INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, 1975: a crowd of about 300,000 fans stand at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, heads and hearts pointed toward the giant American flag in the distance. Purdue University’s band performs the national anthem, and Jim Nabors sings “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” for the fourth consecutive year. With the crowd riled and engines fired up, it’s time to commence the 59th running of the Indy 500.
James Garner, no doubt taking a break from filming “The Rockford Files,” drives the Buick Century Custom V-8 pace car, leading the cars through their first lap. A.J. Foyt, Gordon Johncock and Bobby Unser are behind Garner. At the green flag, Foyt carried pole position and the early lead, with Johncock and Unser rounding out the first three to pass the bricks. Throughout…