In all forms of sporting events, be it football, baseball, soccer of even motor racing, sometimes an incident can take place on the field of play that proves to be so well remembered, so revered, that it becomes known as a moniker attached to that competitor during their life time, be it Dale Earnhardt’s ‘pass in the grass’ in Nascar or Bobby Thompson’s ‘shot heard around the world’ in the world of baseball, and for most fans of Indycar racing no incident comes closer to achieving this level of recognition as Danny Sullivan’s ‘Spin and Win’ in 1985.

Unlike many American racing drivers of the time, Danny Sullivan’s racing career began not on the dirt ovals of sprint car racing but rather on the road courses of mainland Europe, moving to the United Kingdom on his 21st birthday to participate in the Jim Russell Racing Drivers school based at the Snetterton Circuit in the rural Norfolk. During the next decade Sullivan earned a reputation as an aggressive but ultimately successful racer on his way to victories in Formula Ford, Formula Three and Formula Two over a ten year period, with his 1974 Formula Three success seeing the Kentucky native finishing at least third in every race he contested during the season. Sullivan’s success in the junior formulas soon attracted the attention of teams in Formula One, and in 1982 Sullivan was hired by the Tyrrell team to drive alongside Michele Alboreto for the 1983 season, the deal partly instigated by the insistence of lead sponsor to have an American driver for commercial reasons. Against his more experienced team-mate Sullivan struggled to make an impact, earning just two points thanks to a fifth placed finish at Monaco, and although the American won admirers with his hard fought battle with Keke Rosberg during the non-championship Race of Champions event it wasn’t enough for him to remain in the sport, leading Sullivan to return to America this time in the Indycar series.

After an encouraging debut season driving for Doug Shierson Racing, Sullivan was hired by Roger Penske to driver the #5 Miller machine for the 1985 season, and after an impressive third place finish for the team at the first round at Long Beach Sullivan went into Indianapolis as a dark-horse pick for the 500 mile showpiece. For the majority of the month of May however two storylines in particular had taken priority over the speedway. After years of struggles with speed and reliability, the Buick V6 engine had finally started to flex it’s muscles, with Pancho Carter and Scott Brayton occupying the first two starting position with the stock power plant. Although question marks still remained over the engine’s ability to run 500 miles, the sheer speed of their machines made them potential contenders for victory come race day. The other big story of the race concerned Mario Andretti, the veteran Italian had fully committed to the Indycar series after years away in Formula One, and having been consistently near the front end of the timesheets throughout the month Mario confidently declared that the 1985 race would provide him with his best ever opportunity to pick up his elusive second 500 win. Sullivan meanwhile qualified eighth on the grid, looking to end a perceived hoodoo surrounding the starting position due to no driver being able to win the race after starting there.

By the race’s half distance attrition had already taken it’s toll on many of the race’s top contenders, with both Carter and Brayton forced out of the race by lap 20 and early race leader Bobby Rahal dropping out with a cracked cylinder on the 84th lap. The result left Sullivan second in the field behind race leader Andretti, but over the next couple of laps soon began to close the gap on the Newman Haas machine. By lap 120 Sullivan was right behind Andretti coming onto the start finish straight, dipping down onto the apron of the race track to take the lead of the race going into turn one. With the pass all but completed Sullivan lost control, spinning in front of Andretti in a cloud of smoke and leading the veteran driver to take evasive action to avoid any action. Using his road course acumen and quick thinking Sullivan was somehow able to avoid any contact with the wall, caught the car out of it’s spin and continue in the race, prompting roars of approval from the crowd as they recognised Sullivan’s remarkable display of driving.

Both Sullivan and Andretti were forced into the pits following the incident to change their tyres, with Andretti’s shorter stop allowing him to retake the lead of the race. Sullivan however was not to be denied, and after returning to the race once again set off in pursuit of Andretti. On lap 140 Sullivan once again caught Andretti going onto the front-stretch, and in a near carbon copy of his failed pass 20 laps before successfully dove to the inside of the Newman Haas machine going into turn one and quickly began to pull away from the veteran driver. The move proved to be the crucial moment of the race, and although Andretti would benefit from caution periods to keep him in contention Sullivan was able to hold on to take an historic win.

The victory thrust Sullivan into the public limelight, his good looks and southern charm making him one of Indycar racing’s first true Hollywood superstars. Following his win Sullivan made cameos in a number of television series, most noticeably as a murder suspect in a 1986 episode of Miami Vice whilst also continuing his success on the track on his way to the 1988 Indycar Championship. Sullivan retired from Indycar racing in 1995 to begin a career in broadcasting, but his legacy as a driver was cemented by his 1985 heroics, and with it helping to create one of Indy’s all time greatest moments.

And for today’s video there’s nothing else I can really show you then the famous moment itself:

In tomorrow’s update we take a look at an Indycar veteran who may have been short of success but whose laid back and likable demeanor turned him into a Brickyard fan favourite.