Autosport (UK)

RATHMANN WINS THE GREATEST DUEL

-

“WARD, LEADING WITH FOUR LAPS TO GO, SAW WHITE CORD AND BACKED OFF”

2

In qualifying the talk had been all about Eddie Sachs taking a new four-lap qualifying record of 146.592mph on Pole Day. Yet eight days later, on the fourth and final day of qualifying, astounding rookie Jim Hurtubise slid his Christense­n-offy around the Brickyard with a new technique and at an astonishin­g average of 149.056mph. Of course, it was the wrong day to do that and he wound up 23rd on the grid; he would climb to fifth on race day but was halted by his engine throwing a rod.

So instead the race became one of the greatest duels of all time, a rematch of the

1959 race, when Rodger Ward had beaten Jim Rathmann. This time it was anyone’s guess as to who would win but it was sure to be one of these two – no one else led after lap 95, the pair outpacing early leaders such as Sachs, 1952 winner Troy Ruttman and Johnny Thomson.

Ward had overcome a stall in the pits at his first stop, which had left him stationary for over a minute in an era when stops typically lasted barely more than 20s. It took him almost an hour to get up to the lead once more, but the fact that he could do so suggested his Leader Card entry clearly had the pace.

But he just could not shake Rathmann’s similar Watson-offy (left) run by Ken Paul.

Over the second half of the race, they swapped the lead a remarkable 14 times.

Ward was trying to nurse his tyres but, when Rathmann received word via pitboard that Thomson had got a second wind and was catching the pair of them, both were obliged to run a hotter pace, to the detriment of their rubber.

Ward, leading with four laps to go, suddenly saw white cord showing through his right-front Firestone. Rather than risk a blowout, and disincline­d to sacrifice a big payday by pitting, he backed off, allowing Rathmann a clear run to victory, having finished runner-up on three previous occasions.

 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom