23 Days in August: No. 7, Gary Bettenhausen, 1972 Sunoco 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!

 

Gary Bettenhausen was a beloved and admired driver at
Indianapolis. He led 138 laps in the 1972 Indianapolis 500, but
finished 14th after ignition failure.

23 Days in August: No. 7, Gary Bettenhausen, 1972 Sunoco McLaren/Offy. Roger Penske added Gary Bettenhausen for the 1972 season so his team could benefit from his oval-racing expertise. Bettenhausen repaid the confidence by winning at Trenton and was leading the USAC Championship standings heading into the Month of May. He was probably the other favorite to win after Bobby Unser, who boosted the pole speed by more than 17 mph.

Unser led easily, then went out after just 31 laps with ignition rotor failure. Bettenhausen took over from there and seemed poised for a sure victory until his ignition failed after 182 laps.

Given his family’s legacy and Bettenhausen’s great admiration among fans and competitors alike, this could’ve been one of the most popular victories in Indianapolis 500 history. Instead, Mark Donohue, another popular driver, collected the Borg-Warner for Penske, which was the first of 18 – and counting.

This particular postcard was included in a set that folded out and included photos of several of the top drivers of the day as well as scenes from Gasoline Alley, the old museum and more.

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