I don't post here very often, but I dug up some old copies 1966-1969 of a
magazine called "Sports Car Graphic", and thought some of you might enjoy
the first part of the article on the 1966 Indy 500.
The same issue covers the 1966 Monaco GP, and mentions that only four cars
finished that year.
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USAC's ANSWER TO THE FOREIGN AID PROGRAM.
BY JACK BRADY
WHEN ROGER McCLUSKEY AMBLED UP TO THE MICROPHONE TO ACCEPT PRIZE MONEY and
remuneration for his 13th-place finish in the 50th Anniversary running of
the Indianapolis 500-Mile Classic, his predecessors had thanked their
mechanics, owners, sponsors, wives, and even their mothers for allowing them
to be a part of racing's premier event.' McCluskey simply turned to Speedway
owner Anton Hulman and quietly thanked him "for holding this annual Foreign
Aid banquet," took his $13,123, and sat down.
A few minutes later, that master raconteur, Graham Hill, chief recipient of
this, year's quota of USAC's Foreign Aid, and one of the more ribald public
speakers of our time, came to the podium. Hill left a great many of the
$10-a-plate banqueters feeling as if one of the last bastions of Midwest
solidarity had been breached. Not only had his humor left them wondering if
they had heard what they thought they heard, but he was leaving that green
and rolling country with $156,297 worth of something they held in some
regard; money!
Not more than two steps behind him was Jim Clark, with his modest
second-place $76,992. Just a wee bit further down the placings another
adroit Scot, Jackie Stewart, stuffing the remains of his $25,767 sixthplace
reward in a large Royal Stuart tartan sporan.
Over a quarter of a million dollars was to be divided among the three. All
had led the race and, even though Stewart destroyed an engine in the 192nd
lap while leading, and Clark had a beastly fight with an illhandling machine
for the entire race, they still left with the lion's share (British Lion, th
at is) of the boodle.
The point, simply, is this -- the universal race car, applicable to oval
tracks and road circuits is here! It wasn't legislated into existence by
associations or personal interests; it is the natural product of tough
competition. The universal nature of the thing isn't even open to discussion
anymore. The entire front row of qualifying machines and the first three
finishers in the race were designed or produced in England, with engines by
Ford in the United States, and with drivers from such unlikely places as
Trieste and Arlington, Texas.
If further evidence is necessary, the same quad-cam Ford that powered winner
Graham Hill's Lola is now under intensive redevelopment in the shops of
Bruce McLaren for inclusion in his 1966 Formula I entry. You might even draw
the conclusion that designer Eric Broadley is using the Indianapolis
machines as prototypes for Formula 1. All American Racers has done this with
the Terry-designed Eagle. Made from the same patterns, but of lighter
material, the Gurney Formula I Eagle is truly the universal race car. Rest
assured that refinements picked up during the month of May will find their
way to the Formula I machine.
The Eagle project draws its support from some of the giants in the
automotive industry who, we have been told, are even big enough to absorb
the kind of punishment that dealt out better than a third of the field
during the first lap of the 500-miler this year.
Thanks Tom for reviving old memories.
That race had a huge multi-car crash at the start.
I was in turn 3 top row that day watching
my first 500. One memory that stands out
and can be related to GPL is the practice
of a driver raising his arm when caution
is needed for those following. In GPL the old
arm goes straight up. That day I saw something
for the first time ever and that was Mario Andretti
who was leading from the pole signaling the drivers
behind as he entered the turn. Because of all the
restraints and the wind speed Mario's signal resulted
in a gesture that had his left arm bent at the elbow and
pushed back such that his gloved hand was open and bouncing up and
down off his left shoulder. If I remember right, after the first
lap wreck there was another wreck soon after the restart. This
time Mario was giving the same signal as the yellow light came on
as the field approached the turn and it was unmistakable that
Mario was showing a fair amount of disgust that they would have to
take more time to get on with it -- proving once again
that even at 180 or so MPH those of Italian heritage can make expressive
gestures
with their hands! That was the day AJ Foyt climbed
out of his car during the big wreck and climbed up the fence to safety
and it was also reported that a fan stabbed himself accidentally with
his butter knife in all the confusion. Now that was an Indy 500 to
savor.
arcman
Tom Harrington wrote:
<snip>
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Quoted text (8 lines)
> > I don't post here very often, but I dug up some old copies 1966-1969 of a > magazine called "Sports Car Graphic", and thought some of you might enjoy > the first part of the article on the 1966 Indy 500. > > The same issue covers the 1966 Monaco GP, and mentions that only four cars > finished that year. >>with their hands! That was the day AJ Foyt climbed
>out of his car during the big wreck and climbed up the fence to safety
>and it was also reported that a fan stabbed himself accidentally with
>his butter knife in all the confusion. Now that was an Indy 500 to
>savor.
>arcman
A side question here: why would you take a butter knife to the race,
and how do you stab yourself with one anyway???
Rafe Mc
That was my first "500" also. I sat in the turn one stands and watched the
mayhem as my "guy" - A. J. Foyt climbed that fence. It was later discovered
that he had a tire track across the top of his helmet where a car that had gone
over him had touched.
Mike
To spread the jelly on your vienna sausage and apple jelly sandwich...
dang, don't you know anything about racing?
HTH,
Gerald Moore
- who has never not even once accidentally stabbed himself with a
butter knife.
[email hidden] (Rafe McAuliffe) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...
Quoted text (11 lines)
> >with their hands! That was the day AJ Foyt climbed > >out of his car during the big wreck and climbed up the fence to safety > >and it was also reported that a fan stabbed himself accidentally with > >his butter knife in all the confusion. Now that was an Indy 500 to > >savor. > >arcman > > A side question here: why would you take a butter knife to the race, > and how do you stab yourself with one anyway??? > > Rafe McHi Rafe. Indy 500 not only had the biggest one day crowd.
It was also probably the largest picnic too. During the rain
delay in the '67 race my Dad and I moved to a different row
higher up in the main straight grandstand. After only 17 or so
laps the aisle there had been covered with piles of chicken bones!
I think the person who managed to stab himself may have
had the knife in his hand when the maelstrom on the track
occurred causing panic in the rows all around him.
My side questions to you are -- did you ever see pictures of
that wreck -- and did you ever sit in the front row at Indy? ;-)
arcman
Rafe McAuliffe wrote:
Quoted text (12 lines)
> > >with their hands! That was the day AJ Foyt climbed > >out of his car during the big wreck and climbed up the fence to safety > >and it was also reported that a fan stabbed himself accidentally with > >his butter knife in all the confusion. Now that was an Indy 500 to > >savor. > >arcman > > A side question here: why would you take a butter knife to the race, > and how do you stab yourself with one anyway??? > > Rafe McIn article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden]
(Race1530) writes:
>That was my first "500" also. I sat in the turn one stands and watched the
>mayhem as my "guy" - A. J. Foyt climbed that fence. It was later discovered
>that he had a tire track across the top of his helmet where a car that had
>gone
>over him had touched.
I always wondered - why did he climb the fence, as opposed to running towards
the infield or pit area?
Eldred
--
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. R.I.P. 1951-2001
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
GPLRank - under construction...
Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.
On Fri, 09 Nov 2001 21:20:18 -0500, Christopher G Rossie
<[email hidden]> wrote:
Sounds like it was a nice family day out :) Except for the
chickens..;)
I've seen video footage of the wreck, looked pretty major. Haven't
been to Indy though, since I live in Australia ;) Seeing several
100,000 people there would be mind boggling. I'd like to go someday,
only problem is that they run IRL there :(
Rafe Mc
