Carl Haas, one of the most influential men in motorsports for nearly a half-century and a frequent competitor at the Indianapolis 500 as a car owner, died June 29 at the age of 86.
“Carl Haas fielded cars for some of the best drivers in the world and his leadership and competitive spirit caused Newman/Haas Racing to become one of the most successful teams in our sport’s history,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said. “The IndyCar community was fortunate to have his personality as part of its family and Mr. Haas’ legacy of excellence and winning will long be remembered.”
At the Indianapolis 500, Newman/Haas cars made 30 starts over a 28-year span from 1983-2011, with six top-5 finishes but also several notable heartbreaks. In 1985, Mario Andretti led 107 laps but finished second to the remarkable “spin and win” of Danny Sullivan. In 1987, Mario led 170 of the first 177 laps but slowed after Lap 180 with electrical failure.
Michael Andretti finished second in 1991 after a memorable late battle with Rick Mears, then in 1992 dominated most of the race with 160 laps led, only to have a fuel pump break on Lap 189 while leading.
In all, Newman/Haas entries led more than 800 laps at Indy.
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