This story originally appeared in Volume 36 of Road & Track.
If you were mingling in the paddock leading up to the 110th running of the Indy 500 in May, chances are you caught sight of 1969 race winner Mario Andretti. His legacy is as much a part of the Brickyard as the bricks themselves. And when Andretti is making the rounds, you might see him wearing his 1981 Indy 500 victory ring — the most controversial prize in the history of motorsport. Many fans believe Andretti was the rightful winner that year, even though — after the 500-mile track battle and several months of back-and-forth with a USAC panel — officials declared Bobby Unser the victor. Forty-five years later, Andretti still has the victory ring, and he ain’t ever giving it up.
