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Preview of Joe Leonard 1968 Indy500 Pole by Rodney Evans
Preview of Joe Leonard 1968 Indy500 Pole by Rodney Evans
Preview of Joe Leonard 1968 Indy500 Pole by Rodney Evans

Joe Leonard 1968 Indy500 Pole

Lotus 49 by Rodney EvansRodney Evans

About this paint

May 1968 - Indianapolis, Indiana - Joe Leonard was entered to race the Vels Ford Sales Ford powered Morris #9 but was soon hired to drive one of the new STP Lotus wedge cars powered by a Pratt & Whitney turbine for the legendary team owner Andy Granatelli. A move that would skyrocket Joe Leonard to fame and popularity. Joe was teamed up with Art Pollard and 1966 Indy 500 Champion and Formula One star Graham Hill. Formula One star Mike Spence was on the STP team also, but suffered fatal injuries in practice driving another STP Turbine. On May 21, Andy Granatelli announced that the STP Turbines would run in all the remaining USAC Championship races. In practice leading up to the race Joe Leonard was the fastest of the day on May 22nd. On pole day for the 500, teammate Graham Hill was the first car to roll out and set a new one lap & four-lap track record. Hills record did not stand long as Leonard was the 11th car to make an attempt at winning the pole position for the 1968 Indianapolis 500. The record fell again as Joe blistered the famed oval at an average speed of 171.559 for the new four-lap record and the pole position! In doing so, Leonard also set a new one lap record of 171.953 mph. This was the first time that teammates started 1-2 since 1949.
Posted 60 months ago
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