Rex Mays Classic
Milwaukee Mile, 4 Jun 1972
Results | Laps | Time/Speed | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bobby Unser | Eagle 72 [7201] - Offy 159 ci turbo #6 Olsonite [AAR] (see note 1) |
150 | (109.131 mph) | |||||
2 | Mark Donohue | McLaren M16A [4] - Offy 159 ci turbo #66 Sunoco DX [Roger Penske] (see note 2) |
150 | Finished | |||||
3 | Gary Bettenhausen | McLaren M16A [1] - Offy 159 ci turbo #7 Sunoco [Roger Penske] (see note 3) |
150 | Finished | |||||
4 | Billy Vukovich | Eagle 72 [7207?] - Offy 159 ci turbo #3 Sugaripe Prune [Jerry O'Connell/Jud Phillips] (see note 4) |
150 | Finished | |||||
5 | Joe Leonard | Parnelli VPJ-1 [102] - Offy 159 ci turbo #1 Samsonite [Vel's Parnelli Jones Ford] (see note 5) |
149 | Flagged | |||||
6 | Swede Savage | Brabham BT32 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo #18 Michner Industries (see note 6) |
149 | Flagged | |||||
7 | Roger McCluskey | Kuzma-Kenyon 71 - Offy 159 ci turbo #14 American Marine [Lindsey Hopkins/Don Koda] (see note 7) |
148 | Flagged | |||||
8 | Mario Andretti | Parnelli VPJ-1 [103] - Offy 159 ci turbo #9 Viceroy [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing] (see note 8) |
148 | Flagged | |||||
9 | Dick Simon | Peat-Lola 71 - Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #44 Travelodge [Dick Simon] (see note 9) |
147 | Flagged | |||||
10 | Jim McElreath | Gerhardt 69 - Offy 159 ci turbo #37 Caves Buick [Caves Buick Co.] (see note 10) |
146 | Flagged | |||||
11 | John Mahler | McLaren M15A [1] - Offy 159 ci turbo #31 Harbor Fuel Oil [John Mahler] (see note 11) |
145 | Flagged | |||||
12 | Jimmy Caruthers | Scorpion 71 - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #11 US Armed Forces [Clint Brawner] (see note 12) |
145 | Flagged | |||||
13 | Mike Hiss | Eagle 70/71 - Offy 159 ci turbo #72 Page Racing [Mary & Tom Page] (see note 13) |
145 | Flagged | |||||
14 | Bentley Warren | Eagle 67 [214] - Offy 159 ci turbo #36 Bay State Racing (see note 14) |
144 | Flagged | |||||
15 | Mel Kenyon | Kenyon-Eagle - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #23 Gilmore Racing [Lindsey Hopkins/Don Kenyon] (see note 15) |
141 | Flagged | |||||
16 | Carl Williams | Eagle 66 [201] - Offy 159 ci turbo #95 City of Terre Haute [Vatis Enterprises, Inc.] (see note 16) |
138 | Flagged | |||||
17 | John Martin | Gilbert 68 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo #89 Trailer Train (see note 17) |
136 | Flagged | |||||
18 | Lee Kunzman | Eagle 70 - Offy 159 ci turbo #10 Gilmore Racing [Lindsey Hopkins/Duane Glasgow] (see note 18) |
106 | Wrecked | |||||
19 | Jerry Grant | Eagle 72 [7205] - Offy 159 ci turbo #48 Mystery Eagle [AAR] (see note 19) |
86 | Turbocharger | |||||
20 | Al Unser | Parnelli VPJ-1 [101] - Offy 159 ci turbo #4 Viceroy [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing] (see note 20) |
80 | Lost oil pressure | |||||
21 | Johnny Rutherford | Gerhardt 70 - Offy 159 ci turbo #16 Thermo-King [Don Gerhardt] (see note 21) |
40 | accident and fire (Rutherford badly burnt) | |||||
22 | Lloyd Ruby | Lola T270 [HU2?] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #5 Wynn's [Gene White Racing] (see note 22) |
19 | Blown tire | |||||
23 | George Snider | Coyote 70 ['69-2'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #29 MVS [Stan Malless, Bob Voigt and Dick Sommers] (see note 23) |
19 | Engine failure | |||||
24 | Rick Muther | Eagle 68 [402] - Offy 159 ci turbo #98 Vivitar [Leader Card, Inc.] (see note 24) |
18 | Broken valve | |||||
UNKP | Al Loquasto | Vollstedt 66 [8] - Offy 159 ci turbo #43 Martin Guitar [Frank Fiore] (see note 25) |
Unknown (practiced) | ||||||
UNKP | Joe Tetz | Gerhardt - Chevrolet 355 ci V8 #57 Tetz Racing Team |
Unknown (practiced) | ||||||
UNKP | Larry McCoy | Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo #63 Eastern Racing Associates [Lawrence S. McCoy Sr] (see note 26) |
Unknown (practiced) | ||||||
UNKP | John Hubbard | Curtis 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo #91 - [Frank Curtis] (see note 27) |
Unknown (practiced) | ||||||
DNSC | Steve Krisiloff | Kingfish 71? - Offy 159 ci turbo #15 [Grant King Racers Inc] (see note 28) |
Did not start (crashed) | ||||||
DNSC | Eldon Rasmussen | Scorpion 71 - Ford stock block #64 [Quality Racing Inc./Clint Brawner] (see note 29) |
Did not start (crashed) | ||||||
DNQ | Jerry Karl | Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo #58 Dura-Pot [Carl Gehlhausen/Jim Masson] (see note 30) |
Did not qualify | ||||||
DNA | AJ Foyt | Coyote 72 ['72-1'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #2 ITT-Thompson [A.J. Foyt Enterprises] (see note 31) |
Did not arrive | ||||||
DNA | Lee Kunzman | Gerhardt 69 - Offy 159 ci turbo #37 Caves Buick [Caves Buick Co.] (see note 32) |
Did not arrive | ||||||
DNA | Swede Savage | Eagle 70 [802?] - Offy 159 ci turbo #42 Patrick Petroleum [Michner-Patrick] (see note 33) |
Did not arrive | ||||||
DNA | Mike Hiss | Eagle 70/71 - Offy 159 ci turbo #60 STP Pylon Windshield Wiper [Page Racing] (see note 34) |
Did not arrive | ||||||
  | Denny Zimmerman | McLaren M15A [3] - Offy 159 ci turbo #17 Bryant Heating [Rolla Vollstedt] (see note 35) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Larry Dickson | Eagle 71 [7101] - Offy 159 ci turbo #19 Minnesota Invader [Minnesota Invader, Inc.] (see note 36) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Cale Yarborough | Atlanta 72 - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #21 Bill Daniels GOP [Gene White Racing] (see note 37) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Gordon Johncock | McLaren M16B [3] - Offy 159 ci turbo #24 Gulf McLaren [McLaren Cars Ltd] (see note 38) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Merle Bettenhausen | Kingfish - Offy 159 ci turbo #35 Ayr-Way Lloyds [Grant King] |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Rick Muther | unknown - Offy 159 ci turbo #38 Two Jacks Adams Apply-Offy [Jack Adams] |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Wally Dallenbach | Lola T270 [HU1?-2] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #40 STP Oil Treatment [STP Corporation] (see note 39) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Dick Tobias | Gerhardt 69 - Chevrolet 355 ci V8 #47 Emrich (see note 40) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Jim Hurtubise | Coyote 71 - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #56 Miller High Life [MVS Inc - Malless, Voigt and Sommers] (see note 41) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Lee Brayton | Coyote 70 ['70-1'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #61 Eisenhour-Brayton (see note 42) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Bud Tingelstad | Morris Marauder (71) - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #77 Dayton Steel [Walmotor, Inc. = George Walther] (see note 43) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Greg Hodges | Gerhardt - Chevrolet 355 ci V8 #87 Grab Sign [Greg Hodges] |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Dennis Ott | Lola T152 2WD [SL150/3?] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 #88 Travelodge-Post [Dick Simon, Ltd] (see note 44) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Ron Goldleaf | Finley 69 - Offy 159 ci turbo #94 Vatis [Tassi Vatis] (see note 45) |
On entry list | ||||||
  | Bob Harkey | Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo #99 Joe Hunt Magneto [Joe Hunt] (see note 46) |
On entry list |
Qualifying | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bobby Unser | Eagle 72 [7201] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
2 | Jerry Grant | Eagle 72 [7205] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
3 | Billy Vukovich | Eagle 72 [7207?] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
4 | Mark Donohue | McLaren M16A [4] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
5 | Gary Bettenhausen | McLaren M16A [1] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
6 | Swede Savage | Brabham BT32 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
7 | George Snider | Coyote 70 ['69-2'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 | |||
8 | Mario Andretti | Parnelli VPJ-1 [103] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
9 | Joe Leonard | Parnelli VPJ-1 [102] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
10 | Johnny Rutherford | Gerhardt 70 - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
11 | Roger McCluskey | Kuzma-Kenyon 71 - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
12 | Lloyd Ruby | Lola T270 [HU2?] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 | |||
13 | Al Unser | Parnelli VPJ-1 [101] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
14 | Rick Muther | Eagle 68 [402] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
15 | John Martin | Gilbert 68 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
16 | Lee Kunzman | Eagle 70 - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
17 | Jimmy Caruthers | Scorpion 71 - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 | |||
18 | Dick Simon | Peat-Lola 71 - Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 | |||
19 | Bentley Warren | Eagle 67 [214] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
20 | Mike Hiss | Eagle 70/71 - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
21 | Carl Williams | Eagle 66 [201] - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
22 | Jim McElreath | Gerhardt 69 - Offy 159 ci turbo | |||
23 | Mel Kenyon | Kenyon-Eagle - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 | |||
24 | John Mahler | McLaren M15A [1] - Offy 159 ci turbo |
Notes on the cars:
- Eagle 72 [7201] (Bobby Unser): The prototype 1972 Eagle was tested over the winter and then used as AAR's #6 Olsonite entry for Bobby Unser on "the mile tracks" during 1972, winning at Phoenix, Trenton, Milwaukee and Phoenix again in November. Sold to Stan Malless, Bob Voigt and Dick Sommers of MVS and converted to turbo Ford engines. Raced for MVS by Sammy Sessions as the #9 in 1973 then reappeared at the 1974 Indy 500 for Denny Zimmerman and at the 1975 Indy 500 for various drivers but did not qualify for either race. Then almost certainly the #72 Custom Motor Home car raced by Tom Frantz (Littleton, CO) in 1976 which went to Ed Crombie (Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada) for 1977, when it was driven by Larry Cannon and Jerry Sneva. Crombie still had the car in 1983 when he ran it at the Knox hillclimb (Kelowna, British Columbia). History then unknown until advertised by Bob Jordan's Investment Motorsport Inc (Glenview, IL) in June 1990, when it still had its Ford engine and was said to be unraced since 1976. At some point the car was restored by former AAR fabricator Mike Lewis to its 1972 livery and with an Offy engine. It appeared in this specification at the Amelia Island concours in 2002, and was raced by Bob Jordan (Winnetka, IL) at Road America in July 2006. It was offered at the Gooding & Co Pebble Beach auction in August 2008 but did not sell. In 2010, the car was featured on a 'The Motorcar Society' video.
- McLaren M16A [4] (Mark Donohue): Roger Penske 1971 for Mark Donohue (#66 Sunoco) at Pocono and Ontario, replacing M16/1 destroyed at the Indy 500. Also for Donohue in the early races of 1972 and probably the #8 backup entry at the Indy 500. It was then sold to George Walther and raced by Salt Walther later in 1972. The Walthers bought other McLarens over the winter and this was retained as an unused backup in 1973. Walther raced it at Trenton in April 1974 and may have used it at other short-track events in 1974 and 1975. For 1976, it was sold to James C Bidwell (Indianapolis, IN) and Robert Bidwell (Lauderhill, FL) and entered as the #36 Shurfine Foods for Jerry Karl after Indy in 1976 and for Jerry Sneva in 1977. To Frank Fiore (#88 Machinists Union) late season 1978 for Tom Gloy; and Ontario only 1979 for Ken Nichols. Then sold to Buddy Boys (Calgary, Alberta) and entered as the #68 at the Indy 1980 for fellow Canadian Frank Weiss to drive, but crashed heavily during practice. The Hungness Yearbook describes the impact as having been on the left front and the car as "extensively damaged", adding that the injured Weiss had to be released using a Hurst rescue tool, the so-called "jaws of life" which could have done significant damage to the monocoque.
- McLaren M16A [1] (Gary Bettenhausen): To Roger Penske at the 1971 Indy 500 for Mark Donohue (#66 Sunoco). Donohue retired from the Indy 500 but his car was later "destroyed" when Mike Mosley crashed his Eagle into it. It was said that nothing was salvageable and a new car (M16-4) was built in time for Pocono. However, detailed study of photographs establishes that M16-1 was rebuilt and was raced by Gary Bettenhausen for Penske at short-track races in the first half of 1972. Sold to Roy Woods Racing for John Mahler (#74) at Ontario 1972 but wrecked in the race. Not seen again until entered by Roy Woods for David Hobbs (#73) at Ontario September 1973 then for Mahler (#74) at the 1974 Indy 500 but DNQ. It had been updated to M16C form during this time. Sold to Al Loquasto, replacing the M16B he had previously raced, and used from 1975 to 1978 as Loquasto's #86 Frostie Root Beer entry. Loquasto may have used his M16B at some tracks, but no photographic evidence has yet been found for that. Sold by Loquasto to Robert W. LaWarre Sr. (Titusville, FL) for Tony Bettenhausen II (#86 Tilton) late 1979. History then unknown until the M16 was bought from someone in Florida by Joe Baird (Shelbyville, IN) and a partner in the 1990s, when the car still had Loquasto and LaWarre bodywork. Sold via Jim Mann and Steve Truchan to former Formula Atlantic driver Glen A. Smith (Rockwall, TX) and retained by Smith until his death in 2008, after which his wife sold it to Bob Boyce (Michigan City, Indiana).
- Eagle 72 [7207?] (Billy Vukovich): One of two 1972 Eagles, the other being 7204, bought new by Jerry O'Connell's Sugaripe Prune team and raced by Billy Vukovich as the #3 entry in 1972, with Jud Phillips as chief mechanic. This car can be identified from an invoice later in its life so is known to Vukovich's backup car at the 1972 Indy 500 (entered as #32 but ran as #3 and crashed during practice) and then became his long track car later in the season. Finished second at the 1973 Indy 500 and won at Michigan the following August. The team then bought a 1974 Eagle and sold 7204 but kept this car as a backup for three more seasons. Sold to Arthur E. 'Art' Sugai (Ontario, OR) for 1977 and entered as the #91 Eastside Café car that season, alongside the ex-Penske 7225. Sold with 7225 to collector/dealer Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) in May 1980 and fully restored to 1972 specification by Walter Goodwin of Race Car Restorations. On display for many years at the "International Motorsports Hall of Fame", a NASCAR museum at Talladega Speedway in Alabama.
- Parnelli VPJ-1 [102] (Joe Leonard): New for Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing in 1972 as the #1 Samsonite car for Joe Leonard. He won three successive races at Michigan, Pocono and Milwaukee in mid-season in this car and finished in the top five in four other races to win the USAC National Championship by a considerable distance. The car was then wrecked in a testing crash at Phoenix at the end of October and Leonard then drove the prototype car, the teams's backup, in the final race of the season. Parts of this car, presumed to be the only surviving components, are incorporated into 'the Chuck Jones car'.
- Brabham BT32 ['1'] (Swede Savage): New for Jack Brabham at the 1970 Indy 500 as Motor Racing Developments's #32 Gilmore Brabham entry. Brabham qualified 26th and finished 13th. Driven by Lee Roy Yarbrough at the California 500 in September, where it was sponsored by Norris Industries and tended by mechanic Roy Billington. It was sold to the Michner Industries/Patrick Petroleum team part way through 1971, replacing the 1966 Eagle that driver Johnny Rutherford had used earlier in the season. Driven again by Rutherford in early 1972, and then by Swede Savage later in 1972 after Rutherford moved to the Gerhardt team. It was not seen again after the end of 1972. At some point it was acquired by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, and according to Aaron Lewis, it was in the basement for many years awaiting its turn to be restored.
- Kuzma-Kenyon 71 (Roger McCluskey): New for the 1970 Indianapolis 500, and fitted with a turbo Ford engine for Wally Dallenbach to use briefly in practice as Lindsey Hopkins' #6 Sprite entry. Chief mechanic Jack Beckley then left the team, and Don Kenyon took over his role. The #6 Kuzma was then presumably the car driven by Mel Kenyon at Michigan in July, and at Ontario in September. The #6 car then became Roger McCluskey's regular Kuzma-Ford during 1971, finishing third at Michigan in July, and second at Phoenix in October. McCluskey drove it at a few short track races in 1972, and it was also his unused spare car at the 1972 Indy 500.
- Parnelli VPJ-1 [103] (Mario Andretti): New for Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing in 1972 as the #9 Viceroy car for Mario Andretti and believed to be the same car driven at all races. Qualified on pole position at Milwaukee in August and finished third at Phoenix in November but retired with mechanical problems from five of its nine races. Retired after the 1972 season but retained in storage by VPJ until fuly restored by Phil Reilly in 2002. Brought to England in 2006 for the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In May 2012 the whole VPJ Collection was acquired by the IMS Museum.
- Peat-Lola 71 (Dick Simon): Built by Wally Peat for Dick Simon (Salt Lake City, UT) and first appeared at the Ontario race in September 1971 as the #10 TraveLodge Sleeper Special. Raced by Simon through 1972 until he acquired a new Eagle near the end of the season. The Peat-Lola was then sold to Tom Frantz (Littleton, CO) who entered it for the 1973 Indy 500 for Bruce Jacobi to drive, but was turned away. After using the car in supermodified racing, Frantz returned to Indy racing with the car in 1975 as the #96 Spirit of Idaho entry, using a Chevrolet engine. He may then have driven it briefly in 1976, but photographs found so far indicate that his #72 Custom Motor Home entry was an Eagle-Foyt. The next few years of the Peat-Lola's life are unknown, but by June 1980 it had been modified by Keith McArthur, to use in supermodified racing at Bonneville Raceway Park's ⅓-mile oval, "chopping" the chassis and modifying the aerodynamics. In July 1980, after McArthur had tested it a few times, it was acquired by Kent Knowley, Marc Sullivan and Wes Brunner Sr for Brunner's son, Wes Brunner Jr to race, and he quickly came to dominate local Salt Lake Valley Racing Association events. Brunner crashed the car heavily in early July 1981, but it was rebuilt by Knowley and Sullivan, and raced again in August. Brunner continued to race the car in 1982. After Brunner died in early 1984, the car was raced for Knowley and Sullivan by Jeff Nish, who set a new track record of 15.074s at BRP in May 1984. Its subsequent history is unknown, but some years later the car was acquired by Duncan Fox. At that time, it carried the name of Beehive Bail Bonds, owned by Gary Walton in Salt Lake City, suggesting it had remained in the Salt Lake area to the end of its racing career. Fox removed the engine and gearbox, and sold on the rest of the car.
- Gerhardt 69 (Jim McElreath): New wedge Gerhardt for Myron Caves team for 1969. Although announced in February 1969, the Caves Buick wedge was not expected to race until the Indy 500 and the team's older car was used by Jigger Sirois in the early-1969 races. The car actually missed the Indy 500 as it was still being put together in chief mechanic Bob Higman's garage in Romney, Indiana, and it first raced by Jim McElreath as the #14 Quaker State Spl at Trenton in July 1969. It was then the #74 Gerhardt driven by McElreath, Arnie Knepper and Sam Sessions in 1970. McElreath could not qualify the car at the 500 that year, where photographs show a very exaggerated wedge shape. Caves had heart surgery in June 1970 and his team disappeared until Ontario 1971 where the car was entered as the #37 Caves Buick with Bruce Walkup in the seat. Lee Kunzman qualified this car for the 1972 Indy 500, and it was raced later in the season by McElreath, Johnny Parsons Jr and Greg Weld. The Caves Buick team was wound up at the end of 1972. In 1978, Jim Jorgensen (Sanger, CA) started racing a 1969 Gerhardt as a Supermodified that bore a very strong resemblance to the Caves Buick car. It had been fitted with a 350 ci Chevrolet V8 and a rollcage, and was raced by Jorgensen as #61 in open competition races at Madera Speedway. After he finished racing it, it was reported to be in a barn in the Sanger area in the mid-1980s. Its history is then unknown until acquired by Toney Edwards (Greenwood, Indiana) in the Fresno area around 2020.
- McLaren M15A [1] (John Mahler): The prototype M15 was the #79 backup car at Indy in 1970 and was the car Hulme was using when a petrol leak led to a fire in which he was badly burnt. As M15/2 and M15/3 were sold to Gordy Johncock, this must be the car used by Revson in the Ontario 500 and then sold to John Mahler for 1971. Mahler raced it through the 1971 and 1972 seasons before it was retired. Mahler later sold the car to collector Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) and it was sold by him to the UK in the mid/late 1980s. This may be the car that was later owned by John Foulston (Dunsfold, Surrey), boss of high-flying IBM computer leasing company Atlantic Computers, who bought Brands Hatch, Oulton Park and Snetterton from Eagle Star in May 1986. Foulston was killed testing a M15 at Silverstone on 29 September 1987.
- Scorpion 71 (Jimmy Caruthers): The Scorpion that was Art Pollard's intended #8 car at the 1971 Indy 500 was then Jimmy Caruthers' car at the 1972 Indy 500 (although Hungness 1972 allocates Pollard's start to it). It seems likely that this would then be Pollard's #8 car after the 1971 Indy 500 at least up to the crash at Michigan. It is also presumed to be Caruthers #11 car after the 1972 Indy 500 up to his major accident at the Pocono 500. Caruthers crashed into the outside wall at turn 3, and was taken to hospital with burns and contusions. The team did not appear again. The Pocono wreck was later repaired and was owned by Doug Winslow (Westlake, Ohio) in June 2015.
- Eagle 70/71 (Mike Hiss): At the Tony Bettenhausen 200 at Milwaukee in August 1971, Bobby Unser drove an updated 1970 Eagle for the AAR team, in place of his usual 1971 car. This car had a new single fuel filler on the side, the same style as the twin fuel fillers used on the 1971 Eagle. The car had the same McLaren-style rear wing and front wings used on Unser's 1971 Eagle at Michigan. The mirrors on the car were the same as Unser's early season car, hinting that it was the same car, updated. However, a press report in 1972 suggested that Savage's late-season car was the car Jim Malloy had raced at the 1971 Indy 500, which would make it AAR's other 1970 Eagle. Its identity is not yet resolved. Unser took pole at Milwaukee and won in this revised car, and it was then assigned to Swede Savage for his return to the AAR team at the California 500 at Ontario. Savage used this car in three races, but did not finish any of them. This car was then sold to Mary & Tom Page, and entered by their Page Racing for Mike Hiss through the 1972 season. It became the #60 entry at the Indy 500 when STP bought a share in the car. In early 1973, Bob Criss was killed while testing the Page Racing Eagle prior to Phoenix. Reports suggest that the car was comprehensively destroyed in the accident.
- Eagle 67 [214] (Bentley Warren): New to Walt Michner's Michner Petroleum team and described as a new 1968 Eagle for the 1968 Indy 500, but photographs show that it was a 1966/67-type Eagle. Assigned to Mike Mosley, then Rick Muther, then Ronnie Duran, and finally to Bill Cheesbourg, who qualified it but was bumped. Norm Brown then took over the drive but was badly injured at Milwaukee in the accident that took the life of Ronnie Duman and destroyed the Michner Lola T80. Michner then recruited Johnny Rutherford and he drove this car, and a 1966 sister car, in 1969, 1970 and 1971, by which time the team had become Patrick Racing. This 1967 car, nicknamed "Old Shep", appears to have been the road racing car in 1969, and was then the car qualified by Tony Adamowicz for the 1970 Indy 500, but bumped, while Rutherford raced the sister car, known as "Geraldine". Rutherford then wrecked it in practice at Langhorne in June and it was not seen again that season. In July 1971, the 1967 car was the first of the pair to be fitted with McLaren M16-style wings instead of the wedge bodywork used on "Geraldine" at the 1971 Indy 500. Sold to Bentley Warren for 1972 as his #36 Bay State Racing entry. Retained for 1973 and 1974, after which the car remained in his garage. In the early 2000s, Warren sold the car to a consortium "Eagle Partners", who rebuilt the car to the 1971 wedge-sided configuration used on the sister car, "Geraldine". In 2006, the restored car appeared at the Amelia Island Concours, and in 2007 it was sold at auction by Kruse (Auburn, IN) to Chuck Haines. In 2008, Haines sold it to Jim Vieira, and it appeared at an Indianapolis historic event in 2009. By early 2011, it was at John Mueller of Entrepreneur’s Motor Sports (Fresno, CA), to be restored to Richie Ginther's 1967 #42 livery. In this form, it was sold in 2013 to Rob Dyson (Millbrook, NY). See full history: the Michner Eagle.
- Kenyon-Eagle (Mel Kenyon): One of Lindsey Hopkins' two 1967 Eagles was rebuilt by chief mechanic Jack Beckley over the 1967/68 winter with Brabham front suspension, and named 'Beagle'. It was fitted with a turbo Offy engine and tested by Roger McCluskey at Indianapolis on 20 March 1968, but it was not present at the Indy 500 that year. Photographs then show that 'Beagle' was first raced by McCluskey at Trenton in April, then at Milwaukee in June, Langhorne in June, Langhorne again in July, Trenton in September and Michigan in October. McCluskey used his 1968 Eagle at the Indy 500 and at road races, and then moved to the team's older 1966 car for the final races of the season. Wally Dallenbach took over the Hopkins ride in 1969, with Sprite sponsorship, and 'Beagle' was used for the press announcement at the end of March, but was not seen in competition all season as Dallenbach focused on other cars in the stable. The car returned to use in 1970, as its front suspension modifications are clearly visible in photographs of the car raced by Mel Kenyon for the Hopkins team at Milwaukee in August 1970. The car returned to service as Kenyon's #23 Hopkins entry for 1972, when it had been reworked with new sidepods but still with its distinctive outboard front suspension. It was first raced in this form at Phoenix in March, then Hopkins acquired Gilmore sponsorship in mid-April, which brought Duane Glasgow into the team as chief mechanic for Wally Dallenbach. The 1967 Eagle was raced by Kenyon at Trenton in April as his #23 Gilmore entry, and was then taken to the Indy 500 as the #73 Gilmore entry as a backup car for Kenyon, where it was practiced by Kenyon (wearing #23), Dallenbach, and also by Jim McElreath, who tried but failed to qualify it. Photographs show that Kenyon raced it later that season at Michigan, Pocono, Trenton in September and Phoenix in November, and quite possibly at both Milwaukee races. This is thought to be the Eagle acquired by Jim Gilmore in Jackson, MI, and displayed on the wall in Jim Gilmore Enterprises (Kalamazoo, MI), still in Gilmore Racing colours. Photographs show that it was later in the Gilmore Car Museum (Hickory Corners, MI), now with AJ Foyt's name on it, but with the same Brabham suspension and sidepods it had in 1972. It was bought by Bob Donahue (Indianapolis, IN) at the Jim Gilmore Estate auction held by Kruse International at Auburn, Indiana, in September 2005 and restored, but was badly at the Indycar historic event in May 2019. In September 2022, the repairs to the monocoque started to be documented on Youtube.
- Eagle 66 [201] (Carl Williams): The first 1966 Eagle, chassis 201, was fitted with a 255ci Ford V8 and was Dan Gurney's #31 AAR entry at the 1966 Indy 500. Then fitted with the 303 ci Gurney Weslake Ford V8 stock block engine, and raced by Jochen Rindt as the #48 AAR entry at the 1967 Indy 500. Used by Gurney to win at Riverside in November 1967, and at Las Vegas in March 1968. Sold to Lothar Motschenbacher (Beverly Hills, CA) later in the year, fitted with a Chevrolet V8 and repainted red with Leader Card Racers signwriting. Motschenbacher intended to take part in the Rverside race in December, but did not take part. Then sold to Jerry Hansen (Long Lake, MN) for the Brainerd, Seattle and Riverside Indy road races in 1969. Then to the Tassi Vatis team, and was the team's #95 entry for Sam Posey at the 1970 Indy 500 but failed to qualify. It was the #95 entry again at the 1971 500, this time raced by Bentley Warren. Warren and later Carl Williams raced it in other events later in 1971 and Williams qualified it for the 500 in 1972. According to a later auction catalogue, it was sold to Bob Johnson and then to Jim Mann in 1978 before passing via Bob and Don Tarwaki to collector Bob Sutherland. It was restored for Sutherland by Jim Robbins then sold to Joe MacPherson (Tustin, CA). After MacPherson's death, it was sold at auction in 2008 to Riverside International Automotive Museum's Doug Magnon. The car was on display in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in May 2015, replacing the Museum's own 1966 car which had been on display earlier in the month.
- Gilbert 68 ['2'] (John Martin): The #41 Gilbert was first seen at the 1968 Indy 500 where it was qualified but bumped by George Follmer as George R. Bryant's #41 entry. Raced in the following races by Follmer, Rick Muther and John Cannon but Bryant died in June and the team was wound up. The #41 car was sold to Follmer (Arcadia, CA) and raced by him, still as the #41, at Riverside in December 1968. Fitted with a Chevrolet engine and raced by Follmer as the #62 through 1969, including a stunning victory in the USAC race at Phoenix in March 1969. Raced by Follmer mainly on road courses in 1969 and regularly qualifying in the top six. Sold to John Martin as a backup to his Brabham BT25 for 1971. Martin was unable to qualify it at Phoenix at the start of 1971. He raced it as either his #89 or his #92 in 1972. Advertised in 1972 and two owners or so later was acquired by Bob McConnell (Urbana, OH) and some time before 1989 was involved in a deal with John Mecom Jr (Houston, TX) where ten cars were traded for the Diet Rite Cola Spl, a 1963 Watson roadster. As a result, the Gilbert ended up with Steve Forristall (Houston, TX) in 1989 and passed via New Englander John Malher to Bob Norwood of Norwood Autocraft (Dallas, TX) but ownership then unclear until located in Texas by Pete Lewis (Santa Rosa, CA) in 2000 or 2001 and bought by him. Sold to Steve Morici of of Morici Motorsports West (Wrightwood, CA) in 2005.
- Eagle 70 (Lee Kunzman): For 1972, Lindsey Hopkins added a 1970 Eagle to his already crowded stable for Wally Dallenbach to drive as the #10 entry. The origins of the Eagle are presently unknown but it could be the redundant ex-Gurney AAR car or the unwanted Gordy Johncock car. Dallenbach drove it in the opening races of the season but was bumped at the Indy 500. He then joined the STP team to replace the injured Art Pollard and Hopkins recruited Lee Kunzman to take over the #10 Eagle. A 1972 Eagle replaced the 1970 car at some point, but a photograph shows Kunzman drove the older car at Texas World Speedway in April 1973, so exactly where Kunzman raced this car instead of the new '72 Eagle is not clear, and photographs are needed to completely resolve this. Photographs indicate that this was the 1970 Eagle acquired by Patrick Santello (Syracuse, NY) for 1975. His mechanic Willie Davis fitted it with one of Richard Moser's DOHC Chevrolet V8 engines, but the car did not race until near the end of the season, when Larry Dickson raced the #65 City of Syracuse Spl at Phoenix in November 1975. Retained by Santello for the 1976 season as a backup to a newer 1972 Eagle, and raced by Dickson, Lee Kunzman and Jerry Karl. Subsequent history unknown but this is likely to be the car advertised by Ron Cameron (San Diego, CA) in March 1991, when it was identified as "VIN: AAR-805" and "USAC: R71-10". The car was then dark blue with a white stripe and fitted with a Chevrolet V8 engine. Its nose and water pipes were in 1970 works form, but it had 1972-style front and rear wings. A year later, it was for sale by G & G Motorsports Ltd (Indianapolis, IN) who described it as the car Gurney drove to third place in the 1970 Indy 500. It was next seen Tom Hollfelder drove it in a VARA historic event at Willow Springs in October 1995, where it was still dark blue with a white stripe but now wore number #48. Hollfelder also ran the car at Road America in 2009. Steve Zautke and Jacques Dresang have examined the car and observed Santello era paintwork showing through the more recent dark blue. It still has a Chevrolet small block engine, as it did when Santello owned it.
- Eagle 72 [7205] (Jerry Grant): AAR's third team car in 1972 and entered at the Indy 500 as the #48 Mystery Eagle for Jerry Grant. Also raced by Grant at other races that season, taking pole position at Ontario with the first official lap at over 200 mph. The car was sold to engine specialist Bruce H. Crower for 1973 and entered as his #23 Crower Cams car as a test bed for various Chevrolet engine projects over the next three seasons. In late 1976, the car returned again as the #57, powered by Crower's own flat-6 engine. Crower then acquired a 1974 Eagle for 1978 and the '72 car was retired.
- Parnelli VPJ-1 [101] (Al Unser): New for Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing in 1972 as the #4 Viceroy car for Al Unser and believed to be the same car driven at all races. Finished second in the Indy 500 and later third at Pocono but retired with mechanical problems from six of its nine races. Retired after the 1972 season but retained by VPJ and soon after was restored to original condition by Phil Reilly. Retained in the VPJ Collection, spending some time at the private museum in Torrance, CA and some at the IMS Museum until May 2012 when the whole VPJ Collection was acquired by the Museum.
- Gerhardt 70 (Johnny Rutherford): New for Gary Bettenhausen for the 1970 Indy 500 as the Gerhardt team's #16 Thermo-King entry, where he qualified 20th and retired early. He used this car at Milwaukee eight days later, but then used one of his 1969 cars for much of the summer before racing his Indy 500 car again at Ontario in September, Trenton in October and Phoenix in November. He raced it again at Rafaela in February but then used the heavily modified sister car at Phoenix and Trenton. This car was modified along the same lines for Bettenhausen to use at the 1971 500. It was then modified again, this time along McLaren M16 lines, for Bettenhausen to race at Pocono in July, Michigan in August, Ontario in September, and Phoenix in October. It was then Jim Malloy's #16 entry at the start of the 1972 season, then the #46 car at the 1972 Indy 500 that was changed to run as #16 for Jerry Karl after Malloy's crash in the team's new Eagle. Johnny Rutherford then took over the car at Milwaukee in June but consumed in a "fiery and spectacular crash".
- Lola T270 [HU2?] (Lloyd Ruby): New to Gene White's team, intended as a backup car for driver Lloyd Ruby to the new Atlantas that were being built in the team's workshop. Entered at the 1972 Indy 500 as the #52 Wynns Gene White Firestone car, managed by John Laux. After Ruby chose to concentrate on the Atlanta, Sammy Sessions qualified the Lola and went on to finish fourth. Ruby then raced the Lola at Milwaukee, and after he wrecked his Atlanta at Michigan, raced the Lola at Pocono, where it was also damaged. Ruby was fastest in the Lola on the second day of practice at Ontario, and then stayed with the Lola for the rest of the season. His best result was seventh at Phoenix. Gene White's team was disbanded at the end of 1972, and the cars were put up for sale. The subsequent history of the Lola is not known, but in May 2017, collector Kenneth Keilholz (Cincinnati, OH) had a Lola T270 at the Indianapolis historic event, wearing #5 and in Ruby's Wynns livery.
- Coyote 70 ['69-2'] (George Snider): Roger McCluskey's Foyt team car at the 1969 Indy 500 was described as a new car, but it may not be a coincidence that one of the 1968 cars disappears just as this car appears. Raced by McCluskey as the #82 G. C. Murphy entry during 1969, but it is possible that McCluskey drove an older car from the Foyt stable at short track races. Entered for the 1970 Indy 500 as the #14 Greer-Foyt car for Jim McElreath. This car was described in Hungness as new but looked strikingly similar to the '1969' Coyote that Roger McCluskey had raced in 1969. Drilled holes in the screen suggest that this may be the car AJ Foyt drove in short track events through the summer of 1970 but its next certain appearance is for McElreath again at the California 500 at Ontario in September which he won. McElreath's win was only the fifth by a Coyote and the only time anyone other that Foyt ever won a race in a Coyote. Probably the '1970' Coyote in which McElreath was bumped at the 1971 Indy 500. Then sold to MVS as a backup car to their 1971 Coyote and used on short tracks by Jim Hurtubise and George Snider in 1972. It also appeared at Indy in 1973 as Snider's backup car. The car became part of the collection of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum at some point during the 1970s, and was on display at a Ford-themed auto show at Indiana State Fairgrounds in November 1981. It has remained in the collection ever since.
- Eagle 68 [402] (Rick Muther): Sold new to the Leader Card team and prepared by Jud Phillips and Tom 'Red' Herrmann for Bobby Unser to race in 1968 as the #3 Rislone entry. He won the Indy 500, but just two weeks later "wiped out" his 500 winner in an accident on only the third lap at Mosport Park. Unser used his two 1967 Eagles after that, and also in early 1969 until his new Lola T152 was ready. After the Lola was badly damaged at Milwaukee in June, Unser appeared in a 1968 Eagle at Continental Divide in July and at other road course events later in the season. At Riverside on 5 December 1969 his car was described as "the actual Indy winner". This car was transferred to the AJ Watson half of the Leader Card operation and was raced by Mike Mosley at the Indy 500 and at Ontario in 1970 as the #9 G. C. Murphy entry. For 1971, Watson acquired a second '68 Eagle, but Mosley wrecked this at the Indy 500. George Snider drove the original ex-Unser car at the Indy 500, and also drove it for the team later in the season, while Mosley was recovering from his accident. Photographs show that this was the car used by Mosley in the first two races of 1972, but the team had also bought the ex-Dan Gurney '68 Eagle from the Jim Robbins team, and it was that car that Mosley raced in the Indy 500. After his crash in the Indy 500, Mosley was again out of racing for some months, and Rick Muther drove the team's original ex-Unser car in four races in the summer of 1972. Mosley returned again in time for the Ontario 500, at which he raced his repaired Indy 500 mount. Photographs show that the ex-Robbins car was used at Ontario in 1972, and at Ontario in 1973, so it is assumed here that it was also used in the intervening races. The last race for the ex-Unser car was therefore at Milwaukee in August 1972. In January 1973, it was sold to the Indianapolis Speedway Museum, and by May 1973, it was on display as Bobby Unser's 1968 Indy 500 winning car. It has remained on display ever since, and still carries the 402 chassis plate.
- Vollstedt 66 [8] (Al Loquasto): Built for 1966 and raced by Billy Foster as the #27 Jim Robbins entry. Retained for 1967 and intended to be raced by Lucien Bianchi in 1967 but borrowed by Mario Andretti for the opening race of the 1967 season, only to crash it in practice. Bianchi was later bumped at the Indy 500. Raced by Jim Malloy for the rest of 1967 and for occasional races in 1968 and 1969. To Frank J Fiore's Fiore Racing Enterprises for 1970 and raced as the #43 by Bob DeJong and then in 1971 by Denny Zimmerman. Later entered by Fiore as the #43 again for Al Loquasto in 1972, Jerry Karl and Bob Harkey in 1973, and Karl Busson in 1974. Later sold by Fiore and the car passed through several collectors until purchased by the Fiore family in 2001. Fiore died in 2007 but his son Frank Fiore Jr (Dallastown, PA) continued with the car's long-term restoration. The car appeared in public for the first time in 45 years at the Vintage Celebration at Pocono Raceway in August 2017.
- Gerhardt 68 (Larry McCoy): After starting the season with his existing stable of one 1966 Gerhardt and two 1967 Gerhardts, Gordy Johncock had two new 1968 Gerhardts in time for the 1968 Indy 500. He used one of these at the Indy 500, and at Milwaukee, and later at Langhorne, Michigan, and Phoenix, but acquired a 1968 Eagle for road racing, and the backup 1968 Gerhardt appears to have remained unused that season. As Johncock's 1969 Gerhardt and 1970 Eagle were both flops, at least one of these 1968 Gerhardts remained in his stable until well into 1970, after which he acquired a McLaren M15A. Late in 1971, Lawrence S. McCoy of Eastern Racing Associates, announced that a Gerhardt-Offy would be entered in Indycar racing for his son Larry McCoy. The press material included a picture of Johncock's #5 Gerhardt, as used at the 1970 Indy 500, and this would appear to be the car McCoy had acquired. McCoy qualified for Michigan, Milwaukee and Trenton in 1972. Subsequent history unknown.
- Curtis 72 (John Hubbard): The Frank Curtis #37 entry at the 1975 Indy 500 which, according to Hungness (p15) "in past years has spent many more hours in the garage that on the track". The car was owned by Bob McConnell (Urbana, OH) in 1990 who says it was the last tubular chassis to be built for the "500".
- Kingfish 71? (Steve Krisiloff): Built new by Grant King for 1971 but to the same basic design as the 1970 Kingfish. First appeared at the 1971 Indy 500 as the #45 Spirit of Indianapolis entry for Larry Dickson, who qualified. The team was then taken over by Andy Granatelli and the 1971 car became the #20 entry for Granatelli's regular driver Steve Krisiloff for the rest of the season. This may have been Krisiloff's #15 entry at Trenton in April 1972, and was then brought out of retirement for Greg Weld to drive as the #35 at Pocono, after one of the team's 1972 cars had been destroyed. The car then remained at King's workshop until his death in a road accident in December 1999. Shortly after this, the car was sold to Bruce Weatherston (Chicago, IL). It remains in his collection, still in unrestored original condition.
- Scorpion 71 (Eldon Rasmussen): In 1972, new Brawner mechanic Larry Burton delivered one of the team's two Scorpions to driver/mechanic Eldon Rasmussen's shop in Indianapolis. Rasmussen fitted a stock block Ford engine to the car, and appeared in practice at Milwaukee the week after the Indy 500. He did not qualify, but was warming up as third alternate when he was hit by Steve Krisiloff's Kingfish.
- Gerhardt 68 (Jerry Karl): Arthur W. 'Buzz' Harvey's Bulldog Stables Inc (Hardwick, Mass) entered what was later claimed to be a new Gerhardt turbo Offy as their #26 entry at the 1969 Indy 500 for Rick Muther, who narrowly failed to qualify the car. It was the same shape as Gerhardt's own #16 entry, with the same outboard front suspension. After 1969, it was then sold to Al Loquasto (Manchester, PA), who ran it in 1970 and 1971 as the very popular Indy-On-A-Shoestring #26 Gerhardt turbo Offy. The car was entered by Bob Raines (New York, NY) and filmmaker Judd Maze at the 1970 Indy 500 with Frank Curtis as crew chief, but blew two engines during practice and then damaged its front suspension when the throttle on its sole remaining engine stuck open, so could not qualify. Loquasto started at Michigan and Trenton later in 1970, and had another attempt to qualify for the 500 in 1971. On this occasion he crashed again during practice, on 23 May, and the car was extensively damaged. Repaired and sold to Carl Gehlhausen (Jasper, IN) and Jim Masson (Kansas City, KS), and entered for Jerry Karl (Manchester, PA) in 1972, with Eddie Baue (Sparta, IL) as chief mechanic. After Karl was released, it was driven by Tom Bigelow later in the season. The team acquired a 1972 Kingfish for 1973, and the subsequent history of the Gerhardt is unknown.
- Coyote 72 ['72-1'] (AJ Foyt): Built new for AJ Foyt for the 1972 Indy 500, where he qualified in 17th position on day 2, with the fifth fastest time, but retired early. Foyt was injured at DuQuoin the day after the 500 and did not return until Ontario in September, by which time he was reported to have built a new car. However, later history would suggest this was the same car, but with some updates. He led at Ontario, but retired at all three of the remaining races of the season. The car was sold to Lee Brayton for 1973 as the #61 Diamond Reo entry, with John Gleason as his chief mechanic. Brayton raced the car at TWS and Trenton early in the season, but he was unable to qualify for the Indy 500. After damaging the Coyote at Ontario later in the season, Brayton bought the ex-Gordy Johncock 1972 Eagle from Patrick Racing. The Coyote was rebuilt and retained by Brayton as a backup for 1974, still as the #61, and was qualified for the Indy 500 by Rick Muther. After Brayton damaged his Eagle in practice at the Indy 500, he raced the Coyote one more time at Pocono. The car is reported to have gone to Patrick Racing as a show car and presumably was the Sinmast Special Coyote loaned to an Indianapolis bank in May 1975. However, Brayton had acquired sponsorship from Sinmast, who later sponsored Patrick, so maybe it was actually owned by Sinmast. The car's history is then unknown until it was found in "a Chevrolet dealership in Carmel, a northern Indianapolis suburb, in 1984" by Thomas W. Acker (Largo, FL). Acker displayed the car at a car show in Florida in 1990 still in #20 blue-and-white Patrick livery. It was acquired from Acker by Vonnie Sue Martin for her husband Ron Martin (Bluff City, TN) in 2005 and restored to its 1974 configuration by Walter Goodwin. Martin displayed it at the IMS in 2008 and 2011, after which he sold it to Charles Ungurean (Columbus, OH). Ungurean sold it to Bruce Revennaugh (Marble Falls, TX) in 2014. Displayed by Revennaugh at the Indianapolis Historic Indycar Exhibition in May 2017.
- Gerhardt 69 (Lee Kunzman): New wedge Gerhardt for Myron Caves team for 1969. Although announced in February 1969, the Caves Buick wedge was not expected to race until the Indy 500 and the team's older car was used by Jigger Sirois in the early-1969 races. The car actually missed the Indy 500 as it was still being put together in chief mechanic Bob Higman's garage in Romney, Indiana, and it first raced by Jim McElreath as the #14 Quaker State Spl at Trenton in July 1969. It was then the #74 Gerhardt driven by McElreath, Arnie Knepper and Sam Sessions in 1970. McElreath could not qualify the car at the 500 that year, where photographs show a very exaggerated wedge shape. Caves had heart surgery in June 1970 and his team disappeared until Ontario 1971 where the car was entered as the #37 Caves Buick with Bruce Walkup in the seat. Lee Kunzman qualified this car for the 1972 Indy 500, and it was raced later in the season by McElreath, Johnny Parsons Jr and Greg Weld. The Caves Buick team was wound up at the end of 1972. In 1978, Jim Jorgensen (Sanger, CA) started racing a 1969 Gerhardt as a Supermodified that bore a very strong resemblance to the Caves Buick car. It had been fitted with a 350 ci Chevrolet V8 and a rollcage, and was raced by Jorgensen as #61 in open competition races at Madera Speedway. After he finished racing it, it was reported to be in a barn in the Sanger area in the mid-1980s. Its history is then unknown until acquired by Toney Edwards (Greenwood, Indiana) in the Fresno area around 2020.
- Eagle 70 [802?] (Swede Savage): The Michner-Patrick team bought a 1970 Eagle but it did not appear at the Speedway that year. Although it may have appeared later in the season, or possibly in 1971, it seems likely that Rutherford stuck with his usual 1967 Eagle "Geraldine" until the team acquired their Brabham. When Swede Savage joined the team for 1972, it is not surprising that he raced the team's Eagle 70 as he had been a part of the development program for that car at AAR. He raced it at Indy in 1972 and it is safe to assume that all other appearances of Savage in a Patrick Eagle also refer to the Eagle 70. Subsequent history unknown, but in 1985 Jim Gilmore commented that he had an ex-Savage Indy car in the recreation room at his house, and there is a good chance that it was this one. The car was seen in the collection of Bob McConnell (Urbana, OH) in 2010, still with the Antares-inspired nose it wore in 1972 and wide 1972 rules rear wing, but painted in orange Gilmore colours and with AJ Foyt's name on it, suggesting Gilmore had used it as a show car.
- Eagle 70/71 (Mike Hiss): At the Tony Bettenhausen 200 at Milwaukee in August 1971, Bobby Unser drove an updated 1970 Eagle for the AAR team, in place of his usual 1971 car. This car had a new single fuel filler on the side, the same style as the twin fuel fillers used on the 1971 Eagle. The car had the same McLaren-style rear wing and front wings used on Unser's 1971 Eagle at Michigan. The mirrors on the car were the same as Unser's early season car, hinting that it was the same car, updated. However, a press report in 1972 suggested that Savage's late-season car was the car Jim Malloy had raced at the 1971 Indy 500, which would make it AAR's other 1970 Eagle. Its identity is not yet resolved. Unser took pole at Milwaukee and won in this revised car, and it was then assigned to Swede Savage for his return to the AAR team at the California 500 at Ontario. Savage used this car in three races, but did not finish any of them. This car was then sold to Mary & Tom Page, and entered by their Page Racing for Mike Hiss through the 1972 season. It became the #60 entry at the Indy 500 when STP bought a share in the car. In early 1973, Bob Criss was killed while testing the Page Racing Eagle prior to Phoenix. Reports suggest that the car was comprehensively destroyed in the accident.
- McLaren M15A [3] (Denny Zimmerman): Chris Amon's planned car for the 1970 Indy 500 was taken over by Carl Williams when Amon withdrew. It was sold to Gordy Johncock after the 500 and became his main car after M15/2 was wrecked at Michigan. Sold to Rolla Vollstedt for 1971 and raced for him by Johncock and Denny Zimmerman in 1971 and 1972. This car was later acquired by Tom Black (Portland, OR) and sold by him to the UK. Believed to be the car acquired from collector Nick Mason by McLaren International, restored and put on display in the Donington Collection.
- Eagle 71 [7101] (Larry Dickson): New for Bobby Unser to drive at the 1971 Indy 500 as AAR's #2 Olsonite entry. As the sister car was wrecked by Lee Roy Yarbrough at the Speedway, this is likely to be the 1971 Eagle raced by Unser at Pocono, Michigan, Ontario, Trenton and Phoenix. For 1972, the car was sold to a consortium led by James C Rogers that entered it as "The Minnesota Invader" for Larry Dickson (Marietta, Ohio) to drive, with sprint car builder Paul Leffler (St Paul, Indiana) as chief mechanic. It did not qualify after Leffler claimed that the money needed for a new engine did not turn up from "the Minnesota people" and the car was not seen again that season. Leffler and Dickson focused instead on their successful USAC Sprint campaigns. In April 1973, Rogers and his associates sued Leffler who they claimed had retained the Eagle. The car then found its way into the ownership of Greg Hodges (San Francisco, CA). Photographs of the car in 1974 or 1975, show it in virtually identical configuration to when Dickson drove it at Indianapolis. This is presumably rhe 'Eagle' that Hodges raced at Mosport Park in 1976, but photographs of that car remain elusive. Subsequent history unknown but at some point acquired by Gary Schroeder (Burbank, CA) and restored by Phil Reilly & Co. to its original Unser #2 livery. It won Best in Class at the Amelia Island Concours in 2004 and was part of the Victory Lane Historic Champ/Indy Car Showcase at California Speedway in January 2005. By 2010 the car was on display in the NHRA Motorsports Museum. In March 2012, the car was on display in the Riverside International Automotive Museum. By March 2017, it had moved again, and was on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
- Atlanta 72 (Cale Yarborough): Completed by Gene White Racing after Atlanta Cars closed, and first seen as the team's #21 Bill Daniels GOP for Cale Yarborough at the 1972 Indy 500. Yarborough was then "asked to step down", and the car was converted from Ford to Offy power for team leader Lloyd Ruby to try in practice at Pocono. It was raced by Jimmy Caruthers as the #52 Wynn's Special at Ontario in September. Almost certainly the Atlanta-Offy sold to Larry McCoy Sr's Eastern Racing for his son Larry McCoy to drive in 1973, backed by James Bidwell's Shurfine Foods. Converted by Eldon Rasmussen to Ras-Car specification for 1974, and raced by McCoy and others up to 1977. To Frank Fiore for 1978, and his #87 Machinists Union entry for Jerry Karl, Phil Threshie and Al Loquasto that season. Then to Buddie Boys, a Calgary trucking magnate, and entered for Bob Harkey at the 1980 Indy 500, but he could not get enough speed out of it. The last that was heard of the car was just before the Milwaukee race, when the engine was said to have blown up during testing.
- McLaren M16B [3] (Gordon Johncock): McLaren Cars 1972 for Gordy Johncock (#24) and 'wrecked' at Ontario. Repaired and sold to John Martin 1973 (#89) and 1974 and 1975. Wrecked at Milwaukee June 1975 and tub "thrown in dumpster". Rebuilt using a M16A monocoque bought from Lindsey Hopkins, first appearing in this form at Pocono three weeks later, and raced by Martin to the end of 1975. This M16B/A was acquired by Danny Jones and Roy Dickinson in 1976 and rebuilt for the 1977 Indy 500. They were then joined by Bill Freeman Racing, appearing on the 1977 Indy 500 entry list as #30 Caesars Palace entry. Bob Harkey failed to qualify the car at Indy and it was raced by Johnny Parsons Jr later in the 1977 season. To Fred Ruth for 1978 and qualified for the Indy 500 by Jerry Sneva in 1978 as the #30 Smock Material entry. Ruth was joined and at some point as co-owner by Marv Schmidt. Returned again in 1979, entered by Thunder Racing and with Molly Mate sponsorship. It was next seen in 1981 when John Martin qualified at the Indy 500 but was bumped. Cliff Hucul ran it later that year as the #57. Then unknown until 1991 when it was owned by Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) and still in Hucul livery.
- Lola T270 [HU1?-2] (Wally Dallenbach): New to Andy Granatelli's STP, and delivered in mid-April 1972 to Vince Granatelli's workshop in Santa Monica, CA. Entered for Art Pollard as the #40 STP entry at the 1972 Indy 500, but just after qualifying he crashed heavily, resulting in a broken leg and an extensively damaged Lola. The car was rebuilt in England with a new monocoque and returned to Indianapolis in time for Wally Dallenbach to drive in the race. Dallenbach then drove the car at Michigan, where he finished second, Pocono, Ontario, Trenton and Phoenix. This car was not raced again and, like the T272, was used as a show car by STP. In 1977, it was loaned to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and has remained on display in the museum ever since.
- Gerhardt 69 (Dick Tobias): A Gerhardt wedge built for Grant King's STP-backed team for the 1969 season and raced by Art Pollard at the start of the season as the #20 STP Oil Treatment entry. Became the #57 at the Indy 500 where it was raced by Carl Williams. Won at Milwaukee in June in Pollard's hands. Fitted with a Plymouth stock block engine for road races and won again at Dover Downs in August. Retained for 1970 as part of Pollard's team and raced by Pollard as the #10 at Phoenix and by Greg Weld as the #93 at the Indy 500. Sold by Pollard later in the year to Roy 'Shorty' Emrich (Manchester, PA) who fitted a Chevrolet engine and ran it for local sprint car star Bobby Allen at Phoenix in November 1970. Emrich also ran the car a few times in 1971, and it appeared at Trenton in April 1972 for Dick Tobias, but failed to start . Later restored by Bill Smith and reunited with the Plymouth engine in the late 1980s when Smith persuaded Vince Granatelli to part with it. Was on display at the Eddie Evans Car Museum (Bedford, Indiana) around 2000. On display at the Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, NE in 2012.
- Coyote 71 (Jim Hurtubise): New for AJ Foyt at the 1971 Indy 500, where he finished third. Presumably the car he used for the rest of the season, but it is possible he used the sister car or older cars at short track events. NSSN reported that he used this car when he won at Phoenix in October 1971, his first USAC race win in over two years, when the car had "undergone major chassis changes, including the moving of the radiators to the rear of the chassis, ala McLaren". The car was sold to the MVS team for 1972 and raced by Jim Hurtubise at the Indy 500. MVS also bought an older 1969/70 Coyote for the short ovals. This car was then raced by George Snider as MVS's #29 entry on the longer tracks later in 1972. Although Sessions was reported to be driving the team's 1972 Eagle at all his races in 1973, photographs and race video show him driving the Coyote at least twice. It was bought from MVS in 1975 less engine by the Dewco Construction team of Jack Owens (Indianapolis, IN), and fitted with a stock block Chevrolet. It ran in this form for two years, but only started one race. Then unknown until the early 1980s when it was entered by Robert W. Gaby's B&G Racing for Steve Ball (Osslar, IN) at the 1981 Indy 500. Ball's entry was withdrawn after the team's owner ran into financial issues, but Ball was invited to start the Pocono race a month later as USAC were short of entries. The car was later sold to Chuck Haines, who later sold it to a new owner who took it to Walt Goodwin to be restored.
- Coyote 70 ['70-1'] (Lee Brayton): New for AJ Foyt at the 1970 Indy 500 as the #7 Sheraton-Thompson entry. Also raced by Foyt at Milwaukee in June, but he used an older 1969 car on short tracks later in the season. Believed to have been Foyt's car at Ontario and Phoenix later in the season. It was then retained for short tracks in 1971, so was probably Foyt's car again at Phoenix in early 1971. It was also his car at Michigan in July, probably at the June Milwaukee, and possibly at other tracks. It may have been Donnie Allison's car at Ontario in September. In 1972, the car was sold to Lee Brayton, to replace the 1969 car that he had wrecked in Indy 500 practice. Raced by Brayton later in 1972, at one race in early 1973, and even at two races in early 1975. It was eventually acquired from Brayton by a sponsor, Harry Oppenhuizen, and was sold by Oppenhuizen to Bill Wiswedel (Holland, MI) in 1988. Owned by Wiswedel and then his son, also named Bill, ever since.
- Morris Marauder (71) (Bud Tingelstad): According to Bob Sawicki who talked with Jeff Walther at the Walther Auction, the Walthers bought a car from George Morris for the 1970 season, and then had two more built for the 1971 season. The second of the two 1971 cars, the #33 was a late arrival at the 1971 Indy 500. It looked virtually identical to the #77 car except for the placement of stickers. It is not known whether this car was raced later in 1971 or remained as a backup. For now, it is assumed to have remained as a backup. This is believed to be the dark blue car at the 1972 Indy 500 where Salt Walther used it for his Rookie test. If so, then this is the dark blue #77 car offered at the George Walther Estate auction in Dayton, Ohio, on 19 October 2002, and then the partly restored dark blue car that was sold at auction at Auburn in June 2012 to Doug Winslow (Cleveland, OH).
- Lola T152 2WD [SL150/3?] (Dennis Ott): New to Roger Penske, in December 1968 according to Lola records, although it has been claimed that Penske's car was a rebuild of a car that raced some time in 1968. The car would be driven by Mark Donohue, who was also driving Penske's Lola T70 in sports car racing, and both Lolas used Chevrolet engines. The T150 did not run at the Indy 500, where Donohue used a brand new T152 instead, and was a non-starter at IRP in July. Donohue was seventh and fourth in two races at Brainerd in September, but retired at Seattle and Riverside. The car was fitted with a turbo Ford for testing at the start of 1970, but used a Chevrolet engine when raced at Sears Point and IRP. Sold to Dick Simon for 1971, and raced with a turbo Ford engine as the #10 TraveLodge Sleeper entry. Also used at Milwaukee in August 1972, when Simon focused on his new 1972 Peat-Lola, and possibly at other short track events. The car reappeared in 1976 when Greg Hodges (Indianapolis, IN) attempted to qualify it for several short-track Indycar races, without success. The car then had a Chevrolet engine, and still had the bulbous sidetanks seen when Simon had raced it in 1971. Subsequent history unknown, but some time around 1982 the car was in the collection of Dieter Holterbosch (Cove Neck, NY), a well-known collector of cars who died in July 2016 age 95. It was for sale from the collection at the time for $12,000.
- Finley 69 (Ron Goldleaf): The Finley-Offy TC used by Bentley Warren, Carl Williams, Bob Harkey and Johnny Parsons in 1971 and 1972 is a puzzle. Bill Finley had run Huffakers for Tassi Vatis in 1966, 1967 and 1968 before producing a pair of 'Valvoline Wedge' cars in 1969. These cars were described as new (Autoweek 31 May 1969 p23) but the tube frame construction and 'hydroelastic' suspension paralleled the 64 Huffakers. In 1970, a single 'Finley' had been entered for Warren with a 1966 Eagle appearing as a second car at Indy for Sam Posey. This Eagle continues as a Vatis entry in 1971, suggesting the single 'Finley' is still descended from the 1969 cars. More research is required.
- Gerhardt 68 (Bob Harkey): Don Gerhardt had a new #11 Thermo King Auto Air Cond entry from the start of 1968 and it is assumed that this Gerhardt-Offy turbo was new at Hanford in April, replacing the #16 car used in 1967. Art Pollard continued as driver for the opening races of the season but during practice for the Indy 500, he was poached by the Granatelli STP team to drive one of the new Lotus 56s. Gary Bettenhausen took over the Gerhardt drive for the Indy 500 and for the rest of the season. Bettenhausen drove the '68 car again at the start of 1969 before the team's new wedge design was ready. The '68 car was then driven by Bruce Walkup as the team's #16 entry at the 1969 Indy 500, by which time the car had a lower, flatter nose cone and had been converted to outboard front suspension. Bettenhausen raced it again at Langhorne in June and Trenton in July, but at the latter race it was crashed heavily. Its movements over the next couple of years are not yet understood, but in late 1971 or early 1972, it became #99 Joe Hunt Magneto Spl entered by Joseph B. Hunt (Los Angeles, CA). It was driven in practice by Bob Harkey and Jerry Karl at the 1972 Indy 500 in highly modified form, but did not attempt to qualify. It continued to evolve even further over the next three seasons, and was the car that Harkey tried to qualify for the California 500 as late as 1975. The two Gerhardts were retained by Hunt until he died in June 1985, and about a year later they were sold by his widow Mary to Jack Thompson (Doylestown, PA).
Sources
Note that the identification of individual cars in these results is based on the material presented elsewhere in this site and may in some cases contradict the organisers' published results.
The foundation for this research is the work done by the late Phil Harms collating the results of all AAA, USAC and CART races, including the period covered here. His data was refined by Michael Ferner who added more information before making it available to OldRacingCars.com. Since the start of the USAC project on OldRacingCars.com in 2004, a wealth of further information has been gleaned from the Carl Hungness and Donald Davidson Yearbooks, Formula and On Track magazines, USAC News, National Speed Sport News and other published sources. Gerry Measures has also provided much information from his files as have others on TNF and Trackforum. Since 2009, the work of Simmo Iskül and others identifying cars from period photographs has has moved this research forward significantly.
All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can help in any way with our research.