Was doing a little scanning of old negatives this weekend. This shot is from Winchester Speedway the day James McElreath died.

By the tilt of the head and the helmet, I'm pretty sure the 55 is Gary Bettenhausen. Not sure on the No. 36.

Jim Morrison

Jim,
I found this on www.openwheeltimes.com
Sandy


Winchester Speedway - Twin 50s, Winchester,IN
Date of Race: 10/16/1977

A1 Feature
1: Carter, Pancho (1 - Stapp) 2: Gurney, Chuck (41 - Coulter) 3: Engelhart, Billy (11 - Weaver) 4: Kinser, Sheldon (56 - Hammond) 5: Chassey, Steve (35 - Bowen) 6: Bigelow, Tom (55 - Knepper) 7: McClellan, Mack (78) 8: Carman, Marvin (36 - Collins) 9: Rice, Larry (98) 10: Walkup, Bruce (9 - Siebert) 11: Hettinger, Jim (90) 12: Cassella, Billy (29 - Seymour)

A2 Feature
1: Carter, Pancho (1 - Stapp) 2: Engelhart, Billy (11 - Weaver) 3: Kinser, Sheldon (56 - Hammond) 4: Walkup, Bruce (9 - Siebert) 5: Gurney, Chuck (41 - Coulter) 6: Cassella, Billy (29 - Seymour) 7: Chassey, Steve (35 - Bowen) 8: Carman, Marvin (36 - Collins) 9: Bigelow, Tom (55 - Knepper) 10: Rice, Larry (98) 11: McClellan, Mack (78) 12: Montgomery, Rick (84 - Brand)

55-Gary Bettenhausen (definately)
36-Marvin Carman (I remember a few drivers in the Stone 36 but the Helmet tells me it's Carman)

ps.... 99% sure Tom Bigelow was in an Armstrong Mould car that day/year.

David

Thanks.
You are right about about Bigelow being in the Armstrong Mould car. I have another shot on the same roll of film of the car after it came to rest after the McElreath crash. Tom was involved in that crash, as was Billy Englehart in the No. 18. Kerchner Steel sprinter. This was in the feature before McElreath's crash. I have a shot of James in the apex of turns one and two on what would be his final complete lap.
Jim

Sandy,
Got to thinking. Maybe Bigelow took over the 55 car after the accident.

Jim

That may be right Jim. Maybe the #55 Gary photo was earlier in the day? Your photo is definately Gary in the #55 though. Here's another shot of Gary I took from 1977. Note the same helmet and uniform. :thumb
David.
ps....you should post the James photo, someone was looking for photos of him on here last week.

That definately looks like Gary as that is the helmet he wore around that time frame.

EDIT: Nevermind...I'm a little late :-)