Editor’s Note: With the help of the SPEED SPORT archives, here’s a brief look back at the 1975 running of the Indianapolis 500.
The Race
Bobby Unser joined the speedway immortals Sunday with his second Indianapolis 500 victory in the slowest and wildest finish of this classic auto race.
A sudden downpour which forced red-flagging of the race at the end of the 175th lap also resulted in a series of wild spins and collisions out on the course which had the rain-soaked fans in a state of confusion.
USAC timing and scoring reverted to the 174th lap — the last full lap beore the red flag — for purposes of final scoring — making it in effect the Indianapolis 435.
It was the second time in three years the race had been cut short by rain. It was halted after 435 miles in 1973 with Gordon Johncock getting the victory.
Unser got the checkered and red flags at the same time.
Playing it cool and conservative, Unser was content most of the way to remain just off the pace of a blazing speed duel among A.J. Foyt, Wally Dallenbach and Johnny Rutherford, conserving fuel and being easy on his powder-blue No. 48 Jorgensen Steel Eagle.
He brought car owner Dan Gurney his first Indianapolis victory.
Rutherford finished second, with Foyt, Pancho Carter and Roger McCluskey completing the top five.
Sneva’s Crash
In his second Indianapolis 500 run, Tom Sneva suffered second-degree burns on his hands and face, first-degree burns on his chest and arms and possible third-degree burns on his ankles in a crash on lap 126. Sneva was attempting to move his Norton Spirit McLaren around rookie Eldon Rasmussen when the two cars collided.
Sneva’s machine cartwheeled and bounced backward and upside down exiting turn two. The car caught fire and the engine was ripped away. Briefly trapped in the car, Sneva was helicoptered to Indy’s Methodist Hospital.
Big Money
Unser earned $214,031 from a purse of $1,001,321.97. It was the sixth straight year that the purse for the Indianapolis 500 surpassed $1 million.
Salt Walther earned $14,954 for last place.
Other Notes
• A crowd of near record proportions of more than 300,001 sunbaked speed fans got to watch a torrid speed-duel until the rains came.
• Billy Puterbaugh, a 37-year-old sprint car and midget racing veteran, was named rookie of the year after racing from 15th on the grid to finish seventh.
• Three-time Indy winner Foyt averaged 193.976 mph in his brand new red-orange Gilmore Racing Team Coyote/Foyt to pace 28 first-weekend qualifiers and win his fourth Indianapolis 500 pole position.
