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1967 Indy Car Races in Canada
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The groundwork for the first-ever USAC Indy Car race in Canada was laid in 1966 during the Kawartha 250 USAC Stock Car race at Mosport. Canadian Billy Foster was competing in that race and also brought his Indy Car for a 10-lap demonstration. The demonstration also served as a test to see how the Indy Cars would handle Mosport. With the test a success, work began on getting USAC officials to schedule a race for the following year.

Mosport

The Indy Car visit was scheduled for June 16-17, 1967 in a 200-lap event called the Telegram Trophy Race. This was only the second time in history that the USAC Indy Cars had raced on a road course. The previous autumn they had competed at the Mount Fuji circuit in Japan.

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Mario Andretti's crash in qualifying
Unfortunately for everyone involved, the weekend was filled with rain. Since the series normally only raced on ovals, there was no provision for a rain event. The rain cut into the scheduled practice time so that when the cars rolled out for qualifying the drivers still had little experience with the Mosport course. Mario Andretti crashed into the turn 10 guardrail during qualifying when he hit oil dropped by Jim Hurtibise. At the end of the qualifying session only 17 cars had taken a qualifying run. The remaining five spots would be filled by any drivers in the top-10 USAC points. Any remaining positions would be filled by a draw. Car owner Gordon Van Liew pulled his two drivers Ronnie Bucknam and Larry Dickson from the event in protest. Bobby Unser took the pole position with a time of 1:26.22.

Race day on Satuday, June 17, 1967 was overcast and threatening rain. The day began with two races for the local racers. The first race was a 12-lap Production Sports Car event won by Al Pease. The second was also 12 laps and was for sedans. This race was won by Craig Fisher.

After lunch, the 22 starting cars were rolled onto the grid in front of 39,500 fans. Tony Hulman, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, gave the command to start engines. The rain started falling immediately after and the start of the race was put on hold. As the afternoon wore on and there was no sign of the rain letting up, a quick race was put together consisting of the production sports cars and sedans that raced earlier in the day. That race was won by Ray Gray.

Finally at 5:15 pm the race was officially postponed and rescheduled for July 1.

Lloyd Ruby's car is rolled onto the grid


The event was to be split into two 40-lap, 100 mile heats. The crowd was even larger this time - over 52,000 fans in attendance. Bobby Unser started on the pole for the first heat with Lloyd Ruby along side. Some of the top drivers had not completed their qualifying two weeks before. Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Bob Harkey, Joe Leonard and Art Pollard obtained their starting positions based on their USAC points and would start at the back of the field.

Llolyd Ruby got the jump on Unser at the drop of the green flag and took the lead and held it for the first 15 laps. Ruby had to pit due to a cut tire which gave the lead to Unser. Mario Andretti snapped a half-shaft on lap 5 and spent most of the first heat in the pits getting it replaced. Foyt had rad problems and despite moving up to ninth place, was never in a position to challenge for the lead.

Mario Andretti rejoined the race on lap 38 and put in the fastest speed of the weekend at over 178 MPH. Roger McCluskey made a charge in the final six laps and made up 6 seconds on leader Bobby Unser. He didn't have enough time and ended only a car-length behind Unser for second spot. Gordon Johncock took third, Lloyd Ruby came back from his pit stop to finish fourth and Arnie Knepper was fifth.

The skies were darkening and were looking very threatening so the time between heats was reduced. The cars were quickly refueled, new tires put on and lined up again for the second heat. The starting order of the second heat was the finishing order of the first heat. That meant that Bobby Unser and Roger McCluskey would start on the front row.
Bobby Unser leads the way in turn 10 during the second heat
The second heat was quickly under way and Bobby Unser took the lead. The rain started falling on lap two and the yellow flag came out. The cars held position for the next four laps and on lap six the race was red-flagged and the checkered was shown.

Unser was the overall winner of the event and picked up $17,750 for his win. Roger McCluskey was second and Gordon Johncock, third.

After the race Bobby Unser defended USAC's decision to call the event, "We try to give the people good, hard racing. We feel we can't do that in the rain. Sure, we could run in the rain, but it wouldn't be a race."

Admission Prices for this Event
General Admission: $5.00
Paddock Access: $5.00
Grandstand Seat: $2.00

Telegram Trophy Race - Heat 1
July 1, 1967
Fin Start Num Driver Chassis-Engine Laps Status
1 1 6 Bobby Unser Eagle-Ford 40 Running
2 10 12 Roger McCluskey Eagle-Ford 40 Running
3 3 3 Gordon Johncock Gerhardt-Ford 40 Running
4 2 25 Lloyd Ruby Mongoose-Ford 40 Running
5 5 20 Arnie Knepper Mongoose-Ford 40 Running
6 6 5 Al Unser Lola-Ford 40 Running
7 17 14 A.J. Foyt Eagle-Ford 40 Running
8 9 90 Jim Hurtabise Watson-Ford 39 Running
9 16 16 Art Pollard Gerhard-Offy 39 Running
10 18 4 Joe Leonard Eagle-Ford 39 Running
11 12 33 Rick Muther Lola-Offy 38 Running
12 13 54 Wally Dallenbach Huffaker-Offy 38 Running
13 22 10 Bud Tinglestad Gerhardt-Ford 38 Running
14 11 45 Johnny Rutherford Eagle-Ford 38 Running
15 7 41 Carl Williams BRP-Ford 37 Running
16 21 35 Ralph Ligouri Watson-Ford 29 Running
17 8 78 Jerry Grant Eagle-Ford 25 Spun out
18 19 57 Bob Harkey Gerhardt-Offy 17 Oil leak
19 20 22 Larry Dickson Lotus-Offy 10 Fuel problems
20 14 96 Gary Congdon Eisert-Chevrolet 6 Spun out
21 15 1 Mario Andretti Hawk-Ford 3 Broken half-shaft
22 4 29 Bob Hurt Gerhardt-Offy 2 Broken rod
- NS 2 Jim McElreath Moore -
- NS 23 Ronnie Bucknam Gerhardt-Ford -
- NS 98 Ronnie Duman Shrike -


Telegram Trophy Race - Heat 2
July 1, 1967
Fin Start Num Driver Chassis-Engine Laps Status
1 1 6 Bobby Unser Eagle-Ford 6 Running
2 2 12 Roger McCluskey Eagle-Ford 6 Running
3 3 3 Gordon Johncock Gerhardt-Ford 6 Running
4 4 25 Lloyd Ruby Mongoose-Ford 6 Running
5 5 5 Al Unser Lola-Ford 6 Running
6 6 20 Arnie Knepper Mongoose-Ford 6 Running
7 7 14 A.J. Foyt Eagle-Ford 6 Running
8 10 33 Joe Leonard Eagle-Ford 6 Running
9 9 4 Jim Hurtabise Watson-Ford 6 Running
10 11 33 Rick Muther Lola-Offy 6 Running
11 20 1 Mario Andretti Hawk-Ford 6 Running
12 12 54 Wally Dallenbach Huffaker-Offy 6 Running
13 13 10 Bud Tinglestad Gerhardt-Ford 6 Running
14 14 45 Johnny Rutherford Eagle-Ford 6 Running
15 15 41 Carl Williams Eagle-Ford 6 Running
16 10 22 Larry Dickson BRP-Ford 6 Running
17 18 57 Bob Harkey Gerhardt-Ford 6 Running
18 21 23 Ronnie Buckham Gerhardt-Ford 6 Running
19 16 35 Ralph Liguori Watson-Ford 6 Running
20 17 78 Jerry Grant Eagle-Ford 4 Throttle
21 8 16 Art Pollard Gerhardt-Offy 3 Hit by rock


Lloyd Ruby

The drivers wait for the start

Bobby Unser

Program Cover



Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant

Pace lap at Tremblant
The USAC Indy Cars returned to Canada a little over a month later for the Labatt Indy at Le Circuit Mont-Tremblant on August 6.

Bobby Unser took the pole with a time of 1:39.38. Like Mosport, the Tremblant race was ran in two heats. The heats were 36 laps each this time. There were about 41,000 fans in attendance.

One of the supporting races that morning was for production sports cars. Bill Brack started at the back of the 22 car field and charged to a second place finish behind winner Francis Favreau.

The start of the first Indy Car heat was delayed by an hour to clean the track of oil left over from the supporting races. In the first heat, Mario Andretti started third but took the lead on the first corner and led every lap on his way to victory. Bobby Unser was running in second until his engine blew on lap 10. Bill Vukovich, Jr dropped out due to a broken fuel line. Bruce Jacobi broke a front axle at the entrance to Namerow Corner and one his wheels bounced into the crowd, slightly injuring two spectators.

Mario Andretti accepts the winner's trophy
Only seven cars finished the first heat on the lead lap. Following winner Andretti were A.J. Foyt, Ronnie Buckham, Lloyd Ruby, Al Unser, Joe Leonard and Gordon Johncock.

The second heat was lined up according to the finishing order of the first heat. Bobby Unser was able to enter the second heat when he borrowed Johnny Rutherford's car. Rutherford loaned the car so Unser would have a chance at maintaining his USAC points lead.

Andretti dominated the second heat as well, eventually taking a 30 second victory over A.J. Foyt. Lloyd Ruby was third. Andretti picked up $13,000 for his win.





Labatt Indy - Heat 1
August 6, 1967
Fin Start Num Driver Chassis-Engine Laps Status
1 3 1 Mario Andretti Hawk-Ford 36 Running
2 7 14 A.J. Foyt Coyote-Ford 36 Running
3 2 23 Ronnie Bucknam Gerhardt-Ford 36 Running
4 4 25 Lloyd Ruby Mongoose-Ford 36 Running
5 12 5 Al Unser Lola-Ford 36 Running
6 6 20 Joe Leonard Mongoose-Ford 36 Running
7 8 3 Gordon Johncock Gerhardt-Ford 36 Running
8 11 54 Wally Dallenbach Huffaker-Offy 35 Running
9 10 22 Larry Dickson Lotus-Ford 35 Running
10 16 29 Bob Hurt Gerhardt-Offy 35 Running
11 19 33 Rick Muther Lola-Offy 35 Running
12 13 2 Jim McElreath Moore-Ford 35 Running
13 17 85 Al Miller Gerhardt-Offy 35 Running
14 14 41 Carl Williams BRP-Ford 35 Running
15 21 47 Johnny Rutherford Eagle-Ford 34 Running
16 22 96 Gary Congdon Eisert-Ford 32 Running
17 23 90 Jim Hurtibise Watson-Ford 29 Running
18 5 78 Jerry Grant Eagle-Ford 27 Running
19 18 67 Jim Malloy Vollstedt-Ford 20 Running
20 20 73 Bruce Jacobi Gerhardt-Offy 16 Slid off track
21 15 20 Bud Tinglestad Gerhardt-Ford 13 Rear end
22 1 6 Bobby Unser Eagle-Ford 10 Blown engine
23 24 98 Bill Vukovich Jr Shrike-Offy 8 Running
24 9 12 Roger McCluskey Eagle-Ford 4 Accident


Labatt Indy - Heat 2
August 6, 1967
Fin Start Num Driver Chassis-Engine Laps Status
1 1 1 Mario Andretti Hawk-Ford 36 Running
2 2 14 A.J. Foyt Coyote-Ford 36 Running
3 4 25 Lloyd Ruby Mongoose-Ford 36 Running
4 7 3 Gordon Johncock Gerhardt-Ford 36 Running
5 5 5 Al Unser Lola-Ford 36 Running
6 6 20 Joe Leonard Mongoose-Ford 36 Running
7 16 90 Jim Hurtibise Watson-Ford 35 Running
8 17 78 Jerry Grant Eagle-Ford 35 Running
9 10 29 Bob Hurt Gerhardt-Offy 34 Running
10 11 33 Rick Muther Lola-Offy 34 Running
11 18 98 Bill Vukovich Jr Shrike-Offy 31 Running
12 3 23 Ronnie Bucknam Gerhardt-Ford 31 Ignition
13 19 47 Bobby Unser Eagle-Ford 30 Fuel pickup
14 13 85 Al Miller Gerhardt-Offy 26 Water leak
15 8 54 Wally Dallenbach Huffaker-Offy 23 Crankshaft
16 12 2 Jim McElreath Moore-Ford 17 Spun off track
17 14 41 Carl Williams BRP-Ford 15 Broken valve
18 9 22 Larry Dickson Lotus-Ford 10 Spun off track
19 15 96 Gary Congdon Eisert-Ford 2 Spun off track
- DNS 67 Jim Malloy Vollstedt-Ford -
- DNS 73 Bruce Jacobi Gerhardt-Offy -
- DNS 10 Bud Tinglestat Gerhardt-Ford -
- DNS 47 Johnny Rutherford Eagle-Ford -
- DNS 12 Roger McCluskey Eagle-Ford -

The grid

Jerry Grant leads Lloyd Ruby

Mario Andretti

Rick Muther (33), Joe Leonard (20)