Posts Tagged ‘Jimmy Clark’

My First Indy 500

Friday, May 25th, 2012

This past week at my Toastmasters club, each member reminisced about his or her first Indy 500. I thought I would share my memories of the race along with some documentation from the Indianapolis Star.

As some of you might know, I attended Indianapolis 500 practice and qualifications with my dad and uncles starting in the early 1950’s. I really enjoyed watching the activities from many vantage points around the track. One of my favorites is in the grandstand outside of turn one. I especially liked watching the drivers work their roadsters through the curve. Every driver had his particular groove around the track.

My dad enjoyed listening to the race on the radio instead of being there in person, so I was left to my own devices to go to the race. Finally, on Thursday, May 30, 1963, my chance arrived. One of my neighborhood buddies, dad was an Indianapolis Motor Speedway patrolman and saved us a place along the fence inside of turn one. There I was with 275,000 other people watching all of the pre-race festivities from our prime spot on the fence.


Dennis E. Horvath at Indy 500

Dennis E. Horvath at Indy 500
Copyright ©1964 Indianapolis Star

We were unaware that Indianapolis Star photographer Tommy Wadelton was documenting the action from the other side of the fence. There we were in the middle of his photograph published in the Indianapolis Star on May 24, 1964. That skinny kid in sunglasses with a flat-top in the second row is me. Just to my right behind me was Jay Skoda and to my right in the front row was Larry Stroudman. I wasn’t wearing a hat to cover my head on that sunny day and that caused me to get a bad sun burn on my scalp. So that’s why you most always see me with a hat of some kind.

Oh well, back to the race. My favorite driver, Parnelli Jones, started the race in pole position. Jim Hurtubise started in the middle of the first row. Hurtubise led the first lap of the race, but Parnelli recaptured the lead on the second lap. About mid-way through the race, signs of oil started to show on the external oil tank of Parnelli’s car. Every lap we wondered if he would be black flagged for dropping oil. Finally, the concern about dropping oil went away. Yahoo! Parnell won the race with Jimmy Clark finishing second in a rear-engine Lotus Powered by Ford racer.

Memories of my first Indy 500 are fresh in my mind today, some 49 years later. That 1963 race was the first of many at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was probably one of the things that sparked my interest in automobiles. See you at the track.

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1965 Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine

Sunday, December 18th, 2011

Following the 1964 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, Ford Motor Company decided to develop its 500 horsepower 1965 Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine. Many of the 1965 Indy 500 participants designed or purchased vehicles built around this now famous engine. Here is the story from my collection of mid-1960s Indianapolis 500 Mile Race press kits.


1965 Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine

1965 Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine
Copyright © 1965 Ford Motor Company

Ford Engineering was assigned the task of preparing the basic double-overhead-cam engine for production. It was primarily a job of redesign for production, plus durability improvements based on findings from the 1964 race. For instance, the 1964 engine experienced valve-spring failure due to excessive interference of inner to outer springs. This situation was corrected by a controlled select fit.

The engine’s lubrication was improved to protect against anticipated higher RPM and greater loads in 1965. The oil pressure was increased from 65 to 115 pounds. The entire lubrication system was enlarged to allow for freer flow and better cooling.

The connecting rods were strengthened and the crankshaft redesigned for 100 percent internal balance. As a result, the loading of the main bearings was improved.

In addition to the push for increased engine durability for 1965, considerable time was spent improving fuel economy. The 1965 version had two basic fuel systems – the modified Hilborn pump used in 1964 and a Ford injection system using a boost venturi in place of an injector nozzle. Economy was improved as much as 20 percent with the second system.

Since the selection of fuel for the 1965 race was at the discretion of the car owner, Ford calibrated fuel systems for blends of 80 percent methanol and 20 percent toluene, benzol, or gasoline. Additional tests were run on methanol with small percentages of nitro methane added, because most owners used some nitro in qualifying. These tests yielded information needed to determine calibration of the fuel system and spark requirements.

The 1965 Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine developed close to 500 horsepower at 8,600 RPM and 333 pound feet of torque at 6,700 RPM, an increase of over six percent over the 1964 offering. The engine’s operating limit was raised to 8,800 RPM.

Considerable attention was given in selection and training of personnel to assemble the production engine. A service manual was prepared to aid the car builders and mechanics in maintaining engines, and facilities were established for factory rebuilding engines if desired by owners.

The Meyer-Drake firm was the sole agent for the sale and servicing this engine. The company established an Indianapolis facility for parts and equipment for the racing fraternity.

Ford hosted a 10-day seminar for race mechanics in Dearborn, MI, devoted to care and maintenance of the engine. They observed engine disassembly, reassembly, and explanations of all design phases. Ford personnel were available at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to provide technical assistance and parts selection to meet owners’ performance requirements.

All of this pre-race preparation paid-off for Ford in 1965. Seventeen of the 33 cars in the starting field had this engine. Jimmy Clark drove his Lotus powered by Ford to first place in the Indianapolis 500. In fact, The 1965 Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine captured positions 1-4 and 7-9 finishing positions.

The 1965 Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine in various configurations enjoyed success in Indy Car racing and other venues for a number of years.

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Jimmy Clark in a sprint car?

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

The other day, while perusing my collection of mid-1960s Indianapolis 500 Mile Race press kits, I found this photo of Jimmy Clark sitting in a Ford Model T sprint car. Let me tell you the story behind this photo.


Jimmy Clark in Ford Model T Sprint Car

Jimmy Clark in Ford Model T Sprint Car
Copyright © 1965 Ford Motor Company

In 1965, Ford Motor Company entered two Lotus powered by Ford specials in the Indianapolis 500. In the process of developing these racers, the company developed the 495 horsepower Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine available for use by the entire racing fraternity.

The 1965 Ford Motor Company press kit explaining their entries included this photograph showing the old and new look at Indianapolis. A Lotus-Ford is in the foreground with Jimmy Clark trying out the cockpit of the vintage sprint car in the background. What a contrast between 48 years of technological development, front-engine versus rear-engine, four-cylinder versus eight-cylinder, and valve-in-head versus double-overhead-cam!

In 1963, Clark won “Rookie of the Year” honors for placing second in a Ford-powered Lotus entry. Clark earned the coveted pole position with a speed of 158.828 mph in 1964 in another Lotus-Ford. Unfortunately he dropped out of the race after 47 laps with mechanical failure.

The third time would be the charm for Jim Clark driving the Lotus powered by Ford entry to first place in 1965 Indianapolis 500. A second Lotus-Ford driven by Bobby Johns finished seventh. The Ford double-overhead-cam V-8 racing engine powered a number of other entries in this race.

So, that’s the story of Jimmy Clark sitting in a sprint car. I often wondered how would Jimmy Clark do driving around a ½ mile dirt track in a 1960s era sprint car? I guess that’s a discussion for another day.

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Ultimate Indianapolis 500 Winning Car Collection

Sunday, March 20th, 2011

If you’re going to be in Indianapolis between now and the end of May 2011, you have to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Mall of Fame Museum to see the Ultimate Indianapolis 500 Winning Car Collection. This salute to the 100th Anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 is a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of 67 vehicles representing 71 victories.

IMS Entrance atrium with Borg-Warner Trophy and the 1960 Jim Rathman Ken-Paul Special
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Hall of Fame Museum
Entrance atrium with Borg-Warner Trophy
and the 1960 Jim Rathman Ken-Paul Special
Copyright © 2011 Dennis E. Horvath


The exhibit includes 31 winning cars owned by the IMS Hall of Fame Museum and 36 privately owned cars that have been loaned for this unique exhibit. Cars included in the exhibit range from the 1911 Marmon Wasp driven by Ray Harroun to the 2010 Dallara/Honda driven by Dario Franchitti.

The pre World War II era is represented by 10 cars. Every winning car from the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s, and 1990s is here. This group includes each car driven by the three four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500, A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears.

Indianapolis-built cars are represented by the 1911 Marmon Wasp, the 1912 National driven by Joe Dawson, and the 1922 Duesenberg/Miller driven by Jimmy Murphy. The 1922 Duesenberg was the same car that Murphy drove to win the 1921 French Grand Prix (an American first) with while powered by a straight-eight Duesenberg engine. The car as presented by IMS is the number 12 French GP livery of red wheels, white body with American flag on the tail, and dark blue frame.

I spent a lot of my time at the exhibit reminiscing about my first Indianapolis 500 in 1963. Parnelli Jones drove his J.C. Agajanian’s Willard Battery Special roadster and bested Jimmy Clark in a rear-engine Lotus/Ford at the dawn of the rear engine revolution. Exhibit cars are arranged in chronological order so you get an idea of the design progression from year to year. It seems that the cars didn’t take on their commercial billboard flair until the 1980s.

If you want to get an idea of Indianapolis 500 cars across the past century, this is a must see exhibit. The museum was packed during our visit with a 500 Winners autographing event. I am sure this will be a popular exhibit during its run thru the end of May.

So, stop in and reminisce about your Indianapolis 500 memories. We’d also like to know so share them here.

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