Vintage Indy: 1969

[SWC75]

USAC had succeeded in legislating the turbine out of existence reducing the inlet from 16 to 12 inches, which caused the car to lack the power and speed to compete. Andy Granatelli had been coming to Indianapolis since 1946 and now his best chance to win seemed to be gone. He stopped using the turbines altogether and instead prepared a (by now) conventional rear-engined piston-driven car for Mario Andretti.

Mario had a twin brother named Aldo and had Aldo stand in or him in the official front row picture of the race. It’s photo #4 and possibly #3 as well:
http://photos.indystar.com/galleries/12827-starfiles-the-1969-indianapolis-500-mario-andretti
Aldo was also a race car driver. On August 17th of that year he was involved in a serious crash that resulted in facial reconstructive surgery such that he no longer looks like Mario, so the twins could no longer pull this type of a gag. Aldo’s sons John and Adam became race drivers as did Mario’s sons Michael and Jeff and his grandson Marco. All in the family, no matter what the risks.

Granitelli’s new car was a “Lotus Ford”, a combination of his genius and that of Colin Chapman. Andretti promptly wrecked it in practice, forcing them to use a back-up car. But Andretti overcame several race day problems to finally win one for Andy, after 23 years of trying. Andy slipped into victory lane and famously took the place of the beauty queen to deliver a big kiss on Mario’s cheek. Mario couldn’t get Aldo to stand in for that.

Here is a sort of promo for the race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKZQTy_XpzE


Here is a brief, years later documentary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2f4T6wGT1k


Here is a brief interview with Andretti, talking about Granatelli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lK2frmtB0cs


Here is ABC’s edited filmed version of the race, broadcast later in the day:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZO0EC6eWrY

 

[SWC75]

I've coverd the 1950's and 60's in this series, (as well as 1946). Since this year's 500 is upon us, I'm going to stop the series now until next May. I'll pick it up there with the 70's and 80's.

In the emantime here are som thing I found on U-Tube you might like if you are an auto racing fan.

A 16 part series, no less, on the history of auto-racing done in England, and thus with a primarily European perspective but with some amazing film from the earliest days of racing:
(this is part 1- you can easily find the other 16 parts or type in the title with the next part number.)

The History of the Grand Prix Car, Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7eerMIGQUY

The History of Grand Prix Racing, Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSgSSIyOhHU

The History of Formula 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YExRktlV5Kk&feature=related

The History of famous racing circuts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeaBykTd7ik&feature=relmfu
(there are five of them- this is jsut the first.)

This is part one of a two part history of Le Mans, (which ends in 1963, for some reason):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5UF97Eq1_o&feature=related

The history of the Mille Miglia, (a race up and down the boot of Italy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeaBykTd7ik&feature=relmfu

And what a lot of old timers say was the greatest race of all: The Pam American Road Race
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmgNjpVdXhQ&feature=related

There's a ton of stuff like this on U-Tube if you look for it.

 

[br801]

Great stuff, SWC. Thanks for the many hours you spent putting all of these posts together.