Rick Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951 in Wichita, Kansas) is an American race car driver. He is the third of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991), and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991). Mears is also a three-time Champ Car national champion (1979, 1981 and 1982). December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Nickname: Air Capital Location in the state of Kansas County Sedgwick Mayor Carlos Mayans Area    - City 359. ... Indy 500 redirects here. ... For the Smashing Pumpkins song, see 1979 (song). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Champ Car, a shortened form of Championship Car, has been the name for a class of cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades. ... For the Smashing Pumpkins song, see 1979 (song). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Mears was raised in Bakersfield, California, and began his racing career in off-road racing. He switched to Champ Car racing in the late 1970s, making his debut for the small Art Sugai team, driving an obsolete Eagle-Offenhauser. His speed attracted the attention of Roger Penske. Although at the time Penske Racing had the services of Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti, Andretti was also racing in Formula One with Lotus at the time and Penske wanted another young driver who would focus exclusively on American racing. For 1978 Mears was offered a drive in nine of the eighteen championship races, including the Indianapolis 500. Bakersfield redirects here. ... Penske PC23 car Roger Penske (born February 20, 1937 in Shaker Heights, Ohio) is the owner of a very successful automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Tom Sneva (full name Thomas E. Sneva) won the 1983 Indianapolis 500. ... Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940 in Montona dIstria, Italy, now Motovun, Croatia) is an Italian American racing driver, and one of the most successful Americans in the history of auto racing. ... Formula One - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ...

Mears qualified on the front row at Indy, but did not lead a lap and retired at half-distance with a blown engine. Two weeks later, at the Rex Mays 150 at Milwaukee, he bounced back to win his first race. He added another win another month later at Atlanta and rounded off the year with his first road course win at Brands Hatch as the USAC cars made their first, and last, visit to England. Rex Mays (born March 10, 1913 - died November 6, 1949) is a former AAA Championship Car race driver from Riverside, California. ... This article is about Milwaukee in Wisconsin. ... Brands Hatch is a British motor racing circuit. ... USAC Logo The United States Automobile Club (USAC) is an open-wheel auto racing sanctioning body. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ...

In 1979 the National Championship sanction changed from the USAC to Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and Mears emerged as the driver to beat. At Indianapolis he won his first "500" by virtue of staying at the front of the field and taking the lead as other drivers dropped out with mechanical problems. This intelligent and patient approach was to become Mears trademark style. USAC Logo The United States Automobile Club (USAC) is an open-wheel auto racing sanctioning body. ... A simple wooden cart in Australia A cart transporting watermelons in Harbin, China. ...

Three wins and four seconds in the eleven CART-eligible races was easily enough to wrap up his first championship. Mears worst finish in 1979 was fifth. 1980 the revolutionary ground effect Chaparral put every other team on the back foot and Mears had to be content with 4th place overall and only one win, scored at Mexico City. The term Ground effect (or Wing In Ground effect) refers to the increase in lift experienced by an aircraft as it approaches within roughly 1/4 of a wingspans length of the ground or other level surface (such as the sea). ...

1981 and 1982 saw Mears at the top of his game, both in terms of speed and consistency. Ten wins in two years were enough for another two championship titles. At the 1982 Indy 500 he came within .16 of a second of adding a second Indy win. In a rare mistake the team loaded too much fuel during Mears' final pit-stop and the delay put him behind Gordon Johncock. The photo-finish would stand for ten years as the closest finish to an Indy 500. Gordon Johncock (born 5th August 1937, Coldwater, Michigan) is a former racing driver, best known as a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and 1976 Champcar champion. ...

For 1983 the Penske team would acquire the famous yellow colours of Pennzoil but a recalcitrant chassis meant the team had to rely on consistency over speed. Although teammate Al Unser took the title, the team switched to the March chassis for 1984. This would prove a blessing and a curse as Mears scored his second Indy win that May but suffered severe leg injuries later in the year in a crash at Sanair. The March chassis, like most contemporary open-wheel racing cars, sat the driver far forward in the nose, with little protection for the legs and feet. The current version of the article or section reads like an advertisement. ... Alfred Unser (born May 29, 1939 in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is a former U.S. automobile racer. ...

In 1980 Mears had tested a Formula One Brabham. However, as he was expected to bring money to the team, rather than receive a salary, he declined the offer. After 1984 his F1-level of speed on road-courses was blunted by the injuries to his right foot and the 1985, 1986 and 1987 years were relatively quiet seasons by Mears' standards, with only two wins, both scored at Pocono, a tri-oval track. Formula One - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Brabham - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Pocono Raceway is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond; it is the site of two annual NASCAR Nextel Cup races held just a few weeks apart in June and July. ... A tri-oval is a shape which dervies its name from the two other shapes it most resembles, a triangle and an oval. ...

In 1988, after several years using the March chassis, the Penske team were ready to unleash their new car, the PC-17, and a potent new Chevrolet racing engine. The new car powered Mears into an exclusive club; the three-time Indy winners. Like his previous wins it was a triumph of speed and patience. Mears eventually won by a clear two laps as he was the only front-runner who hadn't run into problems. A year later he took a record-setting fifth pole position at Indy, but retired from the race with mechanical gremlins. Emerson Fittipaldi took the 500 and also beat Mears to the Championship in the last race at Laguna Seca, despite Mears winning that race. Chevrolet Logo Chevrolet (IPA: ʃɛv. ... Emerson Fittipaldi (born December 12, 1946, São Paulo, Brazil) is a highly successful open-wheel racing series driver, winning world championships in both Formula One and CART, and the Indianapolis 500 twice. ... Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, was built in the 1950s near Monterey, California. ...

Fittipaldi joined Mears at Penske for 1990, but the year belonged to Al Unser, Jr., who scored six wins. 1990 would be Mears' last in the Pennzoil livery as Marlboro stepped-up their sponsorship of the team. Penske PC-23 driven by Al Unser, Jr. ... The current version of the article or section reads like an advertisement. ... Marlboro logo Marlboro is a brand of cigarette made by Altria. ...

Twenty laps from the end of the 1991 Indianapolis 500 it looked like Mears was set to be the runner-up behind Michael Andretti. However, when a subsequent yellow flag period erased Andretti's 15 second lead, Mears gained the lead as Andretti opted to pit for new tyres. It would be a short-lived lead as Andretti passed Mears around the outside into the first turn. Michael Andretti (born October 5, 1962 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) is a former professional racing driver who now runs a team in the Indy Racing League. ...

But Mears was not beaten. A lap later he returned the favour with his own breathtaking outside pass and shot back into the lead. Turning up his turbo-boost he then pulled away to win a fourth Indy 500, making him one of only three individuals to win the event four times. In August 1991 at Michigan he won his last race. At the 1992 Indy 500 Mears broke a wrist in a crash during practice and then crashed out of the race for the first time in his career. He raced only another four times in 1992 and announced his retirement from driving at the Penske team's Christmas party.

As of 2005 Rick Mears continues to work as a consultant to Penske racing, the team with which he won all of his Champcar races.

He is the brother of Roger Mears and the uncle of Casey Mears. Roger Mears (born March 24, 1947, Wichita, Kansas), is a former off-road driver who also drove in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. ... Casey Mears (born March 12, 1978 in Bakersfield, California) is the driver of the #42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. ...

Awards

• In 1997, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
• He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1998.

1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer. ... The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum in Novi, Michigan for American motorsports legends. ...

USAC Champ Car career results

Theodore Racing was a Formula One constructor from Britain founded by Hong Kong millionaire Teddy Yip. ...

CART Champ Car career results

Total: 3 championships, 26 victories

Indianapolis 500 results

Anglo American Racers (Eagle) was a Formula One constructor from the USA. They participated in 25 Grands Prix, entering a total of 34 cars. ... Hot Rod magazine cover, featuring supercharged Offenhauser engine Offenhauser was a racing engines manufacturer from that operated from 1933 to 1983. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... March Engineering was a Formula One constructor from Britain. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... March Engineering was a Formula One constructor from Britain. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... March Engineering was a Formula One constructor from Britain. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... March Engineering was a Formula One constructor from Britain. ... Cosworth Logo Cosworth is an automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958 specialising in engines for automobile racing. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Chevrolet Logo Chevrolet (IPA: ʃɛv. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Chevrolet Logo Chevrolet (IPA: ʃɛv. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Chevrolet Logo Chevrolet (IPA: ʃɛv. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Chevrolet Logo Chevrolet (IPA: ʃɛv. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Chevrolet Logo Chevrolet (IPA: ʃɛv. ...

Trivia

• Mears has seven of the top ten best Indianapolis 500 five-year qualifying streaks in the 200 mph era.

• Mears has the top six best Indianapolis 500 ten-year qualifying streaks in the 200 mph era.

• In Southern Ontario, Canada; drinking a beer on the road or on an extended road trip is usually refereed to having a few 'Ricky Mears' This is due to the fact that his name rhymes with beers. "Pass Me A Ricky Mears."