Gordon Johncock, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, died of natural causes in his home on Sept. 28, his family announced. He was 90.
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Johncock, a Michigan native, was the INDYCAR SERIES national champion in 1976 and won 25 races in the series. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1973 and 1982, each time in thrilling fashion.
Johncock's duel with Rick Mears in the closing laps of the 1982 race was the most memorable to that point, with renowned television broadcaster Jim McKay claiming he'd "never seen anything like it." Johncock masterfully covered Mears' last-lap passing attempt in Turn 1, then outran the 1979 race winner to the finish line. Their margin at the checkered flag was a then-record .16 of a second, still the seventh closest ever.
IndyCar President Remembers Gordon Johncock
"Gordon Johncock was known for his hard-charging, no-nonsense style of racing, and he left a lasting legacy on both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar," Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said.
Boles also praised Johncock for winning the 1973 Indianapolis 500 after two of his teammates were killed while training for the race.
The race was called after 133 of 200 laps were completed due to the weather. Johncock was declared the winner because he had led the most laps — 64 — when the race was called.
Due to severe weather, the race was called after 133 of 200 laps were completed. Since Johncock had the most laps (64) when the race ended, he was declared the victor.
"While his 1973 Indianapolis 500 victory was overshadowed by tragedy, that race was an inflection point for safety, leading to a vital shift in track engineering and regulations," Boles continued. "Gordon was unable to truly celebrate his first win, so that made his second win in 1982, following a thrilling duel with Rick Mears, all the more memorable.
"His victory is one of the iconic moments in the history of the Speedway. Remembered as much for his quiet life away from racing, Gordon left a lasting impact on the world of motorsports. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."
Johncock is survived by his wife, Sue, six children, 12 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
