Gordon Johncock, who won the Indianapolis 500 twice and the 1976 USAC National Championship, has died at the age of 90, according to a report published by RaceFans on Sept. 30, 2026. His second Indianapolis 500 win came in 1982, when he held off Rick Mears by 0.16 seconds after a duel over the closing laps.

Johncock’s first Indianapolis 500 victory was in 1973. That race was overshadowed by tragedy and, IndyCar president J. Douglas Boles said, became a turning point for safety changes to track engineering and regulations. The fatality during the race was the first at the event since Savage died nine years earlier.

The 1982 race followed the death of Gordon Smiley during practice. Johncock and Mears battled through the final laps, with Mears closing in as they neared the finish. Mears attacked as the last lap began, but Johncock reached the flag first in a sprint decided by just 0.16 seconds.

“Gordon Johncock was known for his hard-charging, no-nonsense style of racing, and he left a lasting legacy on both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar,” Boles said. He said Johncock was unable to truly celebrate his first win because of the tragedy surrounding the 1973 race, making the 1982 victory and its contest with Mears all the more memorable.

“His victory is one of the iconic moments in the history of the Speedway,” Boles said. He also recalled Johncock’s quiet life away from racing and said he had left a lasting impact on motorsports. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

RaceFans published the report under the byline of Keith Collantine, with timestamps of 11:09 and 11:18 on Sept. 30, 2026. Collantine founded RaceFans in 2005, when it was called F1 Fanatic. A former motoring journalist, he began running the site full-time in 2010 to focus on his passion for motor racing.

Based on reporting by RaceFans.