The 63rd 500 Mile International Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday May 27, 1979….when second-year driver Rick Mears took the lead for the final time with 18 laps to go….and won his first of four Indianapolis 500 races. It was also Mears’ first of a record six Indy 500 pole positions….while brothers Al and Bobby Unser combined to lead 174 of the 200 laps…. but Al dropped out around the midpoint with transmission failure….and Bobby slipped to 5th place at the finish nursing mechanical issues. The 1979 Indy 500 was also Roger Penske’s second Indy 500 victory as a car owner….and racing legend A. J. Foyt came in 2nd.
