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