Indy Racing

We are please to be able to feature the work of the late Rick Johnson. Born in Toledo, Ohio, Rick moved to Indianapolis where in 1958 he went to work for the Indianapolis Star. He was also a UPI Photographer and covered events at the Speedway and other racing venues. We are grateful to his son Paul for letting us feature his father's work on historicracing.com.

Sadly Rick succumbed to cancer in 2002.


Paul does not want his father's images to be used in adverts or to be made available for sale. They are copyright Paul Johnson and reproduction of the images is not permitted.

George Bailey in the rear engine four wheel drive Miller Special at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1939. He qualified 8th but retired after 47 laps.
Spencer Wishart in the Mercer Type 45 at the Indy 500 in 1914. He went out with a broken camshaft after 122 laps.
Two Delage were taken to the Indianapolis 500 in 1914 by W F Bradley and he was rewarded with a win, at his first attempt, for René Thomas at an average speed of 82.47mph.
Jean Chassagne in a Sunbeam at the 1914 Indy 500. He failed to finish, crashing out after 20 laps.
Caleb Bragg in a Mercer. He failed to finish the 1914 Indy 500 going out after 117 laps with a broken camshaft.
Bob Burman in the Burman-Wisconsin Special at the 1914 Indy 500. He failed to finish going out after 47 laps with a broken connecting rod.
Barney Oldfield in the Stuts-Wisconsin that finished 5th in the 1914 Indy 500
Barney Oldfield in the 5th placed Stutz-Wisconsin in the 1914 Indy 500.
Arthur Duray in the 4-cyl 3-litre Peugeot that finished 2nd in the 1914 Indy 500
Arthur Duray in the 4-cyl 3-litre Peugeot that finished 2nd in the 1914 Indy 500
The control tower at the 1913 Indy 500
Bob Burman, Albert Guyot (driver), Ralph de Palma and Crossman (mechanic) beside the Sunbeam which Guyot drove to 4th plcae with an average speed of 70.925 mph / 114.143 kph
Howdy Wilcox at the 1913 Indy 500 1913 with Frank Fox in their Pope-Hartford in which they finished 6th
1913 Indy 500 pits
1913 Indy 500 pits.
1913 Indy 500 winner Jules Goux
Jules Goux winner of the 1913 Indy 500 in his Peugeot 4-cyl 7,4-litre linered down from 7,6-litre.
Jules Goux winner of the 1913 Indy 500 in his Peugeot 4-cyl 7,4-litre linered down from 7,6-litre.
The 1913 Indy 500
The start of the 1913 Indy 500
The start of the 1913 Indy 500
Rodger Ward and Troy Ruttman. (Johnson)
J.R.'s a funny guy, 1963. (Johnson)
Dick Simon pits, 1972. (Johnson)
Bobby Johns retires from the 1969 Indy 500. (Johnson)
Broken car and driver, Jack Turner. (Johnson)
Parnelli and Agajanian, 1963. (Johnson)
Paul Goldsmith feels a draft, 1963
Dan Gurney Lotus, 1963. (Johnson)
Jacobi being lifted out of his car, 1963. Note the use of neck brace, body board, etc. not. (Johnson)
Bruce Jacobi biffed it hard, 1963. (Johnson)
Dan Gurney and friends, 1963. (Johnson)
Even the greats get a taste of Indy's walls. Graham Hill crashed during practice, 1963. (Johnson)
Graham Hill gets ready for a test run, 1963. (Johnson)
Elmer George's sled in the garage area, 1963. (Johnson)
Smokey Yunick's side car thing. Crashed during testing and never made the race. 1964 (Johnson)
Smokey Yunick's funky rig goes out for a test run, 1964. (Johnson)
Mickey Thompson's Harvey Aluminum Special. And you thought he only made valve covers! (Photographer Unknown)
Mickey Thompson prepares to test his secret new rear-engined Indy car at Riverside, California. (Photographer Unknown)
Smooth fuel hoses are nothing new. They just never called it cheating back in the old days! Rex Mays, Bud Winfield, Duke Nalon show off their new creation that will speed refueling. (Photographer Unknown)
Jerry Grant's day is done. 1968 (Johnson)
AJ Foyt retires from the 1968 race with rear end troubles. (Johnson)
Bobby Grim pits, 1968. (Johnson)
Rick Muther (on side), and David Hobbs tangle on front straight, Indy, 1971.
Testing, March 1963. Rearview of M/T's sled. (Johnson)
Testing, March 1963. Mickey Thompson in his other car. (Johnson)
Testing, March 1963. Jim Clark in the Lotus. (Johnson)
Testing, March 1963. G. Hill in M/T's rig. (Johnson)
Testing, March 1963. Graham Hill in M/T's new car. (Johnson)
Testing, March 1963. Ford engine of Gurney Lotus. (Johnson)
Cale Yarborough pits at Indy, 1971. (Johnson)
Cale Yarborough pits at Indy, 1971. (Johnson)
Al Unser and Joe Leonard duke it out at Indy, 1971. (Johnson)
Lloyd Ruby pits, 1971. (Johnson)
Mark Donohue after falling out of the 1971 Indy 500. (Johnson)
Bill Vukovich pits during the 1968 Indy 500. (Johnson)
Bill Vukovich pits during the 1968 Indy 500. (Johnson)
Testing, March 1963. Dan Gurney in the Lotus. (Johnson)
Testing, March 1963. Firestone bigshot Bill McCrary and Mickey Thompson compare tires. (Johnson)
Testing, March 1963. Bill Krause in Mickey Thompson's newest car. (Johnson)
Wally Dallenbach takes that long walk after his car fails, 1971. (Johnson)
AJ Foyt, 1971. (Johnson)
Foyt pits, 1971. (Johnson)
Eddie Sachs leads the Gordon Pipers down the front straight, 1963. (Johnson)
Pedro Rodriguez did not qualify his Cooper, 1963
Gurney's Lotus after a brush with the wall, 1963. (Johnson)
Gurney fixin' to make a run, 1963. (Johnson)
Dan Gurney negotiates turn 1, 1963
Gurney and Clark share a light moment, and perhaps a buttered scone, 1963. (Johnson)
Dan Gurney and his Lotus, 1963. (Johnson)
A.J. in the south short chute, 1963. Note now defunct Presto-Lite factory in background. (Johnson)
Jim Clark and Colin Chapman, 1963. (Johnson)
Jim Clark endures yet another 'How does it feel' interview.
Colin Chapman and Jim Clark chit chat in the pits, 1963. (Johnson)
Johnny Rutherford, 1964. More air means more POWER! (Johnson)
Johnny Rutherford, 1964. Note the huge air intake! (Johnson)
Juan Fangio at speed, Indy, 1958. (Photographer Unknown)
Gasoline Alley, 1961. (Johnson)
George
Sam Posey pits, 1972. (Johnson)
1972 winner, Mark Donohue, at speed. (Johnson)
Mike Hiss and Johnny Rutherford roar down the front straight, 1972. (Johnson)
Parnelli Jones having a smoke.
Don Branson, 1963. (Johnson)
Pat O'Connor
Bobby Unser gets ready, 1966. (Johnson)
Rebuilding an Offy. Bud Wheeler, Bob Clidinst, Jack Miller. (Oates)
The revolution begins. 'Black Jack' Brabham in his Cooper-Climax, 1961. (Johnson)
Pat O'Connor can drive anything! 1958. (Photographer Unknown)
The Big Bad Novi of Duke Nalon, 1950. (Photographer Unknown)
The first Bear rack to appear at IMS, 1931. Checking camber and toe-in on driver Harry Butcher's Indy ride. (Bear Mfg. Co.)
1958. Owner John Zink chats with his driver Ed Elisian. (Smith/Indpls. Times)
Dick Rathmann was taken out in the horrendous first lap crash that involved 15 cars. 1958 (IMS)
The front row, 1958. Dick Rathmann, Ed Elisian, and Jimmy Reece.(Indpls Times)
Pat O'Connor is all smiles, 1956. (Indpls. Times
Nuthin' like a good cigar. Jimmy Bryan, 1956. (Indpls. Times)
Jimmy Bryan pits, 1956. (Indpls. Times)
Novi team picture, 1956. #29, driven by Paul Russo, crashed while leading on lap 21. #31, driven by Jimmy Davies, did not qualify. (Indpls. Times)
Jimmy Daywalt's official IMS photo, 1955. The Sumar Special. Jimmy had the
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Vukovich. 1953. (Indpls. Times)
A.J. Foyt is the 1964 Indy 500 champion! (Fisse)
Rodger Ward pits, 1964. (Ramsey)
Parnelli Jones pit fire. 1964.(Fisse)
Jim Clark's suspension fails while leading the race. 1964. (Johnson)
Ronnie Duman suffered burns on his upper body when he got involved in the Sachs/MacDonald crash. 1964 (Photographer Unknown)
Near the back of the field, Dave MacDonald loses control at the start of the 1964 Indy 500. (Photographer Unknown)
The front of the field at the start of the 1964 Indy 500. (Johnson)
Al Miller, 1935. (Kirkpatrick)
Bobby Marshman with a little help from his friends. 1964? (Johnson)
Bobby Marshman, 1962. (Johnson)
Bill Cheesbourg's engine. Note the Paxton supercharger on the front left of the motor. 1962 (Johnson)
Bill Cheesbourg's engine. Note the Paxton supercharger on the front left of the motor. 1962 (Johnson)
The STP Team in 1964. Somehow one can't help feeling sorry for them.
Sachs gets a tow-in, 1964. (Johnson)
Sachs stalls out on track during practice, 1964. (Johnson)
Sachs pits, 1964. (Johnson)
The clown prince of auto racing, Eddie Sachs. 1964. (Johnson)
Jim Clark's Lotus goes through a USAC tech inspection, 1964. (Johnson)
Bobby Marshman had a 1.5 minute lead in the 1964 race when his car bottomed out on lap 39 and suffered tranny damage. (Johnson)
Lone Star J.R., John Rutherford, 1964. (Johnson)
A.J. Foyt pits after a practice run, 1964. (Johnson)
Rear view of M/T's car, 1962. (Johnson)
Mickey Thompson in the garage area, 1962. (Johnson)
The morning lineup, 1962. (Johnson)
J.C. Agajanian and Parnelli Jones say,
Early spring (March) testing with Dan Gurney and the Lotus. 1963. (Johnson)
Gurney's ride, 1962. (Johnson)
A Dan Gurney rig, 1962. (Johnson)
A craftsman at work. (Johnson)
Vucky's 1953 winning ride in the shop. (Johnson)
Vucky's 1953 winning ride in the shop. (Johnson)
Bill Vukovich's 1953 Indy winner in the shop undergoing a rebuild. (Johnson)
Bobby Unser with an 'oily rag' (Cockney ryming slang for a 'fag' which in turn is British slang for a cigarette)
Gasoline Alley, 1962 (Johnson)
Bob Grim, rookie of the year, 1959
Parnelli Jones and J.C. Agajanian, 1962. Autographed to Rick Johnson. (Johnson)
Parnelli Jones after setting a new one-lap record speed of 150.370 mph. 1962 (Photographer Unknown)
Paul Russo 1959 or is it 1960? (Johnson)
Tony Bettenhausen, 1960. (Johnson)
Owner J.C. Agajanian and driver Troy Ruttman look on as mechanic
Johnnie Parsons in victory lane at Indianapolis, 1950. (Photographer Unknown)
Bill Holland in the winners circle 1949. (Photographer Unknown)
1949 Indy 500 winner, Bill Holland. (Photographer Unknown)
Eddie Sachs climbs out of his Novi, grinning like a cheshire cat. 1958. (UPI/Smith)
Bruce Jacobi after an encounter with Indy concrete. Note the bent right front frame. 1963 (Johnson)
Paul Russo's team inspects the damage after a crash in the 1958 Indy 500. (Photographer Unknown)
The Cummins Diesel Special driven by Indianapolis native Jimmy Jackson. Jackson who had finished second in 1946, insisted the Cummins be painted a lurid emerald hue and dubbed the car the Green Hornet.
Ab Jenkins and the Mormon Meteor 3 at the Bonneville Salt Flats. (Photographer Unknown)
A.J. at practice, 1963. (Johnson)
A.J. explains something to a USAC official, 1963. (Johnson)
A.J. at practice, 1963. (Johnson)
Ziggy, 1968. (Johnson)
The STP team looks like they are ready for a nap in their pretty jammies as they work on Art Malone's rig. 1964. (Johnson)
A.J. Foyt and team-mate George
Lloyd Ruby, 1970. (Johnson)
Bob Mathouser and Jimmy Clark battle, 1964. (Johnson)
Bob Harkey and Dick Rathmann mix it up, 1964. (Johnson)
Bobby Grim and Troy Ruttman duke it out, 1964. (Johnson)
I'm not sure what Eddie Sachs' problem is in this picture taken in 1962. He finished third and went the full 200 laps, so maybe he's just exhausted! (Johnson)
Dan Gurney is all smiles as he removes his rookie stripes, 1962. (Johnson)
A.J. Foyt takes it to the garage, 1962. (Johnson)
Paul Goldsmith's accident while driving Smokey Yunick's car in the 1958 Indy 500.
1971 Indy 500. On lap 167, Mike Mosely lost a wheel in turn 4. Bobby unser spun into the wall avoiding Mosley, who was severely injured as his car crashed into Mark Donohue's and Steve Krisiloff's cars which were parked against the inside wall. Bill Vukovich spun to avoid the crash. Gary Bettenhausen stopped to aide Mosley. (Johnson)
Jackie Stewart. (Johnson)
Jim McElreath and Chris Amon go through the twisty-bits at Fuji. (Johnson)
Some of the twisty-bits at Fuji. (Johnson)
Jim Hurtubise at Fuji. (Johnson)
I think that this is Dan Gurney with Colin Chapman at Fuji. (Johnson)
Billy Foster at speed, Fuji 1966. (Johnson)
The grandstand at Fuji (Johnson)
Grant King and Billy_Foster at Fuji (Johnson)
The garage area at Fuji (Johnson)
Another shot of the control tower at Fuji (Johnson)
The control tower at the Fuji International Speedway. (Johnson)
The main straight at Fuji. (Johnson)
Jimmy Bryan Indy 1959 (Indpls. Times)
Tailfins at Indy. Paul Russo in the Novi, 1956. (Photographer Unknown)
Mario Andretti and a 1947 Tucker. Photo could be from 1972 through 1975. (Photographer Unknown)
Troy Ruttman taking a smoke break at Indy, 1961. (Johnson)
Don Branson, rookie, 1954. (Gerard)
Dan Gurney removes his rookie stripes at Indy, 1962. (UPI)
Eddie Sachs and Tony Bettenhausen, Indy, 1961. Note Tony B's mask. Autographed to Rick Johnson. (Johnson)
Formula 1 legend Juan Fangio pulls out of pits for a test run in the Novi, Indy, 1958. (UPI)
In April 1957, Pat O'Connor, a USAC superstar of the day, came to Monza for tire testing with Firestone's test car. It was a conventional roadster, but fitted with a 5.5-litre V8 Chrysler engine instead of the traditional four-cylinder Offenhauser. There were no tire problems whatever, and, O'Connor ran 226 miles at an average of 163.4 mph, putting in a best lap faster than 170.
Jim
1928. Wilbur Shaw qualified Pete DePaolo's #1 Flying Cloud Special on race day morning after DePaolo's fourth turn practice crack-up. Pete watched the race from a stretcher in the pits. Wilbur retired from the race after only 42 laps due to a failed timing gear.(Photographer Unknown)
3-time Indy 500 winner, Mauri Rose, 1948. (Photographer Unknown)
Bill Vukovich and his 1952 ride. (Photographer Unknown)
The
Jim Rathmann's funky new roadster, 1962. (UPI/Johnson))
It does rain at Indy
Rex Mays (2nd from left) after winning the pole for the 1935 Indy 500. (Copps)
George Bignotti, Graham Hill. (Johnson)
This racin' stuff wears me out! (Johnson)
We got garage passes and beer! We're number one! Happy hour at IMS in front of Elmer George's garage, 1962. (Johnson)
...little help? Bobby Marshman, 1964? (Johnson)
Troy Ruttman, Indy, 1961. (Johnson)
Tony Bettenhausen, Indy, 1961. (Johnson)
Rodger Ward, Indy, 1961. (Johnson)
Parnelli Jones, Indy, 1961. (Johnson)
Paul Russo, in his Novi, mugs for the camera, 1957. (Photographer Unknown)
Jim Rathmann at Indy, 1961. (Johnson)
Jim Hurtubise. (Johnson)
Jimmy Davies and his Novi, 1956. (Photographer Unknown)
Jimmy Bryan's not happy with the Belond's performance. (UPI/Smith)
The Belond Exhaust Special. (Photographer Unknown)
The green flag waves at Indy, 1949. (Spicklemire)
The second weekend of qualifying in 1956 saw heavy rain that completely canceled Saturday and left only a small window on Sunday for 4 drivers to fill the field. Nino Farina was one of the drivers left out when he didnt get a chance to qualify the Bardahl-Ferrari.
3-time Indy winner Louis Meyer tests his latest creation a 176 c.i.d. supercharged Offy at his Los Angeles shop in 1950 (L.E. Evans Agency)
Rex Mays' 1949 Indy Novi engine. (Spicklemire)
Supercharged Cummins diesel engine of #61 Jimmy Jackson, Indy, 1950. (Spicklemire)
Pat Flaherty takes the checkered flag at Indy, 1956
Sam Hanks in a Maserati, Indy, 1949. (Oates)
Rex Mays awake in his Novi. Indy, 1949. (Walton)
Rex Mays naps in his Novi, Indy, 1949. (Walton)
Rodger Ward at Indy, 1960. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Greg Weld. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Greg Weld's Ford powered Harrison Special. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Jerry Grant's Chevy powered Harrison Special. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Slammin' Sammy Sessions' day is over. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Gary Congdon pits with front end damage. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Jackie Stewart. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Graham Hill. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Jackie Stewart pits. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. The Vita-Fresh Team. Larry Dickson's Ford (7) and Ronnie Duman's supercharged Drake (11). (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Larry Dickson refuels. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Bobby Grim. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Jim Hurtubise. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Bill Cheesbourg pits during practice. (Johnson)
Fuji, 1966. Graham Hill (24) and Jackie Stewart (43) flank Lloyd Ruby (29) at the start. (Johnson)
Fuji International Raceway front gate.