page_title: 1982 Indianapolis 500
section_title: Race Start: Kevin Cogan crash
hierarchical_section_title: 1982 Indianapolis 500 / Race Start: Kevin Cogan crash
caption_attribution_description: English: Indy car driven by Kevin Cogan at the 1982 Indianapolis 500. On display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2013.
context_page_description: The 66th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 30, 1982. Gordon Johncock, who had previously won the rain-shortened 1973 race, was the winner. Polesitter Rick Mears finished second by a margin of 0.160 seconds, the closest finish in Indy 500 history to that point.
  In racing circles, the 1982 race is largely considered one of the best 500s in history, although it was marred by the fatal crash of Gordon Smiley during time trials. Johncock and Mears dueled over most of the final 40 laps. Johncock pulled out to a sizeable lead after his final pit stop on lap 184. But Mears dramatically began closing the gap in the waning laps. Johncock held off Mears on the final lap in a historic victory, as the raucous crowd drowned out the loud roar of the engines. The race is also remembered for a controversial crash at the start triggered by Kevin Cogan, which took out Mario Andretti, damaged the car of A. J. Foyt, and caused the crash of two other cars.
  Officially the race was part of the 1981-82 USAC season, however, most of the entrants took part in the 1982 CART PPG Indy Car World Series.
context_section_description: On race day, Kevin Cogan started from the middle of the front row, next to pole-sitter Mears, and A. J. Foyt. As the field approached the start/finish line to start the race, Cogan suddenly swerved right, touching and bouncing off A.J. Foyt's car. He then slid directly into the path of, and collected, Mario Andretti. Deeper in the field, the cars started to check-up. A fast-moving Dale Whittington nearly collected Geoff Brabham, lost control, spun across the track and ran into the back of Roger Mears. Both cars were eliminated. Bobby Rahal also reported getting hit from behind, but was undamaged. The green flag had not come out, and the race was immediately red flagged.
  Cogan's shocking accident took out four cars, including himself. Foyt's team was able to make repairs, and pushed his car out for the restart attempt; but Andretti was out of the race—his Patrick-prepared car was too badly damaged to continue. Meanwhile, both Andretti and Foyt were furious and outspoken about their displeasure with Cogan. Andretti, who was absolutely livid and perhaps even more angry than Foyt shunned Cogan's attempts to explain himself with a light shove, and Cogan walked with Andretti down the pit lane trying to explain himself but Andretti was having none of it.
  Andretti, speaking on live radio, which was rebroadcast that night on the ABC broadcast, made the comment:
  This is what happens when you have children doing a man's job up front.
  Back in the garage area, Andretti complained about Cogan's abilities, claiming that Cogan was "looking for trouble," that he "couldn't handle the responsibilities of the front row," and that the Penske car he was driving was "too good for him."
  The commonly outspoken Foyt also chimed in during comments to ABC-TV's Chris Economaki with:
  ...he ran right square into my goddamned left front...["Who are you talking about"]...'Coogin'
  After he had cooled off, Foyt brushed it off a little saying "the guy pulled a stupid trick" and then back in the garage area of the crash and of Cogan that:
  It was a stupid deal. The guy had his head up his ass.
  Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford and
  Bobby Unser later placed some blame of the incident on the polesitter Rick Mears, for bringing the field down at such a slow pace. Director of competition Roger McCluskey mentioned an overwhelming disdain from the drivers about the poor pace set at the start. Mears contended that his intentions were to keep the same pace, rather than radically speed up and slow down. In a 2009 interview, Gordon Johncock pointed out that Andretti had jumped the start, and could have avoided the spinning car of Cogan had he been lined up properly in the second row, stating that "he (Andretti) took himself out". Andretti's response was, "I'm not the one who spun. … I wish I would have [stayed back with Johncock], but when it comes to the start, I start!"
caption: Car of Kevin Cogan on display at Indianapolis in 2013. It was restored to the livery used by Mears during the 1982 season, as the car was first used by Mears in Phoenix and Atlanta.
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