This next Replicarz diecast giveaway features “The Gas Man” and the 1983 Indianapolis 500-winning March chassis. This is the only Indy 500 that Tom Sneva won, but he finished runner-up in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing three times. Known as an exceptional qualifier, Sneva sat on pole three times at Indy, and was also the fastest qualifier in 1981 but did not start from pole because of the rules that year.
Sneva was the first driver to win a championship for Roger Penske, and “The Captain” knew just how talented Sneva was. “Tom drove for us for a number of years, won the championship, and was a tremendous qualifier,” Penske said. “Every time I saw him come off of Turn 4 I thought he would never get the thing turned. He drove it right on the edge, and was one of the key drivers that brought us to the next step. He was a smart guy, and I think he understood our methodology, which was important.”
There are two distinct records at Indianapolis that Sneva owns. He was the first driver to do a lap at the speedway at more than 200 mph in 1977. Three years later, Sneva became the first driver to lead the race after starting last. He remains the only driver to ever accomplish that feat, finishing in 2nd place in that 1980 race.
The 1983 race was a two-man duel between Sneva and Al Unser, with both drivers leading multiple times. With nine laps remaining, Sneva was able to get by rookie Al Unser Jr, then his father, and cruised to an 11.174-second victory.
“I’ve got to say 1983 wasn’t really the year I expected to finally get the win,” Sneva said. “We had a lot of trouble throughout the month, couldn’t get a motor to last over 100 miles, and I was fighting with George Bignotti, the chief mechanic. The car was quick but we just weren’t getting any reliability in the engine department. I actually booked a pretty early tee time, because I didn’t think the car was going to last. But sure enough, when you think it isn’t going to happen, we finally got one of those motors to run all day and we won the race.”
This is the 18th Replicarz diecast giveaway that I have been fortunate enough to do. Each one is special because of the story behind the race and the history that it represents. If you know anything about Replicarz, it is that they are meticulous in the details of their models. From the small engine components to the gauges inside the cockpit to the exact color of paint used, it truly is a replica of the actual car. I particularly like the blue seat belt straps on this March that go perfectly with the red and blue stripes on the white body.
The rules for the giveaway are simple. Follow Replicarz and Chad on Twitter, then Retweet the tweet linked to this post to be entered. One random winner will be chosen on Saturday, October 22 at 2 PM ET. The winner will be announced, then contacted through direct message so that I can get the model shipped to their address. Should the winner not respond within 24 hours, another person will be selected.
1983 Texaco Star March – Tom Sneva, Indianapolis 500 Winner
I have been fortunate to work with Mark, Brian, and the fantastic group of people at Replicarz for many years. This is just one of their beautiful cars in the exclusive 1:18 Indy Series diecast line. If you are not the lucky winner of this contest, you can find the model here available for purchase.
I encourage you to visit the Replicarz website, where you are sure to find something for yourself or someone you know. You can even create your own wish list and share it with others. There are always discounts and sales promotions going on, and you can also buy gift cards. Check out the complete New Arrivals section and visit the Coming Soon page to see what future models are on the way.
If you are itching for more IndyCar content during the offseason, be sure to check out the Indianapolis 500 Races page on Fastest33 which has links to every Indy 500 broadcast in chronological order. The Race Recaps page has all of IndyCar’s official Fast Forward recaps of every race from the last two seasons. You can also keep tabs on Silly Season and find the schedule for the 2023 season, which can’t come soon enough.
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