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

If you joined us for 30 Days in May earlier this year, you’ll see some familiar faces from that countdown. We’ve also added some new entries for 23 Days in August. So let’s celebrate some notable drivers and cars from the glorious past of the Indianapolis 500!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Spike Gehlhausen drove the Spirit of Indiana during the bicentennial year of 1976.

23 Days in August: No. 19, Spike Gehlhausen, 1976 Spirit of Indiana McLaren/Offy. 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, acknowledging Indiana as 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, Spring, 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 (real first name Daniel) competed in four more Indianapolis 500s, with a best finish of 10^th in 1979.

We actually featured this car last week as it is the same McLaren that Peter Revson qualified on the front row in 1972.