SPECIAL EVENT (INDIANAPOLIS) - LEGENDARY DAREDEVIL KNIEVEL HAD INDY 500 CONNECTION

Legendary daredevil Evel Knievel, who died Nov. 30 at age 69, sponsored the entry driven by popular veteran Gary Bettenhausen in the 1977 Indianapolis 500.

Bettenhausen started 21st and finished 16th in the No. 98 Agajanian/Evel Knievel Dragon/Offy, dropping out with clutch problems after completing 138 laps.

Bettenhausen’s car was painted in the familiar red, white and blue, star-spangled paint scheme that Knievel used on his motorcycle during his daring jumps over such landmarks as the fountain at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Bettenhausen’s racing suit also resembled the famous leathers worn by Knievel during his stunts.

The colorful, outspoken Knievel captured the attention of the world during the 1970s through his death-defying motorcycle jumps. Perhaps his most outlandish stunt came in 1974 when he attempted to jump Snake River Canyon in Idaho in a rocket-powered “Skycycle.” The jump failed.

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2008 IMS tickets: Tickets for all three world-class events in 2008 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway – the 92nd Indianapolis 500, 15th Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP – are on sale.

Fans have three easy methods to buy tickets: Online at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com at any time; on the phone by calling (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or (317) 492-6700 locally between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; or visiting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office on the first floor of the IMS Administration Building at 4790 W. 16th St. in Indianapolis from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday.