1968 Indianapolis 500

= Time Trials =

1968 was the second and eventually the final year the controversial turbine cars were running in the 1968 race classic. In qualifications, Graham Hill the 1966 champion in the #70 STP Turbine is first to qualify, and sets a new qualifying record! Later, his STP turbine teammate joe Leonard in #60 wins the pole position with a speed of 171.559 MPH.

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 piaton, 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, 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 get to high 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 comes out with 9 laps to go, and several cars between leader Leonard and second place Unser. but the turbine is slowing and coasting to a stop in turn one, with Bobby Unser now sweeping the lead. At this moment at the other end of the track, the STP Turbine team suffers a double whammy as #20 Art Pollard in the remaining turbine coasts to a stop with the same program as Leonard - a broken fuel pump drive. Unser drove the final 9 laps to win his first of eventually 3 Indianapolis 500 victories for Bobby Unser.

Results of the 1968 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Thursday, May 30, 1968.

Qualification Chronology

Topics

* Jim Hurtubise became the last driver to qualify the race with a front engine roadster.
* Much of the film of the race was used in the movie Winning starring Paul Newman.

Indy 500 Walker
Previous_race = 1967
Previous_winner = A.J. Foyt
This_race = 1968
This_winner = Bobby Unser
Next_race = 1969
Next_winner = Mario Andretti