OK, so this year’s
Indianapolis 500 won’t be run in the month of May. For many of us, however, May
is more than just a month – it’s a state of mind. So let’s still celebrate
great cars and drivers of the past anyway!
30 Days in May:
No. 19, Mel Kenyon, 1973 Atlanta Falcons Eagle/Foyt. Considered one of the true
gentlemen in the sport, Mel Kenyon had several top finishes at Indianapolis and
is considered the best USAC Midget driver in history. His longevity is
particularly amazing. Some 30 years after his last start in the 500, Kenyon was
still racing at age 70! Even more incredible, Kenyon was severely burned in a
crash in 1965 and raced with a special glove with a device that fit in the
steering wheel – amazing determination and will.
For the 1973 season, Kenyon teamed up again with longtime
owner Lindsey Hopkins. I’m not sure if Hopkins owned a part of the Atlanta
Falcons or why exactly the NFL team sponsored the car, but pro teams backing
cars were not unknown at Indianapolis during this era.
In 1971, for example,
Lloyd Ruby drove the Utah Stars special. While Ruby was certainly popular with the Indianapolis fans,
his sponsor likely wasn’t because the Stars were a rival of the hometown
Indiana Pacers and had quite a few tussles during the ABA playoffs.
Anyway,
back to Kenyon. He finished fourth in the 1973 500 in what ended up being his
final race at the Speedway.
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