Gordon Johncock, who won the Indianapolis 500 twice and the USAC National Championship in 1976, has died at the age of 90.

His first Indy 500 victory came in a terrible weekend for the series. Three people were killed during the event: drivers David ‘Swede’ Savage and Art Pollard, and crew member Armando Teran. Another driver was seriously injured along with a group of spectators in a fiery crash at the start of the race.

Johncock’s 1982 victory followed the death of Gordon Smiley during practice. It was the first fatality in the race since Savage’s death nine years earlier.

In the race, Johncock and Rick Mears duelled thrillingly over the final laps. Mears chased his rival down as they approached the finish and attacked him as the final lap began, but Johncock won the sprint to the flag by just 0.16 seconds.

“Gordon Johncock was known for his hard-charging, no-nonsense style of racing, and he left a lasting legacy on both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar,” said IndyCar president J. Douglas Boles.

“While his 1973 Indianapolis 500 victory was overshadowed by tragedy, that race was an inflection point for safety, leading to a vital shift in track engineering and regulations. Gordon was unable to truly celebrate his first win, so that made his second win in 1982, following a thrilling duel with Rick Mears, all the more memorable.

“His victory is one of the iconic moments in the history of the Speedway. Remembered as much for his quiet life away from racing, Gordon left a lasting impact on the world of motorsports. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

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1973 Indianapolis 500

Warning: This video contains distressing footage.

1982 Indianapolis 500

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