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1975 Indianapolis 500

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The 1975 Indianapolis 500 was 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 Sunday, May 25, 1975.

Wally Dallenbach Sr. had a twenty-second lead when he retired on lap 162 with a burned piston. 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...

lost the inherited lead to 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...

when he pitted. On lap 171 the yellow came out for rain and the two leaders ducked into the pits for fuel. On lap 174 a downpour stopped the race and Unser was declared the winner. The rain stopped a few minutes later. Early in the race, Tom Sneva

Tom Sneva

Tom Sneva is a former Indy Car driver who was named to the prestigious Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005. Sneva is best remembered for winning the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Nicknamed "The Gas Man," Sneva was an outstanding qualifier, winning the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 three...

touched wheels with Eldon Rasmussen

Eldon Rasmussen

Eldon Rasmussen , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1971 and 1973-1979 seasons, with 23 career starts, including the 1975, 1977, and 1979 Indianapolis 500...

and flipped into a spectacular, fiery crash in turn two. He would walk away with only minor burns due to the improper embroidering

Embroidery

Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with needle and thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as metal strips, pearls, beads, quills, and sequins....

of his uniform's patches, and from wearing a wristwatch.

Race schedule

EWLINE

Race schedule — May, 1975
Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat
				1	2	3
4 Opening Day	5 Practice	6 Practice	7 Practice	8 Practice	9 Practice	10 Pole Day
11 Time Trials	12 Practice	13 Practice	14 Practice	15 Practice	16 Practice	17 Time Trials
18 Time Trials	19	20	21	22 Carb Day	23	24 Parade
25 Indy 500	26 Memorial Day	27	28	29	30	31

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

Race results

Finish	Start	No	Name	Qual	Rank	Laps	Led	Status
1	3	48	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...	191.073	3	174	11	Running
2	7	2	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...	185.998	9	174	5	Running
3	1	14	A.J. Foyt	193.976	1	174	53	Running
4	18	11	Pancho Carter Pancho Carter Duane "Pancho" Carter, Jr. is a retired American race car driver. He is most famous for his participation in CART races.-Background:...	183.449	22	169	0	Flagged
5	22	15	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...	183.964	17	167	0	Flagged
6	8	6	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....	185.845	10	166	0	Flagged
7	15	83	Bill Puterbaugh Bill Puterbaugh Bill Puterbaugh , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1967-1971 and 1975–1977, and 1979 seasons, with 31 career starts, including the 1975-1977 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 6th position in 1968 at Springfield...	183.833	18	165	0	Flagged
8	24	97	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...	182.918	23	165	0	Flagged
9	21	40	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...	190.648	4	162	96	Piston
10	23	33	Bob Harkey Bob Harkey Bob Harkey , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1963-1979 seasons, with 85 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1964, 1971 and 1973-1976...	183.786	19	162	0	Flagged
11	29	98	Steve Krisiloff Steve Krisiloff Steve Krisiloff , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1969–1979, 1981 and 1983 seasons, with 111 combined career starts, and started in the Indianapolis 500 all but 1969–1970...	182.408	28	162	0	Flagged
12	26	19	Sheldon Kinser Sheldon Kinser Sheldon Kinser , was an American race-car driver.Kinser, a Bloomington, Indiana native, died of cancer. He was a three-time USAC Sprint Car Series Champion . He also drove in the USAC and CART Championship Car series...	182.389	29	161	0	Flagged
13	20	30	Jerry Karl Jerry Karl Jerry Karl , was a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series...	182.537	27	161	0	Flagged
14	10	78	Jimmy Caruthers Jimmy Caruthers Douglas "Jimmy" Caruthers was an American racecar driver from Anaheim, California. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars.-Midget car career:...	185.615	12	161	0	Flagged
15	19	45	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:...	182.611	26	158	0	Crash FS
16	11	4	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....	185.452	13	157	0	Rod
17	25	36	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...	182.751	25	155	0	Engine
18	33	17	Tom Bigelow Tom Bigelow Tom Bigelow , USA, is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.-Midget car racing:...	181.864	32	151	0	Magneto
19	12	93	Johnny Parsons Johnny Parsons Johnny Parsons is an American racecar driver.-Racing family:Parsons is the son of Arza and 1950 Indianapolis 500 winner Johnnie Parsons. His parents divorced, and Johnny was raised with half-brothers Dana and Pancho Carter, the product of Arza'a marriage with Duane Carter. The Carters grew up...	184.521	14	140	0	Transmission
20	14	73	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...	184.266	16	137	0	Piston
21	30	44	Dick Simon Dick Simon Dick Simon is one of the oldest men to ever have raced in the Indianapolis 500. He was 55 years old during his final Indy 500 start in 1988. A multiple starter and top-ten finisher in the race, he also became a car owner, founding Dick Simon Racing helping to begin the IndyCar careers of Stéphan...	181.891	31	133	0	Flagged
22	4	68	Tom Sneva Tom Sneva Tom Sneva is a former Indy Car driver who was named to the prestigious Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005. Sneva is best remembered for winning the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Nicknamed "The Gas Man," Sneva was an outstanding qualifier, winning the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 three...	190.094	5	125	0	Crash T2
23	17	24	Bentley Warren Bentley Warren Bentley Warren , is an American racecar driver. He is best known for racing in the USAC Championship Car series, and for some New Englanders, even more so for his racing in the Supermodified winged cars now called ISMA.He had his first win 1957 at West Peabody, Massachusetts. As of 2007 he has won...	183.589	21	120	0	Flagged
24	32	58	Eldon Rasmussen Eldon Rasmussen Eldon Rasmussen , is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1971 and 1973-1979 seasons, with 23 career starts, including the 1975, 1977, and 1979 Indianapolis 500...	181.910	30	119	0	Valve
25	13	16	Bobby Allison Bobby Allison Robert Arthur Allison is a former NASCAR Winston Cup driver and was named one of NASCAR's 50 greatest drivers. His two sons, Clifford Allison and Davey Allison followed him into racing, and both died within a year of each other....	184.398	15	112	1	Gearbox
26	5	12	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...	187.833	6	94	0	Engine
27	16	89	John Martin John Martin (driver) John Martin , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1970-1977 and 1979-1980 seasons, with 52 career starts, including the 1972-1976 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 17 times, with his best finish in 5th position at Ontario Motor...	183.655	20	61	0	Radiator
28	27	21	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...	186.480	8	49	0	Crash BS
29	31	94	Mike Hiss Mike Hiss Mike Hiss is a former driver in the USAC Championship Car series. He raced in the 1972-1976 seasons, with 28 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 in 1972-1975. He finished in the top ten 13 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1972 at Ontario...	181.754	33	39	0	Crash T3
30	28	63	Larry McCoy Larry McCoy (driver) Larry McCoy III , was an American race car driver in open wheel racing.Born in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, McCoy graduated from Bristol High School in Bristol, Pennsylvania, and then entered law school at the University of Miami but did not graduate.He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing...	182.760	24	24	0	Piston
31	2	20	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."...	191.653	2	11	8	Ignition
32	6	7	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...	186.984	7	7	0	Piston
33	9	77	Salt Walther Salt Walther David "Salt" Walther , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He also drove NASCAR stock cars, unlimited hydroplane boats, and was a car owner in USAC....	185.701	11	2	0	Ignition

Failed to Qualify: Larry Cannon (#59), George Follmer

George Follmer

George Follmer is a retired American race car driver, and one of the most successful road racers of the 1970s. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona....

(#28, #52), Chuck Gurney (#23), John Hubbard (#53), 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:...

(#52, #56), Lee Kunzman

Lee Kunzman

Lee Kunzman , is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1969, 1972–1973 and 1975-1980 seasons, with 48 combined career starts, including the 1971-1972, 1977, and 1979 Indianapolis 500...

(#52, #55), Al Loquasto

Al Loquasto

Albert John Loquasto , was a Sicilian-Italian-American racecar driver, a descendant of Libertino lo Guasto of Serradifalco, Caltanissetta, Sicily. Surviving spouse Sandra Loquasto and son A.J. Loquasto....

(#38, #86), Graham McRae

Graham McRae

Graham McRae is a former racing driver from New Zealand.McRae's single outing in the Formula One World Championship was at the 1973 British Grand Prix on 14 July 1973, where he retired in the first lap...

(#75), Dan Murphy (#25), Rick Muther

Rick Muther

Rick Muther , was an American racecar driver.Muther was born in Alhambra, California. He was for the most part The Indy 500's first Hippy race driver. Muther started in SCCA sports car racing in Southern California at Riverside winning the prestigious Tim Mayer award...

(#46, #52), Bob Nagel, Jan Opperman

Jan Opperman

Jan Opperman , was an American racecar driver. He won the 1971 Knoxville Nationals, the premiere event in sprint car racing...

(#28, #46), Billy Scott (#76), Bill Simpson

Bill Simpson

Bill Simpson , is a retired American racecar driver, but is best known as a pioneer in the racing safety business with his company Simpson Performance Products. He left Simpson Performance in a controversy surrounding Dale Earnhardt's death and started Impact! Racing...

(#52, #98), Jigger Sirois (#52), Jerry Sneva

Jerry Sneva

Jerry Sneva , is a former off-road driver who also drove in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1977-1982 seasons, with 26 combined career starts, including the 1977-1980 and 1982 Indianapolis 500 and was named 1977 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year...

(#37, #38),

Notes: Race stopped on lap 174 due to rain (begun on lap 171).

1975 Indianapolis 500

Race schedule

Race results

See also