Gordon Johncock, a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and prominent figure in American auto racing, died Monday at his home in South Branch, Michigan. He was 90. His wife, Suzanne Johncock, confirmed his passing.

Johncock’s career spanned more than two decades, during which he competed in 24 Indianapolis 500 races and finished in the top five eight times. He captured the United States Auto Club (USAC) championship in 1976, narrowly surpassing Johnny Rutherford in points across 13 open-wheel events.

His first Indy 500 victory came in 1973, driving for Patrick Racing in a car sponsored by Andy Granatelli’s STP oil treatment company. That year’s race became notoriously tragic. Two weeks before the Memorial Day event, teammate Art Pollard was killed in a qualifying crash. On race day, multiple incidents marred the event: Salt Walther suffered severe burns and injuries after crashing into a wire fence, and dozens of spectators were hurt. Weather delays pushed the race across three days. Midway through the contest, another of Johncock’s teammates, David “Swede” Savage Jr., crashed violently, with his car bursting into flames. In responding to the accident, crew member Armando Teran was fatally struck by an emergency vehicle. Racing resumed following these incidents but was eventually halted by rain after 133 of the scheduled 200 laps. Johncock, who led 64 laps, was declared the winner. Savage later died of his injuries shortly after the race.

Johncock’s 1982 win was also shadowed by loss, as Gordon Smiley was killed on a practice lap two weeks before the race. The competition that year featured a dramatic battle in the final laps between Johncock and Rick Mears. Johncock edged Mears by 0.16 seconds, marking one of the closest finishes in Indianapolis 500 history at the time. That margin currently ranks fifth, with the closest ever recorded just this year.

Although Johncock announced his retirement ahead of the 1985 race, he returned for four more Indianapolis 500 starts, concluding his career after the 1992 event.

Born on August 5, 1936, in Hastings, Michigan, Johncock began racing sprint cars in the early 1960s and made his Indianapolis 500 debut in 1965. He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2002.

In later years, Johncock distanced himself from the racing community, choosing a quieter life running a sawmill with his wife near their home in northeastern Michigan. Reflecting on the tragedies that marked his career, he expressed that those losses influenced his approach to relationships within the sport. Johncock is survived by his wife Suzanne, five children, and two stepchildren.