The Independent-News, Volume 94, Number 2, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 6 June 1968 — Page 6

— THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS — JUNE 6, 1968

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THE GREATEST AND SAF^st 500 that these eyes have seen li years of visiting Indianapolis nut one more big question mark in the controveisy of toe turbine racer in the 500. Bobby Unser, who drove a whale of a f ace and saw his chances apparently sink when a gear-shift malfunction left him with only high gear to creep from the pits losing valuable seconds, and then a yellow light that gave him another 0 laps without a chance to gain, still made it into the winners circle with an assist from another turbine failure with just a few laps to go for an easy victory. UNSER. CARRYING THE hope of the piston car fans, which was the greater part of the crowd V>y far, let everyone know that his sweet running car was carrying him as well as expected as tn- not only went after the turbines. but took the lead away from the pole setting Joe Leonard on the seventh lap and led a good share of the day after that. Once the action started, it was constant dog-eat-dog fight between Unser, Leonard and Lloyd Ruby, as these three put on quite a show for the fans at record breaking speeds the entire race. REALLY UNSER WAS THE guy that kept it interesting. He was the best hope for the piston contingment once the race got started. He showed his desire on the parade lap as he crept ahead of his row and was right behind the pace car high on the track as Fri. - Sat., June 7-8 V story as fresh as the girls in their minds . . . And as 000 l as their teacher had to be Sidney Poitier iu To Sir, With Love also Judy (Jeeson, Christian Roberts Suzy Kendall Presented in Technicolor

Swiss Steak Our Specialty! Sally Swiss 106 N. MICHIGAN (across from Wyman’s I’HONE 234-’415 SOVTH BENI), IND. Buffet Luncheon for a price of a snack only 51.19 BEVERAGE INCH DED Time it aan. to 4:30 p.m. SMORGASBORD Friday - Saturday 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. ALL YOU CAN EAT $2.00 Children under 10, 51.40 Inrl. Beverage A Dessert BUFFET DINNER Mon. thru Thur*. 4:SO to 7 p.m. — $1.49 Hoimwnadr Noodles —- No nhs-hohe Iwneragrs *ervt*d

they came down the main straightaway on this lap for the b- ne it of the fans. On the pace lap. he had fallen back and Leonard had the lead as the field had siancd to lull back getting a safer position on the track. However. as they passed on the first lap. Leonard had a definite lead, but Unser had a definite second as well as Graham Hill, in another STP Turbine had dropped back to about fifth. A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT came early when the popular little Mario Andretti pulled into the pits on the first lap. He went right on through, but came back in just two laps later, actually turning two laps on the track and went out with a burned out piston. The hard pace began to take its toll early with several cars going into the pits real early for one reason or another. Another Indianapolis favorite who has never finished well, Jim Hurtibise, called it quits on the ninth lap. but was not the second one out as Jochen Rindt made only 5 laps and George Snider also hit only nine before pulling out for good. Hurtibise, once so badly burned from a wreck that his racing days were supposedly over four years ago, was driving a roadster with a turb-charged offy power plant, but he too burned a piston, forcing him out. Big names continued to roll out one by one as Roger McCluskey was losing oil and dropped from the race after just 16 laps. MARIO ANDRETTI. WHO had climbed in his other car started by Larry Dickson, went out again after the car had run only 24 laps as that car had motor trouble. Then it was Gordon Johncock, the fast driving veteran from Hastings. Mich., who lost his rear end, forcing him out after only 37 laps. AL UNSER, ANOTHER VETeran driver who last year finished second to A. J. Foyt, spun out after hitting just 100 miles and involved in this were some other cars that eventually put Arnie Knepper and the first rookie to go out, Gary 7 Bettenhausen, after these two had made a couple

more laps after Al Unser’s wreck, but couldn't keep running. This marked 10 cars out of the race with less than one-fourth of the 500 miles run. MEANWHILE UP AT THE front, Bobby Unser was continuing a torrid pace and Leonard was sticking right to him. These two were putting on the greatest show for early power that had been since the early laps of 1955 when Bill Vokuvich Sr. and Jack McGrath tried the same thing only to have McGrath ruin his engine trying to keep up with the haru-charging Vuky. UNSER STATED AFTER the race tha. ne thought Leonard could have passed him almost anytime, but the way Unser was driving, that so-called “jet” of Leonard's would almost have to have wings. Ruby and Dan Gurney all climbed into contention with the leaders and before the last set of scheduled thiee pit stops, at one time only seven seconds separated the four cars and they were jockeying back and forth like yo yos. Gurney was the iiist to lose out and alter Ruby, who pitted before Unser and Leonard, came back on the track in the lead, hrs car developed some serious trouble for a few laps and was sputtering, missing and popping something terrible. AFTER UNSER'S ALMOST fatal pit stop when he had to leave in high gear and it took a long time to get to racing speed, it seemed like Leonard had it all to himself, especially when the yellow light prevented Unser from making any kind of a charge late in the race. However, this yellow light that seemed to be the downfall, turned out to be the thing that made the race for Unser. When Leonard was given the greten light and goahead on the 191 lap, the turbine didn't respond. To the cheers of the crowd and another manum^ntal heartbreak to Andy Granatelli, Unser sped by on his way to the win. JUST FOR GOOD MEASURE, just almost seconds after Leonard went out, the public address system screamed the troubles of Art Pollard on the back straightaway as the third and final turbine bit the dust. Power failures were the result, just to what extent, it has never been clearly defined, but a "flame-out” was the stated reason after the machines had been running only part throttle for several laps. tjEnsTxJCSJHPSEJSS] June 5-6-7 Wed., Thurs., Fri. Double Feature Five Million Years To Earth Today’s Science or Fiction In Color The Viking Queen with Don Murray Cant a Sat unlay, June Bth Triple Feature First To Fight Story of the Marines with Chad Everett A Big Hand For The Little Lady with Henry Fonda Joanne Woodward Fathom In Color Raquel Welch, She’s a Sky Diving Darling Sun., Mon., Tues. June 9-10-11 Who’s Afraid Os Virginia Woolf with Elizabeth Taylor Richard Burton Inside Daisy Clover with Natalie Wood.

Robert E. Urhin, Editor PUBLISHER The Independent-News Co., Inc. 601-03 Roosevelt Road, Walkerton, Indiana 46574 Telephone 586-3139 PUBLICATION TIME: Thursday of Each Week Second Class Postage Paid At Walketon, Indiana SUBSCRUTION RATES: SB.OO Per Year -50 c Additional If Mailed Out Os State Member Os The Hoosier State Press Association Second (’lass Postage Paid At W’alkerton, Indiana

UNSER THEN WAS ALL alone. All he had to do was keep his car lunning and keep it out of trouble. This he did to accept the white and then checkeied flags as the 1968 winner. This gave the 500 mile title to Bobby as well as three of the other four USAC races run this year and he has already taken a tremendous lead in points toward the driving title. THIS RACE WAS A VERY good example ot speed and what it can do to a car. There was actually very few mishaps for such speed, but the toll of cars was tremendous as the list of cars that dropped out indicates. One by one they were pulling into the pits for the Offenhauser engine as all of the cars running < except Gurney and Dennis Hulme ; were turbo-dharged Offy’s, thus ; ■breaking the dominance Ford : supposedly was building In re- ! cent years. Jt also was another ' win for Goodyear in the battle of ■ the tires, but this appears to be • just a matter of choice as the tire failure at Indianapolis is a ■ thing of the past. HOWEVER, THE CONTRO- : versy of the turbine goes on. Ar- : ter the race,, the owners of the piston cars voted to have USAC ■

ban the turbines. Some thoughts are they aren't safe, but the results of this race still prove that the turbine, although a very fine piece of racing equipment, is not perfected in such as the r 3O mile race. A great race, a great driver wins and once again, the 500 is over until next Memorial Day and the pre-race activity and thrills of the month of May in Indianapolis. FULL TIME JOB People engaged in the pursuit of happiness have no time to spend trying to get even. Use Common Sense When Driving E Specialising in Permanent s Waving | Dede’s | Beauty Salon E Hair Shaping. Coloring A ~ = Phone 586-3644 g Operators: DEDE FEJES s 968 Rsonevelt Road Walkerton. Indiana nmiraiiiiiuiiiiuiiiiHiiiiiiiuiiiiiimir