1963 Tony Bettenhausen 200 Explained

The 1963 Tony Bettenhausen 200 was the seventh round of the 1963 USAC Championship Car season, held on August 18, 1963, at the 1miles Milwaukee Mile, in West Allis, Wisconsin.

The race was the first American Championship Car race won by a rear-engined car. Jim Clark and Team Lotus had finished second at the 1963 Indianapolis 500 after a controversy surrounding the lack of a black flag for winner Parnelli Jones, whose car was leaking oil. Colin Chapman and Team Lotus decided to return to Champ Car competition at Milwaukee and Trenton later in the year. The rear-engined Lotuses dominated practice and qualifying, breaking the track record by over a second. In the race, Clark led all 200 laps and lapped the entire field, save for second place A. J. Foyt. Clark's teammate Dan Gurney finished third, battling a misfire.[1]

Although a rear-engined car would not win the Indianapolis 500 until 1965, the win signaled a shift in Champ Car design. The last win for a front-engined roadster on a paved track was the opening round of the 1965 season at Phoenix,[2] barely a year and a half after Clark's Milwaukee victory.

Qualifying

Clark, Gurney, Foyt, and Jones broke the previous qualifying record set in 1961 by Don Branson at 34.09 sec (105.62 mph / 169.94 km/h).

Race result

Pos No. Driver Team/Sponsor Car Laps Time/Retired Grid Laps Led Points
192 Jim ClarkLotus Powered by FordLotus-Ford2001:54:53.0981200400
22 A. J. FoytSheraton-ThompsonTrevis-Offenhauser200Finished30320
393 Dan GurneyLotus Powered by FordLotus-Ford199+ 1 Lap20280
41 Rodger WardKaiser AluminumWatson-Offenhauser199+ 1 Lap140240
510 Chuck HulseDean Van LinesEwing-Offenhauser197+ 3 Laps60200
614 Roger McCluskeyKonstant HotWatson-Offenhauser197+ 3 Laps150160
746 Johnny RutherfordRacing AssociatesTurner-Chevrolet196+ 3 Laps90120
838 Jim HurtubiseKonstant HotPhilipp-Offenhauser195+ 5 Laps130100
929 Bobby GrimVita Fresh Orange JuiceKuzma-Offenhauser195+ 5 Laps16080
104 Don BransonLeader Card 500Watson-Offenhauser194+ 6 Laps11060
118 Jim McElreathJim Forbes RacingWatson-Offenhauser194+ 6 Laps23040
1220 Len SuttonLeader Card 500Watson-Offenhauser193+ 7 Laps20020
1386 Bob VeithRacing AssociatesPorter-Offenhauser193+ 7 Laps80
1427 Troy RuttmanDayton Steel WheelWatson-Offenhauser190+ 10 Laps170
1561 Bob MathouserFederal EngineeringKurtis-Offenhauser189+ 11 Laps240
1626 Bob WenteMorcroftTrevis-Offenhauser187+ 13 Laps210
1789 Jack ConelyJ & E EngineeringDunn-Offenhauser174+ 26 Laps260
1881 Bud TingelstadGabriel ShockerKuzma-Offenhauser160Magneto200
1921 Johnny WhitePfrommer TruckingMeskowski-Offenhauser157Blown engine100
2053 Chuck RodeeSpirit of St. LouisWatson-Offenhauser67Oil line250
2137 Ed KostenukCity of VictoriaKurtis-Offenhauser64Water hose180
225 Bobby MarshmanEcono Car RentalEpperly-Offenhauser56Differential120
2398 Parnelli JonesAgajanian/Willard BatteryWatson-Offenhauser42Brakes40
249 Eddie SachsBryant Heating & CoolingWatson-Offenhauser37Overheating220
2545 Al MillerBardahlWatson-Offenhauser27Wrecked70
2635 Lloyd RubyGabriel ShockerTrevis-Offenhauser11Engine50
DNS33 Ralph LiguoriConcannonKurtis-Offenhauseralign=center-DNSalign=center-0
DNS95 Bob MacLeanMitchell GallasKurtis-Offenhauseralign=center-DNSalign=center-0
DNS66 Mickey ShawLil-BeanieMeskowski-Chevroletalign=center-DNSalign=center-0
[3]

Standings after the race

National Championship standings
PosDriverPoints
1 A. J. Foyt2000
2 Rodger Ward1450
3 Parnelli Jones1330
4 Jim Clark1200
5 Jim McElreath975

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Case . Dean . The Day the Dinosaurs Died . 28 February 2011.
  2. Web site: Crucean. Gene. American Motorsports Timeline. Crucean Auto Racing Photography. 6 March 2011. January 8, 2010.
  3. Web site: Tony Bettenhausen 200. Champ Car Stats. 28 February 2011.

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