Tony Bettenhausen 200

Milwaukee Mile, 13 Aug 1972

Notes on the cars:

1. 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'.
2. 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.
3. Gerhardt 70 (Johnny Rutherford): As well as his #16 primary car, Gary Bettenhausen also had a second brand new car entered as the Gerhardt team's #78 Thermo-King entry at the 1970 Indy 500. This car was driven in practice by Larry Dickson, whose qualifying run had to be aborted, and Tony Adamowicz, who brushed the wall just before the start of final qualifying. As far as can be determined (so far), this car was not used again in 1970 as Bettenhausen had his primary 1970 car and also one of the 1969 cars to use. It is presumably the modified car that he drove at Phoenix and Trenton in early 1971, and was then his #46 backup car at the 1971 Indy 500, which was qualified by Jimmy McElreath but bumped. Later on in the season it was Bettenhausen's regular short-track car, being used at both Milwaukee races. It was then used by Jimmy Caruthers as the team's #46 entry at Ontario, by Bettenhausen as the #16 at Trenton in October, and by Caruthers as the #46 again at Phoenix. After Johnny Rutherford destroyed the sister car at Milwaukee in June 1972, this is likely to be the car he raced at Michigan in July and Milwaukee in August. Subsequent history unknown, but possibly the car that Bruce Crower used for his Dodge Hemi project in 1973, although it remains more likely that Crower had a 1969 car.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Finley 69 (Johnny Parsons Jr): 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.
7. Gerhardt 68 (Tom Bigelow): 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.
8. Gerhardt 66 (John Hubbard): 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. Lola T152 2WD [SL150/3?] (Dick Simon): 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.
13. Watson 65 (Dee Jones): Built new by AJ Watson for Don Branson to race in 1965 for the Leader Card team as the #4 Wynn's entry. Fitted with a Ford V8 with Jud Phillips as chief mechanic. "Written off while tyre testing at the Speedway" (Wallen p309) in late June or early July 1965 but evidently survived as sold to Walter J. Flynn and entered for Ralph Liguori as the #35 Enterprise Machine Spl in 1966 and 1967. Unknown in 1968 but returned in 1969 owned by John Gavin (Winona, Minnesota), Patrick O'Reilly (Lake Crystal, Minnesota) and Mike DeMulling (St Paul, Minnesota) and entered as the Minnesota Serendipity. Appeared with ever decreasing regularity over the next four seasons, and last seen for sure at Milwaukee in August 1972, after which O'Reilly bought a 1971 Mongoose. The Watson was used to test an engine built by Ted Blair (North Hampton, MA) in 1973 and then sold to Blair. Passed on to his sons until sold to Don Danville (Storrs Mansfield, CT) in late 1977 and stored by him until 1990. To Walter Turell (North Easton, MA) 1990, then Harry Woodward (Camilla, GA) 1991 and Thomas W. Acker (Dunnellon, FL). Cleaned up by Acker and stored until sold to William Davis (Ortonville, MI) in 2000. Fully restored by William & Sharon Davis up to 2010 and appeared at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Appeared at a parade at the Pocono 500 in July 2014.
14. Kingfish 70? (Steve Krisiloff): Built by Grant King for 1970 and raced by Art Pollard in the early races of the season as his #10 Pollard Car Wash entry. Pollard and King separated after Milwaukee in June, and the car was next seen at Ontario where it was the #41 Grant King entry for Greg Weld. Weld then crashed it in practice at Trenton in October. It returned in 1971, still as the #41 entry, and was driven by Roger McCluskey at Rafaela. George Follmer put it in the race at Indianapolis and it then became the #40 STP entry for Larry Dickson and others later that season, including George Snider. As far as can be determined, this car was Snider's #35 car at the opening race of the 1972 season, and then used by Steve Krisiloff as the #15 at two short track raced later that season. It was then Krisiloff's #24 entry at the opening race of the 1973 season before finally being retired.
15. 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.
16. 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.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. McLaren M16B [4] (Gordon Johncock): Roger Penske 1972 for Gary Bettenhausen (#7) at the Indy 500, Michigan and Pocono in July. Raced by Gordon Johncock at Milwaukee in August, again as the #7, and then became Mark Donohue's #66 entry at Trenton and Phoenix. Believed to be Bettenhausen's #5 car at Texas World Speedway in early 1973, after which it was sold to Al Loquasto and was the car he crashed during practice at the Indy 500. Raced by Loquasto for the rest of 1973 and retained in 1974. Unknown thereafter but presumably retained as a backup to his ex-Roy Woods McLaren M16C until 1979 and maybe used on short tracks. Sold with the M16C to Robert W. LaWarre Sr (Titusville, FL) in 1979, and retained by LaWarre until his death in 1997, after which it was sold as a bare tub to Penske in the late 1990s. Penske also obtained from the Goodyear Museum a show car that Penske had built using a replica tub and the bodywork from the 1972 cars. The bodywork and running gear was reunited with the M16B monocoque and restored as a replica of Mark Donohue's Indy 500 winner. The car has been on display in the Penske Racing Museum (Scottsdale, AZ) since 2012 or earlier.
23. 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.
24. Eagle 67 [212] (Bill Simpson): The #74 AAR entry for Dan Gurney at the 1967 Indy 500, fitted with a Ford V8 and with support from Wagner Lockheed. Sold after the race to AJ Foyt and photographs show that it was the car raced by Joe Leonard at Mosport Park in July 1967, still in works livery. The history of the car over the next three years remains unknown but according to the Hungness Yearbook, it reappeared at the 1970 Indy 500 still as part of the Foyt team but now equipped with a turbo Ford and entered as the #83 Greer car for Donnie Allison, who finished fourth. Then sold to Bill Simpson (Los Angeles, CA), fitted with a 203 ci Chevrolet turbo engine built by Bruce Crower, and raced by Simpson at two late-1970 races. Fitted with an Offy turbo for Simpson in 1971 and 1972. Sold to Marv Carman (Union City, Michigan) and turned into a supermodified, but at some point the car was very badly damaged in a workshop fire. The remains of the car were acquired by Richard Bible and they were stored until 2008, when bought by Indycar collector Bill Wiswedel (Holland, Michigan). In 2012, Wiswedel sold the fire-damaged tub and its surviving components to Justin Gurney, son of Dan Gurney and then CEO of AAR. He sent the tub to John Mueller and Jerry Wise of Entrepreneur's Motor Sports (Fresno, CA), who built a completely new car to take its place, there being no part of the damaged tub that was usable. Joe Boghosian built a quad-cam Ford engine for it. The new car was unveiled on Dan Gurney's 84th birthday in April 2015, when Autoweek quoted Mueller saying that "every piece on that car is new except uprights, the hubs and the transmission".
25. 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.
26. Eagle 72 [7203] (Bobby Unser): New for Bobby Unser to drive as the #6 Olsonite entry in 1972 and, as 7201 was used on mile tracks in 1972, this would be the car with which he took pole position car at Indy in 1972 and also used at Michigan, Pocono and Ontario. The car was retained for 1973 and raced by Wally Dallenbach as the #62 at the 1973 Indy 500. After Jerry Grant '73 Eagle was sold to the Patrick team, Grant drove this car at Ontario in September 1973, qualifying second. He crashed heavily on the second lap, hitting the Turn 2 wall. The car was not used again and remained in storage at AAR until a restoration conducted by Mike Lewis and John Weatherwax, and completed by John Mueller.
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. McLaren M16B [1] (Gary Bettenhausen): To Roger Penske for Mark Donohue to drive in 1972 as the #66 Sunoco DX McLaren. Won the 1972 Indy 500 and also second at the Ontario 500-mile race when driven by Mike Hiss. Sold to George Walther late 1972 for Salt Walther to drive in 1973, but this was not the car Walther drove in the 1973 Indy 500. By November 1973, this ex-Donohue car had been sold by the Walther operation to Jim Hurtubise, and would be the car he entered at Ontario in September 1973. It was then his #56 Miller High Life entry at the Indy and Pocono 500-mile races in 1974. Retained and appeared at Indy as an unused backup until at least 1978. Subsequent history unknown but at some point to the IMS Museum and restored as Donohue's 1972 winner.
30. 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.
31. 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.
32. 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.
33. 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.
34. 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.
35. 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.
36. 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.
37. Eagle 68 [406] (Arnie Knepper): Roger Penske bought a road-racing version of the 1968 Indy Eagle and Mark Donohue raced it at Mosport and Riverside that season with a Chevrolet V8. It went to Weinberger Homes for 1969 and was driven at Indy by Ronnie Bucknum. It was not seen in 1970, but then went to Arnie Knepper and became his #90 C.H.E.K. Racing entry in 1971 and 1972, and finally his #45 entry at the 1973 Indy 500. It was then the LaWarre Precision Eagle entered by Robert W. LaWarre Sr (Titusville, FL) for Larry Rice and John Hubbard in 1974 and 1975. The Eagle was then retired but remained in LaWarre's ownership until his death in April 1997, after which it was bought by Joe Pirrotta (Palm City, FL) in 1999. The Eagle was fully restored to Penske livery and appeared at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2005.
38. 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".

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