{"id":499237,"date":"2021-04-20T10:46:28","date_gmt":"2021-04-20T17:46:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportscardigest.com\/\/?p=118120"},"modified":"2024-12-02T20:48:51","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T20:48:51","slug":"rocket-rick-mears-exhibit-opens-at-the-ims-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.supercars.net\/blog\/rocket-rick-mears-exhibit-opens-at-the-ims-museum\/","title":{"rendered":"“Rocket Rick Mears” Exhibit Opens at the IMS Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum proudly announces the Sunday, May 2 opening of its new featured exhibit honoring one of the Indianapolis 500\u2019s living legends: \u201cRocket Rick Mears presented by Racemaker Press.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Photo: Dan R. Boyd<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mears earned a record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory in 1991 \u2013 a race also remembered for his fierce duel with Michael Andretti in the waning laps, highlighted by the drivers\u2019 making daring, dramatic outside passes for the lead. Mears\u2019 likeness also is forever cast in sterling silver on the Borg-Warner Trophy for victories in 1979, 1984 and 1988.<\/p>\n

When Wichita, Kansas, native Mears joined the lofty four-time \u2018500\u2019 winners club, he earned the right to stand alongside two titans of motorsports history, A.J. Foyt and Al Unser.<\/p>\n

However, Mears can claim a pair of bragging rights over those legends: Mears earned victory No. 4 in only his 14th \u201c500\u201d start, while Foyt earned his historic fourth win in his 20th Indy start, and Unser achieved four-time glory in his 22nd start. And 30 years after earning his final Indianapolis 500 pole position, Mears still holds the record for the most-career \u201c500\u201d poles, with six (1979, \u201982, \u201986, \u201988, \u201989, \u201991).<\/p>\n

Rocket Rick Mears presented by Racemaker Press takes IMS Museum guests on a personal journey, giving context to Mears\u2019 formative years and what molded the man, the driver and humble champion. The story begins when as a child, Mears watched his father, Bill, race on Kansas short tracks, followed by the family\u2019s move to the hot, Southern California oil and agricultural town of Bakersfield. It was there that Mears and his older brother, Roger, started racing dune buggies for fun, but soon became off-road racing champions.<\/p>\n

The star attractions of \u201cRocket Rick,\u201d however, will be the artifacts and race cars central to his career, including:<\/p>\n