1981 Indy 500 "Unser vs. Andretti"

Bobby Unser Mario Andretti discuss the 1981 Indy 500.

[@SIGMAMAN69]

The fact that Mario can be so lighthearted about the results of all that says a lot about him. I've never cared for the Unsers. I remember in 1983 when Al Jr tried to secure a win for his father by blocking Tom Sneva although he was given the "move over" flag. Thankfully Tom got around him and his father and went on to win the race but it shows how they'll do anything to win. That's okay though because on one, except maybe AJ Foyt, has had a racing career like his. He is truly a legend.

[@tommylord]

At least Mario is being jovial about it here. That's an interesting bit of trivia at the end of the clip. So he must have gotten the ring before they reinstated Bobby as the winner, and never gave it back. Can't say I blame him.

[@mr.intensity2685]

Mario should wear it on his middle finger.

[@sir945]

bobby i have never seen anybody change the rules like you have for yourself you clearly passed 10 to 15 cars under yellow and the abc sports footage shows it and i think honestly to this day i do beleve roger penske was playing politics with the usac pannel

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

To this day, more than 40 years later, I still believe Mario Andretti won this race. What Bobby Unser did was illegal but the Speedway has an unwritten rule about not changing the official results of the race. That's also what happened in 2003 when they denied Paul Tracy the victory.

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

@moshegoldberg9685 You're right. My bad.

[@JeffGR4]

I agree with Rick Mears then - regarding his comment that Bobby Unser is the best at convincing you that black is white - because Unser seems to have a better comprehension of the rules than the officials.

[@SIGMAMAN69]

I disagree. I watched the whole exchange when it aired and Mario admitted that he really didn't deserve to win that day but he simply felt that USAC had an obligation to enforce it's own rule. Unser obviously did something wrong because he was fined a hefty sum. Considering all the bad luck and frustration he's had at Indy I though that he showed real class.

[@Alex_Mac_]

@cjs3827 What are you talking Mario Andretti's being more flagrant??? Bobby and Mario came out nose to tail, and Bobby passed Johncock to, plus many others, plus at the end of the short-shoot he came up onto the track, off the access road, then went right back down under it and kept going. Mario moved up and blended into the first hole, Bobby never even tried to blend. Plus if pit road ended on turn 2 like Bobby said then why wasn't he doing pit speed?

[@pacmanindy]

Mario was a true gentleman in handling the Lap 139 controversy. Bobby U. was a "pain in the neck" when it came to interpreting 500 rules and the pits. In the end, Unser got his way! Vern Schuppan would have to make up a lap to get into contention to win the 500. Vern was indeed a truly a gentleman who drove the race of his life. He would have been legendary if both drivers have been penalized 1 lap! Well, let bygones be bygones!

[@Alex_Mac_]

@cjs3827 Excuse me, I was wrong. It turns out Mario Andretti, NEVER, passed Gordon Johncock and restarted in 3rd place, behind Johncock, on the ensuing restart. Bobby Unser started in the lead (he was 3rd before all this) and had a HUGE buffer of lapped cars between himself and the Patrick Racing entries, which ultimately won him the race, no contest. So yeah, apply that to my previous comment.

[@Alex_Mac_]

@altroval Yes but after Unser serves the 1 lap penalty does he have enough time to unlap himself, drive back up to Mario, and pass him in less then 60 laps? Bobby had a better car but regardless of what he and Roger Penske said, his car wasn't so much better that it could make up a lap and take the lead in under 60 laps.

[@pajasa62]

Bobby sounds like a convict trying to explain his way out of something. And his comments about Chief Steward Tom Binford were incredibly stupid for someone like Unser to make. Let be honest here, races back then were made official at 8 am for a reason...to determine if there were infractions! The officials weren't reviewing a 3 hour race for "style points" or to see if a driver used his turn signals. So instead of a 1 lap penalty they fined Unser $40,000. USAC embarrassed itself big time.

[@alexrebmann1253]

That was Mario's race

[@erwinr9328]

What are they just sulking about. A race that has been raced about 28 years ago. The result will never change so life with it.

[@rockypc24]

cograts Vern Schuppan 1981 indy 500 champ

[@nimueh4298]

If the rules were for the drivers to blend in to traffic under the yellow after exiting the pits than both Mario & Bobby should be penalized, the only difference is Mario didn't pass as many cars as Bobby did. The winner should have been Vern Schuppan.

[@Alex_Mac_]

I like an underdog as much as the next guy, but Vern Schuppan won the '81 Indy 500 like Jigger Sirois won pole for the '69 Indy 500, which is to say he didn't.

[@Dogman36]

I thought it was funny how they counted the cars Bobby passed with a buzzer. Just sayin'

[@xSoccerxCorex]

ITC: Jack Arute being troll'd

[@castlelord8995]

Both committed a penalty. USAC dropped the ball. So the results should have and did stand.

[@georgfriedrichhandel4390]

Mario however let the cars he passed to pass him so he didn't violate the no-pass-under-yellow rule.

[@rockypc24]

Vern Schuppan would have

[@willowstrance]

Unser was always a cheater

[@tarheelking2515]

Unser should have been at the end of the line they should have gave it to mario

[@bryanjones3089]

The arrogance Bobby had was very nauseating Bobby crossed the white line and then goes back under the line to “ blend in “ was laughable . Why pay the 40 k if he was the winner for the penalty ? Penske bought and paid for that 3 man result. What a joke. 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[@PeterMayer]

@altroval the best thing that happened to Indy because USAC was mickey mouse. the 80s up to 95 were killer years until the idiot grandson fucked it up. "Indycar" is bore and I won't go back.

[@mr.intensity2685]

Yeah, I hated it when Tony George created the IRL... What are your thoughts on the Hullman-George family selling to Penske?