<< Prev Page 3 of 3 Clark went through the 160 mph barrier in qualifying but eventually had to settle for second behind Foyt in the 1964 vintage Lotus. The versatile Scot immediately grabbed the lead in the race and from lap 3 started to build up a sizeable lead. Ford had flown in the legendary Wood Brothers to perform the pit-stops. Thanks to their swift work and Terry's special fuel-rig both mandatory stops were over so quickly that the rivals believed Lotus 38 had to come in for more fuel later in the race. They were proven wrong and Clark handsomely won the race, having led 190 of the 200 laps. History was made that day; no front-engined car would ever win the Indy 500 again.
As part of the conditions of the Lotus/Ford partnership the winning car remained in the United Sates. Understandably customers lined up for the Lotus 38 in large numbers. Four additional cars were built by Abbey Panels but they used a different type of aluminium and these cars unflatteringly became known as 'Soft-Alloy Specials'. Clark returned to Indy with one of the two remaining 38, now liveried in STP colours, to claim second in 1966. He was only beaten by his F1 rival Graham Hill in a Ford V8-engined Lola. The Scotsman was back again in 1967 but a collapsed piston ended his race early. The field at Indy that year showed just how influential the Lotus 38 had been.
Lotus would compete in the lucrative Indy 500 twice more but had lost its edge over the local manufacturers, who raced on ovals throughout the year. Many of the design principles pioneered in the Lotus 38 were later used in the equally revolutionary '49', which used the Ford funded Cosworth DFV engine. By this time Terry had long left Lotus and had provided Gurney's All American Racers with a F1 and Indy winning design. The Lotus 38 Ford remains as one of the most influential and spectacular racing cars ever constructed. << Prev Page 3 of 3
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Clark went through the 160 mph barrier in qualifying but eventually had to settle for second behind Foyt in the 1964 vintage Lotus. The versatile Scot immediately grabbed the lead in the race and from lap 3 started to build up a sizeable lead. Ford had flown in the legendary Wood Brothers to perform the pit-stops. Thanks to their swift work and Terry's special fuel-rig both mandatory stops were over so quickly that the rivals believed Lotus 38 had to come in for more fuel later in the race. They were proven wrong and Clark handsomely won the race, having led 190 of the 200 laps. History was made that day; no front-engined car would ever win the Indy 500 again.