OldRacingCars.com

Trenton 300

Trenton International Speedway, 24 Sep 1972

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Bobby Unser Eagle 72 [7201] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#6 Olsonite [AAR] (see note 1)
200 2h 05m 06.240s
2 Mark Donohue McLaren M16B [4] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#66 Sunoco DX [Roger Penske] (see note 2)
200 Finished
3 Joe Leonard Parnelli VPJ-1 [102] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#1 Samsonite [Vel's Parnelli Jones Ford]
(see note 3)
200 Finished
4 Billy Vukovich Eagle 72 [7207?] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#3 Sugaripe Prune [Jerry O'Connell/Jud Phillips]
(see note 4)
200 Finished
5 Mike Mosley Eagle 68 [404] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#98 Vivitar [Leader Card, Inc.]
(see note 5)
198 Flagged
6 Johnny Rutherford Eagle 72 [7209] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#16 Thermo-King [Don Gerhardt] (see note 6)
198 Flagged
7 Wally Dallenbach Lola T270 [HU1?-2] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#40 STP Oil Treatment (see note 7)
197 Flagged
8 Roger McCluskey McLaren M16A [2] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#14 American Marine [Lindsey Hopkins/Don Koda]
(see note 8)
193 Flagged
9 Art Pollard Lola T272 [HU3] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#20 STP Oil Treatment [STP Corporation]
(see note 9)
189 Flagged
10 George Snider Coyote 71 - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#29 MVS [Stan Malless, Bob Voigt and Dick Sommers]
(see note 10)
187 Flagged
11 Mel Kenyon Kenyon-Eagle - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#23 Gilmore Racing [Lindsey Hopkins/Don Kenyon]
(see note 11)
181 Flagged
12 Lee Kunzman Eagle 70 or 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#10 Gilmore Racing [Lindsey Hopkins/Duane Glasgow]
(see note 12)
176 Spun (turn 3)
13 Tom Bigelow Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#58 Midwest Mfg Dura-Pot [Carl Gehlhausen/Jim Masson]
(see note 13)
175 Flagged
14 Mike Hiss Eagle 70/71 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#72 Page Racing [Mary & Tom Page]
(see note 14)
171 Flagged
15 Steve Krisiloff Kingfish 72 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#15 RAC [Grant King Racers Inc]
(see note 15)
171 Flagged
16 Dick Simon Peat-Lola 71 - Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#44 Travelodge [Dick Simon] (see note 16)
152 Broken nose
17 Johnny Parsons Jr Finley 69 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#94 Niagra Falls Wine [Vatis Enterprises, Inc.]
(see note 17)
134 Broken piston
18 Lloyd Ruby Lola T270 [HU2?] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#5 Wynn's [Gene White Racing] (see note 18)
98 Turbocharger
19 Swede Savage Brabham BT32 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#18 Patrick Petroleum [Michner-Patrick]
(see note 19)
91 Turbocharger
20 Gordon Johncock McLaren M16B [2] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#12 Gulf [McLaren Cars] (see note 20)
77 Engine
21 Jerry Grant Eagle 72 [7205] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#48 Olsonite [AAR] (see note 21)
53 Stalled
22 AJ Foyt Coyote 72 ['72-1'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#2 ITT-Thompson [AJ Foyt] (see note 22)
38 Engine
23 Al Unser Parnelli VPJ-1 [101] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#4 Viceroy [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing]
(see note 23)
27 Overheated
24 Larry McCoy Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#63 Eastern Racing [Lawrence S. McCoy Sr]
(see note 24)
20 Broken wrist pin
25 Arnie Knepper Eagle 68 [406] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#90 C.H.E.K. Racing (see note 25)
15 Transmission
26 Bentley Warren Eagle 67 [214] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#36 Bay State Racing (see note 26)
10 Oil leak
27 David "Salt" Walther McLaren M16A [4] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#77 Dayton Steel Wheel [George Walther]
(see note 27)
1 Ignition
28 Mario Andretti Parnelli VPJ-1 [103] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#9 Viceroy [Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing]
(see note 28)
0 Broken half shaft
DNSC Jimmy Caruthers Atlanta 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#52 Wynn's Special [Gene White Racing]
(see note 29)
Did not start (crashed)
DNQ Dee Jones Watson 65 - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#51 Minnesota Serendipity [Pat O'Reilly]
(see note 30)
Did not qualify
DNQ Gig Stephens Halibrand Shrike - Ford Boss 351 ci stock block V8
#55 Atamanian Ford Special ['Gig' Stephens]
(see note 31)
Did not qualify
DNQ Max Dudley Gerhardt - Chevrolet 355 ci V8
#69 Dudley Boat & Trailer Special [Max Dudley]
(see note 32)
Did not qualify
DNQ John Hubbard Gerhardt 66 - Ford 302 ci stock block V8
#71 Gifford Special [Lloyd Gifford]
(see note 33)
Did not qualify
DNQA Bill Simpson Eagle 67 [212] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#28 St. Louis Special [Bill Simpson/Dudley Higginson, Inc]
(see note 34)
Did not make qualifying attempt
DNQA Crockey Peterson Kingfish 70 or 71 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#38 Peterson Pepsi Special [Crockey Peterson]
(see note 35)
Did not make qualifying attempt
DNQA Tom Sneva Tipke 72 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#41 [Spokane Championship Racers Inc]
(see note 36)
Did not make qualifying attempt
DNQA Joe Tetz Watson 67 - Chevrolet 355 ci V8
#57 Tetz Racing Team Special [Joe Tetz]
(see note 37)
Did not make qualifying attempt
DNQA Greg Hodges Gerhardt - Chevrolet 355 ci V8
#87 Unsponsored Truckers Special [Greg Hodges]
Did not make qualifying attempt
DNQA John Batts Curtis 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo
#91 Steed Special [Frank Curtis]
(see note 38)
Did not make qualifying attempt
DNA Gordon Johncock McLaren M16B [3] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#24 Gulf McLaren [McLaren Cars]
(see note 39)
Did not arrive
  Denny Zimmerman Vollstedt 72 [12] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#27 Bryant Heating & Cooling [Vollstedt Enterprises Inc.]
(see note 40)
On entry list
  Swede Savage Eagle 70 [802?] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#42 Michner Industries Special [Leroy Scott & J.R. Emnons]
(see note 41)
On entry list
  Lee Brayton Coyote 70 ['70-1'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8
#61 Eisenhour Special [L. Brayton & J. Eisenhour]
(see note 42)
On entry list
  John Martin Gilbert 68 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo
#92 Unsponsored Special [Automotive Technology, Inc.]
(see note 43)
On entry list
  TBA Eagle - Offy 159 ci turbo
#97 Vivitar Special [Leader Card, Inc.]
On entry list
Qualifying
1 Bobby Unser Eagle 72 [7201] - Offy 159 ci turbo 31.483s
2 Mario Andretti Parnelli VPJ-1 [103] - Offy 159 ci turbo 32.506s
3 Al Unser Parnelli VPJ-1 [101] - Offy 159 ci turbo 32.831s
4 Joe Leonard Parnelli VPJ-1 [102] - Offy 159 ci turbo 32.988s
5 Billy Vukovich Eagle 72 [7207?] - Offy 159 ci turbo 32.995s
6 Mark Donohue McLaren M16B [4] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.095s
7 AJ Foyt Coyote 72 ['72-1'] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 33.169s
8 Gordon Johncock McLaren M16B [2] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.308s
9 Steve Krisiloff Kingfish 72 ['2'] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.355s
10 Swede Savage Brabham BT32 ['1'] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.368s
11 Mike Mosley Eagle 68 [404] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.378s
12 Lloyd Ruby Lola T270 [HU2?] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 33.379s
13 Wally Dallenbach Lola T270 [HU1?-2] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 33.468s
14 Roger McCluskey McLaren M16A [2] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.533s
15 Johnny Rutherford Eagle 72 [7209] - Offy 159 ci turbo 33.538s
16 Art Pollard Lola T272 [HU3] - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 33.560s
17 Lee Kunzman Eagle 70 or 72 - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.201s
18 Jerry Grant Eagle 72 [7205] - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.476s
19 Mike Hiss Eagle 70/71 - Offy 159 ci turbo 34.488s
20 George Snider Coyote 71 - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 34.475s
21 Mel Kenyon Kenyon-Eagle - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 34.580s
22 Dick Simon Peat-Lola 71 - Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 34.727s
23 Arnie Knepper Eagle 68 [406] - Offy 159 ci turbo 35.775s
24 Bentley Warren Eagle 67 [214] - Offy 159 ci turbo 35.842s
25 Johnny Parsons Jr Finley 69 - Offy 159 ci turbo 36.245s
26 Tom Bigelow Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo 36.457s
27 David "Salt" Walther McLaren M16A [4] - Offy 159 ci turbo 37.518s
28 Larry McCoy Gerhardt 68 - Offy 159 ci turbo 38.392s
29 Dee Jones * Watson 65 - Foyt-Ford 159 ci quad cam turbo V8 40.003s
30 Max Dudley * Gerhardt - Chevrolet 355 ci V8 41.757s
31 Gig Stephens * Halibrand Shrike - Ford Boss 351 ci stock block V8 42.671s
32 John Hubbard * Gerhardt 66 - Ford 302 ci stock block V8 42.841s
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. 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.
  2. McLaren M16B [4] (Mark Donohue): 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.
  3. 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'.
  4. Eagle 72 [7207?] (Billy Vukovich): One of two 1972 Eagles, the other being 7204, bought new by Jerry O'Connell's Sugaripe Prune team and raced by Billy Vukovich as the #3 entry in 1972, with Jud Phillips as chief mechanic. This car can be identified from an invoice later in its life so is known to Vukovich's backup car at the 1972 Indy 500 (entered as #32 but ran as #3 and crashed during practice) and then became his long track car later in the season. Finished second at the 1973 Indy 500 and won at Michigan the following August. The team then bought a 1974 Eagle and sold 7204 but kept this car as a backup for three more seasons. Sold to Arthur E. 'Art' Sugai (Ontario, OR) for 1977 and entered as the #91 Eastside Café car that season, alongside the ex-Penske 7225. Sold with 7225 to collector/dealer Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) in May 1980 and fully restored to 1972 specification by Walter Goodwin of Race Car Restorations. On display for many years at the "International Motorsports Hall of Fame", a NASCAR museum at Talladega Speedway in Alabama.
  5. Eagle 68 [404] (Mike Mosley): Dan Gurney's #48 Olsonite entry at the 1968 Indy 500 was a new 1968 Eagle fitted with the Gurney Weslake Ford 303 ci stock block V8 engine. This car was highly successful on road courses later in the year, Gurney winning at IRP, twice at Mosport and at Riverside. The car was sold to Marshall Robbins of Jim Robbins Co. for 1969 and crew chief Jim Spangler fitted a Ford turbo for Lee Roy Yarbrough to drive at the Indy 500. Robbins and Spangler brought the car back to the Speedway for 1970 for Yarbrough to drive. It was last seen with the Robbins team at Ontario in 1970. This was later identified by Carl Hungness as the car raced by Mike Mosley at the 1972 Indy 500, but when the car moved from Robbins to the AJ Watson/Leader Card team is unclear. Mosley crashed this car at the 1972 Indy 500, and was again injured. Photographs of the car at this race show several diagonal rows of rivets at the back of the tub on the left, indicating a major repair. This pattern of rivets then identifies the car in pictures at Ontario in 1972, at Ontario in 1973, and in the present day. After the 1972 Indy 500, Rick Muther used the team's other 1968 Eagle until Mosley again returned from his injuries in September, and this ex-Robbins car was ready for him to drive at the Ontario 500. The team's other 1968 Eagle was donated to the IMS Museum in January 1973, leaving this car to act as a backup to Leader Card Racer's new 1972/73 Eagles. It was raced by Mosley again at Trenton in early 1973, by Johnny Parsons Jr at Milwaukee and by Tom Sneva at Ontario. That was the last time it was seen on a racetrack, but in 1978 it was sitting in Jim Hurtubise's garage at the Indy 500 wearing #54 with its rear wing acting as a drinks table. By 1995, it had been restored to 1972 livery and was hanging in the roof of AJ Watson's shop. Since then, the car has been retained by the Wilke family.
  6. Eagle 72 [7209] (Johnny Rutherford): New to Don Gerhardt to replace chassis 7206 destroyed in Jim Malloy's fatal accident at the 1972 Indy 500. Raced by Johnny Rutherford as the #18 Thermo King Special entry for the latter half of 1972. Retained for 1973 when Mike Hiss took over as team driver but Gerhardt had also acquired chassis 7216, and 7209 was used mainly on short tracks that year. Jim McElreath took over the Gerhardt drive in 1974 and used both 7209 and 7216 at the 1974 Indy 500, racing 7209. Gary Bettenhausen rejoined Gerhardt for 1975 and raced 7209 at the Indy 500 and at Pocono, with 7216 now being used on short tracks. For 1976, Bettenhausen used 7216 at the Indy 500, and 7209 was allocated to Eddie Miller but he destroyed the car in a heavy accident during practice. The remains sat at a body shop in Fresno, CA for a long time, before they were acquired by John Mueller for parts to aid in his restoration of 7228. He scrapped what he did not need, but part of the footbox together with the chassis plate were sent to Jacques Dresang as a souvenir.
  7. 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.
  8. McLaren M16A [2] (Roger McCluskey): 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.
  9. Lola T272 [HU3] (Art Pollard): New to Andy Granatelli's STP in time for the California 500 at Ontario in September 1972, where it was raced as the #20 entry by Art Pollard. According to Lola records, this was designated a T272 and had modified suspension. Pollard raced this car again at Trenton and Phoenix, and also at Texas World Speedway at the start of the 1973 season. STP then decided to back the Patrick Racing team, and the final appearance of the Lola was in practice at the 1973 Indy 500, where Graham McRae drove it before being moved to one of the Patrick Racing Eagles. The car was retained by STP and used as a display and promotion car around the Midwest for a number of years. In 1977 it was loaned to the Briggs Cunningham Museum (Costa Mesa) but it is unclear what happened to it after that museum closed in 1987 and most of its collection was acquired by the Miles Collier Collection in Florida. In 2011, the T272 was reported to have been loaned by Andy Granatelli to a museum in Kokomo, Indiana. By early 2018, it was on display in the World of Speed Museum in Wilsonville, Oregon.
  10. Coyote 71 (George Snider): New for AJ Foyt at the 1971 Indy 500, where he finished third. Presumably the car he used for the rest of the season, but it is possible he used the sister car or older cars at short track events. NSSN reported that he used this car when he won at Phoenix in October 1971, his first USAC race win in over two years, when the car had "undergone major chassis changes, including the moving of the radiators to the rear of the chassis, ala McLaren". The car was sold to the MVS team for 1972 and raced by Jim Hurtubise at the Indy 500. MVS also bought an older 1969/70 Coyote for the short ovals. This car was then raced by George Snider as MVS's #29 entry on the longer tracks later in 1972. Although Sessions was reported to be driving the team's 1972 Eagle at all his races in 1973, photographs and race video show him driving the Coyote at least twice. It was bought from MVS in 1975 less engine by the Dewco Construction team of Jack Owens (Indianapolis, IN), and fitted with a stock block Chevrolet. It ran in this form for two years, but only started one race. Then unknown until the early 1980s when it was entered by Robert W. Gaby's B&G Racing for Steve Ball (Osslar, IN) at the 1981 Indy 500. Ball's entry was withdrawn after the team's owner ran into financial issues, but Ball was invited to start the Pocono race a month later as USAC were short of entries. The car was later sold to Chuck Haines, who later sold it to a new owner who took it to Walt Goodwin to be restored.
  11. 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.
  12. Eagle 70 or 72 (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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. Kingfish 72 ['2'] (Steve Krisiloff): The second new 1972 Grant King car appeared for the first time at the Indy 500 as the #15 car for Steve Krisiloff. As the other 1972 car was destroyed in Merle Bettenhausen's accident at the 1972 Michigan 200, it would be reasonable to assume this is the 1972 Kingfish acquired by Carl Gehlhausen's Mid-West Manufacturing Dura-pot team. A Racing Pictorial photograph shows that it first appeared as the team's #58 entry at Phoenix in November 1972, but driver Larry Dickson did not start. It was raced as the #58 by Dickson at the start of 1973, and was driven by Johnny Parsons Jr, Arnie Knepper, Tom Bigelow and Tom Sneva later that season. The Gehlhausen team only made a couple of appearances with the Kingfish in 1974, but made a more concerted effort in 1975, with the Kingfish now as the #38 entry, raced initially by Jerry Karl, and then by Al Loquasto, Jerry Sneva and Mike Hiss (who crashed it) in practice for the Indy 500. Spike Gehlhausen, Carl's son, was then given his first chance in the car after the 500 and kept the drive to the end of the season. The Gehlhausens then acquired a McLaren M16 as the #19 Spirit of Indiana entry, and the Kingfish acted as backup until an Eagle was acquired in mid-1977. Subsequent history unknown but at some point the car was repainted with Sta-On Glaze livery, Gehlhausen's 1979 sponsor. By 2008, it was part of a collection of unrestored Indy cars owned by Walter Medlin.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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.
  19. 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.
  20. McLaren M16B [2] (Gordon Johncock): McLaren Cars 1972 for Peter Revson (#12), and raced at the Indy 500, Pocono and Ontario. Also raced by Gordie Johncock at Trenton in September after his usual M16B/3 had been wrecked at Ontario. To Lindsey Hopkins for Roger McCluskey to race in 1973 as the #3 Hopkins Buick entry, but McCluskey raced his older M16A at the Indy 500 and at Pocono, before settling on the M16B at the end of the season. The two cars took McCluskey to the USAC National Championship. The M16B was retained for 1974 and 1975 as a backup to Hopkins' new Riley-built 'English Leather' car. The McLaren was used at Trenton in 1975, and then entered for Graham McRae at the 1975 Indy 500, but he could not qualify. Sold to Carl Gehlhausen for Spike Gehlhausen to drive in 1976 (#19 Spirit of Indiana) and 1977 (#19 PV Corp) but crashed at Ontario, Indy and Pocono in 1977 with serious damage each time. Replaced with an Eagle in mid-1977. Acquired from Gehlhausen by Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) some time in the 1980s, and restored by Gehlhausen's chief mechanic Eddie Baue and Walter Goodwin. USAC's history of this car identified it as the #86 "ex-Revson" McLaren (actually Hopkins' other M16) and it was restored to this specification and then sold to Gene Wagner (Atlanta, GA), who used it in US vintage racing between 1988 and 1990.
  21. Eagle 72 [7205] (Jerry Grant): AAR's third team car in 1972 and entered at the Indy 500 as the #48 Mystery Eagle for Jerry Grant. Also raced by Grant at other races that season, taking pole position at Ontario with the first official lap at over 200 mph. The car was sold to engine specialist Bruce H. Crower for 1973 and entered as his #23 Crower Cams car as a test bed for various Chevrolet engine projects over the next three seasons. In late 1976, the car returned again as the #57, powered by Crower's own flat-6 engine. Crower then acquired a 1974 Eagle for 1978 and the '72 car was retired.
  22. 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.
  23. 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.
  24. 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.
  25. 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.
  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. McLaren M16A [4] (David "Salt" Walther): 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.
  28. 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.
  29. Atlanta 72 (Jimmy Caruthers): Completed by Gene White Racing after Atlanta Cars closed, and first seen as the team's #21 Bill Daniels GOP for Cale Yarborough at the 1972 Indy 500. Yarborough was then "asked to step down", and the car was converted from Ford to Offy power for team leader Lloyd Ruby to try in practice at Pocono. It was raced by Jimmy Caruthers as the #52 Wynn's Special at Ontario in September. Almost certainly the Atlanta-Offy sold to Larry McCoy Sr's Eastern Racing for his son Larry McCoy to drive in 1973, backed by James Bidwell's Shurfine Foods. Converted by Eldon Rasmussen to Ras-Car specification for 1974, and raced by McCoy and others up to 1977. To Frank Fiore for 1978, and his #87 Machinists Union entry for Jerry Karl, Phil Threshie and Al Loquasto that season. Then to Buddie Boys, a Calgary trucking magnate, and entered for Bob Harkey at the 1980 Indy 500, but he could not get enough speed out of it. The last that was heard of the car was just before the Milwaukee race, when the engine was said to have blown up during testing.
  30. 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.
  31. 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.
  32. Gerhardt (Max Dudley): Max Dudley (Auburn, WA) raced a Chevrolet-powered Gerhardt in Indy racing from 1969 to 1971, and then reappeared briefly in 1974. The car replaced a 1965 Halibrand Shrike that Dudley had raced in 1968 and early 1969, and which he sold to Bob Cavanaugh. Cavanagh's recollection is that the Gerhardt was new. (Curiously, Dudley was reported by Autoweek to be running the Halibrand Shrike at the Seattle USAC Road Racing Championship race in Sep 1971.) The only other time he appeared was at Trenton in early 1974 with a Gerhardt-Chev again. The Gerhardt was then unknown until seen fully restored at the 2009 Seattle Historic Races when it was said to be a 1968 Gerhardt. Also at the Classic Car Races at Sears Point in June 2011. Believed to be the car owned by William Watkins. At the Victory Lane Historic Champ/Indy Car Showcase in June 2012.
  33. 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.
  34. 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) and raced by him with a Chevrolet engine and three 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".
  35. Kingfish 70 or 71 (Crockey Peterson): In 1972, Jack Adams' 'Two Jacks' Indy car team had a #38 entry at the Indy 500 for driver Rick Muther. The car was described as being a new car, a "'72 Brabham copy" built by chief mechanic Howard Millican, but later reports say that it was built by Grant King. Whether it had previously been used by the King team is unclear, but photographs of the incomplete car in Millican's workshop in February 1972 suggests not. The car never ran properly, and Muther made no attempt to qualify. The car was later sold to Crockey Peterson (Flat River, MO), and made its first appearance at Phoenix in late 1972, sponsored by Sidney Salomon Jr and his successful St Louis Blues ice hockey franchise, but failed to start. Peterson was a Pepsi-Cola/Dr Pepper bottler and distributor, and acquired backing from the Doctor Pepper Company for 1973, racing his "1972 Brabham" at Trenton in early 1973 as the #38 Dr Pepper entry. Mechanics for this effort were John Mueller and Ron Finley. He entered for the 1973 Indy 500 but was not allowed to take his rookie test, and his final race appearance was at Milwaukee a week later. Peterson retained the car, and in later years it was on display at his restaurant in Branson, MO. After some time in storage, it emerged again in 2015, still in exactly the livery it last appeared on track in 1973. The car was due to be cosmetically restored and displayed in Mark Pieloch's American Muscle Car Museum, being built in Melbourne, FL in 2016.
  36. Tipke 72 ['1'] (Tom Sneva): New for Tom Sneva to drive in Indy racing in 1972 as the #41 entry. After being narrowly too late for qualifying at Ontario, Sneva drove the car at Trenton in September and Phoenix in November, but was unable to start either race. He gave the car its race debut at Texas World Speedway in April 1973 but was then unable to qualify at the Indy 500. The car was not raced again after the Indy 500 but was retained by Tipke and displayed in car museums and at car shows. In 2014, the car was prepared to race again and taken to the IMS and driven there by Michael McKinney. It was entered again at the IMS Historic Exhibition in 2017.
  37. 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.
  38. Curtis 72 (John Batts): 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".
  39. McLaren M16B [3] (Gordon Johncock): McLaren Cars 1972 for Gordy Johncock (#24) and 'wrecked' at Ontario. Repaired and sold to John Martin 1973 (#89) and 1974 and 1975. Wrecked at Milwaukee June 1975 and tub "thrown in dumpster". Rebuilt using a M16A monocoque bought from Lindsey Hopkins, first appearing in this form at Pocono three weeks later, and raced by Martin to the end of 1975. This M16B/A was acquired by Danny Jones and Roy Dickinson in 1976 and rebuilt for the 1977 Indy 500. They were then joined by Bill Freeman Racing, appearing on the 1977 Indy 500 entry list as #30 Caesars Palace entry. Bob Harkey failed to qualify the car at Indy and it was raced by Johnny Parsons Jr later in the 1977 season. To Fred Ruth for 1978 and qualified for the Indy 500 by Jerry Sneva in 1978 as the #30 Smock Material entry. Ruth was joined and at some point as co-owner by Marv Schmidt. Returned again in 1979, entered by Thunder Racing and with Molly Mate sponsorship. It was next seen in 1981 when John Martin qualified at the Indy 500 but was bumped. Cliff Hucul ran it later that year as the #57. Then unknown until 1991 when it was owned by Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) and still in Hucul livery.
  40. Vollstedt 72 [12] (Denny Zimmerman): New for 1972 as the #27 Vollstedt Enterprises entry for Denny Zimmerman but arrived too late to qualify. Raced by Zimmerman at Pocono and Ontario in 1972 and then retained for 1973 as a backup to the new "bunkbeds" car and raced as the #27 by Tom Bigelow. It was Bigelow's intended #27 car at Indy in 1974 but crashed heavily on the second day of practice. Extensively rebuilt for 1975 with the radiators moved from McLaren-style sidepods to the nose. Bigelow preferred the 1973 car in McLaren form at the Indy 500, but raced the revised 1972 car at the Pocono 500. Used by Janet Guthrie as the #27 in 1976 but then retired. Donated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in May 1982.
  41. 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.
  42. 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.
  43. 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.

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