1966 – Andretti is Winner in Milwaukee 200-Miler

Mario Andretti admires his trophy after winning the Tony Bettenhausen Memorial 200-miler at State Fair Park Speedway. 

Milwaukee, Wis. (August 27, 1966) – Mario Andretti, the defending USAC national champion, swapped the lead with Gordon Johncock several times Saturday before winning the 200-mile Tony Bettenhausen Memorial at State Fair Park Speedway.

Andretti led for the first three laps, yielded the lead to Johncock for the next 10 circuits, led from the 14th to the 76th, and took the lead for good from Johncock again on the 107th mile.

Johncock, of Hastings, Mich., ran out of fuel on the final lap and coasted to the finish line behind Andretti. The race time was 1 hour, 55 minutes, and 19.008 seconds.

Andretti, of Nazareth, Penn., Johncock, and the next three finishers all drove rear-engine Fords. Joe Leonard of San Jose, Calif., was third, Jim McElreath of Arlington, Tex., finished fourth, and Billy Foster of Victoria, B.C. rounded out the top five.

The race with the $46,365 purse had been postponed by rain last weekend. Attendance for the race was 33,811.

Andretti’s average speed was 104.06 miles per hour on the one-mile paved oval. He earned $14,548 for his victory.


Results –


1. Mario Andretti, Nazareth, Penn.
2. Gordon Johncock, Hastings, Mich.
3. Joe Leonard, San Joes, Calif.
4. Jim McElreath, Arlington, Tex.
5. Billy Foster, Victoria, B.C.
6. Gary Congdon, Garden Grove, Calif.
7. Art Pollard, Medford, Ore.
8. Bobby Unser, Albuquerque, N.M.
9. Lloyd Ruby, Wichita Falls, Tex.
10.George Snider, Fresno, Calif.