Considered one of the most historically significant editions of the Indianapolis 500, several sidebar stories complemented the unprecedented accomplishment of race winner A. J.

Foyt's victory is also the last time the winning car (both chassis and engine) was built entirely within the United States.

On the final day of time trials, Janet Guthrie broke the gender barrier by becoming the first female driver to qualify for the Indy 500.

It marked the first time since the original brick surface was laid in the fall of 1909 that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was repaved in its entirety.

The surface was allowed to cure over the winter, and during a tire test in March, Gordon Johncock ran a lap of 200.401 mph, an unofficial track record.

Other historical milestones during the month included the first grandson of a former driver entering (Teddy Pilette) and the first father and son combination attempting to qualify for the same race (Jim and James McElreath Jr.).

No drivers broke the 200 mph barrier during practice on the morning of pole day, but participants and observers expected the record to fall during official time trials.

[9] The symbolic gesture, performed by Phil Hedback of Bryant Heating and Cooling Company,[9] mimicked Parnelli Jones, who broke the 150 mph barrier in 1962, and was awarded with 150 silver dollars poured into his helmet.

Regazzoni was planning on running both Indy and the Monaco Grand Prix, but the crash complicated his travel schedule.

Clay Regazzoni started the day in Monte Carlo, but rain washed out his chance to qualify for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Car owner Teddy Yip made plans to fly him back to Indy and attempt to qualify for the 500.

Mario Andretti, who put in a safe qualifying time at Indy the weekend before, remained in Monaco to compete in the race, he would finish 5th.

Qualifying was sparse during the early parts of the day, with at least 12 cars taking to the track, but only two attempts run to completion.

As the 6 o'clock gun fired, James McElreath, Jr. was the final car on the track, but his speed was too slow to make the field.

Salt's father George and brother Jeff were responsible for the purchase, and paid a reported $60,000 for the entry, and subsequently fired Puterbaugh from the ride.

Later in the afternoon, Jim McElreath's #73 Carrillo team won the first annual Miller Pit Stop Contest.

[17] During the week before the race, the management announced that they would not change the wording of the command, but numerous suggestions were being offered by various promoters and members of the media around the country.

They did not announce beforehand what the special command would be,[17] and Hulman's highly anticipated phrase was the following: "In company with the first lady ever to qualify at Indianapolis, gentlemen, start your engines!

A long stretch of green flag racing continued until lap 159, when George Snider and Pancho Carter stalled on the track.

As Johncock hit the mainstretch the next time around to complete lap 184, a huge cloud of smoke suddenly billowed from his car.

Third place Al Unser ran out of fuel on the backstretch, about a half lap from the finish line, and within seconds his car was surrounded by a group of fans.

The historic accomplishment was highly celebrated, and Foyt invited track owner Tony Hulman to ride with him in the pace car to salute the fans.

Cannon managed to complete only 8 laps before the checkered flag flew, but he prided himself as being one of only a handful of drivers on the track at the moment A. J. Foyt won his record fourth Indy 500.

Following the suicide of chief announcer Sid Collins on May 2, Paul Page was elevated to the anchor position and became the new "Voice of the 500."

At the opening of the broadcast, veteran Jim Shelton reported on the death of Collins to the worldwide listening audience, then introduced Page as the new anchor.

Despite the bereavement of the crew regarding Collins’ death, the broadcast was a flawless affair, and ushered in a new era for the network.

In the coming years, Page would upgrade the workings of the broadcast, including enhanced communication with the reporters, and new talent at the positions.

Among the celebrities interviewed in the pits were Evel Knievel, Sam Hanks, and Formula One commentator Anthony Marsh.

"Heavy Action" was used in an "Indianapolis 500" opening credits for the second time as Monday Night Football Producers Roone Arledge and Chuck Howard along with Directors Chet Forte and Larry Kamm also did work on this broadcast.

Unlike previous years during this era, ABC-TV got the first interview with the race winner, as Bill Flemming spoke with A. J. Foyt prior to Lou Palmer.