Article: Hoosier Hundred Retrospective

Track Enterprises Press Release

Track Enterprises is proud to be in the second year of promotion of the most prestigious national championship dirt track race in the world, the Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The 55th edition comes on Friday night May 25 and as part of the annual Indianapolis 500 Memorial Day weekend we present this written trip down memory lane as we celebrate the anniversary of some of the greatest races in Hoosier Hundred history.

Fifty Years Ago

Big Okie Jud Larson was the story on the flat one-mile oval on September 14, 1957. With the “Arizona Cowboy” Jimmy Bryan in search of a fourth consecutive Hoosier Hundred triumph, not to mention a third national championship, Larson stole the show. Thirty-three entries dotted Jo Quinn’s program for the fifth running of Indiana’s second biggest motor sports event meaning that fifteen would not see the green flag. Larson set quick time for car owner Zink on a fast track under an overcast sky by bettering his own track record by over two miles an hour. The original “Flying Scot” Johnny Thomson put the D-A Lubricant Kuzma on the outside of the front row as Rodger Ward, Don Branson, Bryan and Johnny Boyd rounded out the front three rows with Boyd the fastest roadster (yes, roadster) entered. Rookie A.J. Foyt missed the show in the Hoover Motor Express. Thomson got the jump on Larson at the green flag as Larson seemed content to let Thomson lead, which Johnny did until the rear end went out on the D-A car after the completion of lap 57. Larson led the rest of the way with Bryan gaining valuable points toward another national title.

Forty Years Ago

One year after breaking a brake pedal three miles from the end, A.J. Foyt returned to the Indiana State Fairgrounds with his third Indy 500 win in his pocket and was a strong candidate for an unprecedented fifth national title. Standing in his way was last year’s Hoosier Hundred winner and Indy pole sitter Mario Andretti, Foyt’s closest challenger for the USAC National Championship. Twenty-nine cars entered Jo Quinn’s fifteenth Hoosier Hundred for September 9, 1967. Qualifying was held under a hot, sunny Hoosier sky and transplanted Californian Bruce Walkup shocked everyone by setting Jim Robbins’ Grant King Ford on the pole with a new track record of over 104 miles an hour. Andretti put the Dean Kuzma on the outside of the front row with Foyt and Bobby Unser in row two and Jim McElreath and Al Unser in the third row. On the start Andretti tried to take the lead on the outside but Walkup blocked the move and jumped to the lead. Andretti eventually took the rookie getting past on lap 15 and built a lead as the pearl white, blue and red mount of Foyt had trouble getting by Walkup. Foyt eventually chased him down and got by, but Foyt could not catch Mario as Andretti had an eleven second cushion. Mario went on to win his second and last Hoosier Hundred but the points were not enough to keep Foyt from his sixth national title.

Thirty Years Ago

A changing of the guard in the USAC ranks was never more evident than in 1977, as a number of accomplished veterans would be on the sidelines for today’s event A new format was also in place with a last chance ‘semi feature’ set to fill the field, now expanded from 24 to 28 starters. Four-time Hoosier Hundred winner Al Unser had to sweat it out on the bubble as he barely made the field in the George Middleton Pizza Hut Ford. A.J. Foyt, fresh from his thrilling record fourth Indy 500 win, couldn’t find the groove in qualifying and was relegated to the last chance race where he, Jim Hurtubise and Arnie Knepper all crashed ending Foyt’s consecutive starts streak in the Hoosier Hundred at 19. Steve Chassey won the first ever last chancce race for the Dirt Track Division and Foyt watched with a sellout crowd as Pancho Carter took the pole with a lap of over 102 miles an hour on a one groove track, then led all 100 miles for his lone Hoosier Hundred win. Larry Rice finished second earning enough points to win the USAC Dirt Track title as Al Unser put on a real show for the fans coming from 24th to 5th at the end.

Twenty Years Ago

Very few drivers in the USAC Silver Crown division had anything for Jack Hewitt on the mile dirt tracks. Hewitt swept the miles in 1986 on his way to the national title, and was coming off wins at both Springfield and DuQuoin entering the 1987 Hoosier Hundred. A number of drivers were going to try to stop the Hewitt Express on September 12, 1987 including Steve Butler and Jeff Swindell, the latter setting a world one lap record at Springfield in August. Dave Blaney’s 108 mile an hour lap in qualifying edged Hulman 100 winner Swindell out of the top slot as a large field ensured two last chance races. Warm temperatures made for a one groove track around the pole and fellow Buckeye state residents Blaney and Kenny Jacobs kept a large crowd entertained with a duel at the front of the pack. Blaney led the first 85 laps until Jacobs, driving for Dick Hammond and Galen Fox powered past Blaney for the first 100-mile dirt track win for the “Mouse”. Hewitt wound up third and had another Silver Crown title in his pocket as Butler dropped out and finished last.

Ten Years Ago

A.J. Foyt’s move of the Hoosier Hundred to the traditional Hulman 100 May date was controversial to many for a number of reasons, but a good sized crowd turned out two nights before the “500” for the annual dirt car affair. A large field of cars was present as many of the top dirt cars in the division came out on Indy 500 weekend for what would be the last dry night for about three days. Dave Darland had won three straight races on the Indy mile and was looking to equal Al Unser’s record of four. Indiana native Russ Gamester grabbed the pole at over 114 miles an hour as the track turned out to be quite fast. Veteran Chuck Gurney started alongside Gamester and many thought Gurney was primed for his third win. The surprise of the night was the run of Greenfield’s Chuck Leary, who brought the family Beast from fifth to first, took the lead from Gurney on lap 81 and never looked back. The race was stopped twice for accidents, Hewitt flipped in a four car melee on lap 13 and Randy Bateman got upside down with less thant 25 to go.

Last Year

Just when the race looked like it might never be held again, Promoter Bob Sargent stepped in and with the aid of local businessman Bob Parker, former driver Larry Rice, the Indiana State Fair staff and the Governor’s office made the needed track improvements to run the 54th Hoosier Hundred. Rains made the track moist but it quickly dried out in practice. Josh Wise took the pole in the new ‘pack’ qualifying procedure with a lap of over 100 miles an hour and young Ricky Stenhouse won the last chance event. Tony Stewart teammate Levi Jones took the lead at the start and led the first 99 laps with Wise hot on his tail. Wise electrified the crowd with a banzai move on the outside in the third turn and the Californian headed for the biggest win of his career and perhaps the closest finish since Larry Rice, Rich Vogler and Gary Bettenhausen finished under a blanket in 1981.

The 55th running of the Hoosier Hundred promises to be just as exciting. Practice begins May 25 at 5 EDT, with qualifications at 6 and the 100-mile race at 8. Tickets can be obtained by calling Track Enterprises at 217-764-3200 or the Indiana State Fair Box Office at 317-927-1482. A $5 off admission coupon good on race day sales only is available at participating Indianpolis Kroger locations.