1968 Indianapolis 500

Race schedule

EWLINE Race schedule — May, 1968 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat       1 Opening Day 2 Practice 3 Practice 4 Practice 5 Practice 6 Practice 7 Practice 8 Practice 9 Practice 10 Practice 11 Practice 12 Practice 13 Practice 14 Practice 15 Practice 16 Practice 17 Practice 18 Pole Day 19 Time Trials 20 Practice 21 Practice 22 Practice 23 Practice 24 Practice 25 Time Trials 26 Bump Day 27 Time Trials 28 Carb Day 29   30 Indy 500 31

EWLINE EWLINE Color Notes Green Practice Dark Blue Time trials Silver Race day Red Rained out* Blank No track activity * Includes days where track activity was significantly limited due to rain

Time Trials

1968 was the second and eventually the final year the controversial turbine

Turbine

A turbine is a rotary engine that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work.The simplest turbines have one moving part, a rotor assembly, which is a shaft or drum with blades attached. Moving fluid acts on the blades, or the blades react to the flow, so that they move and...

 cars were running in the 1968 race classic. Turbine cars were entered by STP (the Lotus 56

Lotus 56

The Lotus 56 was a racing car, designed by Maurice Philippe as Team Lotus' 1968 entry in the Indianapolis 500, replacing the successful Lotus 38. The Lotus 56 was not based on the STP-Paxton Turbocar that almost won in 1967, but was an entirely new and more advanced design...

 and STP-Paxton Turbocar

STP-Paxton Turbocar

The STP-Paxton Turbocar was a racing car, designed by Ken Wallis as the STP entry in the Indianapolis 500.- History :Wallis, a distant relative of famed British engineer Barnes Wallis, had developed a workable plan for harnessing a gas turbine to a race car. He first presented the idea to Dan...

) and by Carroll Shelby. USAC had imposed revised regulations regarding the maximum inlet size (reduced from 23.999 square inches to 15.999 square inches) that the turbine cars could have, to limit their power output. The Shelby cars were found to be getting around this regulation by the use of variable inlet doors and were disqualified. In qualifications, Graham Hill the 1966 champion in the #70 STP Lotus 56 is first to qualify, and sets a new qualifying record. Later, his STP Lotus 56 teammate Joe Leonard in #60 wins the pole position with a speed of 171.559 mi/h.

Race Day

At the drop of the green flag, Joe Leonard in the #60 STP Turbine leaps in the lead, with Bobby Unser in second and Roger McCluskey up to third at the end of lap 1. After only nine laps, Jim Hurtubise in the PepsiCo Frito-lay special has burned a piston, and is out, finishing 30th. About this time, Bobby Unser is now hard after Leonard, and at the end of the main straightway he passes to take the lead. On lap 41, the caution flag flies for the first time when Al Unser loses a wheel and hits the first-turn wall, with Arnie Knepper and Gary Bettenhausen also involved. After 200 miles (321.9 km), A.J. Foyt is out with a blown engine and the defending champion's bid for his 4th Indy win is over for this year. After 110 laps, Graham Hill loses a wheel and smashes into the turn two wall, bringing out the second caution. On lap 127, Mel Kenyon and rookie Billy Vukovich tangle in turn four. Both are able to re-enter the race, but Johnny Rutherford, trying to slow down, is rear-ended by Jim McElreath. Mike Mosley also loses it in turn four trying to avoid the mess.

When Bobby Unser makes his last pit stop, his car is stuck in high gear. As he leaves his pit struggling to reach racing speed, both Leonard and Ruby pass him. With only 16 laps to go, Joe Leonard still has the #60 turbine in first place, but on the backstretch, Carl Williams hits the wall, bringing out the final caution. After cleanup, the green waves on the 191st lap. At that instant, both leader Joe Leonard in STP turbine #60 and teammate Art Pollard in STP turbine #20 lurch—and instantly slow with identical snapped fuel pump drive shafts. Unser sweeps by into the lead with Dan Gurney inheriting second place. With a nearly full-lap lead, Bobby Unser cruises the final 9 laps to win his first of eventually three Indianapolis 500 victories.

Results of the 1968 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....

 on Thursday, May 30, 1968.

Finish	Start	No	Name	Qual	Rank	Laps	Led	Status
1	3	3	United States Bobby Unser Bobby Unser Robert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser...	169.507	3	200	127	Running
2	10	48	United States Dan Gurney Dan Gurney Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...	166.512	10	200	0	Running
3	17	15	United States Mel Kenyon Mel Kenyon Mel Kenyon is a former midget car driver. He is known as the "King of the Midgets", "Miraculous Mel", and "Champion of Midget Auto Racing." The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America says "Many consider him to be midget car racing's greatest driver ever." -Racing career:He attended his first auto...	165.191	14	200	0	Running
4	20	42	New Zealand Denis Hulme	164.189	19	200	0	Running
5	5	25	United States Lloyd Ruby Lloyd Ruby Lloyd Ruby was an American racecar driver.Ruby raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1958-1977 seasons, with 177 career starts, including every Indianapolis 500 race during 1960-1977. He finished in the top ten 88 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was 3rd in 1964...	167.613	5	200	42	Running
6	26	59	United States Ronnie Duman Ronnie Duman Ronnie Duman , was an American racecar driver.Born in Dearborn, Michigan, Duman died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin during a fatal crash in the Rex Mays 150 at the Milwaukee Mile. He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1961-1968 seasons, with 63 career starts, including the 1964-1968...	162.338	27	200	0	Running
7	23	98	United States Bill Vukovich II Bill Vukovich II William John Vukovich, Jr. , better known as Bill Vukovich II is a former driver in the championship car division of USAC and CART series....	163.510	23	198	0	Flagged
8	27	90	United States Mike Mosley Mike Mosley Mike Mosley , was an American racecar driver.Born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Mosley died in an off-road vehicle accident near Riverside, California. His young son, Michael, was also riding in the van Mosley was driving, but was uninjured. He was a driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series...	162.499	26	197	0	Flagged
9	31	94	United States Sammy Sessions Sammy Sessions Allen Dale "Sammy" Sessions was an American racecar driver.Born in Nashville, Michigan, Sessions died in a snowmobile racing accident in Alexandria, Minnesota. He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1965-1975 seasons with 62 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1968-1973...	162.118	31	197	0	Flagged
10	25	6	United States Bobby Grim Bobby Grim Robert "Bobby" Grim was an American racecar driver.Born in Coal City, Indiana, Grim died of cancer in Indianapolis, Indiana. He drove in the and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1958-1969 seasons with 66 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races each year from 1959-1968 except 1965...	162.866	25	196	0	Flagged
11	24	16	United States Bob Veith Bob Veith Bob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts...	163.495	24	196	0	Flagged
12	1	60	United States Joe Leonard Joe Leonard Joe Leonard , is a retired American motorcycle racer and racecar driver.Leonard won the first A.M.A. Grand National Championship Series in 1954 and won it again in 1956 and 1957. His record totals 27 wins, including the 1957 and 1958 Daytona 200...	171.599	1	191	31	Fuel Shaft
13	11	20	United States Art Pollard Art Pollard Art Pollard , was an American racecar driver.Born in Dragon, Utah, Pollard died in Indianapolis, Indiana as a result of injuries sustained in practice for the 1973 Indianapolis 500. The car clipped the wall coming out of turn one and did a half-spin as it headed to the grass on the inside of the...	166.297	11	188	0	Fuel Shaft
14	13	82	United States Jim McElreath Jim McElreath Jim McElreath , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.-Racing career:He raced in the 1961-1983 seasons, with 178 combined career starts, including 15 in the Indianapolis 500 in 1962-1970, 1973–1974, and 1977-1980. He finished in the top ten 101 times, with five victories...	165.327	13	179	0	Stalled
15	28	84	United States Carl Williams Carl Williams (driver) Carl Williams , was an American racecar driver.Born in Grandview, Missouri, Williams was killed in a motorcycle accident in Kansas City. He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1965-1972 seasons, with 63 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1966-1970 and 1972...	162.323	28	163	0	Crash BS
16	18	10	United States Bud Tingelstad Bud Tingelstad Bud Tingelstad was an American racecar driver.Born in Frazee, Minnesota, Tingelstad drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1960-1971 seasons with 120 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in each year except 1961 and 1970. He finished in the top ten 56 times, with his one...	164.444	17	158	0	Oil Pressure
17	12	54	United States Wally Dallenbach, Sr. Wally Dallenbach, Sr. Wally Dallenbach, Sr. is a former long-time open-wheeled race car driver in CART from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey. He drove in 180 Indy Car races between 1965 and 1979, winning five times. He is the father of NASCAR driver and commentator, Wally Dallenbach, Jr.-Biography:Dallenbach nearly...	165.548	12	148	0	Engine
18	21	18	United States Johnny Rutherford Johnny Rutherford For the Major League Baseball pitcher, see Johnny Rutherford . For other people with a similar name, see John RutherfordJohn Sherman Rutherford III , better known as Johnny Rutherford, and also known as "Lone Star JR" is a former U.S...	163.830	21	125	0	Crash T4
19	2	70	United Kingdom Graham Hill Graham Hill Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...	171.208	2	110	0	Crash T2
20	8	1	United States A.J. Foyt	166.821	8	86	0	Rear End
21	19	45	United States Ronnie Bucknum Ronnie Bucknum Ronnie Bucknum was an American racecar driver, born in Alhambra, California.Bucknum participated in 11 Formula One World Championship grands prix, debuting on August 2, 1964. He scored a total of 2 championship points...	164.211	18	76	0	Fuel Leak
22	14	27	United States Jim Malloy Jim Malloy Jim Malloy , was an American racecar driver.Born in Columbus, Nebraska, Malloy died as a result of injuries sustained in practice for the 1972 Indianapolis 500...	165.032	15	64	0	Rear End
23	15	78	United States Jerry Grant Jerry Grant Jerry Grant , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1965-1977 seasons, with 54 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1965-1968, 1970 and 1972-1976...	164.782	16	50	0	Oil Leak
24	22	11	United States Gary Bettenhausen Gary Bettenhausen Gary Bettenhausen is a retired American auto racing driver. He was born in Blue Island, Illinois, raised in Tinley Park, Illinois, and currently resides in Monrovia, Indiana.-Racing family:...	163.562	22	43	0	Accident T1
25	32	21	United States Arnie Knepper Arnie Knepper Arnold A. "Arnie" Knepper , was an American racecar driver.Born in Belleville, Illinois, Knepper also died there as from cancer. He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1963-1972 seasons, with 75 career starts, including the 1965-1969 Indianapolis 500 races...	161.900	32	42	0	Accident T1
26	6	24	United States Al Unser Al Unser Alfred "Al" Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....	167.069	6	40	0	Crash T1
27	9	4	United States Gordon Johncock Gordon Johncock Gordon Johncock is a former racing driver, best known as a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the 1976 USAC Marlboro Championship Trail champion. Johncock was most often simply referred to as "Gordy."...	166.775	9	37	0	Rear End
28	33	64	United States Larry Dickson Larry Dickson Larry Dickson , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1965-1981 seasons, with 105 combined career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1966-1969, 1971, 1978–1979, and 1981. He finished in the top ten 44 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in...	161.124	33	24	0	Piston
29	7	8	United States Roger McCluskey Roger McCluskey Roger McCluskey was an American race car driver. He was from Tucson, Arizona.He won championship titles in three divisions of USAC -Sprints, Stocks, and Champ Cars. He won the USAC Sprint Car title in 1963 and 1966, the USAC Stock car title in 1969 and 1970. The Champ Car title in 1973...	166.976	7	16	0	Oil Filter
30	30	56	United States Jim Hurtubise Jim Hurtubise In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.-Award:...	162.191	30	9	0	Piston
31	29	29	United States George Snider George Snider George "Ziggy" Snider is a retired American race car driver. A longtime driver in the United States Automobile Club Silver Crown series, Snider is also a 22-time starter of the Indianapolis 500, the most starts without winning the race. His best finish was eighth in the 1975 Indianapolis 500...	162.264	29	9	0	Oil Leak
32	16	35	Austria Jochen Rindt Jochen Rindt Karl Jochen Rindt was a German racing driver who represented Austria during his career. He is the only driver to posthumously win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship , after being killed in practice for the Italian Grand Prix...	164.144	20	5	0	Piston
33	4	2	United States Mario Andretti Mario Andretti Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...	167.691	4	2	0	Piston

Qualification Chronology

Att #	Date	Time	Qual day	Car #	Driver name	Laps	Qual time	Qual speed	Rank	Start	Comment
1	05-18	1	1	70	Graham Hill	4	—	171.208	2	2
2	05-18	2	1	25	Lloyd Ruby	4	—	167.613	5	5
3	05-18	3	1	8	Roger McCluskey	4	—	166.976	7	7
4	05-18	4	1	15	Mel Kenyon	2	—	—	—	—	Waved off
5	05-18	5	1	54	Wally Dallenbach	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
6	05-18	6	1	3	Bobby Unser	4	—	169.507	3	3
7	05-18	7	1	4	Gordon Johncock	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
8	05-18	8	1	1	A. J. Foyt	4	—	166.821	8	8
9	05-18	9	1	48	Dan Gurney	4	—	166.512	10	10
10	05-18	10	1	27	Jim Malloy	4	—	165.032	15	14
11	05-18	11	1	60	Joe Leonard	4	—	171.559	1	1
12	05-18	12	1	4	Gordon Johncock	4	—	166.775	9	9
13	05-18	13	1	82	Jim McElreath	4	—	165.512	13	13
14	05-18	14	1	24	Al Unser	4	—	167.069	6	6
15	05-18	15	1	2	Mario Andretti	4	—	167.691	4	4
16	05-18	16	1	54	Wally Dallenbach	4	—	165.548	12	12
17	05-18	17	1	56	Jim Hurtubise	1	—	—	—	—	Accident
18	05-18	18	1	78	Jerry Grant	4	—	164.782	16	15
19	05-18	19	1	20	Art Pollard	4	—	166.297	11	11
20	05-19	20	2	35	Jochen Rindt	4	—	164.144	20	16
21	05-19	21	2	42	Denis Hulme	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
22	05-25	22	3	21	Arnie Knepper	1	—	—	—	—	Accident
23	05-25	23	3	15	Mel Kenyon	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
24	05-25	24	3	62	Bruce Walkup	3	—	—	—	—
25	05-25	25	3	11	Gary Bettenhausen	4	—	163.562	22	22
26	05-25	26	3	18	Johnny Rutherford	4	—	163.830	21	21
27	05-25	27	3	45	Ronnie Bucknum	4	—	164.211	18	19	Disqualfied 5/25; Reinstated 5/27; Bumps #88
28	05-25	28	3	88	Bob Harkey	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
29	05-25	29	3	36	Larry Dickson	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
30	05-25	30	3	59	Ronnie Duman	4	—	162.338	27	26
31	05-25	31	3	98	Billy Vukovich II	4	—	163.510	23	23
32	05-25	32	3	26	Bobby Johns	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
33	05-25	33	3	14	Bob Hurt	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
34	05-25	34	3	16	Bob Veith	4	—	163.495	24	24
35	05-25	35	3	10	Bud Tingelstad	1	—	—	—	—	Pulled off
36	05-25	36	3	90	Mike Mosley	2	—	—	—	—	Waved off
37	05-25	37	3	6	Bobby Grim	4	—	162.866	25	25
38	05-25	38	3	84	Carl Williams	2	—	—	—	—	Waved off
39	05-25	39	3	26	Bobby Johns	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
40	05-25	40	3	10	Bud Tingelstad	4	—	164.444	17	18
41	05-25	41	3	21	Arnie Knepper	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
42	05-25	42	3	42	Denis Hulme	4	—	164.189	19	20
43	05-25	43	3	15	Mel Kenyon	4	—	165.191	14	17
44	05-25	44	3	84	Carl Williams	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
45	05-25	45	3	36	Larry Dickson	3	—	—	—	—	Waved off
Sunday May 26
	05-26				Bill Putterbaugh	4	—	157.301	—	—	Bumped
	05-26				Bill Cheesbourg	4	—	157.274	—	—	Bumped
	05-26				Bobby Johns		—	157.274	—	—	Spun on second warm up lap
Monday May 27
46	05-27	46	4	22	Bill Cheesbourg	4	—	157.274	—	—	Bumped by #21
47	05-27	47	4	77	Bill Puterbaugh	4	—	157.301	—	—	Bumped by #84
48	05-27	48	4	88	Bob Harkey	4	—	159.915	—	—	Bumped by #45 reinstatement
49	05-27	49	4	90	Mike Mosley	4	—	162.449	26	27
50	05-27	50	4	41	George Follmer	4	—	158.877	—	—	Bumped by #62
51	05-27	51	4	28	Rick Muther	2	—	—	—	—	Accident
52	05-27	52	4	94	Sam Sessions	4	—	162.118	31	31
53	05-27	53	4	31	Sonny Ates	4	—	158.221	—	—	Bumped by #29
54	05-27	54	4	36	Larry Dickson	4	—	159.652	—	—	Bumped by #56
55	05-27	55	4	21	Arnie Knepper	4	—	161.900	32	32	Bumps #22
56	05-27	56	4	84	Carl Williams	4	—	162.232	29	29	Bumps #77
57	05-27	57	4	29	George Snider	4	—	162.264	28	28	Bumps #31
58	05-27	58	4	62	Bruce Walkup	4	—	160.514	—	—	Bumps #41; Bumped by #64
59	05-27	59	4	56	Jim Hurtubise	4	—	162.191	30	30	Bumps #36
60	05-27	60	4	32	Al Miller II	4	—	157.109	—	—	Too slow
61	05-27	61	4	71	Bob Harkey	4	—	156.257	—	—	Too slow
62	05-27	62	4	64	Larry Dickson	4	—	161.124	33	33	Bumps #88
63	05-27	63	4	76	Jerry Titus	4	—	154.540	—	—	Too slow

Topics

• Jim Hurtubise became the last driver to qualify the race with a front engine roadster
  Roadster
  A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. Strictly speaking a roadster with wind-up windows is a convertible but as true roadsters are no longer made the distinction is now irrelevant...
  
  .
• Much of the film of the race was used in the movie Winning
  Winning
  Winning is a 1969 American motion picture starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. A number of racecar drivers and people associated with racing appear in the film, including Bobby Unser, Tony Hulman, Bobby Grim, Dan Gurney, Roger McCluskey, and Bruce Walkup.-Plot summary:The film centers on...
  
   starring Paul Newman
  Paul Newman
  Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
  
  .
• Rain hampered most of the month. During qualifying, Bump Day (the final day of time trials) rain kept cars off the track until late in the evening. A handful of cars tooks runs into the night, but qualifying had to be halted due to darkness, with the field short of the traditional 33 cars. Time trials was pushed into a 5th day (Monday), and the field was finally filled to 33 cars.