The 1966 Hoosier Grand Prix, held on July 24th, at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) in Clermont, Indiana, was a 150-mile USAC Championship Car road course event. The 1.875-mile IRP road course featured a mix of straights and technical turns, providing a sharp contrast to the ovals on the schedule.
Lloyd Ruby captured the pole position, but it was Mario Andretti who dominated the race. Starting from the second position in his Dean Van Lines Brawner Hawk-Ford, Andretti worked his way to the front and led 38 laps on his way to victory. He crossed the finish line ahead of Al Unser, Jim McElreath, Bobby Unser and Gordon Johncock. This was Andretti’s second consecutive win in this event (he had also won the 1965 edition). The race helped bolster Andretti’s points chase as he went on to claim his second straight USAC national championship that season.
This road race at IRP complemented the dirt-track Hoosier Hundred held later that September at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Andretti’s versatility across both surfaces was on full display in 1966. The event was part of a growing effort to include road courses on the USAC championship calendar during the mid-1960s.
