1964 Lotus Type 34 Monoposto

In 1964, this car, one of three Lotus Type 34 cars that were built was used only during practice with both Jim Clark and Dan Gurney at the wheel. For the 1964 Indy 500 race, the car's services were not required. The Lotus Type 34 made its competition debut at Milwaukee with Indy 500 winner A.J. Foyt behind the wheel. Unfortunately, his transmission failed on the opening lap. This Lotus Type 34 was then piloted by Parnelli Jones at Trenton where it fared much better and found its way to the winner's circle.

For the 1965 season, Foyt was the owner and driver of the car. He had the car rebuilt by seasoned Indy mechanics Lujie Lesovsky and George Bignotti. Foyt won five races that year, three of which were in this chassis. At the Indy 500, he qualified this car on the pole, besting works driver Jim Clark and setting a new record lap time in the process with a speed of 161.233 mph. Foyt and Clark both lead the race several times in the opening stages, but Foyt ultimately had to retire with a transmission failure on lap 115.

By the end of the 1965 season, Foyt would have 5 USAC victories, three driving this Lotus, and captured the pole position a remarkable 10 times over 18 races - 7 poles coming this car.

This Lotus Type 34 is powered by a 4-cam Ford V-8 engine with a 3.760 bore and 2.870 stroke. It displaces 255.118 cubic inches and is backed by a two-speed ZF gearbox. It weighs 1,280 pounds.

Chassis number 34/2 did not race in the 1964 Indy 500. It did race in the Tony Bettenhausen 200 at the Milwaukee Mile where it was driven by Anthony Joseph 'A.J.' Foyt. Foyt would drive 34/2 to three of its four wins, although the initial matchup in Milwaukee on August 23rd produced a disappointing result. He had qualified in third position, behind Parnelli Jones and Rodger Ward, but his day ended on the first lap of the race due to a transmission failure.

On September 27th, 34/2 returned to racing, in the Trenton 200. Ford selected the drivers, signing Parnelli Jones to drive chassis #2, and Clark to drive #1. The car driven by Jones secured the pole, and would go on to take the victory, leading the race for all but 10 laps. Clark, in #1, was put out of the running by a broken half-shaft.

The start of the 1965 season saw Gurney leave to form his own team, the All-American Racers. Foyt was signed to drive chassis number 2. Foyt had the car rebuilt by two experienced Indy hands, car constructor Lujie Lesovsky and mechanic George Bignotti. The car, sponsored by Sheraton-Thompson and painted pearl white with red and blue trim, now wore the number 1, in recognition of its driver's USAC national championship the previous year.

At the conclusion of the season, Foyt had won five USAC victories, three while driving the Lotus, and capture the pole position 10 times over 18 races. This included taking the pole position at Indianapolis.

Foyt put 34/2 on the pole in his first two races of the 165 season, at the Jimmy Bryan Memorial 150 in Phoenix, and the Trenton 100. He failed to finish either, due to mechanical issues. The next race was at the Brickyard. On May 31st, Foyt drove chassis number 34/2 to pole position with an average speed of 161.223 mph in his four qualifying laps, a new record. Also on the front row of the grid were Clark, and Gurney, both in the new Lotus 38s.

During the first three laps, Foyt and Clark traded the lead twice before Clark pulled away. On lap 65, Foyt retained the lead when Clark made a pit stop. 10 laps later, Clark re-took the lead, and would not relinquish it again. On lap 115, Foyt's transmission failed, and Clark would go to become the first driver to win at Indianapolis in a rear-engine machine. He set a new average speed record for the race at 150.686 mph, and became the first foreigner to win at Indy since 1916.

The next race for 34/2 and Foyt was at the Rex Mays Classic, on June 6th, at the Milwaukee Mile, where he earned pole position for the fourth consecutive time. He led for most of the race, until the transmission once again failed, resulting in another DNF. Another DNF followed at the Langhorne 150 in Pennsylvania.

At the Trenton 150, Foyt secured the pole and led for the entire race. A week later, at Indianapolis Raceway Park, he held first place until the last lap, when the car ran out of fuel, dropping him back to a fourth-place finish.

On August 8th, he scored a second-place finish at the Langhorne 125. This was followed by the Atlanta Championship 250, where Foyt captured his sixth pole position of the season, but had to drop out when 34/2's left rear suspension failed. On September 26th, at the Trenton 200, Foyt again sat on the pole. He would go flag-to-flag, winning the race. On November 4, he drove 34/2 to its fourth and final race victory, at the Bobby Ball Memorial 200 in Phoenix.

Foyt continued to race 34/2 during the 1966 season. In its final race, the Trenton 200 on September 25, chassis 34/2 would end on a high note, finishing third.

After the 1966 season, the car was put into storage. It would remain in his ownership until 1992, when he offered it at his famous 'Garage Sale' auction at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was purchased by its current owner. Since then, the car has been displayed in the owners Automobile Museum of the Southeast for 15 years before the collection was moved to Asheville, North Carolina. In 2017, the car was given a meticulous restoration. Upon its completion, 34/2 was displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum as part of a retrospective of Foyt's career.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2017