Background
Defending champion Rick Mears suffered serious leg injuries in a crash at Sanair Super Speedway in August 1984. He missed the rest of the 1984 season, and would participate only in limited events in 1985. The 1985 Indy 500 was his first race back after recovery.
Danny Sullivan joined Penske Racing for 1985, and Al Unser, Sr., who was filling in for Mears during the rest of the season, took the wheel of the third Penske entry for Indy.
Willy T. Ribbs entered the Rookie Orientation Program in April, hoping to become the first African American driver to qualify for the Indy 500. However, after 20 laps of testing, he managed only 172 mph, and withdrew, citing his inexperience. He would return in 1991
This would be the final Indy 500 broadcast on television in tape-delay. Later in the summer, ABC-TV signed a deal to broadcast the Indy 500 live for the first time starting in 1986. It would also be Jim McKay's final Indy 500 as play-by-play anchor.
A. J. Foyt announced during the month he was planning to retire after the 1987 race, which would be his 30th start. The decision was later retracted. Foyt entered the month of May 1985 with the opportunity to pass the 10,000 mile mark in competition at Indy, and the race would mark his record 300th career Indy car start.
At the conclusion of the race, the Speedway planned to tear down the legendary Gasoline Alley garage area, in preparations for construction of a new, modern garage facility. This would be the final Indy 500 field to utilize the famous landmark green and white "barn-like" garages.
Read more about this topic: 1985 Indianapolis 500
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