1974 McLaren M16C news, pictures, and information

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The McLaren Company was founded in 1963 by New Zealander Bruce McLaren. Mr. McLaren had many successful seasons as a driver with Cooper before starting his own team with a heavily modified Cooper Zerex known as 'The Jolly Green Giant.' The first McLaren badged car was built in 1964.

The McLaren cars raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1970 to 1982. They won on three occasions. The McLaren team is the only team to have won Formula One, Indy 500, Can-Am and LeMans championships. They were the first to design a car using a carbon fiber monocoque. The team currently competes in Formula One competition, which they won in 2008.

Johnny Rutherford won the Indianapolis 500 three times, twice with Team McLaren in 1974 and again in 1976 and then once with Jim Hall's Chaparral team in 1980. His first win took three hours and nine minutes and paid #245,032.

After his Offenhauser engine blew on the first day of qualifying. Rutherford qualified on the second Saturday. Although second fastest overall, he had to start 25th. Starting positions are earned on the basis of fastest time within the day you qualify. On race day, Rutherford had a fantastic start, moving up to third place by lap twelve. Later, he battled with race leader A.J. Foyt, until Foyt's turbocharger expired. Rutherford led 59 of the last 60 laps and went on to win with an average speed of 158 mph, lapping the entire race, except for Bobby Unser, who finished second.

This is the McLaren M16C that took 'Lone Star JR' to his first victory at Indianapolis, restored just as it was that day in May.

Team McLaren has scored three Indy 500 victories, in the open wheeled American racing series. The first win was in 1972 with Mark Donohue piloting the McLaren M16B, and Johnny Rutherford scored two victories in 1974 and 1976. The following tells the story of the 1974 race.

It was Johnny Rutherford's second year with Team McLaren and a number of rule changes had been introduced which were aimed at reducing the overall speed of the cars. These included reducing the size of the rear wings, lowering the turbo boost by at least seven mph from the previous year, and reducing the fuel capacity by 30 gallons, down from 75 to 45 gallons.

Qualifying was spread out over two consecutive Saturdays, and during Rutherford's first session his engine blew up. Despite a very quick engine change, he was not allowed to qualify until the following Saturday. On the second qualifying day he was the second fastest, but had to start the race in 25th place.

On race day itself, Rutherford had a sensational start, moving up through the field to third place by lap 12. Later in the race he moved up a place and was battling with race leader A.J Foyt. Foyt was black flagged for oil smoke on lap 139 and then later broke the scavenger pump on his turbocharger which caused his retirement.

Rutherford took the lead, which he held for 59 of the last 60 laps, only losing it briefly to Bobby Unser when he made his final pitstop. Rutherford went on to take victory at an average speed of 255 kph, lapping the entire field except for Unser who finished second.

Source - McLaren

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