30 Days in May Bonus: No. 31, John Mahler, 1972 Harbor Fuel Oil McLaren/Offy

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

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

John Mahler started 29th and finished 22nd in the 1972 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 31, John Mahler, 1972 Harbor Fuel Oil McLaren/Offy. We wrap up with John Mahler, who was one of eight rookies in the starting lineup for the 1972 Indianapolis 500. He qualified for the 1971 race but was “bumped” by his car owner, Dick Simon.

Mahler had qualified Simon’s back-up car in 1971, becoming the fastest rookie in 500 history in the process. But then Simon was bumped, so he took over Mahler’s ride for the race.

So began what was to be an interesting, colorful Indianapolis 500 career for Mahler, who made four starts from 1972 through 1979. In 1973, he was part of the Champ Carr Enterprises team with Sam Posey. Mahler likely would have made the race had he been allowed to complete either of his two qualifying attempts, both of which were tracking toward an average fast enough to make the field.

Jim McElreath took over Mahler’s car and hustled it into the field, bumping Tom Bigelow late on the final day of qualifying. Posey then was bumped by George Snider.

Mahler’s best finish was in 1977, when he was credited with 14^th after getting some relief help from Larry “Boom Boom” Cannon. He almost squeezed into the 1983 lineup, accepting a speed that was some 27 mph off the pole speed with the hope that rain would curtail qualifying. The gamble almost paid off, but Mahler was knocked out by Dennis Firestone, who completed his run as showers hit.

In 1972, Mahler wound up 22^nd, sidelined by piston failure after 99 laps. A highlight film produced by Channel 6 in Indianapolis indicates that Mahler had to pull in before the green flag because he forgot his gloves.

 

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30 Days in May: No. 30, Arie Luyendyk, 1990 Domino’s Pizza Lola/Chevrolet

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

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Arie Luyendyk was consistently fast in 1990. He started on the front row and won
his first Indianapolis 500 (and first IndyCar race).

30 Days in May: No. 30, Arie Luyendyk, 1990 Domino’s Pizza Lola/Chevrolet. It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than 30 years since Arie Luyendyk won his first Indianapolis 500 (and first IndyCar race) after starting third. Domino’s chose the number 30 as a tie-in to its “30 minutes or less” delivery guarantee, a slogan that eventually was abandoned in the interests of safety. The Flying Dutchman added another 500 win in 1997 and still holds the one-lap and four-lap qualifying records, which he set in 1996.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @ArieLuyendyk

30 Days in May: No. 29, Pancho Carter, 1987 Hardee’s March/Cosworth

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

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Pancho Carter was named rookie of the year in 1974 and also won the pole in 1985.

30 Days in May: No. 29, Pancho Carter, 1987 Hardee’s March/Cosworth. Pancho Carter, the 1974 Rookie of the Year, was a steady presence in the 500 lineup through 1991, missing only the 1988 race. His big day came in 1985, when he won the pole with a Buick-powered machine. The “TT” indicates this car was a backup to a backup, the result of Carter taking a "header" in practice in his primary car, then withdrawing his backup car to qualify this one.

During this time, the Hardee’s restaurants in the Indianapolis area gave out trading cards of IndyCar drivers if you made a certain purchase.

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30 Days in May: No. 28, Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 DHL Dallara/Honda

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

 

Photo Credit: Doug Mathews/Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

It's a shame Ryan Hunter-Reay won't be in the lineup for the
2022 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May: No. 28, Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 DHL Dallara/Honda. Ryan Hunter-Reay became the first 500’s U.S.-born winner since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006 when he held off Helio Castroneves to cap a thrilling duel. Hard, clean and precise racing in the closing laps made the 2014 race one of the most memorable.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @RyanHunterReay

Front rows of the 1970s: 1979

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

 

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

The front row for the 1979 Indianapolis 500: Rick Mears (pole), Tom Sneva (middle)
and Al Unser.

1979 Indianapolis 500 front row: Rick Mears (pole), Tom Sneva (middle), Al Unser

How it started: 3 Indianapolis 500 victories (All by Al Unser)

How it ended: 9 Indianapolis 500 victories (Rick Mears 1979, 1984, 1988, 1991; Tom Sneva 1983; Al Unser 1970, 1971, 1978, 1987)

About the 1979 race: The year 1979 was one of transition and controversy in major open-wheel racing. A new group, Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), sprang up in the off-season. Featuring almost all the big-name drivers and teams, it held events at familiar tracks (like Phoenix and Trenton) that once were the purview of the United States Auto Club (USAC), the sanctioning body of the Indianapolis 500.

The Month of May was basically one giant headache, with lawsuits, shenanigans during time trials and an added session of qualifying – the day before the race, no less – all part of the “fun.” You can read my retrospective here.

From a competition perspective, the big news was Al Unser’s beautiful and futuristic Pennzoil Chaparral/Cosworth, one of the first “ground-effects” cars in Indy racing. No other car looked remotely like it. Not surprisingly, Unser set fast time in qualifying before Tom Sneva, going for a record third-straight pole, nudged him over one spot in his Sugaripe Prune McLaren/Cosworth.

Then, dramatically, Rick Mears, with the final pole run of the day, knocked Sneva off his perch for the first of what would be a record six Indianapolis poles, all with Penske.

Al Unser dominated the first half of the race before retiring with a bad transmission seal after 104 laps. That left it to brother Bobby Unser, who replaced Sneva at Penske. Bobby Unser looked like a sure three-time winner in his Norton Spirit Penske PC7/Cosworth before he broke top gear, which almost never happens.

Unser tried his best to hold on, but faded. Mears, driving the older PC6/Cosworth, rolled home in the Gould Charge for the first of his record-tying four Indianapolis 500 victories.

1979 front-row starters Mears, Sneva and Al Unser all would notch at least one Indianapolis 500 victory in the 1980s. The 1970s were truly a remarkable decade featuring some of the greatest drivers of all time. During this competitive era, all but one of the 12 front-row starters at Indianapolis won an IndyCar race during their careers. The exception was Mike Hiss, who started third in 1974.

 

 

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30 Days in May: No. 27, Janet Guthrie, 1977 Bryant Heating and Cooling Lightning/Offy

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

 

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Janet Guthrie made the Indianapolis 500 from 1977-79, with a best finish of
eighth in 1978.

30 Days in May: No. 27, Janet Guthrie, 1977 Bryant Heating and Cooling Lightning/Offy. Janet Guthrie was something of a retread rookie in 1977 after trying valiantly the year before to make the race in a Vollstedt that was, to put it kindly, a bit long in the tooth. She also practiced A.J. Foyt’s backup car briefly, but Foyt decided not to run a second entry.

Updated equipment made a big difference the next year, as Guthrie made the field comfortably on the last day of qualifying. Mechanical woes doomed her to 29^th place. She made the race the next two years, with a best finish of ninth in 1978. It wasn’t until 1992 that another woman, Lyn St. James, qualified for the 500.

Bryant has been a sponsor at Indianapolis since the furnace and the air conditioner were invented (just kidding) and has been associated with Tony Kanaan in recent years.

 

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30 Days in May Bonus: No. 81, Sheldon Kinser, 1981 Sergio Valente Longhorn/Cosworth

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

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Sheldon Kinser finished a career-best sixth in the 1981 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 81, Sheldon Kinser, 1981 Sergio Valente Longhorn/Cosworth. Sheldon Kinser was a throwback to how drivers once earned an opportunity to race in the Indianapolis 500. He came up through the ranks, honing his skills on the short tracks across Indiana and the Midwest. A three-time USAC Sprint Car Series Champion (1977, 1981, 1982), the Bloomington, Indiana, native made his 500 debut in 1975, driving the Spirit of Indiana and finishing 12^th.

He was in the 500 lineup from 1975-79 before failing to qualify in 1980. Kinser, a distant cousin of Steve Kinser, returned in 1981 with Bobby Hillin’s Longhorn Racing team and Sergio Valente backing. Sergio Valente was definitely a “fancy pants” sponsor as the company produced designer jeans.

The field for the 1981 Indianapolis 500 had several colorful cars, but Kinser’s ride still managed to stand out. He finished an excellent sixth in what proved to be his final Indianapolis 500.

 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 26, Marco Andretti, 2006 NYSE Group Dallara/Honda

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

Photo credit: Dan Helrigel/Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

This year, Marco Andretti will make his 17th start in the Indianapolis 500,
which is one more than his father, Michael.

30 Days in May: No. 26, Marco Andretti, 2006 NYSE Group Dallara/Honda. Marco Andretti added an agonizing “almost” to the family legacy of Indianapolis 500 frustration and heartbreak right off the bat. As a 19-year-rookie in 2006, Andretti led coming out of Turn 4 on the last lap before Sam Hornish Jr. blew past to nip him by 0.0635 of a second.

In 2020, he won the pole in a stirring effort, the first for the family since Mario’s in 1987. Race Day was a disappointment as Marco wound up 13^th.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @MarcoAndretti

Front rows of the 1970s: 1978

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

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

The front row for the 1978 Indianapolis 500: Tom Sneva (pole), Danny Ongais (middle)
and Rick Mears.

 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. Some new faces joined Sneva on the front row in the form of 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 other 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 for 121 laps, including all but 1 of the last 90.

 

Majeske Trading Card Collection

This is from a set of trading cards that IMS issued some 30 years ago.

 

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30 Days in May: No. 25, Danny Ongais, 1978 Interscope Racing Parnelli/Cosworth

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

Majeske Post Card Collection

Danny Ongais and the No. 25 Interscope Racing machine were iconic.

30 Days in May: No. 25, Danny Ongais, 1978 Interscope Racing Parnelli/Cosworth. Some cars and drivers just sum up an era at Indianapolis and are indelibly linked. While not a legend of the Brickyard like, say, A.J. Foyt or Rick Mears, if you went to the track in the late 1970s to mid-1980s, you remember Danny Ongais and the black Interscope No. 25.

Danny On the Gas was fast, fearless and spectacular (in both good and bad ways). When Tom Carnegie or John Totten piped up on the PA system that Ongais was on the track, you paused from munching your Sno-Cone and gave the 2 ½-mile oval your undivided attention.

In 1978, the Flying Hawaiian started second and led 71 laps before the engine blew. Ongais wound up 18^th with 145 laps to his credit.  

 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

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 history of the Indianapolis 500!

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Al Loquasto put the Frostie Root Beer McLaren/Offy in the Indianapolis 500 twice.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 86, Al Loquasto, 1976 Frostie Root Beer McLaren/Offy. After several years of trying, Al Loquasto finally qualified for the Indianapolis 500, earning the 24^th starting spot for the 1976 event. 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.

I got one of these in 1975.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 24, Robbie Buhl, 2001 Purex G Force/Infiniti

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

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Robbie Buhl started ninth and finished 15th in the 2001 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May: No. 24, Robbie Buhl, 2001 Purex G Force/Infiniti. Robbie Buhl was one of the drivers who benefited from the infamous split in open-wheel racing. The former Indy Lights champion (1992) had trouble finding a good ride in CART, but the arrival of the Indy Racing League in 1996 provided an opportunity to finally show his talent.

He enjoyed success with both John Menard and Dreyer & Reinbold, winning a race for each. Buhl’s Purex machine was one of the more striking liveries of that era. In 2001, he started ninth and finished 15^th in the 500.

Buhl competed in the 500 from 1996-2003 with a best finish of sixth in 1999 driving for A.J. Foyt. The Buhl family is quite prominent in the history of his Detroit, and Buhl Sport Detroit in Corktown, the city’s oldest neighborhood, is very active with several initiatives, projects and businesses.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @Robbie_Buhl @BuhlSport

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 62, Wally Dallenbach, 1973 Olsonite Eagle/Offy

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

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Wally Dallenbach drove the No. 62 Olsonite Eagle in the 1973 Indianapolis 500.
I believe this is the last time that number has been used in the 500.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 62, Wally Dallenbach, 1973 Olsonite Eagle/Offy. Then calling East Brunswick, New Jersey, home Wally Dallenbach was about to enter a major career upswing in 1973, though not with Dan Gurney’s All American Racers. Dallenbach’s oddly numbered No. 62 joined AAR holdovers Bobby Unser and Jerry Grant for the 1973 500. In the race, Dallenbach is best remembered for helping rescue Salt Walther from his burning and battered car after his horrendous first-lap accident.

Once the race finally got under way – two days later – Dallenbach made a nice charge from his 20^th starting position into the top 10 before a broken connecting rod bolt (a common malady that year) sidelined him after 48 laps, resulting in a 24^th-place finish.

Dallenbach joined the STP/Patrick team later in 1973, winning the California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway. Save for a one-year sabbatical with Jerry O’Connell’s Sugaripe Prune team in 1978, Dallenbach remained with Patrick the rest of his career, retiring after the 1979 season. He returned to the cockpit in 1981 to qualify a Patrick car for Mario Andretti, who was unavailable due to Formula One commitments.

Dallenbach then enjoyed a second career as a much-respected official in CART.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 23, Mel Kenyon, 1972 Gilmore Racing Coyote/Ford

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

 

Majeske Photo Collection

The year 1972 definitely was a year of change at Indianapolis as wings became a
must-have addition. This photo of Mel Kenyon's car shows how teams were adapting
to the new era. 

30 Days in May: No. 23, Mel Kenyon, 1972 Gilmore Racing Coyote/Ford. 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 – incredible determination and will.

For 1972, Kenyon drove one of the Gilmore Racing entries, with Wally Dallenbach in the other Gilmore car. While Kenyon qualified safely in 12^th, Dallenbach was bumped.

Dallenbach did, however, get to start the race as he replaced Art Pollard, who broke a leg in practice after qualifying the No. 40 STP Oil Treatment Lola/Foyt. Race Day was rather difficult for Dallenbach as his car caught fire several times during pit stops. He pressed on, finishing 15th, 18 laps down to winner Mark Donohue.

For his determination, Dallenbach won the “Extra Mile” award from the St. Piux X Council of Knights of Columbus. (I haven’t been able to watch the Victory Banquet for many years; does this award still exist?)

Kenyon’s race was far less eventful. He ended up 18^th, going out after 126 laps with fuel injection woes. Later that season, Kenyon almost won at Michigan. He ran out of fuel while leading with just two laps to go.

 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 73, David Hobbs, 1973 Carling Black Label Eagle/Offy

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

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Photo

David Hobbs started 22nd and finished 11th in the 1973 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 73, David Hobbs, 1973 Carling Black Label Eagle/Offy. As a 5-year-old in 1973, in addition to trying to memorize the car numbers, drivers, chassis and engine, I tried to memorize the hometowns of all the drivers in the Indianapolis 500. Some were more easily remembered than others.

Take David Hobbs, for instance. He was from Upper Boddington, England. Tough to forget that one. Hobbs was one of the few international competitors during this era, with four starts spanning 1971-76. In 1973, he was still running when the race was red-flagged and finished 11^th.

A versatile and successful driver, Hobbs competed in several disciplines, including Formula One, IndyCar, Can-Am, Trans-Am and even NASCAR Winston Cup. He also was an insightful and witty commentator on broadcasts.

Hobbs drove for four different teams in his four starts at Indianapolis. He drove for Penske in 1971, Roy Woods in 1973, McLaren in 1974 and Dayton-Walther in 1976.

 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @MrDavidHobbs

30 Days in May: No. 22, Tony Stewart, 1999 The Home Depot Dallara/Oldsmobile

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

 

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

After qualifying for the 1999 Indianapolis 500, Tony Stewart had to immediately leave
for North Carolina because of NASCAR commitments. I'm guessing this photo
was taken later.

30 Days in May: No. 22, Tony Stewart, 1999 The Home Depot Dallara/Oldsmobile. Tony Stewart was the first homegrown star of the Indy Racing League. His pedigree was perfect: An Indiana native who won USAC national titles in Midgets, Sprints and Silver Crown cars (all in the same season!) who proved immediately adept at driving Indy cars, too, winning races and a championship in those as well.

After running in the IRL from 1996 to 1998, Stewart became a full-time NASCAR driver, appearing in the 500 just two more times (1999 and 2001). Stewart was fast right off the bat in stock cars, too, and finished his NASCAR career with three Cup titles and two wins in the Brickyard 400.

In the 1999 Indianapolis 500, Stewart finished ninth, four laps down to winner Kenny Brack. But Stewart’s workday was just beginning because he flew from Indianapolis to Charlotte, North Carolina, to compete in the 600-mile NASCAR race that night and finished an impressive fourth.

 

 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @TonyStewart

Front rows of the 1970s: 1977

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

 

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

The front row for the 1977 Indianapolis 500: Tom Sneva (pole), Bobby Unser (middle)
and Al Unser.

1977 front row: Tom Sneva (pole), Bobby Unser, Al Unser

How it started: 4 Indianapolis 500 victories (Bobby Unser 1968, 1975; Al Unser 1970, 1971)

How it ended: 8 Indianapolis 500 victories (Tom Sneva 1983; Bobby Unser 1968, 1975, 1981; Al Unser 1970, 1971, 1978, 1987)

About the 1977 race: With boost limits raised and the eight-cylinder Cosworth now the powerplant of among many of the big-name teams, the magic, but still elusive, 200-mph mark appeared ready to be broken. Mario Andretti was the first to unofficially break the barrier in practice, but on Pole Day Tom Sneva was the only one to exceed 200 mph in qualifying. His “New Track Record” for one lap was 200.535 mph in the Norton Spirit McLaren/Cosworth. Sneva dropped down to an average of 198.884 mph for his four laps, which topped Johnny Rutherford’s mark from 1973.

Bobby Unser, in the Cobre Tire/Clayton Dyno-Tune Lightning/Offy, started next to Sneva. Brother Al Unser was on the outside in the American Racing Parnelli/Cosworth.

A.J. Foyt led a star-studded second row joined by Gordon Johncock and Mario Andretti. Career-wise, the top six starters in the 1977 Indianapolis 500 accounted for 15 500 victories. I haven’t done all the research, but I would think that’s the most Indianapolis 500 wins over the first two rows ever.

Johncock took control of the second half of the race and seemingly had victory in his grasp when he suffered a broken crankshaft – a comparatively rare failure – after 184 laps. Foyt took it from there and finally had his cherished fourth Indianapolis 500 victory.

 

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

How's this for a second row? A.J. Foyt (inside), Gordon Johncock (middle)
and Mario Andretti.

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30 Days in May: No. 21, Al Unser, 1977 American Racing Parnelli/Cosworth

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

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

In 1977, Al Unser did his typical excellent job in the Indianapolis 500.
He started third, led 17 laps and finished third. 

30 Days in May: No. 21, Al Unser, 1977 American Racing Parnelli/Cosworth. 1977 was Al Unser’s last year with the Vel’s Parnelli Jones team, an association that dated back to 1969. (Unser missed Indianapolis that year after breaking a leg in a motorcycle mishap in the Speedway infield, then returned to win the next two 500s.)

As the 1970s wore on, the team wasn't as dominant, then began a renaissance as development on the then-new Cosworth engine started to pay off.

In 1975, Unser and teammate Mario Andretti practiced in a new chassis built for the Cosworth before opting for the proven Eagle/Offy combination. In 1976, Unser put the first Cosworth in the 500 , starting fourth and ending up seventh in the rain-shortened race.

 In 1977, Unser did a little better, starting third and finishing third. For many drivers, such a result would be a career highlight, but for Unser at Indianapolis, it was just another day at the track. In addition to his record-tying four victories, Big Al had an additional SEVEN top-three finishes in 27 Indianapolis 500 starts!

Unser remains the all-time lap leader in the 500 at 644, a record that could be in jeopardy this year. Scott Dixon is third at 570 – 74 behind - so it’s definitely within reach.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May: No. 20, Gordon Johncock, 1975 Sinmast Wildcat/DGS

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

 

Majeske Post Card Collection

Gordon Johncock was a strong contender to win the 1975 Indianapolis 500,
but dropped out early with mechanical trouble. 

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 for a while 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.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

Front rows of the 1970s: 1976

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

 

Majeske Post Card Collection

The front row for the 1976 Indianapolis 500: Johnny Rutherford (pole),
Gordon Johncock (inside) and Tom Sneva.

1976 front row: Johnny Rutherford (pole), Gordon Johncock, Tom Sneva

How it started: 2 Indianapolis 500 victories (Rutherford 1974, Johncock 1973)

How it ended: 6 Indianapolis 500 victories (Rutherford 1974, 1976, 1980; Johncock 1973, 1982; Sneva 1983)

About the 1976 race: Johnny Rutherford, driving the Hy-Gain McLaren/Offy, notched his second pole in three years, but wasn’t the fastest qualifier. That distinction belonged to Mario Andretti, who joined Tom Sneva on the Penske team after four not-great seasons with Parnelli Jones’ operation. Andretti again missed the first weekend of time trials due to Formula 1 commitments.

Johncock again powered a new Sinmast Wildcat/DGS to the second starting spot while Sneva snagged the first of four consecutive front-row starts in the Bicentennial-themed Norton Spirit McLaren/Offy.

What could have again been a duel between Rutherford and A.J. Foyt was literally washed away as rain stopped the race for the second year in a row – this time after only 102 laps. Rutherford literally walked to Victory Lane to pick up his second Indianapolis 500 win.

#Indy500 #ThisIsMay @Team_Penske @IMS @IndyCar @IMSMuseum @ArrowMcLarenSP @McLarenIndy

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 history of the Indianapolis 500!

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Spike Gehlhausen had a tough debut at Indianapolis in 1976, finishing 33rd.

30 Days in May: 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 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 (real first name Daniel) competed in four more Indianapolis 500s, with a best finish of 10^th in 1979.

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

 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 93, Johnny Parsons, 1975 Ayr-Way WNAP “Buzzard”

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

 

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Johnny Parsons' Ayr-Way WNAP "Buzzard" in 1975 definitely represented Indianapolis. 

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 93, Johnny Parsons, 1975 Ayr-Way WNAP “Buzzard”: Cars entered in the Indianapolis 500 certainly have had interesting, colorful names. One of my favorites was the Ayr-Way WNAP “Buzzard” from 1975. This name may not make sense today – especially if you’re not from Indianapolis – but it was definitely a product of the times.

Ayr-Way was spun off L.S. Ayres, one of the top fashion stores in Indianapolis. Ayr-Way was a department store similar to Target – in fact, many of the Indianapolis locations became Target stores after Ayr-Way folded in the late 1970s. (Squint hard enough and maybe you can see the old Ayr-Way flower where the Target bull’s eye is now at some stores.)

We often went to the Ayr-Way on Lafayette Road because it had just about everything – even a garden center. WNAP was a hard-rock station teeming with many interesting personalities; the buzzard was the station mascot. It was at 93.1 on the FM dial, so that’s why it was Car 93.

Because I was only 7 years old, I didn’t listen to WNAP. My parents were strictly WIBC (1070 AM), which was fine because WIBC covered qualifications and had updates from the track that I would listen to when I got home from school while allegedly doing my homework.

This was very much an Indianapolis-centric team. In addition to the two local sponsors, driver Johnny Parsons lived in central Indiana for many years. He’s the son of 1950 winner Johnnie Parsons (note the different spellings) and originally was from California but moved to Indiana to jump-start his racing career.

The chief mechanic (remember those?) was Bill Finley, who basically built race cars out of his garage in Eagledale, a subdivision within earshot of the track. (My first house was in Eagledale: 3031 Fuller Drive. Carl Wilde School 79 represent!)

The team also had a second entry: Car 94, driven by Mike Hiss.

Race day wasn’t the greatest for either driver. Hiss spun out on Lap 39 and finished 29th. Parsons ran as high as fifth before transmission woes sidelined him after 140 laps. He finished 19th.

Ayr-Way heavily promoted its involvement with the 500. In addition to buttons, there were posters, large ads in the Indianapolis papers (there were two of them back then) and even a timing and scoring chart with Parsons’ likeness.

Today, interestingly, WNAP’s old FM spot is occupied by WIBC.

 

Majeske Collection

A treasure found on eBay!

 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

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!

 

Majeske Photo Collection

After missing the 1982 race, Mike Mosley came back strong to qualify

second for the 1983 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May: No. 18, Mike Mosley, 1983 Kraco March/Cosworth. Along with Bobby Unser and Johnny Rutherford, Mike Mosely was one of my favorite drivers as a young boy. Unlike Unser and Rutherford, Mosley never found the right combination to vault him to Indy glory. It wasn’t due to lack of determination (twice he was badly injured at Indianapolis from crashes caused by mechanical failure) or certainly driving talent.

Twice, Mosley started last in IndyCar races and won, both at Phoenix and Milwaukee, 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.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar

Front rows of the 1970s: 1975

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

Majeske Post Card collection

1975 was the first year three former winners sat on the front row: A.J. Foyt (pole),
Gordon Johncock (middle) and Bobby Unser. These three great drivers drove three
different chassis and engine combinations. 

1975 front row: A.J. Foyt (pole), Gordon Johncock, Bobby Unser

How it started: 5 Indianapolis 500 victories (3 by Foyt, 1 by Johncock, 1 by Unser)

How it ended: 9 Indianapolis 500 victories (4 by Foyt – 1961, 1964, 1967, 1977; 2 by Johncock – 1973, 1982; 3 by Unser – 1968, 1975, 1981)

About the 1975 race: For the first time ever, former winners made up the front row. Gordon Johncock and A.J. Foyt vied for fast time throughout the first week of practice, leading to a much-anticipated Pole Day. Johncock held the top spot until Foyt made a late run to secure what was then a record-tying fourth pole.

Johncock’s teammate Wally Dallenbach, also driving a fluorescent red Sinmast Wildcat-DGS (an Offy modified under the direction of George Bignotti), was quick in practice as well, but had mechanical problems on the first day of time trials and was a second-day qualifier.

As Dallenbach had done the year before, Johncock pounced to the lead at the drop of the green flag from his second starting position and, also like Dallenbach the year before, fell out early.

Dallenbach took the lead on Lap 59 and looked to be in good shape for the win before dropping out after 162 laps due to a burned piston, handing the lead to Johnny Rutherford. Rutherford soon pitted, putting Bobby Unser and his Jorgensen Eagle/Offy in front.

And that’s where he finished as a massive rain storm hit after 174 laps, leaving Rutherford second and A.J. Foyt third in his Coyote/Foyt.

 

#Indy500 #ThisIsMay @IMS @IndyCar @IMSMuseum @AJFoytRacing

30 Days in May: No. 17, Willy T. Ribbs, 1991 Cosby/McDonald’s Lola/Buick

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

Photo credit: From the 1991 Indianapolis 500 Yearbook published by Carl Hungness

Willy T. Ribbs started 29th and finished 32nd in the 1991 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May: No. 17, Willy T. Ribbs, 1991 Cosby/McDonald’s Lola/Buick. Willy T. Ribbs had a devil of a time qualifying for his first Indianapolis 500 because the ever-temperamental Buick engine would fail after only a handful of laps. In the last hour of qualifying, Ribbs shoved aside the frustration, shelved any jinxes and put it in the show, bumping Ton Sneva in the process. The mechanical gremlins returned on race day, however, and Ribbs lasted only five laps and finished 32^nd.  

Like many others, I highly recommend the documentary “Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story” to learn more about Ribbs’ career.

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @WillyRibbs

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 44, Dick Simon, 1973 TraveLodge Eagle/Foyt.

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

Majeske Photo Collection

Dick Simon started 27th and finished 14th in the 1973 Indianapolis 500.

30 Days in May Bonus: No. 44, Dick Simon, 1973 TraveLodge Eagle/Foyt. I miss guys like Dick Simon around the Speedway. Energetic and enthusiastic, Simon was an outstanding ski jumper and parachutist before he pursued a career in Indy cars. Had the X Games been around in the 1960s, he probably would’ve been a star. 

As for Indianapolis, Simon usually was saddled with marginal equipment that he had to hustle into the show. His 1973 mount was pretty decent though, and Simon ran up front before piston failure sent him to the sidelines for a 14th-place finish. Toward the end of his career, Simon obtained better cars, leading to better results – he was sixth and ninth in his last two races in 1987 and 1988, respectively.

 

Dick Simon donned a toupee for this ad in the

1973 Indianapolis 500 program.

 #Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar #ThisIsMay #Indy500 #DickSimonYachts

30 Days in May: No. 16, Danica Patrick, 2005 Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda

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

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

Danica Patrick started fourth and finished fourth in her first Indianapolis 500 in 2005.

30 Days in May: No. 16, Danica Patrick, 2005 Argent Pioneer Panoz/Honda: Danica Patrick had an amazing debut in 2005, when she qualified a surprising fourth, demonstrating incredible car control to keep from crashing when the car stepped out on her. She then earned one of the loudest roars ever from the crowd when she took the lead in the late stages of the race, which was won by Dan Wheldon. Patrick’s final 500 in 2018 ended with a crash and she wound up 30^th, one of only two finishes outside the top 10 in eight starts.

 

#Indy500 @IMS @IMSMuseum @IndyCar @DanicaPatrick @RLLracing

Front rows of the 1970s: 1974

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

Photo credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway photo

A.J. Foyt, in a Coyote/Foyt; Wally Dallenbach, in an Eagle/Offy; and Mike Hiss, in a
McLaren/Offy; get ready to take the green flag to start the 1974 Indianapolis 500.
Three different chassis and two different engines on the front row - imagine that.

1974 front row: A.J. Foyt (pole), Wally Dallenbach, Mike Hiss

How it started: 3 Indianapolis 500 victories (all by Foyt)

How it ended: 4 Indianapolis 500 victories (all by Foyt)

About the 1974 race: In contrast to the 1973 event, the 1974 Indianapolis 500 was rain-free and had only one minor accident that resulted in no serious injuries. A.J. Foyt was the first qualifier in his Gilmore Coyote/Foyt and nailed down the pole right off the bat with an average of 191.632 mph over his four laps. (In an effort to reduce speeds and improve safety, turbocharger boost was curtailed, the size of the wings was decreased and the amount of fuel carried on board was cut about in half. The measures worked.)

Wally Dallenbach went out a bit later in the sharp STP Oil Treatment Eagle/Offy and averaged 189.683 mph, which turned out to be good enough for the second spot.

The rest of qualifying was less straightforward. To try to do its part to help with the energy crunch that year, the Speedway cut the time trials from four days to two days (the middle Saturdays of May) and created four “periods” over those two days. This might have sounded OK on paper, but, of course, rain hit both days, meaning that first-day (or “first period”) qualifying stretched into the next week.

Mike Hiss, in Roger Penske’s Norton Spirit (McLaren/Offy) nailed down the outside spot of the front row with an average of 187.490 mph. Hiss is often the stumper when playing the game of “What Penske drivers started on the front row?” Of course, Rick Mears, Helio Castroneves and the three Unsers who won for Penske get shouted out first, then Danny Sullivan, Tom Sneva and other greats. Some even recall Kevin Cogan (mostly for his infamous wreck at the start in 1982). If someone not named Donald Davidson Mike Hiss, you’re matching wits with a real Indianapolis 500 trivia master.

Race day saw quite a bit of attrition in the early going as potential favorites Gary Bettenhausen, Dallenbach, Mario Andretti and Mike Mosley all were eliminated with mechanical trouble within the first 10 laps. Meanwhile, Johnny Rutherford, in the, uh, McLaren McLaren/Offy, was charging up from his 25^th starting spot. Lone Star J.R. actually had the second-fastest qualifying speed, but wasn’t in the original line and … oh never mind. He had to qualify later. Let’s just leave it at that.

Anyway, the race soon became a duel between the two Texans, with Foyt and his eight-cylinder engine faster in the straightaways but Rutherford more nimble in the turns. Foyt’s mount expired after 142 laps with a broken oil fitting, leaving Rutherford a much easier path to his first Indianapolis 500 victory. In fact, it was the first time that Rutherford had seen the checkered flag – it took him 10 starts to get there, but it was worth the wait.

 

#Indy500 #ThisIsMay @Team_Penske @IMS @IndyCar @IMSMuseum @AJFoytRacing