OldRacingCars.com

Trentonian 200

Trenton International Speedway, 23 Apr 1972

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Gary Bettenhausen McLaren M16A [1] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#7 Sunoco [Roger Penske] (see note 1)
134 (146.211 mph)
2 Roger McCluskey Kuzma-Kenyon 71 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#14 American Marine [Lindsey Hopkins/Don Koda]
(see note 2)
130 Flagged
3 Gordon Johncock McLaren M16A [2] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#86 McLaren Cars [on entry list as #85]
(see note 3)
130 Flagged
4 Joe Leonard Parnelli VPJ-1 [102] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#1 Samsonite [Vel's Parnelli Jones Ford]
(see note 4)
130 Flagged
5 Jim Malloy Gerhardt 70 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#16 Thermo-King [Don Gerhardt] (see note 5)
127 Flagged
6 Wally Dallenbach Eagle 70 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#10 Unsponsored [Lindsey Hopkins/Duane Glasgow]
(see note 6)
123 Flagged
7 Mike Hiss Eagle 70/71 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#72 Page Racing [Mary & Tom Page]
(see note 7)
121 Flagged
8 John Mahler Eagle 68 [401] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#31 Harbor Fuel Oil [John Mahler]
(see note 8)
115 Flagged
9 Al Loquasto Vollstedt 66 [8] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#43 Martin Guitar [Frank J Fiore]
(see note 9)
108 Flagged
10 Mel Kenyon Kenyon-Eagle - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#23 Unsponsored [Hopkins/Don Kenyon]
(see note 10)
106 Flagged
11 David "Salt" Walther Morris Marauder (71) - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#77 Dayton Steel Wheel [George Walther]
(see note 11)
104 Flagged
12 Steve Krisiloff Kingfish 71 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#15 Unsponsored [Grant King Racers Inc]
(see note 12)
72 Flagged
13 Mike Mosley Eagle 68 [402] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#98 Agajanian-Leader Card (see note 13)
49 Broken piston
14 Dick Simon Peat-Lola 71 - Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#44 Travelodge [Dick Simon] (see note 14)
47 Broken injector link
15 Joe Tetz Watson 67 - Chevrolet 355 ci V8
#57 Unsponsored [Tetz Racing Team]
(see note 15)
43 Black flag, too slow
16 Swede Savage Eagle 70 [802?] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#42 Patrick-Michner (see note 16)
37 Broken crankshaft
17 Bobby Unser Eagle 72 [7201] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#6 Olsonite [AAR] (see note 17)
12 Injector diaphram
18 Billy Vukovich Eagle 72 [7204] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#3 Sugaripe Prune [Jerry O'Connell/Jud Phillips]
(see note 18)
11 Broken piston
19 Mark Donohue McLaren M16A [4] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#66 Sunoco DX [Roger Penske] (see note 19)
9 Broken turbocharger
20 Al Unser Parnelli VPJ-1 [104] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#4 Viceroy [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing]
(see note 20)
8 Broken half shaft
21 Jim Hurtubise Coyote 70 ['69-2'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#56 Miller High Life [MVS Inc - Malless, Voigt and Sommers]
(see note 21)
6 Broken piston
22 Mario Andretti Parnelli VPJ-1 [103] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#9 Viceroy [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing]
(see note 22)
1 Broken piston
23 Gig Stephens Halibrand Shrike - Ford Boss 351 ci stock block V8
#55 Stephens [Gig Stephens] (see note 23)
1 Engine
DNS Johnny Rutherford Brabham BT32 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#18 Patrick Petroleum [Michner Petroleum]
(see note 24)
Did not start
(engine)
DNS Jim McElreath Hawk II (67) - Chevrolet 355 ci V8
#22 McElreath (see note 25)
Did not start
DNS Bentley Warren Eagle 67 [214] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#36 Bay State Auto Racing (see note 26)
Did not start
DNS Dick Tobias Gerhardt 69 - Chevrolet 355 ci V8
#47 Emrich Special (see note 27)
Did not start
(suspension)
DNS Larry McCoy Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#63 Eastern Racing Associates [Lawrence S. McCoy Sr]
(see note 28)
Did not start
(connecting rod)
DNS Sammy Sessions Curtis 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#91 Curtis (see note 29)
Did not start
(lack of fuel)
DNSC George Snider Kingfish 72 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#35 Grant King Racing (see note 30)
Did not start (crashed)
DNA George Eaton Colt-Lola - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#25 Fejer Bros Motor Racing Team
(see note 31)
Did not arrive
  TBA Gerhardt 66 - Ford 302 ci stock block V8
#71 [Lloyd W. Gifford] (see note 32)
On entry list
Qualifying
1 Bobby Unser Eagle 72 [7201] - Offy 159 ci turbo 32.670s
2 Mike Mosley Eagle 68 [402] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.491s
3 Billy Vukovich Eagle 72 [7204] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.697s
4 Mario Andretti Parnelli VPJ-1 [103] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.709s
5 Gary Bettenhausen McLaren M16A [1] - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.209s
6 Joe Leonard Parnelli VPJ-1 [102] - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.213s
7 Al Unser Parnelli VPJ-1 [104] - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.275s
8 Jim Malloy Gerhardt 70 - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.410s
9 Roger McCluskey Kuzma-Kenyon 71 - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.480s
10 Gordon Johncock McLaren M16A [2] - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.500s
11 Wally Dallenbach Eagle 70 - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.547s
12 Mark Donohue McLaren M16A [4] - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.798s
13 Swede Savage Eagle 70 [802?] - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.841s
14 Dick Simon Peat-Lola 71 - Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 35.068s
15 Mike Hiss Eagle 70/71 - Offy 159 ci turbo 35.256s
16 Mel Kenyon Kenyon-Eagle - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 35.473s
17 John Mahler Eagle 68 [401] - Offy 159 ci turbo 35.913s
18 Steve Krisiloff Kingfish 71 - Offy 159 ci turbo 36.559s
19 Al Loquasto Vollstedt 66 [8] - Offy 159 ci turbo 38.396s
20 Jim Hurtubise Coyote 70 ['69-2'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 38.594s
21 Gig Stephens Halibrand Shrike - Ford Boss 351 ci stock block V8 39.667s
22 David "Salt" Walther Morris Marauder (71) - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 39.229s
23 Joe Tetz Watson 67 - Chevrolet 355 ci V8 40.910s
24 Sammy Sessions * Curtis 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo no time trial
- George Snider * Kingfish 72 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo wrecked
- Dick Tobias * Gerhardt 69 - Chevrolet 355 ci V8
- Larry McCoy * Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo
- Johnny Rutherford * Brabham BT32 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo
- Jim McElreath * Hawk II (67) - Chevrolet 355 ci V8
- Bentley Warren * Eagle 67 [214] - Offy 159 ci turbo
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. McLaren M16A [2] (Gordon Johncock): McLaren Cars at the 1971 Indy 500 for Peter Revson (#86) and qualified on pole at the Indy 500, finishing second. Probably the #86 car used by Gordon Johncock at Trenton 1972 and the #86 entry that did not arrive at the Indy 500. Then sold to Lindsey Hopkins for Roger McCluskey for the rest of 1972 as the #14 American Marine entry, winning at Ontario. Retained for 1973 as the #3 Hopkins Buick entry and used by McCluskey at Indy and Pocono, before settlig on his newer M16B thereafter. The older M16 was then unused and had been stripped down to a bare monocoque by the time it was sold to John Martin in mid-1975. He used the tub to rebuild the M16B that he had crashed at Milwaukee in June 1975, and the resulting car used the chassis plate and identity of the M16B.
  4. 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'.
  5. Gerhardt 70 (Jim Malloy): 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".
  6. Eagle 70 (Wally Dallenbach): 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.
  7. 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.
  8. Eagle 68 [401] (John Mahler): Sold new to Lindsey Hopkins for Roger McCluskey to drive in 1968 as the #8 G. C. Murphy entry. McCluskey also drove Hopkins' older 1967 Eagle during the season and the '68 car was mainly used for road courses. McCluskey moved to AJ Foyt's team for 1969 and the activities of the Eagle for most of that season are unknown. It was raced by Wally Dallenbach as Hopkins' #22 Sprite entry at the Riverside 300 in December 1969, but was not retained as part of the Hopkins stable after that. John Mahler (Bettendorf, IA) acquired the car, and it was his #100 Eagle-Chev in 1970 and early 1971 before he acquired a McLaren M15A. He retained the Eagle as a backup for 1972, racing it at Trenton in April, and it was taken by Mahler to the 1972 Indy 500 as a backup. It was later the #34 rear-engined car used by Mahler in a Sprint Car race at Winchester Speedway (Indiana) in July 1973, and was raced by Gary Bettenhausen at Winchester in October 1973. Its next owner was Tom Brewer (Roanoke, IN) during whose ownership it is said to have raced at Winchester and Salem (Indiana). Later from Brewer to Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) some time before 1998, but it is possible the car went via Robert Ames (Tigard, OR). Restored for Chuck by Walter Goodwin and appeared at the 1998 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. Morris Marauder (71) (David "Salt" Walther): 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 main 1971 car was the #77 entry at the 1971 Indy 500 and it is assumed that this car was used for the rest of 1971 and in early 1972. This car, still unrestored and carrying USAC tag "#C-71 177", was sold at auction at Auburn in June 2012 to Doug Winslow (Cleveland, OH). Sold in July 2015 to Mark Klingerman (Bourbon, IN) and Gary Berkey (Warsaw, IN). Restored and appeared at the Historic Indycar Exhibition in May 2016 and in May 2017.
  12. 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.
  13. Eagle 68 [402] (Mike Mosley): 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.
  14. 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.
  15. Watson 67 (Joe Tetz): Pedro Rodriguez had a new #90 Watson-Ford for the 1967 Indy 500 but was bumped. After Rodriguez returned to F1, the new car was raced by Jim Hurtubise, Jim McElreath and Chuck Parsons later that season, an old '66 car only being used a few times. Watson built a new car with an turbo Offy engine for 1968, but the older Ford-engined car was used at most races in 1968, driven by George Snider, Chuck Hulse (in practice for the Indy 500), Mike Mosley, Bud Tingelstad, Bobby Unser and Lothar Motschenbacher. As the last of the Ford-engined cars, it was used primarily on road courses in 1968. Although a further car was built for 1969, the old '67 car was used on road courses with a Chevrolet engine. AJ Watson started running a 1968 Eagle in 1970, but continued to use the 1967 car for Mike Mosley on short tracks, now updated to a turbo Offy engine. It was not seen during 1971, but was sold for 1972 to Joe Tetz (Middletown, NY), who ran it in a few USAC events in 1972 and 1973 with a Chevrolet engine. The next time it is seen with any certainty is when owned by Cyrus Clark (Katonah, NY) in 1987/88, when it was in F5000 configuration with a small block Chevy engine. Clark advertised in Hemmings in June 1988 as the 1967 ex-Rodriguez car and the wings, tanks, nose, rollbar fairing, paint scheme and exhaust headers all matched the car driven by Joe Tetz in 1972. Sold by Clark to Larry Less (San Francisco, CA) and retained by him for many years.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. Eagle 72 [7204] (Billy Vukovich): One of two 1972 Eagles 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. As the later history of 7207 is known from an invoice, and as the cars have distinct differences that can be seen in photographs, 7204 can be safely identified as Vukovich's 1972 Indy 500 car, after which it swapped roles with 7207 and became his short track car. It remained his short track car in 1973, and is then believed to have raced just twice in 1974. Sold to Donald Mergard and very probably the car raced by Bob Harkey as Mergard Racing's #42 entry at Michigan late that season. Retained by Mergard for another six seasons, racing as the #42 with numerous drivers and sponsors. In 1981, this car appears to have become Tom Frantz' #71 entry for Bob Frey. Subsequent history unknown.
  19. 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.
  20. Parnelli VPJ-1 [104] (Al Unser): New for Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing in 1972 as a spare car in Viceroy livery. Despite the '104' number on its chassis plate, this car was built first as a prototype and can be identified by the domed rivets on parts of the car, in contrast to the three race cars built later which have countersunk rivets. As Al Unser's car was not built until May, this was the car driven by Unser at Trenton in April and in early practice for the Indy 500. It was entered at the Speedway as #49, nominally for Parnelli Jones himself to drive but was practiced by Unser wearing #4 and may have been the car used during his first, abortive, qualifying attempt, but his race car was the newly completed chassis 101. It does not appear to have been used again after this, but detailed photographs may reveal it was used by Unser on short tracks. After Joe Leonard wrecked his usual car testing at Phoenix in late October, this car was repainted in his #1 Samsonite livery and driven by Leonard at the last race of the season, at Phoenix in November, only to crash again during practice. With many of the team's spares having been used getting this car ready, it was not possible to repair it for the race and Leonard did not start. It was repaired by VPJ in time for a gala dinner at Indianapolis to celebrate the team's championship victories, after which it was retained by VPJ as a show car in unrestored condition. In May 2012 the whole VPJ Collection was acquired by the IMS Museum.
  21. Coyote 70 ['69-2'] (Jim Hurtubise): 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.
  22. 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.
  23. Halibrand Shrike (Gig Stephens): Leonard 'Gig' Stephens (North Reading, Massachusetts) ran a Halibrand-Offy in practice at the 1966 Indy 500. It was owned by Karl Hall (Orleans, IN) and was his #71 Fairchild Hiller entry. No attempt was made to qualify that year. Stephens and Al Smith appeared at a number of races with the car later that season, but it only started one race, with Stephens at Milwaukee in June. Stephens and the car returned in 1967, when it was the #36 Atamian Ford entry. Ronnie Duman and Sammy Sessions also raced it that season. Gig Stephens then took over the ownership and it was the #102 Halibrand Engineering or Tuonic Engineering entry in 1968, then the #104 Atlas Air Cargo entry for Stephens and Bob Pratt in 1969. It was then fitted with a Ford stock block engine and appeared for four more seasons of USAC racing with sponsorship from Atamanian Ford. He had a very poor record with the car failed to start a single race in 1973. In May 1973, he advertised the car, complete with 351 ci Ford "Boss" engine and Hewland LG 500, suggesting it was "ideal for Super Modified Racing". After the car finally stopped racing, it joined the collection of E Howard Brandon and was displayed still in Stephens' livery in his "Car Collectors Hall of Fame", which opened in Nashville in June 1979. The museum closed in 1998 and its contents were auctioned by Kruse in December that year, including a "1966 Indy Race Car" which was presumably the ex-Stephens Halibrand. Subsequent history unknown.
  24. Brabham BT32 ['1'] (Johnny Rutherford): 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.
  25. Hawk II (67) (Jim McElreath): Built new for 1967 by Al Dean's Dean Racing Enterprises for Mario Andretti to drive as the #1 Dean Van Lines entry. First raced at Trenton in April, where Andretti won. He then used the new car at the Indy 500, where he took pole position again but was an early retirement. He generally used the old 1965 car for road courses in 1967 and the new car for oval tracks, and won four more races using the new car at Indianapolis Raceway Park, Langhorne, Milwaukee in August, and Phoenix in November. The 1967 car was retained for 1968 as a backup to the team's two new monocoque cars and in mid-season it was fitted with a turbo Offy engine, which had a significant power advantage over the Ford. Andretti raced the Hawk-Offy at Trenton, where he won, and at three more races, before it was refitted with the Ford for Jerry Titus to drive at Riverside in November. Andretti's ex-Al Dean equipment was then acquired by STP for 1969, but whether the old 1967 car was included in the deal is unknown. It was next seen in early 1972 when Jim McElreath entered it as a "Brabham-Chevrolet" at Phoenix in March and at Trenton in April. He used it in practice at Trenton but elected not to race, and it was not seen in it again that season. Three years later, McElreath ran it in practice for the USAC race at Trenton in April 1975, again failing to start. In December 1976, McElreath donated the car to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and it has remained in the collection ever since. It was restored in the early 1990s.
  26. 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". 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.
  27. 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.
  28. 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.
  29. Curtis 72 (Sammy Sessions): 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".
  30. Kingfish 72 ['1'] (George Snider): Built new by Grant King for the start of 1972, the #35 car was driven by George Snider at Trenton in April, but crashed in practice. It was also used by him in practice at the Indy 500, but Snider was given the chance to drive one of AJ Foyt's Coyotes so the Kingfish drive was taken over by Merle Bettenhausen, middle son of twice National Champion Tony Bettenhausen and the middle of three racing brothers. Merle quickly passed his rookie test but the very next day lost control of the Kingfish and extensively damaged on the left side and it could not be repaired in time for qualifying. Bettenhausen's next chance came at Michigan in July but on just the third lap of the race, he crashed again, hitting the outside wall. He tried to get out of the burning car while it was still moving but his right arm was trapped against the outside wall and was torn off. Bettenhausen was also badly burnt but survived and remained in the sport, becoming a key member of Bettenhausen Motorsports.
  31. Colt-Lola (George Eaton): In 1971, Canadian department store heir George Eaton acquired a "Colt" from the VPJ team and it was run for him by the Fejer Brothers in the last few races of the USAC season. It was variously described as the car driven by Joe Leonard in the 1971 Indy 500 and the car used by Al Unser to win the 1970 Indy 500. It was probably neither, and its most likely identity is the 1970 Colt driven by Leonard in the 1970 Indy 500. Eaton returned for 1972, when the car was described as a "1971 Jones", but failed his rookie test and announced his retirement from motor racing two weeks later. The car then passed to Jim Hurtubise, whose crew chief George Morris made some modifications to the chassis, including square sidepods and a chisel nose. The car was described as a 1969 Lola in press reports prior to the Indy 500, where Hurtubise was too slow to qualify. He did race it at Pocono in July, when it was wearing Miller High Life livery. At this point, the old car was finally put to one side. Mike Lashmett kept track of this car, and reports that it remained with Hurtubise until his death in 1989, after which it was bought from the estate by dealer/collector Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO). It remained in Haines' collection for many years until being sold to a Swiss owner.
  32. Gerhardt 66 (TBA): The Leader Card Racers team of Bob Wilke and Jud Phillips acquired two new 1966 Ford-engined Gerhardts and ran them for Don Branson with numbers #4 and #91. Assuming there was no number swapping, the #4 was Don Branson's first choice car during 1966 and was then taken over by Bobby Unser, who crashed it in practice at Trenton in September. It was retained as a backup for 1967 when it was raced by Unser in the two opening races, was his #86 backup car at the Indy 500, and his mount at Langhorne in June and in July. Then sold to Gordy Johncock, fitted with a turbo Offy, raced at Phoenix in November 1967, and used to win at Hanford in early 1968. Sold after the 1968 Indy 500 to Boyce Holt, and entered as the #44 Gerhardt-Chev towards the end of the 1968 season. It returned for a few races in 1969 as the #71 Boyce Holt Muffler entry, but was crashed by Bruce Walkup at Milwaukee August 1969, and then sold to Lloyd W. Gifford (Ft Wayne, IN) who rebuilt it with a 302ci Ford stock block engine and ran it in 1970, 1971 and 1972. By 1990, a car wearing #71 was with collector Bob McConnell (Urbana, OH) but said to be a 1968 car. Not mentioned in recent descriptions of McConnell's collection.

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.

Individual sources for this event

Full entry list, qualifying times and details of non-starters provided by Simmo Iskul