WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Back to the Brickyard: The 1967 Indy 500

Episode Date: April 5, 2024

A look back at the year that Andy Granatelli brought his now-iconic turbine-powered car to the track.

Welcome to Back to the Brickyard, your spot for Indianapolis 500 history here at Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm Christian Papio. 1967 was the first year that no front engine car qualified for the race. However, it was still a time of innovation as Andy Granitelli brought his unique turbine-powered car to the track. The vehicle was powered by a turboprop aircraft engine. In spite of speedway restrictions on the turbo car, it was still able to produce 550 horsepower. Parnelli Jones was hired to drive the car and quietly qualified it in sixth place, with Mario Andretti winning the pole at a speed of 168.98 miles per hour. This led to allegations that Jones was sandbagging and not showing his car's true potential.

At the start of the race, Jones went from sixth to second on the first turn of the first lap. Going into the back stretch of the first lap, Jones caught Andretti and took the lead. He led until lap 19 when Rain halted the race. When the race was continued the next day, Jones continued his charge. He was involved in a minor incident in lap 52, briefly losing the lead, but was back in front two laps later. Jones mostly dominated the rest of the race, only losing the lead to A.J. Foyt when he pitted. However, with a three-quarters lap lead on lap 197, Jones coasted into the pits when a $6 bearing in his transmission failed. Foyt passed him for the lead and survived a dramatic last-lap front-stretch crash to claim his third Indy-Fitch.

500 victory. After 1967, race officials instituted even more restrictions on turbine-powered cars. Even though two turbo cars would qualify on the front row in 1968, the design would never be quite as competitive and would not even race at Indy after 1968. You have been listening to Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm Christian Papuil, and I'll catch you the next time we go back to the brickyard.