50 years ago Mario Andretti won Indianapolis 500 in makeshift backup car

INDIANAPOLIS — All that was left was the Hawk -- that spare car Mario Andretti’s team had no intention of racing.

But, after an ill-fated series of events leading up to the Indianapolis 500 in 1969, Andretti found himself in that No. 2 STP Oil Treatment Hawk III-Ford.

And then, the 29-year found himself in an unthinkable place.

At the finish line first, before anyone else, winning the 53rd running of the historic race. Securing the victory in a car he doubts would have qualified had it been known that a cooler was hiding behind his head in the cockpit.

“Crossing that line was just the greatest moment of my life,” the 78-year-old Andretti said Wednesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “It was just amazing. It was like a 900-pound gorilla was lifted off my shoulders.”

Andretti will be honored at this year’s Indianapolis 500 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his first and only 500 win. The Speedway unveiled a logo featuring Andretti that will be displayed and used throughout the race. It also announced a special exhibit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum that will showcase Andretti’s historic cars.

“Mario Andretti’s victory in the 1969 Indianapolis 500 was one of the iconic moments in the history of the world’s greatest auto race,” IMS president Doug Boles said. “Mario’s position as one of the most popular drivers in the race’s history only has grown over time, and his accomplishments in every discipline of racing in which he has competed remain landmarks of our sport.”

That reliable Hawk

Andretti came to Indianapolis 50 years ago with a state-of-the art car, a four-wheel drive Lotus 64/Ford designed by Colin Chapman and owned by Andy Granatelli.

“That car had wings and ground effects plus four-wheel-drive, and was three to four miles per hour quicker than the second fastest car during the first week of practice,” mechanic Jim McGee told IndyStar in a 1999 interview on the 30th anniversary of Andretti’s win.

Andretti said at the time, “That car was a slug down the straightaway because of the aerodynamic drag, but I could use so much throttle in the corners. I damn near was able to run flat in turn two and four. It handled the bumps real well and I was warming up to it."

But soon, Andretti said Wednesday, “we found out how fragile the car was.”

There was a crash. Then the first weekend of qualifying was rained out. The second weekend, the wheel snapped coming off of Turn 4.

"I almost killed myself on that one," Andretti said. "Chapman decided to pull all the cars out of the race. So, we had a spare car we did not intend to race, the Hawk."

Meant to be

Andretti climbed into the Hawk at the Speedway that May of 1969 to the sounds of "Keep your chin up buddy." "Keep going." "You’re really treading through adversity on this one."

It certainly wasn't an easy race.

"I had overheating like you would not believe," Andretti said.

The Hawk was prone to overheating, so mechanics had installed an external cooler for the race. Because it wasn’t on the car for qualifying, the U.S. Auto Club required it be removed.

So, the crew pulled an all nighter to hide a cooler behind the seat to carry enough water to try to alleviate the heat. The contraption was finally finished about 4 a.m. race morning.

Still, about 20 laps into the race, Andretti was really hot. And he was nervous if this Hawk would be reliable enough to finish. Yet, Andretti led more than half of that Indy 500 and was near the front for most of it.

When he won, he remarked at how if he could pull this off, the road would be easy from here on out. Despite a myriad of other racing feats and wins, Andretti never won another Indy 500.

And so that race 50 years ago is still in his heart.

"It almost seems like 100 years ago or yesterday," he said. "The memories are vivid no question about it. Looking back I feel how blessed I’ve been."

Honoring Andretti at the 2019 Indianapolis 500

A 50th anniversary logo has been designed, which features Andretti giving his famous wave next to the Borg-Warner Trophy moments after winning the race in 1969.

Andretti will be highlighted on the IMS bronze badges. The logo also will be featured on the cover of the 2019 Indianapolis 500 Official Program, with a special artist’s rendering of his victory.

Memorabilia and celebratory officially-licensed Mario Andretti merchandise will be available for purchase.

Beginning May 1, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum will unveil a specially curated exhibit dedicated to Andretti and his iconic career. The exhibit will feature historic Andretti cars, many making their first appearance at the museum, video and audio recordings of Mario and the Andretti family, and personal memorabilia.

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on Twitter: @Dana Benbow. Reach her via e-mail: dbenbow@indystar.com.