Paul Newman & Newman/Haas Racing
Starting in 1983, Paul Newman joined the ranks of CART owners, teaming with Carl Haas to form Newman/Haas racing. In their first year, Mario Andretti signed as primary driver, an arrangement that would carry Andretti through the remainder of his career, until his retirement in 1994. Michael Andretti joined the team from 1989–1992 and again from 1995-2000. During the 1980s, and for the better part of the 1990s, the team was closely aligned with the Andretti family.
Like the Andretti family, Newman's team experienced tremendous success in Indy car racing, with the notable exception of victory at Indianapolis. During Newman's tenure, the team won over 100 Champ Car races and eight season championships. With Mario and Michael at the helm, as well as other championship drivers over the years, such as Nigel Mansell, Paul Tracy, and Sébastien Bourdais, the team has failed to achieve victory of any sort at Indianapolis.
Along with Mario's and Michael's many misfortunes during the 1980s and 1990s, Newman/Haas Racing's misfortunes at Indy include several near-misses and crashes. In 1996, the Indy car split saw Newman/Haas (and Newman in particular) take sides firmly with the CART contingent. The team would not return to Indianapolis until 2004.
- 1993: Nigel Mansell was leading the race with 16 laps to go when his inexperience on ovals saw him misjudge the restart speed. He was quickly passed by pole sitter Arie Luyendyk, driving for car owner Chip Ganassi, and eventual winner Emerson Fittipaldi, driving for car owner Roger Penske, and fell to 3rd at the finish.
- 1994: After Mario Andretti dropped out early, Nigel Mansell was the team's only car left. Around the halfway point, Mansell was involved in a bizarre crash where Dennis Vitolo landed on top of Mansell's car.
- 1995: Paul Tracy, former driver for Roger Penske from 1992-1994, dropped out with mechanical problems and Michael Andretti's day ended when he brushed the wall while leading.
From 1996-2003, Newman/Haas Racing did not enter at Indy due to the CART/IRL "split."
- 2004: Bruno Junqueira was leading the race on lap 150, hoping to stretch his fuel and be leading the race when expected rain arrived; which could have given him the race victory. He was forced to pit, and finished 5th when the race was called on lap 180.
- 2005: Both Bruno Junqueira and Sébastien Bourdais were factors, but both crashed out.
The team skipped the 2006-2007 races.
- 2008: After the open-wheel unification, and what would be Paul Newman's final Indy 500, again both drivers (Justin Wilson and Graham Rahal) crashed out.
- 2009: In the first race after Newman's death, Graham Rahal wrecked out early for the second year in a row. Robert Doornbos did not last long either, as he wrecked out before the halfway point.
- 2010: The team entered only one car for Indy (Hideki Mutoh), and he dropped out after only 76 laps.
- 2011: The team entered two cars. Oriol Servià qualified for the front row, and was a factor on race day. After the pit sequences at the end, he wound up only 6th. Rookie James Hinchcliffe lost a wheel exiting the pits, spun and hit the inside wall, placing 29th.
- 2012: The team initially entered with a Lotus for Jean Alesi, but withdrew.
Read more about this topic: Andretti Curse
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