Tag: Bobby Unser

For 1975 the Indianapolis 500 hoped to build off of the momentum generated by a smooth 1974 event which was much needed after the disastrous race in 1973. That race took three days to run, finishing after just 332 miles because of rain, and marred by the death of driver Swede Savage and crew member Armando Teran.

The 1975 program celebrated the 1974 race and Johnny Rutherford’s great victory. Rutherford, by some accounts, “saved” the 500. I wouldn’t go that far, but he did restore a sense of order and propriety to an event that probably should have been cancelled the year before.

The program in 1975 was the last one to have the wing and wheel emblem and the race flags on the cover. Beginning in 1976, the speedway went for artsy covers with, in my opinion more misses than hits.

The tire war between Goodyear and Firestone still raged. In 1974 Goodyear tires were on Rutherford’s winning car and the rest of the top 10 finishers.

The 1975 program heralded the under construction Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, scheduled to open in time for the 1976 race. It is hard to believe that the building is now 45 years old.

The Electropacer lights were still in use for 1975. The eight light panels, 1,650 feet apart, were to aid drivers in maintaining their “relative position” during a caution period. Prior to 1972, when the system was first put in place, drivers were trusted to slow down and stay in the same basic position. Many drivers took advantage of the rules to actually gain time under the yellow.

, I didn’t think this system worked much better than the old honor system. A driver would see a number on the first panel he passed when they yellow flag came out. He should see that number on each panel as he drove past it. Just watching from the stands, I’m not so sure the drivers adhered to this all the time. The speedway eventually adopted the current system of packing up behind the pace car.

An ad which I found odd to be in the program was for a book published in reaction to the 1973 race. The Indy 500, An American Institution Under Fire by Ron Dorson, promised to tell the real inside story of the 500 based on interviews he conducted with some prominent people in the paddock. I have never read the book. The ad contained a coupon to mail order (remember that?) and get a free bonus book.

The program included what was one of the last ads for Stark & Wetzel, the meat packing company which sponsored the Rookie of the Year award. They would be gone by the next decade. I loved their radio commercials with the whistle.

Bobby Unser won his second Indianapolis 500 in a race shortened to 174 laps when a rain storm flooded the track after what had been a nice day. Unser had retaken the lead just nine laps before the race was stopped. Wally Dallenbach seemed to have the race in hand, leading 96 laps, but a burned piston dropped him from contention on lap 162. he had led the 37 previous laps. Unser only led 11 laps.

Unser’s second win tied him with his younger brother Al, who won back to back in 1970 and 1971. The Unser clan was now almost halfway to its total of nine victories in the 500 Mile Race.

The rain shortened race was the second of what would be three rain shortened races in a span of four years. The 1976 race was called at 102 laps, just one lap than needed to make the race official.

In 1967 the turbine engine powered car driven by Parnelli Jones dominated the race, only to drop out while leading with four laps to go. A. J. Foyt went on to win his third Indianapolis 500 in six years. For 1968 the turbine engine cars were back in force,determined to flip the sport to a new breed of power. STP entered three cars, and five other turbine cars also came to try to make the race. It appeared a different kind of power was about to erase 70 years of internal combustion technology.

The front row featured two turbines in the first two spots and Bobby Unser in the third spot. Unser, entering his sixth race, began the 1968 race with a best finish of eighth in 1966, a race which saw only seven cars running at the end. Joe Leonard on the pole and 1966 winner Graham Hill next to him on the grid were expected to run away with the event.

While the power of the cars appeared poised for a transition, the 1968 race program reflected other transitions. The memorial page acknowledged the death of Ray Harroun, winner of the first 500 in 1911, on January 19. A more recent winner, Jim Clark , who ran away with the 1965 race, lost his life in a Formula 2 accident in Hockenheim, Germany, April 7. The deaths were almost bookends of the race’s history to that point.

STP bought a full page ad touting the turbine, calling it “A Quiet revolution.

A new product which would revolutionize consumer spending was in its infancy in 1968- the credit card. Most were specific to a product, and some were beginning to expand their use, like the Standard Oil card. Notice the 10 digit number.

1968 featured one of the hot air balloon races, honoring the first event held at IMS in 1909. The third day day of qualifying paused for two hours as the balloons launched. There was generally a lot of down time on Day 3 of qualifying, but in 1968 the constant rain put track time at a premium. The balloon races ended a couple years later when the basket of a competitor couldn’t launch in the wind and plowed into an infield restroom.

Back to the race:

Unser passed Leonard for the lead on lap 8. the race turned into a three way battle between Unser, Leonard, and Lloyd Ruby. Leonard took the lead on lap 175 and appeared headed for victory. As the race restarted on lap 191, Leonard’s car suddenly came to a halt in turn 1 with a fuekl shaft problem. Unser went on to claim the first of his three 500 mile race wins. it was also the first of nine wins for the Unser family.

In June USAC limited the air inlet of turbines to 12.5 square inches from the 15.9 they had been allowed. The smaller intake rendered them uncompetitive. Only one turbine entered the race the next year, and then the silent revolution disappeared.

Photo from my 1968 program, autographed by Unser at a 100th running event at the IMS Museum

I loved Bobby Unser. Yes, I am an unabashed A. J. Foyt fan. After Foyt, Bobby was my man. He was like A. J. in many ways- bold, brash, not caring what people thought, but with a genteel edge and charm. His biography is well documented in the IMS press release I posted earlier. I probably have more photos of Booby Unser’s cars than i have of Foyt’s cars. What follows are some personal thoughts on my second racing hero.

My first memory of Unser was at Indianapolis 1963. He was a 29 year old rookie driving the famed Novi. I thought a driver had to pay his dues to drive that car, and here was this newcomer in it. I was skeptical. He did well, qualifying 16th. Unfortunately, he slid into the fourth turn wall after just two laps.

The next year, 1964, Unser fared even worse, as he was caught up in the tragic first lap accident involving Eddie Sachs and Dave McDonald. With his car on fire, Unser accelerated to put out the flames, but his day was done.

In 1966 Unser began to hit his stride with his first of four straight top 10 finishes in the 500.

In 1968, he seemed to have the best chance against the powerful turbine Lotuses. I picked him to win the race. Unser started third and looked good early. He faltered a bit when he lost sixth gear. On a late restart, Unser regained the lead when Joe Leonard’s car stopped in the first turn. Booby Unser had conquered the turbines.

Unser would win the 500 two more times, in 1975 and 1981. He is one of two drivers to win the 500 in three different decades.

I also loved his mastery of the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb. He won 13 times in an event his family dominated. It was a race I wish I had been able to attend.

After Unser retired from racing, he did race commentary on television. I loved his folksy manner, and his subtle way of disagreeing with Sam Posey. Bobby did not pull many punches when asked about what was going on.

In he broadcast booth and when he gave talks, Unser just seemed like a regular race fan. He connected with people on a personal level.

In his later years, he gave talks and interviews reflecting on his career. I loved listening to his stories. I’m sure they were embellished some, but they were always unfiltered and never boring.

We now have one less living legend. Many are close to Unser’s age. Only Paul Goldsmith, in his 90s, I believe is older than Bobby was.

Today I celebrate the life of one of my heroes. This May I will make an extra effort to talk to A. J., Mario,and any other divers of that era I happen to see, just to say thanks.