The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 1

The Indianapolis Star TODAY'S CHUCKLE Inflation is when, after yon get the money to buy some tiling, it isn't enough. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty" 11 Cor. 3:17 VOL, 72, NO. 355 MONDAY, MAY 26, 1975 CARRIER DELIVERED 75c PER WK. StMlt ST MOTOR DELIVERED Nc PER WK.

Copy XtHy Bobby ain-Cut WEATHER TODAY Thunderstorms High, 85; Low, 62 Yesterday High, 85; Low, 66 wins right in the middle of what was shaping up as a dandy sprint race to the finish. Instead, the race was halted after 435 miles. Seven of the finishers spun wildly into the wall and each other just before the halt and even the winner almost drowned before he could reach shelter. ALTHOUGH THE MAN from Albuquerque, N.M., who also won the By RAY MARQUETTE Bobby overcame the odds, A. J.

Foyt and a sudden, violent rainstorm yesterday afternoon to win his second Indianapolis 500-Mile Race as an estimated 300,000 fans ran for cover. The sudden onslaught of wet stuff caught everyone by surprise and came world's richest auto race in 1968, wouldn't come right out and say it, he had to be as happy as anyone could be that the final 25 laps around the 2V2-mile track weren't run. Johnny Rutherford and Foyt were on the same lap and no one could be certain that any of the trio could go the distance without making another stop for fuel. Rutherford, the 1974 Indy champion, was just as sure he could have won a stretch duel as Bobby but there is no way in the world anyone will know. IT WAS A HECK of a race all the way until the rainstorm, with Tom Sneva surviving one of the wildest crashes in Speedway history in which the engine was torn completely off his Norton Spirit" McLaren and the car cartwheeled off the second-turn wall in a ball of flame.

The cars running behind him including Bobby last official lap of the race and knew darned well he could have made it all the way. FOYT WAS the pre-race favorite to wheel his Gilmore Coyote into the Victory Circle for. a record fourth time, but his chance slipped early because of a blistered tire. Then he ran out of fuel and had to make a long and costly stop for a restart. To add further injury to insult, Foyt hobbled into the infield hospital alter the race was stopped by a display of red and checkered flags, and was treated for bruises on his right buttock, suffered when he bumped around the debris of Sneva's crash.

Sneva's Hopes darted down through the grass on the inside of the track. Pinned in his car for several anxious minutes, Sneva was helped to an ambulance, treated in the track hospital for burns, then taken to Methodist Hospital for further examination. Doctors found him in good condition, but kept him in intensive care for treatment of second-degree burns on his leg, chest, back and arms and face. THAT WAS THE ONLY serious mishap of the hot, muggy day in which track temperatures reached 150 before the midpoint of the race. Bobby Unser calmly played a waiting game until his final bid for the lead and the lion's share of the $1 million purse that will 'oe paid at to-nighfs Victory Dinner.

Rutherford, who came in for fuel on the 171st of the 174-lap race, figured he was all set for the distance but it would have been close since his Gatorade McLaren had not gone more than 26 laps between stops earlier in the afternoon. And Bobby U. nosed his Jorgensen Eagle in for a final gulp of methanol on what turned out to be the in illiuil.i.imiMiiMi mm nullum i imi iiiiwiMiyiijiy Turn To Page 8, Column 1 it St Crash l'icliire Vnp 9 Ol her Siorios, PiHurs 10. II. I I.

15. 27, 52 And In Sporl Slion WOTS avSalf III 3 How They Finished (Unofficial) 1 cv 1 Finished Started Driver Laps RunningReason 1 3 Bobby Unser 174 Running 2 7 Johnny Rutherford 174 Running 3 1 A. J. Foyt 174 Running 4 18 Duane Carter Jr. 169 Running 5 22 Roger McCluskey 167 Running 6 15 Bill Puterbaugh 165 Running 7 24 George Snider 165 Running 8 8 Bill Vukovich 164 Running 21 Wally Dallenbach 162 Piston 10 23 Bob HarkeySalt Walthcr 162 Running 11 29 Steve Krisiloff 162 Running 12 26 Sheldon Kinser 161 Running 13 20 Jerry Karl 161 Running 14 10 Jimmy Caruthers 161 Accident 15 19 Gary Bettenhausen 158 Accident 16 11 Al Unser 156 Conn.

Rod 17 25 Sam Sessions 155 Engine 18 33 Tom Bipelow 151 Magneto 10 12 Johnny Parsons HO Transmission 20 14 Jerry Grant 138 Piston 21 30 Dick Simon 133 Running 22 4 Tom Sneva 121 Accident 23 17 Bcntley Warren 121 Accident 21 32 Eldon Rasmusscn Valve 25 13 Bobbv Allison 2 Gear box 26 5 Mike'Mosley 94 Engine 27 16 John Martin 61 Radiator 28 27 Mario Andretti 49 Accident 29 31 Mike Hiss 39 Accident 30 28 Larry McCoy 24 Piston yi 2 Gordon Johncock Ignition 32 6 Lloyd Ruby 1 Piston 33 9 Salt Walthcr 3 Ignition A 4 1 Tom Sneva's Car Disintegrates In Front Of VIP Suite Star IM10I0 Itv Tmti Itick BOBBY BEAT STAGE BUILDERS Unser Reaps Rewards Victory Lane Soggy, Calm, But Driver's Circle Charmed By DAVE OVERPECK Among the various Victory Lane scenes, this year's has to rank among the more impromptu and, paradoxically, among the more calm. The rainstorm, quick to come and quick to go, hit so suddenly that only a few of Bobby Unser's well-wishers were prepared to meet him. At 1:54 rain was threatening. At 1:55 it was sprinkling. At 1:56 it was a downpour.

In the post-race interview, Unser, winning for the second time to match brother Al, said, "I was on the back-stretch when Dan (Gurney, owner and builder of the Jorgensen Eagle) told me it was rainiig. "I told him, 'you gotta be But by the time I got to the third turn it wasn't raining it was a downpour." As it was, the victor's stage in Victory Lane was barely prepared. It The Weather normally doesn't start going up until the leader has completed 175 laps. There was only a handful of people in the area beneath the Control Tower when the first wisps of precipitation fell. And only Bobby's girlfriend, Marcia Sale, had arrived by the time the skies emptied.

The interval seemed interminable between the time the national champion took the checkered and red flags and the time he made it to the rain-soaked but still charmed circle. As he drove the last circuit around the treacherously rain-slick track, a crowd began to fill Victory Lane. But car owner Gurney finally winning after 14 years of trying that included a trio of second-place finishes didn't show up until Unser, engine still ning, appeared at the gate before the glass and steel tower. Sponsors from Jorgensen Steel were there. Goodyear was there.

The safety crew was still trying to Inside Today's Star News Summary On Page 4 CVA wy4i fsiu II steer people wide on the winner's platform. Miss Sale, soaked, was naturally reluctant to yield too much of an advantage. "I want to get there first," she said as the platform began to fill. "Stand right there and don't worry," she was advised. It worked out.

When the Eagle finally rolled to a stop, and Unser had stripped off his helmet and fire-protective hood, she was the first to greet him. IN FACT, "500" Festival Queen Kathy Ball finished one of the poorest seconds of any of the graciously beautiful women who have decorated Victory Lane. By the time he was reminded to give her a kiss, he had warmly bussed Marcia, addressed the world through Lou Palmer's Speedway Network microphone and shifted Victory Lane personnel around to get his Jorgensen sponsors into the winning pictures. In the meantime, Gurney stood on the left side of the car and smiled a lot. Asked if this were his biggest thrill, he said, "Naw, there's still the day I got married." Through it all, one Robert Unser from Albuquerque, N.M., remained the calmest man of all.

He faced the questions, he administered the perfunctory kisses on cue, he behaved as an experienced winner. HOWEVER, he wasn't too sure what was expected. "You never get used to winning this," said the man who claimed his first title in 1968. There came the call for Gurney to administer a victory kiss to Unser. He did twice but not with the same fervor that Andy Granatelli bestowed one upon Mario Andretti in 1969.

Finally, in barely 15 minutes, it was bver. Not because of Unser, though. He could have stayed a while longer in the sopping wet area. But there was really nothing left to do. So Bobby started toward his victory lap in the Buick pace car in what had Joe Crow Says: Guess you could call yesterday's "500" "Greatest Spectacle in Raining." Food ......17 29 Obituaries .41 26 Sports 19 Statistics ...51 32 TV-Radio ...22 19 Want Ads.

42-51 24 "Weather ...51 40 Women Amusement Pages .28, Billy Graham Bridge Comics Crossword Editorials Finance Indianapolis Cloudy, humid today and tonight with chance of thunderstorms; highs today 85, low 62. Indiana Mostly cloudy, warm today and tonight with chance of thunderstorms; highs 85-89, lows 58-62. Memorial Day Ad Schedule. The Star's Want Ad and Public Service counters are closed today. Want Ad phone service will be available from noon until 3 p.m.

Death notices will be taken during these hours and until Star Telephone Numbers Circulation Main Office 633-1240 Want Ads Scores After 4:30 p.m 633-1200 Today's Prayer As we look back and honor the many who have died in the service of our country, let us remember, Lord, to work to protect the freedom for which they )iave given their lives. Amen. (Star Photo By Jerry Clark) BOBBV UNSER GETS VICTORY KISS FROM OWNER DAN GURNEY Well-Wfiers Include '500' Festival Queen Kathy 'JJall "1 just a sprinkle. 0.