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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23 Days in August: No. 6, Mike Hiss, 1973 Thermo-King Eagle/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

Mike Hiss enjoyed a fine debut at the Speedway in 1972 by finishing seventh,
but in 1973 he had a "sophomore slump" and was 17th. 

23 Days in August: No. 6, Mike Hiss, 1973 Thermo-King Eagle/Offy. After being named Rookie of the Year after placing seventh in the 1972 Indianapolis 500, Mike Hiss returned in 1973 with the Thermo-King team. The Thermo-King cars were one of the most striking of this era, as the dark blue/light blue livery really stood out.

Hiss posted a respectable speed of 191.939 mph in qualifying, but because he was a second-day qualifier he had to start 26. He wound up 17^th, departing after 91 laps with drive train trouble.

His chief mechanic was Lynn Reid of Logansport, Indiana, the city where in 1989 I began my newspaper career as the Assistant Sports Editor (and later the Sports Editor) of the Pharos-Tribune, the Light of Loganland.

Thermo-King was a primary sponsor at Indianapolis throughout the 1970s. They are still around, providing temperature control systems for trucks, trailers, railcars and more.

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23 Days in August: No. 5, Lloyd Ruby, 1972 Wynn's Atlanta/Foyt

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

Lloyd Ruby started 11th and finished sixth in the 1972 Indianapolis 500.

23 Days in August: No. 5, Lloyd Ruby, 1972 Wynn’s Atlanta/Foyt. The Atlanta car was so named because it was built there in a facility adjoining Gene White Racing. The men behind the effort included two former Team McLaren employees, and the McLaren influence is apparent. Early on, they were dubbed “Scarlett O’Hara McLarens.”

A total of three Atlantas were built for 1972 – two going to the Gene White team for Lloyd Ruby and Cale Yarborough, with the other intended for A.J. Foyt.

Ruby practiced in both the Atlanta and a Lola, which eventually was qualified by Sam Sessions.

The 1972 race ended up being one of the better results for Hard-Luck Lloyd as he finished sixth, two spots behind Sessions in the aforementioned Lola. Yarborough was 10^th to cap a very successful day for the Gene White team.

The Atlantas soldiered on for a few more seasons. Jim McElreath practiced in the Foyt Atlanta in 1973, and it was qualified by George Snider for the 1974 Indianapolis 500. This Atlanta was distinguished by its flat, nose that was similar to the 1972 Lola.

According to oldracingcars.com, that particular Atlanta eventually morphed into the Boyd-Robeson entry that several drivers tried unsuccessfully to qualify for the 1977 500.

Eldon Rasmussen bought at least one Atlanta for the 1973 season and reworked it into his Ras-Car, which he continuously updated and campaigned for several years.

Larry McCoy also drove a Ras-Car/Atlanta at the Speedway. He and Rasmussen made their Indy debuts in the 1975 500.

The Atlanta was one of 12 marques in the 1972 Indianapolis 500, which seems rather mind-boggling today. Perhaps even more unbelievable is that eight of those chassis were brand-new.

So congratulations to Mike Underwood, Eamon Fullalove and Graeme Bartils for bringing us the Atlanta during a time when innovation ruled the Speedway.

 

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23 Days in August: No. 4, Johnny Rutherford, 1980 Pennzoil Chaparral/Cosworth

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!

 

No one could touch Johnny Rutherford and his Pennzoil Chaparral in

1980. Rutherford actually qualified his backup car, noted by the "T"

after the number.

23 Days in August: No. 4, Johnny Rutherford, 1980 Pennzoil Chaparral/Cosworth. Each year, someone is tabbed as the favorite for that year’s Indianapolis 500. In 1980, Johnny Rutherford was the overwhelming choice to win. A two-time 500 winner for McLaren, Rutherford found himself out of a job at the end of the 1979 season when the team discontinued its IndyCar operation to concentrate on Formula 1.

Meanwhile, Jim Hall’s outfit was looking for a driver after Al Unser departed. Unser looked to have the 1979 Indianapolis 500 in the bag before a faulty transmission seal sidelined him after 104 laps.

With the bugs presumably worked out of the futuristic Chaparral, which introduced the ground-effects concept to IndyCar racing, Rutherford and Hall looked to be unbeatable at Indianapolis.

And they were. Rutherford was fastest in practice nearly every day, won the pole and led the most laps on his way to an easy victory to cap a dominating Month of May.

23 Days in August: No. 3, Roger McCluskey, 1973 Lindsey Hopkins Buick 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

Roger McCluskey started 14th and finished third in the

1973 Indianapolis 500.

23 Days in August: No. 3, Roger McCluskey, 1973 Lindsey Hopkins Buick McLaren/Offy. Roger McCluskey, a respected veteran, had his best finish in 18 Indianapolis 500 starts with a third in the 1973 race. It also was a great day for owner Lindsey Hopkins, another true gentleman of racing, as Mel Kenyon (fourth) and Lee Kunzman (seventh) placed in the top 10 as well.

That finish, along with a second at Pocono about a month later, helped propel McCluskey to the 1973 USAC national championship. (McCluskey ran out of fuel on the final lap at Pocono, giving A.J. Foyt the victory.) In those days, longer races paid more points, so it was vital to do well in the three 500-mile races. McCluskey was fourth at Ontario in the other 500-miler, so he really cleaned up in those events.

Somewhat forgotten now, McCluskey also won USAC stock car and sprint titles, won races in the championship (IndyCar) and midget divisions and also competed in the 24 Hours of LeMans. All told, a very remarkable and successful career deserving of praise.

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23 Days in August: No. 2, Billy Vukovich, 1973 Sugaripe Prune Eagle/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!

 

Billl Vukovich was the only other driver on the same lap as Gordon

Johncock at the end of the rain-shortened 1973 Indianapolis 500.

23 Days in August: No. 2, Bill Vukovich, 1973 Sugaripe Prune Eagle/Offy. In 1973, Bill Vukovich was second behind Gordon Johncock, the highest finish for the son of a former winner to that point. Sugaripe Prune entries were mainstays at the Speedway throughout the 1970s, with Mike Mosley, Wally Dallenbach and Tom Sneva all driving for the team after Vukovich departed after the 1974 season.

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23 Days in August: No. 1, Joe Leonard, 1973 Samsonite Parnelli/Offy

If you joined us for 30 Days in May earlier this year, you’ll see some familiar drivers and cars 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!

National champion Joe Leonard had to sweat it out a bit before his place
in the lineup for the 1973 Indianapolis 500 was secure.

23 Days In August: No. 1, Joe Leonard, 1973 Samsonite Parnelli/Offy. For 1973, Joe Leonard had a brand-new Parnelli chassis designed by Maurice Philippe as well as the same sponsor (Samsonite) and number (1, for winning the 1972 national championship). For whatever reason, Leonard had a tough time getting up to a comfortable speed in qualifying. He waved off twice, then accepted a somewhat precarious 189.954 mph average on his third strike on the second day of time trials.

A.J. Foyt found himself in a similar predicament as his four-lap average of 188.927 was the 29^th fastest of the 30 cars qualified after the first weekend. (Leonard was 28^th.)

Fortunately, each had a backup car and started working up to speed during the next week of practice, Foyt in the No. 84 Gilmore Racing Coyote (which was handed over to George Snider at literally the last minute) Leonard in the No. 41 Samsonite Parnelli.

As it turned out, enough cars qualified a bit slower to give Leonard and Foyt a little breathing room.

On Race Day, Leonard was able to dodge the melee created by Salt Walther’s horrendous crash on the first lap. When the race finally resumed two days later after persistent rain, Leonard overcame a spin but was sidelined by a bad hub after 91 laps and finished 18^th.

Sadly, the 1973 500 was Leonard’s last race at Indianapolis. He suffered devastating foot and ankle injuries during the 1974 California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway and never raced again. His injury also signaled the end of the Vel’s Parnelli Jones “Super Team” with Al Unser and Mario Andretti. Expected to dominate USAC racing starting in 1972, Leonard’s national championship that year was one of the few major highlights.

Jan Opperman replaced Leonard at Indianapolis and Pocono, but essentially the operation became a two-driver team that started to dwindle even further. Unser and Andretti were together for 1975’s three 500-mile races, but then it was down to just Unser for 1976 with sponsorship from American Racing Wheels. For 1976, Andretti joined Roger Penske’s team, running some USAC races while he pursued a World Championship in Formula One.

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