The spin was immediately considered one of the most electrifying moments in Indy history, both for Andretti's ability to avoid Sullivan's spinning car, and for Sullivan's recovery from the spin. Sullivan considered it 50/50 skill and "dumb luck" that he emerged from the spin unscathed. Andretti's split-second decision to veer to the inside (the more difficult move, pinching his own car down) was a result of his experience from a very similar incident two years earlier. In the 1983 race, Andretti was faced with a nearly identical situation when Johnny Parsons spun in front of him going into turn one. Andretti was forced to try to avoid Parson's car to the outside, the two cars collided, and Andretti crashed hard into the concrete wall.