The Untold Story of the 1968 Lotus 56: Turbine Power at the Indy 500 | Tales On Wheels Ep. 2

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Alright, everyone, welcome to Episode #2 of "Tales On Wheels." This one's a gem from my documentary series "The Cars of Val Miletich and Parnelli Jones," which goes hand-in-hand with our coffee table book. Today, we’re diving into the wild tale of the 1968 Lotus 56, the STP Turbine Car #60. If you think your car has a unique engine, wait till you hear about this one.
So, picture this: a car running on a Pratt & Whitney PT6 turbine engine - the kind you’d find in a helicopter. This isn't your grandpa's piston engine; it’s a turbine, making the Lotus 56 sound more like a jet on the racetrack. It was so ahead of its time, it made other cars look like they were still figuring out how to roll downhill.
Jim Dilamarter, who was deeply involved with this project, had some strong feelings about it. He was a die-hard piston engine guy. To Jim, this turbine business was like trying to race a toaster. But because the car was shod in Firestone tires - the same brand he was committed to - he had to back it, even if it felt like betraying his mechanical instincts.
Enter Joe Leonard, the man brave enough to take the wheel. Leonard adapted quickly to the quirks of the turbine engine, achieving speeds that made everyone’s jaws drop. Andy Granatelli, the visionary behind this turbine experiment, saw Leonard’s potential and was set on making history at the Indianapolis 500.
Now, let’s talk about Parnelli Jones. This guy almost clinched victory at the Indy 500 the previous year with a similar turbine car, only to be thwarted by mechanical gremlins. His expertise was crucial in getting the Lotus 56 race-ready. Listening to Parnelli talk about driving this beast gives you a real sense of the thrill - and the sheer chaos - of racing a turbine-powered car.
The 1968 Indianapolis 500 was the moment of truth. Leonard secured pole position, showcasing the Lotus 56’s incredible speed and handling. The car’s advanced aerodynamics and four-wheel drive system gave it a significant advantage, especially in corners where it seemed to defy the laws of physics. Watching it race was like seeing the future unfold in real-time.
Of course, no great story is without its drama. As the race went on, mechanical issues began to rear their ugly heads. Parnelli recalls the nightmare of managing the throttle response - unlike piston engines, the turbine had no compression braking. The brakes became their lifeline, crucial for slowing down both the car and the engine. Without them, stopping was like trying to halt a runaway freight train with a paper clip.
Despite these issues, the Lotus 56 continued to dominate. That is, until disaster struck just a few laps from the finish. A fuel pump failure caused the turbine engine to die, forcing Leonard to retire from the race and hand victory to Bobby Unser. It was a crushing blow, especially for Granatelli, who had poured his heart and soul into this revolutionary car.
But the legacy of the Lotus 56 didn’t end there. This car was a bold experiment in racing technology, challenging the norms and pushing the boundaries. Its innovative design and the lessons learned from its challenges paved the way for future advancements in motorsport. The Lotus 56’s influence is evident in the evolution of racing technology, particularly in aerodynamics and alternative powertrains.
In the years following its debut, the Lotus 56 continued to capture the imagination of racing enthusiasts and historians. Its appearances at events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed allowed new generations to appreciate its engineering brilliance and historical significance. Parnelli Jones and other key figures have kept the story alive, ensuring that the Lotus 56’s legacy endures.
The 1968 Lotus 56, the STP Turbine Car #60, stands as a testament to the spirit of innovation and the relentless pursuit of excellence in motorsport. It’s a reminder of the challenges and triumphs that come with pushing the envelope of technology and performance. For those who appreciate the rich tapestry of racing history, the Lotus 56 holds a special place as a pioneer of turbine power and a symbol of racing’s bold, innovative spirit.
Keywords: #Lotus56, #STPTurbineCar, #Indianapolis500, #RacingHistory, #ClassicCars, #TalesOnWheels, #CentralOctane, #ParnelliJones, #JoeLeonard, #AndyGranatelli, #TurbineEngine, #MotorsportInnovation, #RacingLegends, #1968Indy500, #AutomotiveHistory, #PrattAndWhitney, #GoodwoodFestival, #FirestoneTires, #Aerodynamics, #AlternativePowertrains, #JimDilamarter, #EngineeringMarvel, #SpeedRecords, #MechanicalFailure, #RacingTechnology, #FourWheelDrive, #TurbinePower, #VisionaryRacing, #HistoricCars, #InnovativeDesign

[@stevefowler2112]

I was 11 years old at the time and could already name every car on the road just the headlights/tail lights...yeah i was a car kid. My Dad and I loved watching the Indy 500...I remember the STP Turbine cars like it was yesterday...they were the fastest cars that year by far. thank you so much for posting this...great work! (a recently retired Aerospace Engineer who now owns a Ferrari F8).

[@GVWire]

Hey Steve! Thank you for sharing!!

[@lorimcquinn3966]

There was no live coverage of the Turbines running Indy 500 in 67-68. I as usual listened to the race on a major local AM station.

[@markdinkel-uh2je]

My 2nd race 10 years old in 1968. Sat inside south chute. What a day.

[@Mainsail333]

Lotus in the 60's and 70's was just so far ahead in race car design.

[@GVWire]

yes, it was great to hear this from Parnelli and Jim.

[@bobmcl2406]

Thanks for a very interesting video, with lots of content I had never seen before. The 1967 Turbine car is still my favourite race car of all time, probably because I learned about it when i was a 13 year old budding car racing nut. Now I'm nearly 70, and I can say that I still play with cars!

[@GVWire]

Thank you for the comment! Stay tuned for more Parnelli cars!

[@christianpoint0888]

Thank u ! Had no idea that car existed !

[@GVWire]

Stay tuned!! We will be revealing MORE!!!!

[@chrisk0blu594]

There were three STP turbine cars at Indy in 1968. They were driven by Joe Leonard #60, Graham Hill #70, and Art Pollard #20. Joe and Graham qualified #1 & #2 on the front row. Graham had an accident in turn 2 losing a wheel, ending his day. On lap 192, there was a yellow flag period, which was just ending. As Joe Leonard and Art Pollard were accelerating back to green flag speed, both cars suffered the loss of their fuel pumps on the same lap. The cars coasted to a stop, and Bobby Unser inherited the lead with Dan Gurney in second again. Both Bobby and Dan were driving Eagle chassis cars with Offenhauser engines. Andy Granatelli was the leader of both turbine car programs in 1967 & 1968. He would finally win the Indy 500 in 1969 with Mario Andretti in Hawk chassis car with a Ford engine. Dan Gurney finished second, yet again.

[@GVWire]

Hey Chris! thank you for that!! Great to hear from our viewers!

[@Petrastella]

Gurney’s Eagle had a stock block engine.

[@andyharman3022]

I wish I could have seen the Granatelli turbine cars run at Indianapolis. But the was 1967-68 and I was only 5-6 years old. The cars were such a revolution in the day that USAC regulated them out of existence. After 1967 they reduced the allowable air inlet area to the point the PT6 was only making 450 hp in 1968. After 1968, USAC reduced air inlet area again so it would be impossible to make enough power with a turbine engine to be competitive. Granatelli deserves credit for taking a completely different powerplant and car concept and making it dominant in its first race in 1967. That car is in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.

[@dracorpgroup]

That engine was made in Canada. The first car was a really brilliant design overall.

[@markdinkel-uh2je]

I was 10 in 68. Sat inside s chute. What a great day. Dad made ham sandwiches. Thanks again dad

[@markdinkel-uh2je]

I remember how blown away we all were. 171 on the pole was moving fast back then in 68.

[@margaretbehler4935]

Love the turbine cars. Tried to buy a model all through the 80's at a hobby stone. NFS. I wasn't living at home when they went out of business. Dsrn!

[@GVWire]

Thanks for sharing

[@bthomasx]

One of my favorite cars

[@GVWire]

Such an awesome machine!! More to come!!

[@christianpoint0888]

I had this hotwheel as a kid & never knew what it was till now ! Funny !

[@RobertHanson-km3be]

I had one too. I guess they're kinda rare. I wish I didn't give all my Hot Wheels cars to my nephew. 😁

[@GVWire]

Super rare HotWheel!!!

[@NotYou9311]

I always wanted someone to build an F1 car to that shape. I still love the looks of the 2nd gen turbine car. The body design would have been perfect for underbody aero, if that had been a thing at that time. Flat bottom, kamm rear and an engine that did not protrude from the floor. Perfect for tunnels (or one large tunnel) and a difuser. Even with a conventional engine, such as a Cosworth DFV, a two- tunnel configuration could have been used, with a central plank under the engine, as is the norm today. Get rid of the 4-wheel drive, as it wasn't needed anyway (the only reason for it was to tame the monstrous torque of the PT6 on acceleration). The resulting car would have been lighter, even simpler...and (could have been) incredible with the downforce that could have been produced. Of course, it would have gotten banned quickly, but it would have been spectacular while it lasted.

[@Enevan1968]

The Lotus 72 was developed out ot the 56 - basically.

[@keithstudly6071]

You need to check out the car that rookie Emerson Fittipaldi drove at Monza in 1970. His was a development of the 56 and was a third entry for Lotus. Rindt was Lotus lead driver and was killed in a practice crash. Emerson crashed and John Miles quit driving so Lotus didn't have a car in the race. Also the cars that Lotus built for Indy in 1969 were Ford powered and based largely on the 56 but the suspension was very weak and the only one that got tested much was the one driven by Mario Andretti which he crashed the day before qualifying because of suspension failure. Chapman then withdrew all of the entries saying "My new cars are all junk and when they get back to the shop I'm going to cut them all up with a hack saw." The suspension of the 56 had been marginal with the turbine engine and the Ford was both heavier and more powerful and had been inadequate. The "lost wheel" that put the 56 driven by Hill out of the 1968 Indianapolis race had been a failed wheel hub and several times the wheel hubs on the turbine cars had failed in races after Indy in 1968 and it was one of the reasons why they never won anything.

[@coldlakealta4043]

it was said at the time that the heat waves coming off the back of the car made it difficult to follow closely

[@_Ben4810]

Nah...when you see the car working, it blows all it's air 15-20 feet up in the air...when the car was at tickover at Goodwood, it was causing all the mature tree high branches above it to shake in the exhaust breeze.

[@genekelley7579]

🛑🛑 I always wondered… What was the deal with the Yellow Left Front Wheel??

[@joelcheek3494]

I read this was so the team could identify the dar as it zoomed by. I attended the Indy 500 in 1981 and I sat behind pit road The cars went by so fast that it was difficult to see the numbers. It was just zip, zip, zip! Eventually, I joked that I thought that one was blue and the next one was red and do on. But you always knew when the stock block Chevy powered car went by, even though I could never make out the number.

[@joelcheek3494]

BTW, one of the other dars used white identifiers, and the other used green identifiers. Model Factory Hiro offers a super detailed 1/20 scale model kit of this car. I bought four so that I can build all four versions. Mike Spence died in the fourth car during practice. The kits have all the details of the four distinct versions.

[@chrisk0blu594]

During the race, Joe Leonard sported tires with a fluorescent yellow left front tire and front end. Since there were three turbine cars running in the race, the fluorescent yellow tire allowed the team to recognize Leonard’s car.

[@_Ben4810]

Parnelli & the Granatellis subsequently made some horrible backstreet garage copies of the Lotus 56 cars... Ooooffff, they were awful creations bodged to take piston engines also...The extent of just how many duplicates they made only came to light in subsequent years when the 'original' chassis Lotus 56's went in for restoration & questions began to be asked...🤔🥴😉