Richard Ravon Mears [1] (born December 3, 1951) is an American former race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991).

May 27, 2022 · Rick Mears won the 63rd Indianapolis 500 race winner on May 27, 1979, in just his second try. Raised in Bakersfield, he went on to become one of racing's biggest legends before abruptly calling...

Feb 10, 2023 · When Rick Mears chose to retire in 1992, he stuck to his decision. But almost a quarter-century later, he had a chance to prove that while form is temporary, class is permanent. David Malsher...

Rick Mears, of Bakersfield, Calif., is one of only three four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, having won all four under the sanction of USAC. In 1984, 1988 and 1991 he was USAC’s Gold Crown Driving Champion.

RICK MEARS compiled a phenomenal record in championship auto racing, especially at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where, in 1991, he became the third person to win the Indianapolis 500 four times.

Rick Mears retired from auto racing in 1992, but he remained a member of the Penske team. For the past decade Mears has served as an adviser and driving coach for younger drivers. He and his brother, Roger, also formed an Indy Lights team to promote their sons' racing careers.

In 1976, Rick Mears won Formula Vee and Super Vee SCCA nationals and went on to drive Formula 5000 and Indy cars for equipment manufacturer Bill Simpson. Later that year, Mears was named USAC Rookie of the Year and won the annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge May 13-25, 2025 | INDYCAR; Sonsio Grand Prix May 9-10, 2025 | INDYCAR; Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational June 14-15 | SVRA; BC39 presented by Avanti Windows & Doors July 1-2, 2025 | USAC Midgets; Brickyard Weekend July 25-27, 2025 | NASCAR; TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks September 19-21, 2025 | IMSA; …

After honing his talents racing in the desert, Rick won overall honors at the Pikes Peak Hillclimb in 1976, then broke into Champ Car racing later that year with an eight-place finish in his debut outing with Bill Simpson's Eagle in the California 500 at Ontario.

Known as "Rocket Rick" or "The Rocketman," the 5-foot-10, 150-pound Mears also won three CART national championships and the Associated Press named him "Driver of the Decade" for his 20...