1964 – Foyt Victor in Tragic 500

 

A.J. Foyt receives the winner’s kiss in victory lane after winning the tragedy-marred 1964 Indianapolis 500. Notice the newspaper the winner is holding with the headline announcing Foyt as the winner and both Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald perishing in the race.

Indianapolis, Ind. (May 30, 1964) – A.J. Foyt won the Indianapolis 500-mile race on Saturday that was marred by flaming tragedy and a raging controversy.

Veteran Eddie Sachs and rookie Dave MacDonald died in an inferno oof burning race cars and flying wheels on the main straightaway during the second lap.

The accident involved seven cars and caused the race to be halted for one hour and 45 minutes.

Sachs, one the most popular drivers in Speedway history, burned to death in his car. MacDonald died of flame inhalation a few hours later at Methodist Hospital. Bobby Unser and rookie Ronnie Duman also suffered minor burns in the crash.

Parnelli Jones, winner of the 1963 race, was taken to Methodist Hospital with burns on both his arms and legs after his car caught fire as he was leaving the pits on lap 55.

Sachs and MacDonald were both driving cars with ford engines mounted in the rear. The cars were using gasoline which is more combustible than the alcohol mixture most race cars use. Flames from the burning cars shot high into the air. The fire was so intense, fireman and safety crew exhausted their supply of hand extinguishers and fire trucks were called.

Immediately after the race, a demand that gasoline be barred from use in race cars. It’s certain that the 300,000 plus fans in attendance who watched the race would object to such a ruling.

It was a sad and dismal day for Ford-powered cars, which had seven cars in the field and had hoped to break the 14-year reign of the front-engine Offenhausers.

Only 12 cars finished the race. And just one of them was a Ford. That was the car that Rodger Ward drove to a second-place finish, more than a lap behind Foyt.

Foyt, the handsome 29-year-old Texan who many believe is the finest race car driver in the United States, gained his second “500” victory with a record speed of 147.350 miles per hour.

Foyt was never in trouble after he took his Sheraton-Thompson Special to the front on the 55th lap. He made two pit stops totaling 35.5 seconds.

Ward, who closed the gap several times during the race, was forced to stop five times. He lost all hope of winning a third “500” title with the fourth stop.

Although Foyt was running hard and among the leaders the entire way, he got to the front by process of attrition.

First, Bobby Marshman, turning laps at speeds exceeding 155 miles per hour, and running away from the field, tore out his car’s oil plug and retired from the race. Marshman was on the 39th lap when a flying piece of metal cut his brake lining. He slipped below the white line and the bottom of the car bumped the ground, tearing the plug and spilling oil.

Scotsman Jimmy Clark, who started on the pole position, then moved in front. Clark’s lead last nine laps before shredding a right rear tire. This started a vibration which ripped the universal joint in his Lotus Ford to pieces.

Then came a pulsating hub-to-hub duel between Foyt and Parnelli, which lasted until Parnelli pitted on lap 55.

Jones was using a mixture of alcohol with a small percentage of gasoline. He stepped on the accelerator just as his crew was replacing the fuel cap. A spark ignited and he moved away with fire shooting underneath his car. Jones steered to the south end of the pits and leaped from the car – just seconds before the car was completely engulfed in flames.

After that, Foyt pretty much had things his own way except for occasional forays from Ward.


Results –

1. A.J. Foyt
2. Rodger Ward
3. Lloyd Ruby
4. Johnny White
5. Johnny Boyd
6. Bud Tinglestad
7. Dick Rathmann
8. Bob Harkey
9. Bob Wente
10.Bobby Grim
11.Art Malone
12.Don Branson
13.Walt Hansgen
14.Jim Hurtubise
15.Len Sutton
16.Bill Cheesbourg
17.Dan Gurney
18.Troy Ruttman
19.Bob Veith
20.Jack Brabham
21.Jim McElreath
22.Bob Mathouser
23.Parnelli Jones
24.Jim Clark
25.Bobby Marshman
26.Eddie Johnson
27.Johnny Rutherford
28.Chuck Stevenson
29.Dave MacDonald
30.Eddie Sachs
31.Ronnie Duman
32.Bobby Unser
33.Norm Hall

Starter Pat Vidan waves the checkered flag for winner A.J. Foyt in the 1964 Indianapolis 500.