1971 – Al Unser Captures Hoosier Hundred

 

Al Unser stands on the gas en route to winning the 1971 Hoosier Hundred. – Joseph Ramirez Collection

Indianapolis, Ind. (September 11, 1971) – Al Unser won the rich Hoosier Hundred auto race for United States Auto Club dirt cars on Saturday, but George Snider finished second and captured the first championship of the new circuit.

Unser, of Albuquerque, N.M., was unchallenged throughout most of the 100-miler, the last of the season on USAC’s new dirt track division.

He passed Mario Andretti the third time around the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ one-mile oval and led the rest of the way.

Snider, of Bakersfield, Calif., finished 5.3 seconds back. Unser’s winning average speed was 96.962 miles per hour on the damp track, which was short of his own track record of 97.887 miles per hour, set last year.

Andretti, of Nazareth, Penn., was stopped by an overheated engine on the 83rd mile.

The dirt track circuit was previously part of the USAC big car competition won last year by Unser. Snider won the dirt track event at Du Quoin, Ill., last Monday and grabbed runner-up honors earlier at Springfield, Ill.

A.J. Foyt, a six-time winner of the Hoosier Hundred, started 17th and finished fourth behind Larry Dickson of Marietta, Ohio.

Only Unser, Snider, and Dickson were on the lead lap at the finish.

Neither the attendance nor the purse was announced. Race director Joe Quinn said he was uncertain on how to handle the payoff because of the wage freeze. He said Unser would be paid at least $6,010; the amount guaranteed to the winner.


Results –


1. Al Unser
2. George Snider
3. Larry Dickson
4. A.J. Foyt
5. Billy Vukovich
6. Jim McElreath
7. Sam Sessions
8. Bill Puterbaugh
9. Arnie Knepper
10.Merle Bettenhausen