Welcome to our monthlong countdown celebrating notable drivers and cars from the Indianapolis 500!
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Majeske Collection Gary Bettenhausen seemed a sure winner of the 1972 Indianapolis 500 before a mechanical failure late in the race. |
For the 1972 season, Roger Penske added Gary Bettenhausen 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. Besides Bobby Unser, who boosted the pole speed by more than 17 mph, Bettenhausen was probably the other driver picked most to win the 500.
Unser led easily early, 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 the great admiration and respect fans and competitors alike had for Bettenhausen, 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 part of a set that folded out and included photos of several of the top drivers of the day, plus scenes from Gasoline Alley, the old museum and more.
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