The 1967 Indianapolis 500

By Donald Davidson

Sunday, December 25, 2011

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Enjoy a complete gallery of images from the 1967 Indianapolis 500 below. These were recently digitized from our photography collection and is the first time they’ve appeared on the IMS site.

About The Race:

The rain-interrupted 1967 race, which took two days to run, resulted in a last-minute win for A. J. Foyt, who tied with Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw and Mauri Rose as the only three-time winners of the "500" at that time. But all of this was completely overshadowed by the participation of a revolutionary and widely publicized car, which led almost the entire distance only to fail within sight of the finish. Employing aircraft-type construction and four-wheel drive, the Andy Granatelli–conceived, Parnelli Jones–driven vehicle was powered by a Pratt & Whitney gas turbine engine. Starting sixth, the car had a healthy lead in less than half a lap and effectively led from that point on, giving up only for pit stops until lap 197, when a bearing (valued at $6) failed in the rear end. No sooner had Foyt taken the lead than there was further drama, a multi-car accident developing at the north end of the main straight just as Foyt was coming around for the finish. He was able to pick his way through the debris and past the spinning cars, starter Pat Vidan already waving the checkered flag with one hand and a red flag with the other.