1985 CART PPG Indy Car World Series
The 1985 CART PPG Indy Car World Series season was the 7th national championship season of American open wheel racing sanctioned by CART. The season consisted of 15 races. Al Unser Sr. was the national champion, and the rookie of the year was Arie Luyendyk. The 1985 Indianapolis 500 was sanctioned by USAC, but counted towards the CART points championship. Danny Sullivan won the Indy 500, in dramatic fashion, a race that became known as the "Spin and Win."
| 1985 CART season | |
|---|---|
| PPG Indy Car World Series | |
| Season | |
| Races | 15 |
| Start date | April 14 |
| End date | November 10 |
| Awards | |
| Drivers' champion | Al Unser |
| Constructors' Cup | March 85C/84C |
| Manufacturers' Cup | Cosworth DFX |
| Nations' Cup | United States |
| Rookie of the Year | Arie Luyendyk |
| Indianapolis 500 winner | Danny Sullivan |
In September 1984, Rick Mears suffered serious leg injuries in a crash at Sanair. Mears drove only a part-time schedule in 1985, racing at Indianapolis, and subsequently on ovals only. Al Unser Sr. took Mears' full-time seat at Penske Racing as a substitute for the season. Unser had one win, ten top fives, and one other top ten, en route to the championship, a battle that climaxed in dramatic fashion in the final race of the season.