Trenton 300 (Race 1)

Trenton International Speedway, 22 Sep 1974

Notes on the cars:

1. Coyote 74 ['74-2'] (AJ Foyt): New for AJ Foyt at the 1974 Indy 500 as Foyt Enterprises' #14 Gilmore Racing entry. Photographs show that it was also raced by Foyt at Milwaukee in June, Pocono, Michigan in July, Milwaukee in August, probably Michigan again in September, Trenton in September and Phoenix in November. It was also used to set a new record speedway lap of 217.854 mph at Talladega on 3 August 1974. Photographs also show that this was one of three cars used by Foyt during the 1975 season: at Ontario in March, as his #10 backup car at the Indy 500, and at both Michigan races in July and September 1975. In 1976, Foyt raced the older 1974 car at early-season short track races and the newer 1975 car at the Indy 500, but used this car for every race from Pocono in June to the end of the season. In 1977, it was raced by Foyt at Ontario and Phoenix in March, TWS in April, Pocono, Mosport, and Trenton in September; and by Billy Vukovich at the Indy 500. In 1978, it was raced by Foyt at Phoenix in March, Trenton in April, Mosport, and Milwaukee in June, by Snider at Pocono, and probably at Michigan, where he hit the wall. It may be the car raced by Foyt in the August Milwaukee and by George Snider in the two races in Britain in October 1978, but this remains uncertain. Foyt then bought Parnelli VPJ6Cs, and the Coyotes were finally retired. This car passed to Foyt's long-time sponsor Jim Gilmore and was on display in his second-floor office in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and was in his living room at his home by 1985. After Gilmore died in a traffic accident in 2001, the Coyote moved to the Gilmore Museum, also in Kalamazoo, which had been founded by his uncle, Donald S. Gilmore in 1966. Its display board calls it a 1974 car, and that it was the Talladega record car.
2. Eagle 74 [7403] (Wally Dallenbach): New to Patrick Racing and identified by an Indianapolis 'Laycock card' as Wally Dallenbach's #40 STP entry in 1974. Given the early construction date, marked as January on the chassis plate, this car is assumed to be Dallenbach's ride from the start of 1974. Presumably his early-1975 car before the new Wildcats were ready. At Indy 1975 as the #60 spare. Sold to Leader Card Racers for 1976 and George Snider's #23 Hubler Chevrolet ride in that year's 500. Also for Mike Hiss at Ontario. Retained for 1977 and the #64 at the Indy 500 but thought to be the #23 at other races. Retained again for 1978 but wrecked in Tom Bigelow's accident at Mosport Park in June. Bought from AJ Watson by someone called Al in Grand Rapid, Michigan and sold by him to Bill Wiswedel (Holland, Michigan) around 2000-2004. In approximately 2017, Bill sold the car to James Long (Nevada City, CA) and he sold it to Bobby Rahal (Chicago, IL) in 2020.
3. McLaren M16C [4] (Johnny Rutherford): The history of this car in 1973 and 1974 remains unproven, but believed to be new for Peter Revson as McLaren Cars' #15 entry at the 1973 Indy 500. Crashed by Revson and it is unclear when the car returned to the team. Almost certainly Johnny Rutherford's black rollhooped short track car in 1974. McLaren records show that M16C/4 was sold to Roger Penske in November 1974. Raced by Tom Sneva in 1975 as the #68 Norton Spirit entry after his original M16C was wrecked at the Indy 500. Used again by Sneva as his #68 car during 1976, and appears to have been the #68 driven by Mario Andretti in two late-season races. Sold to Bill Simpson with M16C/3 and became part of Teddy Yip's Theodore Racing team in 1977 as their #38 car, raced by Clay Regazzoni at the Indy 500 and by Rick Mears later in the season. Unknown in 1978 but reappeared in 1979 as Bill Alsup's #41 WASP Racing car. Raced by Phil Caliva for Alsup Racing in 1980 as the #47 and at Indy 1981 where it was "extensively damaged" on 12 May in an accident during practice. Not seen again.
4. Eagle 73 [7306] (Steve Krisiloff): Patrick Racing acquired a new 1973 Eagle after the 1973 Indy 500, probably either chassis 7305 or 7306. It was fitted with a Ford V8 engine and used in practice at Ontario by Graham McRae as the #60 entry, but failed to qualify. Raced by Dick Simon at two later races that season. It may have been Steve Krisiloff's intended #60 Patrick entry at Indy in 1974, identified by Hungness as an Eagle "of 1973 vintage", but the car Krisiloff actually qualified was an older 1972 car. The 1973 car finally reappeared when raced by Krisiloff at Pocono and a few races later in the 1974 season, by which time it had a turbo Offy engine. Sold by Patrick Racing's chief crew George Bignotti to Fred Carrillo (San Juan Capistrano, CA) and entered as the #73 Spirit of Orange County entry for Jerry Grant at Ontario at the start of 1975. Later in 1975, the car was fitted with a 209 ci AMC stock block V8 engine developed for Carrillo by Dick Jones, and was driven by Grant in late 1975 and early 1976, now with Dave Klym as chief mechanic. Carrillo then acquired a newer Eagle chassis for the AMC engine and the 1973 Eagle was rebuilt in 1977 to Offy specification and sold to Jim McElreath for son James to drive as the #26 McElreath Racing entry in 1977. Then for Jim McElreath in 1978. In 1979, McElreath acquired a second Eagle, apparently the ex-O'Connell 1974 car, which was numbered as the #23 with the older car continuing as #26. The older car continued in use until 1981. In 2017, it was reported that this was chassis 7306, and had remained at Jim McElreath's home in Texas from 1983 until his death in 2017. It was then owned by Angus Russell (Ormond Beach, FL).
5. Eagle 74 (Al Unser): Al Unser started the 1974 season in one of two second-hand 1973 Eagles acquired by Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing, before moving to a new 1974 Eagle in time for the Phoenix 150 in mid-March. The team bought three or four 1974 Eagles, so Unser may have used more than one Eagle during the 1974 season, but for now, it is assumed all his results were in the same car. Vel's Parnelli retained the same Eagles for 1975, but the "super team" were in decline, and only appeared at the three 500-mile races. Again, it is assumed here that Unser used the same car as in 1974. The team was disbanded in July, when when it returned, it focused on the new Parnelli VPJ6. The subsequent history of the Unser Eagle is unknown.
6. Eagle 74 (Jimmy Caruthers): New to Robert L. 'Bob' Fletcher's Cobre Firestone team and entered as the #21 car for Jimmy Caruthers in 1974. Firestone withdrew from racing In August 1974 and Fletcher, who ran the largest Firestone dealership in the US, had to use Goodyear tyres in 1975. He also lost chief mechanic Jim McGee to Penske. This car became the white #11 entry for Duane Carter in 1975. Unknown in 1976 but presumably a backup car for Bobby Unser's regular #3 car. Sold to Carl Gehlhausen and entered for Spike Gehlhausen as the #19 PV Corp car at four races towards the end of the 1977 season and then through the 1978 season, until it was crashed heavily at Michigan in September. Gehlhausen then bought Pat Santello's '74 Eagle to replace it. The Michigan wreck is believed to have been repaired for 1979, and may be the car sold to Todd Gibson for 1980.
7. Kingfish 73 ['2'?] (Tom Sneva): Built by Grant King for the 1973 season and appeared at the Indy 500 that year as the #75 entry for Greg Weld. Weld did not qualify but this car remained red and is therefore the car raced by Steve Krisiloff as the #24 entry on short tracks in 1973. In 1974, this second Kingfish was numbered #26 but only raced twice with that identity, at the Indy 500 with Bentley Warren and at Pocono in the hands of Bob Harkey. It also raced at some other tracks as the #24 but can be distinguished by its unmodified roll hoop. In 1975, the car was raced again at the Indy 500 by Sheldon Kinser, now as the #19 entry. King joined forces with JC Agajanian for 1976 and both 1973 Kingfish were used in the early races, this one as the #98 car for John Martin and later as the #96 for Bob Harkey. The cars reappeared in 1979, fitted with Chevrolet V8 engines and this car took sixth place at Milwaukee driven by Gary Bettenhausen. Its long race career was finally terminated by an accident in practice at Watkins Glen when driven by Tony Bettenhausen II. The car was advertised by racecars.com in 2009. In 2010, it was reported to be in southern California.
8. Eagle 72 or 74 (Duane "Pancho" Carter): Bob Fletcher's Cobre Tire team had two 72 Eagles (of which one was lost in Pollard's accident), one 73 Eagle and two or three 74 Eagles. For much of 1974 and 1975, it is not possible to tell which of this stable was being raced.
9. Riley 74 (Roger McCluskey): New for the 1974 season and entered by Lindsey Hopkins as the #1 English Leather entry for his reigning USAC champion driver Roger McCluskey. Retained for 1975 when it was the #15 Silver Floss Sauerkraut entry for McCluskey. Retained as a backup for 1976 when Mike Hiss drove it as the #11 Hopkins entry at Indy but did not qualify. Chuck Looper told Pete Klain that Hopkins traded three cars to Rolla Vollstedt, including the Riley, and Vollstedt sold it to Kenny Hamilton (Boise, ID) who fitted a Chevy engine and ran it as the #63 Spirit of Idaho in 1981, failing to qualify at Indy but starting at Riverside later that year. It then went to Terry Nish (Salt Lake City, UT) who used the suspension on a sprint car or supermodified. The chassis and other parts passed through several more owners until sold by Gary Trout (Zionsville, Indiana) to Pete Klain (Beverly Hills, MI). Klain visited Nish and bought the original uprights and started work on a complete rebuild with original fabricator Chuck Looper.
10. Eagle 74 [7409] (Gordon Johncock): New to Patrick Racing and identified by Gene Lee Gibson as Gordon Johncock's #20 STP entry in 1974. Entered in the early-1974 races as the #7 Patrick Racing car until a deal was done with STP and it became the #20 STP Double Oil Filter entry at the Indy 500. Brushed the wall on 9 May and replaced by the ex-Dallenbach car for qualifying and the race. Presumably Johncock returned to this car for the remainder of the 1974 season. Identified from pictures as the car raced by Johncock on short tracks in 1975. Then sold to Richard Routh and entered for Gary Allbritain as #75 in early 1976 but Allbritain crashed in practice for his first two races and his entry for the Indy 500 was refused. The car was then kept by Todd Gibson as a source of spare parts for the ex-Andretti Eagle that the Routh team bought from VPJ. The left rear corner from this car was removed to repair the ex-Andretti Eagle after Gibson crashed it at Milwaukee in 1977. Subsequent history unknown.
11. Vollstedt 66 [8] (Karl Busson): Built for 1966 and raced by Billy Foster as the #27 Jim Robbins entry. Retained for 1967 and intended to be raced by Lucien Bianchi in 1967 but borrowed by Mario Andretti for the opening race of the 1967 season, only to crash it in practice. Bianchi was later bumped at the Indy 500. Raced by Jim Malloy for the rest of 1967 and for occasional races in 1968 and 1969. To Frank J Fiore's Fiore Racing Enterprises for 1970 and raced as the #43 by Bob DeJong and then in 1971 by Denny Zimmerman. Later entered by Fiore as the #43 again for Al Loquasto in 1972, Jerry Karl and Bob Harkey in 1973, and Karl Busson in 1974. Later sold by Fiore and the car passed through several collectors until purchased by the Fiore family in 2001. Fiore died in 2007 but his son Frank Fiore Jr (Dallastown, PA) continued with the car's long-term restoration. The car appeared in public for the first time in 45 years at the Vintage Celebration at Pocono Raceway in August 2017.
12. Cicada 72 (Dan Murphy): Built for 1972 and loaned to Leader Cards, Inc.for the 1972 Indy 500. It was listed as Mike Mosley's #87 backup car, but he focused on his #98 Eagle, and the Cicada became the #97 entry for Bruce Walkup to complete his refresher test on 18 May. The following day, Jigger Sirois also used it for his refresher test and then attempted a qualifying run in the Cicada on 21 May but the engine blew up on his first warm-up lap. The car was not seen again for over a year until raced as the #93 Cicada Racing entry for Jerry Karl at Milwaukee in 1973, finishing 11th. It reappeared in 1974 when it Bob Harkey raced it as the #93 Cicada Racing entry in the first few races of the year,. It is possible that the car was present at more races in 1973 and 1974 but was unable to qualify and unmentioned in reports. It became the #25 Adams Automotive entry for Jigger Sirois at the 1974 Indy 500 but did not qualify and was then driven by Dan Murphy for Adams Automotive later that season. Murphy had a massive accident in the Cicada during practice at Phoenix at the end of the season and the car was destroyed. A second generation Cicada was built for 1975.
13. Curtis 72 (Al Loquasto): 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".
14. McLaren M16C [2] (David "Salt" Walther): New for McLaren Cars at the start of 1973, and raced by Johnny Rutherford at the early short-track events. Possibly used by him at short track events later in the year. Also driven by Peter Revson as the #15 Gulf entry at Pocono and Ontario in 1973, taking pole position at both events. By early November, it had been acquired by George Walther, replacing the older M16 in which Salt Walther had been badly injured at the 1973 Indy 500, and was prepared by Dayton-Walther chief mechanic Tommie Smith from the team's new base in Dayton, Ohio. It was driven by Salt at the Indy 500 in 1974 as the #77 Dayton Walther Spl, but the Walthers then acquired M16C/6, retaining M16C/2 as his #33 spare car at the Indy 500 in 1975 and 1976. It was raced by Bob Harkey as the #33 Dayton-Walther entry at Indy and Pocono in 1975, and by David Hobbs at Indy in 1976. How it was used during the rest of the 1975 and 1976 season is unclear but it was quite possibly used as by Salt Walther a short-track car. Relegated to the team's third car for 1977 when Walther acquired M16C/5 from McLaren. Sold with M16C/6 to Jerry Karl/William R. Compton Sr for 1978. M16C/6 was converted to Chevrolet V8 power and entered by Tonco Trailer until 1981 and M16C/2 was kept as a backup until M16C/6 was wrecked at Riverside in 1981. M16C/2 was then used for the last three races of the 1981 season. Both M16Cs were sold to Chuck Haines (St Louis, MO) but M16C/2 had moved to Ron Rickard (San Diego, CA) by 1986 when he drove it at the Palm Springs historics. Sold to Tony Roberts and Duncan Fox (Auckland, New Zealand) in 1997 and used in historics with an aluminium 355 ci Chevrolet V8 from 1998 to 2000. Sold to the Mathews Collection still with its Chevrolet engine. From Mathews to Aaron Lewis (Cessnock, NSW, Australia) in 2009.
15. Cecil 69 (Benny Rapp): Probably built late in 1969, but not known to have raced until 1970. Raced by Ronnie Bucknum in 1970 as the #19 MVS Special with stock block Ford or turbo Ford engines. Retained for 1971, again as the #19, when it was used by Arnie Knepper at the Indy 500, but he did not make a qualifying attempt. Bud Tingelstad failed to qualify it at Milwaukee in June, then Bon Harkey drove in practice at Pocono before being asked to step aside for Bob Harkey, who qualified, but retired early in the race. The car was not seen in 1972 but was then sold to Lloyd Gifford (Ft Wayne, IN) to replace an ancient Gerhardt and entered for Benny Rapp from Michigan 1973 to 1975 or 1976. At least one entry list in 1975 described it as a "Brabham". About 1985, it was bought from Gifford by Jim Mann who sold it directly to collector Bill Wiswedel (Holland, Michigan). It was retained in Bill's collection still in its red-and-blue Gifford livery until he sold it to Mark Klingerman (Bourbon, IN) in August 2014.
16. Eagle 74 [7417] (Mike Mosley): Mike Mosley's #98 1974 Indy 500 drive for the Lodestar/Leader/Agajanian/Watson combine and identified in a letter from AAR to USAC in Feb 1974 as 7417. Said to be the #98 for Steve Krisiloff in 1975 but the #98 picture in the 1975 yearbook is clearly a 1972 car. Could this be the car Krisiloff wrecked at Phoenix at the end of 1974? It might also be the one he "damaged extensively" in practice at the 1975 Indy (6 May - see trackside report); although the 14 May trackside report says this car was rebuilt, it is an older '72 car that Krisiloff races. Later in 1975, Agajanian left Lodestar/Leader/Watson taking his #97/#98 numbers with him and joined Grant King. Krisiloff's Lodestar/Leader/Watson Eagle then took #10 for the rest of 1975, then moved to the #23/#24 numbers in 1976. Krisiloff may have raced the '74 car later in 1975 but it is not yet known how long the car took to rebuild. At Indy in 1976, Tom Bigelow is bumped in the Leader Card #24 entry which looks like a '74 Eagle but is modified around the front suspension. Maybe 7417 with suitable repairs? Again, the usage of this car in 1976 cannot yet be determined. In 1977, Joe Saldana was bumped in the #64 Leader Card entry, a standard-looking Eagle 74. A picture shows that Saldana's #23 car at the next race was also a '74 Eagle. Finally, at the 1978 Indy 500, Tom Bagley is pictured in Hungness driving a '74 Eagle in practice. As late as 1980, the Leader Card team used an Eagle at short-track events. Subsequent history unknown but this may be the Eagle that Harry Schwartz's Rattlesnake Racing acquired together with a 1977 Watson chassis for 1981.
17. Eagle 74 [7407] (Billy Vukovich): New to Jerry O'Connell's team for 1974 and raced by Billy Vukovich as the #4 Sugaripe Prune Special, with Jud Phillips as chief mechanic. Presumably the car used through 1974 by Vukovich and then through 1975 by Mike Mosley but the team had older 1972 Eagles available and those older cars may have been used at some races. Used again by Mosley in 1977 but O'Connell also acquired a new Lightning for that season. After Pocono in July 1978 the Eagle was sold to Jim McElreath, who had damaged his ex-Patrick 1973 Eagle at that race. Identified by Simmo Iskül from photographs as McElreath's #23 in 1979, and presumed to be the McElreath Racing #23 right up to 1981, although the ex-Patrick car was also repaired and used again. Subsequent history unknown, but at some point in the next 30 years the car was acquired by Chuck Haines and restored to it original Sugaripe Prune livery. For reasons currently unknown, Haines advertises the car as chassis 74-08.
18. 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.
19. RasCar-Atlanta 74 (Eldon Rasmussen): New for Lloyd Ruby at the Jimmy Bryan 150 at Phoenix in March 1972, where it was Gene White Racing's #5 Wynns entry, and then used by him at the Indy 500, where he finished sixth. Ruby then tried the team's Lola T270 at Milwaukee, and tried both cars in practice at Pocono before it was rained off. He then crashed the Atlanta before the race at Michigan in July, and used the Lola for the rest of the season. Almost certainly the Atlanta-Ford sold to Loyd Meek's Quality Racing Team for 1973, where it was due to be enginered and raced by Eldon Rasmussen, but Rasmussen did not appear in the car until Texas in October, where it went very well. Rebuilt by Rasmussen as a "Ras-Car", and thereafter described as a 1974 car. Raced by Rasmussen in the 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978 seasons, although he generally only appeared for the longer races at Indianapolis, Ontario, Pocono and Michigan. This is believed to be the car that was demolished in Rasmussen's huge accident at Pocono in 1979.
20. Eagle 68 [406] (John Hubbard): 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.

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.