Lots of cash for Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi, his Patrick Racing Penske PC 18 and the cash earned with victory in the 1989 500 Miles of Indianapolis (picture above). Indeed, the Brazilian was paid $1,001,600 in prize money, the first time an Indianapolis 500 winner received over one million dollars.
Fittipaldi’s victory made him the first Indianapolis 500 winner from Brazil, the first foreign-born winner of the race since Mario Andretti (born in Italy) in 1969 and the first non-American winner since Graham Hill in 1966.
Though Fittipaldi started on the front row and dominated much of the race, he found himself running second in the waning laps behind Michael Andretti, until his opponent’s engine blew. He then had to fend off Al Unser Jr. and on the last lap, the two collided, Unser crashed but was uninjured, and Fittipaldi completed the final lap under caution behind the pace car to score his first of two Indy 500 victories.