Highlights from the 63rd running of the Indianapolis 500

RACE: 63rd Indianapolis 500

DATE: May 27, 1979

WINNER: Rick Mears

AVERAGE SPEED: 158.899 mph

WHAT HAPPENED: Mears, in his second Indianapolis 500, took the lead with 18 laps remaining to win the first of his four 500s. Unser brothers Bobby and Al combined to lead 174 laps, but Al was unable to finish the race and Bobby faded to fifth.

NOTABLE: Former President Gerald Ford was in attendance and served as grand marshal of the 500 Festival Parade. It was the first 500 that used the pace car during caution periods. Although the race was sanctioned by USAC, many drivers entered it as a one-off and broke away to participate in the in the inaugural 1979 SCCA/CART Indy Car Series. It marked the first open-wheel ''split'' and created a rancorous month of squabbling in which a court injunction was needed to lift USAC's ban of CART participants.