Rose
Queen Diana Grant plants a firm kiss on Don White’s cheek after the Keokuk,
Iowa, driver won the Indiana Classic at the State Fairgrounds. – Charles Berry
Photo
Indianapolis, Ind. (June 24, 1967) – It was his 41st birthday, so Don White gave himself many happy returns for the day – and night.
The Keokuk, Iowa, leadfoot made it two in a row at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Saturday night as he outdueled Parnelli Jones to take the 100-miler for USAC stock cars.
And the $6,296 he collected out of a $22,283 purse makes a mighty nice birthday present.
White and his 1967 Dodge covered the assigned distance in 1 hour, 12 minutes, and 24 seconds for an average speed of 82.873 miles per hour. That was about six seconds better than Parnelli could summon from his 1967 Ford.
White finally pulled away from a whing-ding of a battle with Jones on the 28th mile and was never headed the rest of the way. He had built up almost a half-lap lead when he made his mandatory pit stop on lap 61.
Two caution lights in the last 40 circuits let Parnelli close most of the gap and also slowed the race average speed below last year’s 83.97 miles per hour pace.
Still, Al Unser, in another ’67 Charger, was the only other driver besides White and Jones to finish on the lead lap.
Andy Hampton turned the first and most spectacular yellow light on the 61st circuit. He didn’t turn his 1965 Dodge left going into the first turn. A steering failure didn’t leave him any choice. Hampton and his Dodge left early, plowing straight through the outer guardrail and cyclone fence. Andy wasn’t hurt but the car was.
Ralph Latham added six more laps under caution when he spun his ’65 Plymouth on lap 78. He was running fifth at the time.
For the first 27 miles, this was as dandy as a race you’ll ever see with three leaders and six lead changes.
White, starting from the pole position, took the lead going into the first turn, but eighth-place starter A.J. Foyt was already on the move.
He was fourth by the time the field hit the backstretch, got by Unser for third in the first turn of the second lap, polished off second-place Jones at the other end of the track on the next circuit.
White was a tougher nut to crack. A.J. didn’t get around him until they came into the backstretch on the ninth circuit.
Just when it looked like the three-time Indianapolis 500 winner was going turn the race into a showcase for his own personal dirt track virtuosity, , the engine in his 1967 Ford turned cannibal and Foyt coasted to the pit area on lap 29.
That put White back in front but for one lap only. He went wallowing into the deep stuff in the second turn and Jones sneaked by and grabbed the lead.
White got himself straightened out and started his pursuit. That started a nose-to-tail duel for the next 17 miles. Parnelli finally got a tap as he tried to get by a slower car coming into the backstretch on lap 28. That sent Parnelli into the outer fence and White bombed past for good.
White, who also scored in last August’s State Fair Century, was more than a lap ahead of fourth place Butch Hartman and his 1965 Dodge. Fifth went to J.C. Klotz in ’65 Plymouth.
Mario Andretti was a surprise entry. That is, he surprised everyone except himself and his car owner who claimed they had fielded an entry. But USAC and promoter Joe Quinn hadn’t seen hide or hair of it, so Mario was forced to qualify near the tail-end of the 36-car field.
With that disadvantage, he started 12th. He finally worked his way into eighth place before the engine in his 1967 Ford got cranky after 13 laps.
Results –
1. Don White
2. Parnelli Jones
3. Al Unser
4. Butch Hartman
5. J.C. Klotz
6. Norm Nelson
7. Bay Darnell
8. Roger Regeth
9. Norm Brown
10.Bill Cheesbourg
11.Jerry Smith
12.Jack Bowsher
13.Jim Martin
14.Keith Ploughe
15.Dave Whitcomb
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