On this week’s episode of the classic Bring Back V10s podcast, we go back to the 1995 Indy 500 – a race that Jacques Villeneuve ranks above his epic 1997 Formula 1 title-clinching race with Michael Schumacher as the greatest of his career.
Glenn Freeman and Matt Beer join longtime IndyCar reporter Kurt Cavin to take a look at a crazy race, which was the last before the horrific split between single-seater racing in the United States between CART and the IRL that changed the racing landscape in North America.
But this episode is not just a celebration of Villeneuve’s stunning win after being handed a two-lap penalty.
We also look back at the shock pre-race when Team Penske failed to qualify, Firestone’s stunning return to the track for the first time since the 1970s, Honda’s recovery from a humiliating attempt in 1994, and the moment that decided the race, when Villeneuve’s fellow Canadian Scott Goodyear passed the pace car on the final restart, leading to him being black-flagged while leading.
With the “split” looming, we also look back at the political landscape of IndyCar racing in May 1995, when no one realized how bad the battle between CART and IRL had gotten.
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Bring Back V10s are available across all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
