Danny Sullivan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Danny Sullivan | |
| Nationality |  American |
|---|---|
| World Championship Career | |
| Active years | 1983 |
| Team(s) | Tyrrell |
| Races | 15 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podium finishes | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1983 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1983 South African Grand Prix |
- For the editor of Search Engine Watch, see Danny Sullivan (technologist)
Daniel John (Danny) Sullivan III (Born March 9, 1950 in Louisville, Kentucky) is a former racing driver from the United States. He is best known for winning the 1985 Indianapolis 500.
Sullivan participated in 15 Formula One grands prix, all during 1983, debuting on March 13. He scored two championship points.
The following year, 1984, Sullivan returned to America where he competed in the CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) open-wheel series winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1985. The "spin and win" footage of his red and white Miller American doing a 360 down the south short chute (between turns one and two) at Indy after passing Mario Andretti for the lead in the race's 120th lap has been played on countless motorsports programs. Recovering from the spin undamaged except for flat-spotted tires, Sullivan went into the pits for new rubber, then returned to the track and passed Mario a second time twenty laps later to go on for the win. Danny would set the pace at Indy again in 1988, leading 91 of the first 101 laps, until he drifted out and hard into the turn 1 wall. Nevertheless, he went on to win the CART series title for Roger Penske that year.
In 1986, Sullivan was a guest star on the television show Miami Vice, playing a race car driver accused of murdering a prostitute.
In 1994, Sullivan took a sabatical from Indycar racing, and joined ABC/ESPN as a color commentator. He also attempted to run selected events in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series that season. He, however, qualified for only one race (the 1994 Brickyard 400), and finished an unimpressive 33rd for a very underfunded team.
He returned to Indycar racing for one final year in 1995. His season ended early after a serious crash at Michigan International Speedway. While recovereing from a broken pelvis and other injuries, he announced his retirement from open-wheel competition. He returned to ABC-TV for 1996-1997. Meanwhile, he moved to France, and began racing a very limited schedule in European sports cars, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
[edit] Indy 500 results
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[edit] Complete Formula One Results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Team | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Tyrrell | BRA 11 |
USAW 8 |
FRA Ret |
SMR Ret |
MON 5 |
BEL 12 |
USAE Ret |
CAN DSQ |
GBR 14 |
GER 12 |
AUT Ret |
DUT Ret |
ITA Ret |
EUR Ret |
RSA 7 |
Tyrrell | 17th | 2 |
[edit] External links
- Grand Prix encyclopedia entry on Danny Sullivan
- Sullivan's 1985 win on Indy500.com
- Danny Sullivan at the Internet Movie Database
- F1 Rejects profile
| Preceded by Rick Mears |
Indianapolis 500 Winner 1985 |
Succeeded by Bobby Rahal |
| Preceded by Bobby Rahal |
CART Series Champion 1988 |
Succeeded by Emerson Fittipaldi |
| Indianapolis 500 Winners |
|---|
| Four-time winners A. J. Foyt • Al Unser, Sr. • Rick Mears Three-time winners Two-time winners One win |
