew 19th in the qualifying order. When it came time for his turn, rain started falling, closing the track for 2 hours and 21 minutes. Hinchcliffe was stuck waiting in line. When the track re-opened, and he finally got his chance to go out, he had a disappointing run of 224.784 mph. The conditions had changed drastically after the rain shower, and his chassis settings were less than ideal. As the afternoon wore on, Hinchcliffe slipped down the standings, and was bumped from the field of 33 by Conor Daly with 18 minutes left in the session.

After a wave off by Pippa Mann, Hinchcliffe was next out and took to the track with just under 13 minutes left. During his warm-up lap, however, he detected a bad vibration. A tire pressure sensor inside one of the wheels had broken loose, and was ricocheting inside the tire. Hinchcliffe aborted the attempt, and rushed back to the pits. The crew changed tires, added fuel, and hurried to get him back in the “Fast Lane” line. In the meantime, Graham Rahal and Alexander Rossi (from the “Regular Lane”) were dispatched, eating up valuable time on the clock. Rossi completed his run, just missing out on making the Fast Nine group by 0.0342 seconds. Mann had managed to get in the Fast Lane line before Hinchcliffe could, and pulled away for an attempt with 2 minutes left. At this point, it appeared that Hinchcliffe would not make it out. Hinch, his crew, and others, expressed some surprise that the session was scheduled to end at 5:50 p.m., and not at 6 p.m., as had been the case for many decades. Mann’s four-lap average was too slow to make the field of thrty-three. The gun went off during her first lap, and Hinchcliffe was left waiting in line.

Jigger Sirois, at age 83, was present to hand out that year’s Jigger Award. It would the last. Sirois quipped “I think they took a good look at me and decided they better drop it”.

The following year, the rules for qualifying were changed in order to avoid a repeat situation. Beginning in 2019, on the First Day of time trials, the top 30 cars would be locked in to the starting field. All cars that failed to make the top 30 would then participate in the “Last Row Shootout” session on the Second Day – later known as Last Chance Qualifying – to fill the final three positions (31st–32nd–33rd). This format, which is still in use as of 2025, allows teams that experience some sort of problem (mechanical, crash, or other), another opportunity on Sunday.

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The Missing Years

By the 2010s, the Jigger Award began to receive less and less attention. This was due to a variety of factors including possibly the retirement (or passing) of key members of the AARWBA, the lack of drivers being bumped at Indy during that particular timeframe, a lack of suitable candidates, lack of funding, and a drop in overall interest. Many of the members of the AARWBA were from the newspaper industry, an industry that itself was going through a period of change and decline. No award was handed out in 2011, but it did come back for 2012–2014. The last driver to be named was James Hinchcliffe, after his 2018 qualifying mishap.

Broadcaster Paul Page, who was the longtime “Voice of the 500” first on radio and then on television, formed the Society of Professional Motorsports Journalists (SPMJ) in 2024 to replace the AARWBA. After being founded in 1955, and boasting membership at one point of over 400 persons, the AARWBA had produced little public content after 2017–2018, and ultimately disbanded.

With the demise of the AARWBA, the Jigger Award was quietly – albeit never officially – retired, or simply not continued for whatever reason. Even in its latter years, gaps exist in its list of honorees. In order to provide a continuous lineage of the award, the following UNOFFICIAL list has been compiled. This is not just a listing of last driver bumped. Taking into account the results of qualifying for each year, the mitigating factors which were typically weighed by the original panel of voters, and the overall original spirit and intent of the award, this presents a theoretical list of the most likely recipients of the Jigger Award in the respective years.

Honorary winners

2011 — Bruno Junqueira
Marco Andretti bumped his Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay as time expired on Bump Day. One day later, Andretti Autosport and A.J. Foyt Racing reached a deal to have Hunter-Reay take over the #41 Foyt car qualified by Bruno Junqueira. It was the second time in three years that Junqueira was replaced in the car after the conclusion of time trials.

2015 — Buddy Lazier
Lazier was unable to make a qualifying attempt during the initial round. With very limited practice for the month, Lazier made an attempt during the impromptu “Last Row Shootout”, but was well short. After drastic wing adjustments, his second attempt was still too slow to make the field.

2017 — Sebastien Bourdais
After turning in the fastest practice lap of the month, Bourdais was the favorite to win the pole position – which would have been a first for Dale Coyne Racing. On the First Day of time trials, Bourdais was two laps into what was the fastest run of the day. On his third lap, however, he suffered a violent crash in turn two. He was transported directly to Methodist Hospital. He suffered a fractured pelvis and hip fracture, and was forced to sit out the rest of the month.

2019 — Fernando Alonso
In his second attempt at racing in the Indianapolis 500, Fernando Alonso crashed heavily in practice on May 15. The team lost two days of valuable track time in what was described as a “comedy of errors“. The backup car was unavailable because the team sent it to be repainted since it was the wrong shade of orange. Later, electrical issues kept the car off the track. Alonso made five qualifying attempts on Saturday, and failed to make the top 30. On Sunday, a practice run was aborted when the team realized they had made errors in their chassis setups while converting from imperial to metric units. During the Last Row Shootout, with zero practice laps in his car, Kyle Kaiser shockingly bumped Alonso out by 0.0129 seconds.

2020 — COVID-19 pandemic
The 2020 Indianapolis 500 was postponed from May 24 to August 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately it was held without spectators.

2021 — R.C. Enerson
Despite multiple qualifying attempts. R.C. Enerson (Top Gun Racing) was too slow to make the starting field.

2022 —  Stefan Wilson
On the first day of time trials (Saturday May 21), Stefan Wilson suffered an engine failure during the morning practice session, and was unable to make a qualifying attempt. Since there were only exactly 33 cars entered, there would not be a “Last Chance Qualifying” session scheduled for Sunday. By rule, in order to fill the field, Wilson and his car were assigned 33rd starting position for race day. He and his car made the field without completing (or even attempting) a qualifying attempt, the first time in modern history that has occurred.

2023 —  Graham Rahal
Graham Rahal was bumped from the field almost 30 years to the day that his father Bobby Rahal was bumped in 1993. After struggling with speed all week, all three cars of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team were relegated to the “Last Chance Qualifying” session (Sunday May 21). RLLR teammates Christian Lundgaard and Jack Harvey made the race, but Rahal was out. Harvey bumped his teammate Rahal out by a mere 0.0044 seconds (0.007 mph). Graham Rahal would drive in substitution of the injured Stefan Wilson on race day.

2024 —  Nolan Seigel
During “Last Chance Qualifying” on Sunday May 19, rookie Nolan Seigel was bumped from the field in the final six minutes. Graham Rahal was sitting on the bubble, in danger of failing to qualify for the race for the second year in a row. Seigel made a last-ditch effort to qualify as time expired, but crashed in turn one.

2025 — Team Penske
The entire three-car Penske team (Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Scott McLaughlin) had a month to forget. Going into the race, Newgarden was the two-time defending Indy 500 winner (2023–2024), attempting to become the first driver to “three-peat”. Power was in the last year of his contract, and McLaughlin, the previous year’s pole winner, was still looking for his first top-five at Indy. Controversy was hovering over Team Penske, stemming from a push-to-pass cheating scandal from St. Pete in 2024. During practice, McLaughlin set the fastest lap on Fast Friday (233.954 mph). On the first day of time trials (Saturday May 17), Penske cars ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 10th, all three advancing to the Top 12 session. On Sunday (May 18) McLaughlin suffered a serious crash during a practice run. He switched to a backup car, and pulled out of the Top 12 session. Later, both Power and Newgarden failed pre-qualifying technical inspection. They were wheeled back to the garage area, and also did not participate in the Top 12 session. It was determined that the Penske cars had illegal rear crash attenuators, modified by filling in seams. Observers also noted the cars had the same illegal attenuators dating back to at least 2024. Newgarden and Power were put at the back of the starting grid, fined $100,000 each, and stripped of qualifying points. In the fallout, Penske president Tim Cindric, managing director Ron Ruzewski, and general manager Kyle Moyer, were all fired.

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Can the Pole car be bumped?

The Jigger Sirois incident of May 1969 has often brought up this question. Can the pole position winner at the Indianapolis 500 be bumped from the field? The answer is not exactly simple as yes or no. It all depends on what year we are talking about, and what qualifying format was being utilized at the time.

The qualifying procedure for the Indianapolis 500 has changed several times over the years. Some years have been more complex than others. In general, the mantra of qualifying Indy has always been that the field consists of the 33 fastest cars regardless of the day in which they qualified.

Dating back to 1920, the traditional way the starting grid was lined up was based on speed, but also by day. The First Day qualifiers would line up ranked by speed, starting with the pole position. The Second Day qualifiers would line up ranked by speed behind the First Day qualifiers (regardless if one or more Second Day qualifiers had faster posted speeds than any or all of the First Day qualifiers). Third Day qualifiers lined up behind the Second Day qualifiers, and so on. In 1969, four days of time trials were scheduled, the norm during that time period.

When the field was filled to 33 cars, the bumping procedure began. The slowest car overall in the field was “on the bubble”. It was not unusual for the slowest overall car to not be sitting in 33rd starting position at that juncture. For instance, it was possible (and happened many times) that the slowest car in the field might have been a First Day qualifier. He might be sitting somewhere around the 15th–20th position as the slowest First Day qualifier. Regardless of where he was on the gird, if another driver went faster than him, he was “bumped” out of the lineup. His spot in the grid (wherever it was) would be vacated, and all the cars behind him would move up one spot. The new driver who just completed his run would be situated based on the day he was qualifying. Usually this was Bump Day, so he/she would be lined up based on speed of the Bump Day qualifiers. The process would be repeated until the session was over.

Given these parameters, theoretically the pole car could be bumped. Using Sirois an example, consider if his crew did not wave him off. He would be sitting in the pole spot as the lone first day qualifier. When qualifying resumed, the field eventually filled to 33 cars. At that point, the 33 cars, irrespective of their actual grid positions, are separately ranked by order of speed. If Sirois was the 33rd-fastest car, he would indeed be “on the bubble”. If someone went out and qualified faster than his speed, he would be bumped. His spot would be vacated, the other cars would all move up one spot. A.J. Foyt would have elevated to the pole spot. It is unknown, however, if Foyt would have received the official accolades and cash prizes awarded to the pole winner if the circumstances had unfolded in such a manner.

The situation in 1969 almost harkened back to what happened in 1955 (see above). Had Sirois not been waved off and completed his run, the hypothetical starting lineup for the 1969 “500” would be as follows. Assuming nothing else that happened over the next seven days changed before the close of qualifying:

• Yellow indicates First Day qualifiers – Saturday May 17 (“Pole Day”)
• There would have been zero Second Day qualifiers due to a complete washout – Sunday May 18
• Light green indicates Third Day qualifiers – Saturday May 24
• Light Blue indicates Fourth Day qualifiers – Sunday May 25 (“Bump Day”)
• (R) – indicates rookies; (W) indicates former winners

Row	Inside	Middle	Outside
1	Jigger Sirois (R)	A. J. Foyt (W)	Mario Andretti
2	Bobby Unser (W)	Mark Donohue (R)	Gordon Johncock
3	Roger McCluskey	Jim McElreath	LeeRoy Yarbrough
4	Gary Bettenhausen	Dan Gurney	Joe Leonard
5	Art Pollard	Jim Malloy	Sonny Ates (R)
6	George Snider	Ronnie Bucknum	Johnny Rutherford
7	Bud Tingelstad	Wally Dallenbach	Lloyd Ruby
8	Arnie Knepper	Mike Mosley	Sammy Sessions
9	Mel Kenyon	Denis Hulme	Bill Vukovich II
10	George Follmer (R)	Bruce Walkup (R)	Jack Brabham
11	Carl Williams	Larry Dickson	Bobby Johns
	First Alternate: Peter Revson (R) Second Alternate: Rick Muther (R)

Sirois, as the lone “First Day” qualifier, would have lined up in the pole position spot. The Second Day qualifiers would have lined up immediately behind Sirois, but since Sunday was rained out completely, there were not any. Thus, the Third Day qualifiers would line up according to speed behind the the First Day qualifiers, starting with A.J. Foyt in the middle of the front row and ending with Denis Hulme in the middle of Row 9. Foyt would have been the fastest qualifier in the field overall.

Lastly, the Fourth Day (“Bump Day”) qualifiers would line up by speed behind the Third Day qualifiers. They were led by Bill Vukovich II, who would have been on the outside of Row 9. Peter Revson, who made the final run of the day, would not have managed to bump his way into the field. Instead, he would have been too slow, ranking 34th-fastest, relegating him to the status as the First Alternate. Rick Muther, who was bumped earlier in the day, would have wound up 35th-fastest, and would have been named the Second Alternate.

Due to substantial changes in the qualifying format – as of 2025 – the pole car can no longer be bumped in any circumstances. Since 2010, the pole position has been determined by a “shootout” session involving the top nine or more recently, the top twelve, qualifiers. As such, currently the top twelve qualifiers are locked-in to the field, and can not be bumped. In addition, cars ranked 13th–30th on the first day are also locked-in to those specific positions. The bumping procedure is limited to cars that ranked 31st or lower during the first day of time trials. The only pole position winner in recent history to not start on the pole was Scott Brayton in 1996. Six days after winning the pole, Brayton was fatally injured in a crash while testing a back-up car. His car was taken over by Danny Ongais, and due to the driver switch, the car was moved to the rear of the starting grid (33rd).

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Works Cited

• The Jigger Award at AARWBA.org – from the Internet Archive WayBackMachine
• One On One with Mark Monteith – Jigger Sirios (June 3, 2012)
• Jigger Sirois at ChampCarStats.com
• Mercedosaurus Rex at Indianapolic Park Part 6: Indianapolis 1991 – Chevy And Rich Team owners, 8W at Forix.com
• 1969 Indianapolis 500 – ABC’s Wide World of Sports
• Indy 500: The Classics – 1969 Indianapolis 500
• 1969 Indianapolis 500 – Daily Trackside Report
• Beyond the Bricks – August 7, 2023
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WFNI – May 17, 2000
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WIBC – May 11, 2002
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WIBC – May 19, 2003
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WIBC – May 14, 2004
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WIBC – May 26, 2004
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WIBC – May 24, 2006
• Post-Race Drive Home Show, WIBC – May 28, 2006
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, Network Indiana – May 10, 2007
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WFNI – May 6, 2009
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WFNI – May 17, 2011
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WFNI – May 22, 2011
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WFNI/IMSRN – May 16, 2015
• The Talk of Gasoline Alley, WFNI – May 18, 2018