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Stories of the 500: 1965 INDY

21 May 1997

It was 1965 and never before had the speedway seen such a diverse and able group of drivers gathered to race for 500 miles and fame and glory. Former World Racing champion Jim Clark of Scotland was joined by Grand Prix stars Dan Gurney and Masten Gregory. A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, and rookie Mario Andretti led the American speedway contingent. Sports car ace Walt Hansgen represented domestric road racers and Bobby Johns of Miami was on hand from the southern stock car circuit. The race was to be fiercely contested with Foyt, Clark, and Jones all driving Lotus cars as the leading protagonists.

During practice Jones and Foyt expressed serious concerns about the stamina of the lightly constructed Lotus cars, and both drivers were involved in high speed crashes caused by suspension failures that supported their misgivings. Clark on the other hand seemed pleased with his car and its near perfect performance throughout the whole month of May.

On the first day of qualifying. before 150,000 fans A.J. set a new record and won the pole position with a ten mile average speed of 161 mph. On race day though it was to be all Jim Clark.

At the drop of the starter's flag Clark out-accelerated the field, dove into the first turn ahead of Foyt and mooved the Texan out of the groove in the best dirt track style of racing. Though Foyt took the lead the next time around, the speedy Scot was back in front by lap number three. With the exception of nine laps when he made pit stops, Clark lead throughout the afternoon. When he had run out the 500 miles he had a five mile lead over second place finisher Parnelli Jones. Even Foyt, who has been called America's greatest race driver, was a lap behind when transmission problems forced him out.

Jim Clark and designer Colin Chapman had proved the American speedway contingent wrong. They had shown that it is no longer necessary to rely on heavy Indianaplis roadsters so long supreme at the Hoosier track. Twelve hundred pound cars can incorporate the necessary strength to run the 500 miles at top speed, and not miss a beat all day.

Clark and his team came to Indianapolis prepared to race, and the team performed like the professionals they were. From a prize fund totalling $628,000 the flying Scot earned $168,000 and the special glory reserved only for the winner of the Indianapolis 500 . . . the greatest spectacle in racing.

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel