I was looking at Hulme's crash during Indy 500 free practice when I came across this weird phrase
(https://www.psychoontyres.co.uk/the-kiw ... -offy-m15/)
As this article says the #79 was the spare car used by Bruce McLaren on the 1st day of practice but then it says: "The #73 of Denny caught fire".
Hulme caught fire on the #79 as the photo show
So was really #79 the spare car? and why Denny was on it instead of being on the #73?
Denny Hulme's Indy 1970 car
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Denny Hulme's Indy 1970 car
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This should answer your questions......Lor Bet wrote: ↑3 years ago I was looking at Hulme's crash during Indy 500 free practice when I came across this weird phrase
(https://www.psychoontyres.co.uk/the-kiw ... -offy-m15/)
As this article says the #79 was the spare car used by Bruce McLaren on the 1st day of practice but then it says: "The #73 of Denny caught fire".
Hulme caught fire on the #79 as the photo show
So was really #79 the spare car? and why Denny was on it instead of being on the #73?
The #79 (Chassis # M15A/1) was certainly the spare car and was also for sure the car he was driving when it caught fire.
The #73 car (chassis #M15A/2 was to be Denny's race car at Indy and was the car Revson drove at Indy after Denny withdrew due to his burns.. The #79 car was the prototype M15 car. Denny also practiced the #73 car: pic below
That car was then the car used by Revson at the Ontario 500 later in the year.
Denny was driving the #79 car purely to 'shake it down' as it was to be a back up car and was being readied for that purpose should it have been needed.
Denny getting ready to take the #79 car out to shake it down. Bruce crouched next to the car.
M15A/3 was the car that was to be Amon's car (#75).... but he had decided to withdraw prior to Hulmes accident due to his not being comfortable with driving at Indy or the safety facilities. He confirmed that decision when Denny crashed. That (#75) car was driven in the race by Carl Williams.
You will find these links useful:
This is the full history of the 3x M15 chassis used at Indy.
https://www.oldracingcars.com/mclaren/m15a/
This link also talks of that Indy weekend in detail, with some pics. Just scroll down the page past the section McLaren CanAm cars.https://www.psychoontyres.co.uk/tag/revson/page/2/
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