SWC75
Bored Historian
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- Aug 26, 2011
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USAC’s attempts to legislate the turbine engine out of existence had weakened the car but not eliminated it. Andy Granatelli put three turbine cars in the race. Parnelli Jones had retired. Joe Leonard took his place, joined by Graham Hill, who had spoken favorably of the turbines in an interview the year before, and Art Pollard. Leonard’s car duelled with Bobby Unser for most of the race but seemed to have things wrapped up when Carl Williams crashed on lap 191. It seemed likely that the race would be finished under the yellow flag- when you can’t pass anybody. But they got the debris cleaned up quickly and the green flag came out. Leonard tried to accelerate and when he did his fuel pump drive shaft broke. So did Pollard’s, (Hill had crashed on the 100th lap). Both of their turbines coasted to a halt and Bobby Unser roared on to victory, the first of nine Indianapolis 500’s won by Unser. Then USAC went back to work and passed further measures limiting the turbines to the point where they could not be competitive and the brief era of turbines at Indy came to an end.
Another era came to an end when Jim Hurtubise piloted the last ever front engine car to make the field at Indy. The car broke down after only 9 laps. Jim Clark had been killed in a race in Germany the previous month. Carl Williams would compete at Indy until 1972 but die in a motorcycle crash in 1973. On the positive side, the sons of Indy legends Bill Vukovich and Tony Bettenhausen participated in this race and Bill II. was rookie of the year. Bill II. would compete in 12 Indy 500’s, never winning but surviving them all. His son, Bill III, also became a racecar driver and was in 3 Indy 500’s before being killed in a race in 1990. Gary Bettenhausen raced in 18 Indy 500’s and his brother Tony Jr., was in 11 before dying in a place crash. Racing- and danger- runs in families.
Here is a brief highlight of the race done years later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mdzt-hegew
Here is the official highlight film in two parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cRLfWnwLVs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbdMSP9DuZk&feature=relmfu
U-Tube doesn’t have the ABC presentation of the 1968 race.
Another era came to an end when Jim Hurtubise piloted the last ever front engine car to make the field at Indy. The car broke down after only 9 laps. Jim Clark had been killed in a race in Germany the previous month. Carl Williams would compete at Indy until 1972 but die in a motorcycle crash in 1973. On the positive side, the sons of Indy legends Bill Vukovich and Tony Bettenhausen participated in this race and Bill II. was rookie of the year. Bill II. would compete in 12 Indy 500’s, never winning but surviving them all. His son, Bill III, also became a racecar driver and was in 3 Indy 500’s before being killed in a race in 1990. Gary Bettenhausen raced in 18 Indy 500’s and his brother Tony Jr., was in 11 before dying in a place crash. Racing- and danger- runs in families.
Here is a brief highlight of the race done years later:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mdzt-hegew
Here is the official highlight film in two parts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cRLfWnwLVs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbdMSP9DuZk&feature=relmfu
U-Tube doesn’t have the ABC presentation of the 1968 race.
