IndyCar Indy 500
Indy 500 program cover features art by Johnny Rutherford
The official souvenir program for the 105th running of the Indy 500 features on its front cover artwork by three-time winner Johnny Rutherford.
Edited: May 14, 2021, 1:43 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Rutherford, winner of the 1974, ’76 and ’80 Indy 500s for the works McLaren team (twice), then Chaparral, used pencil to draw the only three drivers ahead of him in the roster of Indy winners – four-time winners A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears.
Rutherford drew the Bowes Seal Fast Trevis-Offy roadster that Foyt drove to his first Indy 500 victory 60 years ago, Unser’s Johnny Lightning Special Colt in which he earned his second Indy win 50 years ago, and the Marlboro Penske PC20 which Mears drove to his final Indy win – and penultimate Indy car victory – 30 years ago.
“It’s an honor to be able to be a part of this project and to do this program cover,” Rutherford said. “I just hope the fans like it and everybody enjoys the fact that it was me, a three-time winner here, that drew that. Add this to what I’ve accomplished at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in my career, and it’s special.”
The program cover was an artistic collaboration between Rutherford and IMS graphic designer Amiah Mims. After Rutherford provided the drawings of the cars, Mims reimagined the 1980 Indy car champion’s artwork in a digital format and integrated it onto a digitally created background that highlights the cars Rutherford drew, as well as the world-famous Yard of Bricks.
Mims is also a freelance artist who has been involved in Indianapolis-area works such as Welcome Race Fans 2019, the Black Lives Matter Boarded Window Mural project, the Black Lives Matter Street Mural project and the Indianapolis Recorder building mural, among other projects.
“Designing, illustrating and painting has always been my passion, and I’m proud to be able to use my love for art to help tell the history of the Indianapolis 500,” Mims said. “It’s an honor to be one of many artists to have had a part in the Indianapolis 500 and to work alongside a legend like Johnny Rutherford.”
The 208-page souvenir program is available now for $15 at shop.ims.com and at Official Trackside Gift Shops at IMS and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
It contains features on the results of the Race for Equality & Change after just 10 months, retired IMS historian Donald Davidson, Marco Andretti’s pole-winning run last August, the 2020 Indy 500 and the impact of its lack of fans by IMS president Doug Boles, 2020 (and 2017) winner Takuma Sato, 2020 Rookie of the Year Pato O’Ward, Rinus VeeKay and Alex Palou, the future of the IMS Museum, and a celebration of Indy 500 anniversaries in 2021, including the 100-year anniversary of Tommy Milton’s first win.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article IndyCar’s GP of Indianapolis – facts, figures, entry list
Next article IndyCar loses Toronto race to COVID restrictions again
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Al Unser Sr.
The top Indy 500s ranked: Andretti, Foyt, Mears and more
IndyCar
IndyCar May 29, 2022
The top Indy 500s ranked: Andretti, Foyt, Mears and more
Penske, Mears, Foyt, Parnelli Jones pay tribute to Al Unser
IndyCar
IndyCar Dec 10, 2021
Penske, Mears, Foyt, Parnelli Jones pay tribute to Al Unser
Four-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Sr. dies aged 82
IndyCar
IndyCar Dec 10, 2021
Four-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser Sr. dies aged 82
Latest news
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup 7 h
The ten closest finishes from the 2026 NASCAR season
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1 8 h
‘Lewis suspected a conspiracy’ – Nico Rosberg explains how Lewis Hamilton F1 rivalry went awry at Mercedes
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
9 h
BMW "proud of what we achieved" after securing runner-up in 2026 WEC
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Qatar GP
11 h
The numbers that reveal how sprint races have turned the MotoGP title fight upside down
Feature
Discover prime content
How Spanish engineering and Alex Palou brought IndyCar to Barcelona
Feature
IndyCar
Feature
IndyCar 16 d
By Joey Barnes
How Spanish engineering and Alex Palou brought IndyCar to Barcelona
Inside AJ Foyt Racing’s transition: Hauger’s arrival, Ferrucci’s future, and the Pierson waiting game
Feature
IndyCar
Feature
IndyCar 1 mo
By Joey Barnes
Inside AJ Foyt Racing’s transition: Hauger’s arrival, Ferrucci’s future, and the Pierson waiting game
You Ask The Questions: David Malukas
IndyCar
By Joey Barnes
You Ask The Questions: David Malukas
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe