1972 Michigan 200

[@Goodiej17]

Good old Speedvision. Was a great channel.

[@HODIUSDUDE]

@1:08 you catch a glimpse of the Jim Hurtubise Mallard rolling off the grid. It would be the final race the Mallard would qualify for, the last time for a front engined "Indy Car". It was a DNQ at Pocono a few weeks later. Herk switched to rear engine cars in '73 and '74. From 1975 to 1980 Hurtubise brought the Mallard to Indianapolis but never had a competitive effort.

[@cjs83172]

This race may best be known for the tragic loss of the right arm of Merle Bettenhausen, and perhaps the greatest single deed ever done by a car owner in the history of the sport. After learning of the severity of the situation, Roger Penske (yes, the same Roger Penske that remains a dominant force in both NASCAR and IndyCar racing today) withdrew the car of Gary Bettenhausen, just so Gary could be with his brother Merle in his time of greatest need. Sadly, Gary died over the weekend at the age of 72, and one of his four IndyCar wins was the 1970 race at Michigan, which he took over Bobby Unser and a young Johnny Rutherford.

[@505197]

There's a chapter in the Bettenhausen book, "Go" called Farewell to Arms, that discusses Merle and Gary's injurys. Who knows how Gary felt, he may have been unhappy being sidelined by Roger. It's not like he could have done anything, he's not a doctor.

[@cjs83172]

In this film of the race, Bud Lindemann said that Penske withdrew Gary Bettenhausen so he could be with his brother Merle. And remember that the Bettenhausens had already dealt with tragedy with the death of Tony, Sr. at Indy in 1961, so they already had an unfortunate level of experience dealing with stuff like this. I think what Roger did by withdrawing Gary from the race to be with his brother in his time of greatest need was one of the greatest deeds ever done by a car owner.

[@jameswoolley7421]

MY DAD AND I WERE AT THAT RACE IN THE MAIN GRAND STANDS

[@dennismathias804]

Wow, I can't believe I found this on KZbin. A 12 year old me was in the stands.

[@Jim-yv5hm]

Cool

[@Slinger43]

Those 72 cars I think are the sweetest looking Indy cars ever 😍

[@healthyone100]

pretty cars but they all break, todays cars are so much better but ugly!

[@STP43FAN1]

Today’s indycars draft a lot better on these superspeedways too

[@MrChristopherHaas]

This was my favorite season of indy car. All cars were eye popping, sweet ear splitting, all different. And all piloted by absolute pros

[@phillipalben7458]

In ‘72 I was in 7th grade. These guys were my heroes and in my opinion these were the glory days of the Indy cars. Unser, Johncock, Andretti, Foyt Rutherford & Bettenhausen. And Joe Leonard for winning of course.

[@repetitivemotion]

I would love to see still pictures of all these cars so I could compare them. Less than 10 years earlier they were racing front engine roadsters and streamliners

[@silvanski]

this was the last race for Hurtubise's front-engined Mallard

[@STP43FAN1]

The McLaren M16 revolution in Indycars

[@saltybildo4415]

Took my dog to the race in the early 90s in the infield that was a mistake lol

[@MrChristopherHaas]

Im still trying to find Car and Track episode that shows 1969 or maybe 68’ that devoted 15 minutes to a USAC stock car race in northeastern wi of which i had a vcr tape that i lost

[@scottlowman.1044]

Bring Indy back to Michigan.

[@MrChristopherHaas]

AWESOME post.

[@tsf5-productions]

Well...I didn't know that driver, Salt Walther, had taken over Johnny Rutherford's car for this Michigan Indy race of the Summer of 1972. What happened to Johnny?

[@tsf5-productions]

This would have been THE Indy Car race of the great Mel Kenyon of Lebanon, Indiana that he would have enjoyed in all the Indy Cars style races he entered. What a shame for him, and Godon Johncock. Tragic for Gary Bettenhausen's brother, Merle to have ended his racing career at that race. Gary was one of those who should have won the Indy 500 in his years of racing.

[@saltybildo4415]

Cool shit thnx

[@healthyone100]

A.J. WON IN SEVENTY SEVEN IN A FOYT FORD!

[@SkirmantasR]

Who will guide me where i could find old f1 translations(full)?

[@noviranger88]

Would Merle have wanted Gary to keep going?

[@healthyone100]

THOSE OFFY'S WERE VERY UNREIABLE

[@VPJP6B25]

Actually, the big problem in 1972 was there were no boost limits, I mean no popoff valves. Cars could run unlimited boost, and I remember Bobby Unser once saying that the unrestricted Offy's were making 1000 horsepower - no wonder they had a tendency to blow up.

[@cjs83172]

VPJP6B25 And that really manifested itself in the 1973 Indianapolis 500. While that race is known for all the rain and tragic incidents associated with it, what many people don't know about that race is the fact that no less than 20 cars in that race retired due to mechanical problems, despite the race only going two-thirds distance (133 laps). And connecting rod bolts were the biggest offender in that race, with six cars, those of Bobby Allison, A.J. Foyt, Wally Dallenbach, Jim McElreath, Jerry Grant, and Mike Mosley all dropping out due to broken connecting rod bolts. Five other cars in that race suffered burned pistons, including Al Unser. In all, 14 cars in the 1973 Indianapolis 500 were knocked out by some engine-related problem.

[@Slinger43]

Hell man, your brand new caddy in the driveway was "unreliable" in 1972! 😂

[@noviranger88]

0:41 Foyt's wearing a mask!

[@STP43FAN1]

0:35 the Bettenhausen disaster

[@LeoA2600]

Why did you stretch it to 16:9?

[@statto300]

why did u upload here when u said u wouldnt upload on other channel btw why did u have to move channel

[@saltybildo4415]

Coldwater Michigan cmon

[@healthyone100]

cj83172 my brothers and i drove 12 straight hours from upstate n.y. to go to the race TERRAN WAS KILLED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, WE ALSO LOST ART POLLARD AND SWEDE SAVAGE, WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED HOME!

[@STP43FAN1]

Yikes