Indianapolis 500 Front Rows of the 1970s: 1978

In addition to the Month of May countdown, we’re also looking back at the front rows of the 1970s, which included some of the most accomplished drivers in the history of the Indianapolis 500.

Faithful readers of this space know that this decade is part of my personal golden age at the Speedway. I’m grateful I got to witness much of it first-hand as a boy.

Here’s a statistical look at the front-row drivers of the 1970s:

Driver	Indianapolis 500 poles (career)	Indianapolis 500 wins (career)
Al Unser	1	4
Johnny Rutherford	3	3
A.J. Foyt	4	4
Peter Revson	1	0
Mark Donohue	0	1
Bobby Unser	2	3
Wally Dallenbach	0	0
Mike Hiss	0	0
Gordon Johncock	0	2
Tom Sneva	3	1
Danny Ongais	0	0
Rick Mears	6	4
Totals	20	22

For each year, we’ll have the front row, how many Indianapolis 500 wins were represented on the front row at the start of the race, the number of Indianapolis 500 wins in the drivers’ respective careers, and a brief recap of practice, qualifying and the race.

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For the 1978 Indianapolis 500, Tom Sneva once again was on the pole with a
new track record. Danny Ongais started second, and rookie Rick Mears took
the outside spot.

1978 front row: Tom Sneva (pole), Danny Ongais, Rick Mears

How it started: 0 Indianapolis 500 victories (the only front row in the 1970s without a win when the green flag dropped)

How it ended: 5 Indianapolis 500 victories (Tom Sneva 1983; Rick Mears 1979, 1984, 1988, 1991)

About the 1978 race: As he did in 1977, Tom Sneva let others grab the headlines in practice, then again was the only driver to set a “New Track Record” with a lap of 203.620 mph leading to a four-lap average of 202.156 mph in the Norton Spirit Penske/Cosworth. Two new faces joined Sneva on the front row: second-year charger Danny Ongais and rookie Rick Mears. 

Roger Penske brought in Mears to sub for Mario Andretti when Andretti had other commitments and also as a third entry at selected events – like the 500. He wound up 23^rd after going out with an engine problem after 103 laps in his CAM2 Penske/Cosworth. Despite the poor finish, Mears’ front-row efforts helped him earn Rookie of the Year honors with Larry Rice, who was 11^th.

Ongais was definitely on the gas, leading a total of 71 laps before the engine blew in his Interscope Racing Parnelli/Cosworth. Al Unser, something of an afterthought in pre-race prognostications, turned in a quietly dominating performance in his First National City Travelers Checks Lola/Cosworth by leading 121 laps, including all but 1 of the last 90, to finish ahead of Sneva.

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IMS produced "Legends of Indy" trading card sets in 1991 and 1992.
This is from the 1992 set.

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Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!

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Gordon Johncock started second in the 1975 Indianapolis 500. Unfortunately,
he was an early out due to ignition failure and finished 31st.

30 Days in May: No. 20, Gordon Johncock, 1975 Sinmast Wildcat/DGS. Starting in 1973 and over the next 10-plus years, Gordon Johncock was synonymous with the number 20 and Patrick Racing. For 1975, he had a new sponsor, a new chassis and a new engine. It all added up to a fast combination, as Johncock was among the leaders every day in practice and held the pole before A.J. Foyt nudged him aside with a run late in the day. Johncock jumped to the lead at the start of the race, but fell out after just 11 laps and finished 31^st. DGS stood for Drake, Goosen and Sparks, the last names of engine pioneers Dale Drake, Leo Goosen and Art Sparks. The name was something of a tribute by George Bignotti, who helped modify an Offy engine to create the DGS. 

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This photo is from 1973. I like to run it simply because of the hat of
Harlan Fengler, the longtime chief steward. 

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30 Days in May: No. 19, Spike Gehlhausen, 1976 Spirit of Indiana McLaren/Offy

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!

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Rookie Spike Gehlhausen drove the colorful Spirit of Indiana in the 1976
Indianapolis 500, but unfortunately a mechanical problem ended his race
before the green flag.

The Spirit of Indiana entries appeared in the Indianapolis 500 in 1975 and 1976, each with a rookie driver from Indiana and each with No. 19 because Indiana is the 19^th state.

In 1975, short-track star Sheldon Kinser (Bloomington) finished 12^th. For 1976, Spike Gehlhausen (Jasper) got the assignment. Spike’s dad, Carl Gehlhausen, was a longtime owner in USAC in the Midget, Sprint, Championship Dirt and Championship divisions. In 1973, an up-and-coming Tom Sneva won several features in the family’s soon-to-be-banned rear-engine sprint car. 

Race Day was a tough one as the Offy lost oil pressure before the green flag. Spike (given first name Daniel) competed in four more Indianapolis 500s, with a best finish of 10^th in 1979.

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Crockey Peterson: The bottler who wanted to race in the Indianapolis 500

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Crockey Peterson is ready to try for a spot in the 1973 Indianapolis 500.

Back when I started following the Indianapolis 500 with fervent interest, I pored over the program to try to memorize the car and driver combinations for that year’s race. Basically, I wanted to be THE source for my family when we went to the track and they would ask, “Who’s that?” as a car sped by. 

One car and driver we never saw at the Speedway in 1973 – in fact, no one saw – was Crockey Peterson. In addition to being listed in the official program with his Dr. Pepper Special, Peterson also was assigned garage space. He had garage 34 for his No. 38 entry and garage 35 for his No. 96 mount. His neighbors in Gasoline Alley were to be Lee Brayton (No. 61 Eisenhour Special) in garage 33 and Dee Jones (No. 51 Minnesota Serendipity) in garage 36. Incidentally, Brayton and Jones never qualified for the 500, though Lee’s son, Scott, was a two-time pole-winner.

Peterson never made it on to the track because USAC refused to let him take a rookie test. I assume his entry fee of $1,000 per car was refunded. Also denied that year were Eldon Rasmussen and Billy Shuman, who were to be teammates for the Quality Racing Team. Rasmussen came back in 1974, then qualified for the 500 in 1975, ’77 and ’79. As far as I can tell, Shuman, like Peterson, never returned to Indianapolis. 

As a warm-up to Indianapolis, Peterson competed in twin races at Trenton International Speedway. Unfortunately, he was plagued by mechanical trouble in both races. In the first contest, he managed only two laps before going out with a fuel leak, finishing 23^rd out of 24 starters. The second race wasn’t much better as a water leak sidelined him after 43 laps. Peterson wound up 18^th out of 21 starters.

“I did everything they told me to do, but they turned me down anyway,” Peterson was quoted as saying in a story by Jerry Miller in the 1973 Indianapolis 500 Yearbook. 

So who was Crockey Peterson? According to his bio in IMS’ press book for 1973, his full name was Howard Glenn Peterson, his hometown was Desloge, Missouri, and that, among other pursuits, he was a Pepsi Cola and Dr. Pepper bottler. The news release from his press kit states that Crockey Peterson Racing Enterprises was based out of Flat River, Missouri, and that he was the first rookie and the second driver overall to file an entry for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. (Desloge and Flat River are both about 60 miles south of St. Louis.)

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The news release announcing Crockey Peterson's entry.

That news release contained all sorts of interesting tidbits, including Peterson co-driving with A.J. Foyt in sports car races in Nassau, Bahamas, in 1963. The release also said Peterson was “good friends” with hall of fame mechanic Ray Nichels.

I checked that out with my good friend William R. LaDow, who has written many articles about Nichels and basically has been entrusted with the family archives. Bill said that Nichels may have loaned Peterson a Monte Carlo for a USAC stock car race in July of 1972 at Indianapolis Raceway Park. 

The chassis was listed as a 1972 Brabham copy, half “monique” (maybe the writer meant “monocoque”?) and half tubular powered by an 850-hp Offy capable of a top speed of 220 mph. (Hmmm.)

Peterson’s last IndyCar appearance was at Milwaukee on June 10, 1973. He placed 20^th out of 24 starters, going out after 13 laps with an overheating issue. He competed in two other USAC events in 1970, both on road courses, with sponsorship from Pepsi. Unfortunately, the results were similar because of mechanical woes. He was 19^th in the William Murray 150 at Sears Point on April 4, 1970. He completed four laps before going out with an oil leak. Peterson was 20^th in the Rocky Mountain 150 as clutch failure knocked him out after just two laps. 

From the 1973 Indianapolis 500 program

Looking back 50-plus years, it’s too bad Peterson didn’t at least get a chance to start his rookie test. Dr. Pepper did make its way into racing, including sponsoring Marco Andretti at select races. 

Sources:

1973 Indianapolis 500 program; 1973 Indianapolis 500 Yearbook published by Carl Hungness; The Indy 500: An American Institution Under Fire by Ron Dorson; 57^th Annual Indianapolis 500-Mile Race Press/TV/Radio Fact Book; Press kit from the Dr. Pepper Company and Crockey Peterson Racing Enterprises 

From the 1973 Indianapolis 500 program

Crockey Peterson never made it on the track in 1973,
but at least he made it into the program.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 86, Al Loquasto, 1976 Frostie Root Beer McLaren/Offy

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!

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Al Loquasto started 24th and finished 25th in the 1976 Indianapolis 500.

After several years of trying, Al Loquasto finally qualified for the Indianapolis 500 in 1976, earning the 24^th starting spot. He was still running when the race was red-flagged because of rain and considered complete after 102 laps. The year before, I got a sticker of his car from his team as I roamed the fence by the pits, seeking autographs. 

Unfortunately, Loquasto suffered a sort of dubious distinction that year. He was the first qualifier for 1975, then began to be pushed down the order as faster cars qualified. Eventually, Loquasto was bumped all the way out, so it was nice that he finally got in the field the next year. He also drove in the 1977 race and finished 28^th. Helping Loquasto’s effort was legendary mechanic Clint Brawner, the wrench on Mario Andretti’s 1969 winner. 

Al Loquasto's team handed out these stickers. I wish I still had mine!

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30 Days in May: No. 18, Johnny Rutherford, 1972 Patrick Petroleum Brabham/Offy

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the history of the Indianapolis 500!

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Johnny Rutherford started eighth and finished 27th in the 1972 Indianapolis 500.

I saw this photo on eBay and, quite frankly, couldn’t resist. As noted in some other entries, the 1972 Indianapolis 500 saw quite a bit change as aerodynamics played an even greater role in car design. Those teams with older cars had to figure out some creative solutions to stay competitive.

This particular car, a Brabham, was only two years old, but was already outdated. Rutherford started a very respectable eighth in this unusual creation, but managed only 55 laps before a rod failure and finished 27^th.

This was the last 500 for Rutherford with Patrick (sort of—more on that later) as he left the team shortly after the race and began the 1973 season with McLaren. Interestingly, Gordon Johncock left McLaren for Patrick, so the two essentially swapped rides for 1973. Johncock won the 1973 Indianapolis 500, with Rutherford winning the year after. Now for the “sort of” referenced above. Rutherford was entered in a Patrick car for the 1983 Indianapolis 500 as a teammate to Johncock (which was kind of interesting because the two had a bit of a “disagreement” after the spring Phoenix race in 1977). Unfortunately, Rutherford suffered a couple of crashes in practice, the last of which resulted in a broken left foot and broken right ankle, so he missed the 500 that year.

The other thing I love about the photo is Lone Star J.R.’s cowboy hat. During this era, he often was seen with a classic blue Goodyear cap perched on his head.

Sources: Oldracingcars.com, IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com

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30 Days in May: No. 18, Mike Mosley, 1983 Kraco March/Cosworth

Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the history of the Indianapolis 500!

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Mike Mosley started second and finished 13th in the 1983 Indianapolis 500.

Along with Bobby Unser and Johnny Rutherford, Mike Mosely was one of my favorite drivers when I was a boy. Unlike Unser and Rutherford, Mosley never found the right combination to win the Indianapolis 500. It wasn’t due to lack of determination (twice he came back after being badly injured at Indianapolis from crashes caused by mechanical failure) or certainly driving talent. 

Twice, Mosley started last/next-to-last in IndyCar races and won, both at Phoenix and Milwaukee, which are considered “driver’s tracks.” In 1983, Mosley was consistently among the fastest in practice and appeared to have the pole locked up until an unknown rookie named Teo Fabi stunningly broke the track record. In what was his last 500, Mosley wound up an appropriate 13^th after a spin and contact in Turn 1. 

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