1974 Indycar Phoenix Mile Pictures

Ray3 · 1/26/11, 10:47 PM

Found some pictures from the Indycar/Midget Doubleheader in 1974 at the Phoenix Mile. Enjoy.

chadsniffsmethanol · 1/27/11, 7:24 PM

Is that Opperman or Unser in the second picture? Thanks for posting

Ray3 · 1/27/11, 8:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadsniffsmethanol

Is that Opperman or Unser in the second picture? Thanks for posting

I'm not sure who it is in the second photo. Anyone else have an idea? The top photo is Jimmy Caruthers though. I was also told that the guy in the white jacket standing next to Jimmy is 1970 AMA National Champion Gene Romero.

TQ29m · 1/27/11, 8:23 PM

Looks like Unser to me! Bob

Topless77 · 1/27/11, 9:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadsniffsmethanol

Is that Opperman or Unser in the second picture? Thanks for posting

It's opperman in picture 2

AustinSprinter · 1/29/11, 11:45 PM

Looks to me also,to be Gene"Burrito"Romero in White Jacket in Photo #1
____________
Brucer'

Need For Speed · 1/30/11, 12:34 AM

Look -closely- at the patches on the uniform.

Al Sr. (picture #5) has a Champion spark plug patch, under the Firestone patch on the left side of his chest.

The driver in picture #2 doesn't have that Champion patch, so unless Al changed uniforms that day (or the patch fell off) the driver in picture #2 and picture #5 is not the same man.

Al's uniform clearly says 'VICEROY' on the right side.

The driver's uniform in picture #2, is identicle to Al's (except for the Champion patch)

Al and Mario Andretti were teammates in 1974 in the Viceroy cars.

I'm thinking Opp was still an 'Outlaw' in 1974, and not running any USAC shows.

chadsniffsmethanol · 1/30/11, 1:24 PM

Opp ran his first Indy 500 and a couple other events in 1974 in a Parnelli Viceroy car. Here is a picture from the 1974 500, notice the suits are very similar, minus one patch above the firestone patch.

I also have a handful of pictures of Opp running sprint cars with what appears to be duct-tape across the front-top part of his helmet, also wearing a face mark guard that wraps around his helmet.

Ray3 · 1/30/11, 6:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Need For Speed

Look -closely- at the patches on the uniform.

Al Sr. (picture #5) has a Champion spark plug patch, under the Firestone patch on the left side of his chest.

The driver in picture #2 doesn't have that Champion patch, so unless Al changed uniforms that day (or the patch fell off) the driver in picture #2 and picture #5 is not the same man.

Al's uniform clearly says 'VICEROY' on the right side.

The driver's uniform in picture #2, is identacle to Al's (except for the Champion patch)

Al and Mario Andretti were teammates in 1974 in the Viceroy cars.

I'm thinking Opp was still an 'Outlaw' in 1974, and not running any USAC shows.

Is everyone sure that isn't Mario Andretti in picture #2? I found the results from that race and it shows Al Unser and Mario Andretti in the Viceroy cars. Andretti finished 3rd and Unser finished 5th. They don't show Opperman in the results at all. Not sure how credible the source is though,

http://www.webcitation.org/5gkL8Kd2t Click on Bobby Ball 150 to see the results.

brian26 · 1/30/11, 8:54 PM

Don't know why he is in there, but that IS Opperman in pic #2. Maybe he got a little practice in that day. Pheonix,...... could be he ran Manzy around that time too, maybe the Western World?

---------- Post added at 08:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:54 PM ----------

In the background is what looks like a midget/sprint car. Maybe Opp was running in those.

1/27/11, 7:24 PM	#2 Re: 1974 Indycar Phoenix Mile Pictures
chadsniffsmethanol Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 120	Is that Opperman or Unser in the second picture? Thanks for posting _________________________________________________ Last edited by chadsniffsmethanol; 1/27/11 at 7:26 PM.

1/27/11, 8:23 PM	#4 Re: 1974 Indycar Phoenix Mile Pictures
TQ29m Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6,246	Looks like Unser to me! Bob __________________ "Being old, isn't half as much fun, as getting there"! Ole Robert I!

1/30/11, 12:34 AM	#7 Re: 1974 Indycar Phoenix Mile Pictures
Need For Speed Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 266	Look -closely- at the patches on the uniform. Al Sr. (picture #5) has a Champion spark plug patch, under the Firestone patch on the left side of his chest. The driver in picture #2 doesn't have that Champion patch, so unless Al changed uniforms that day (or the patch fell off) the driver in picture #2 and picture #5 is not the same man. Al's uniform clearly says 'VICEROY' on the right side. The driver's uniform in picture #2, is identicle to Al's (except for the Champion patch) Al and Mario Andretti were teammates in 1974 in the Viceroy cars. I'm thinking Opp was still an 'Outlaw' in 1974, and not running any USAC shows. _________________________________________________ Last edited by Need For Speed; 1/31/11 at 8:14 PM.

1/29/11, 11:45 PM	#6 1974 Desert Indycar Phoenix Mile Pictures....
AustinSprinter Senior Member Race Count This Year: (22) Race Count Last Year: (29) Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4,428	Looks to me also,to be Gene"Burrito"Romero in White Jacket in Photo #1 ____________ Brucer'

1/30/11, 8:54 PM	#10 Re: 1974 Indycar Phoenix Mile Pictures
brian26 Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 180	Don't know why he is in there, but that IS Opperman in pic #2. Maybe he got a little practice in that day. Pheonix,...... could be he ran Manzy around that time too, maybe the Western World? ---------- Post added at 08:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:54 PM ---------- In the background is what looks like a midget/sprint car. Maybe Opp was running in those.