Granatelli was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2011[5] and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2013. That and STP's sponsorship of Richard Petty's NASCAR efforts, which continue to this day, made the STP logo one of the most recognizable in sports. [6], Granatelli died from congestive heart failure at the age of 90 in Santa Barbara, California. ANDY GRANATELLI gained considerable notoriety for his innovative approach to motorsports in the 1960s. They did their own mechanical work, and brought innovations like fully independent suspension, yet never made it to "Victory Lane". In the 1920s, Papa Granatelli worked as a . Andy Granatelli Collection | Collections Search Center, Smithsonian Institution Search millions of objects in the collections including photographs, artworks, artifacts, scientific specimens, manuscripts, sound records, and transcripts. Andy Granatelli began his quest for Indy 500 fame at the age of 20 in 1943, when he and his brother pooled their meager, hard-earned money and purchased a Texaco gas station on the north side of Chicago, which he called Andy's Super Service. The Luyendyk-piloted Lola-Chevy won at Phoenix, Granatelli somehow kept the team going through the summer despite falling out with Tezak, and was rewarded for his perseverance with another win, when Luyendyk captured victory at Nazareth and went on to finish sixth in the championship. This translates into enormous horsepower (HP), but it also means the car can be hard to handle. Get the best deals for andy granatelli at eBay.com. Andy Granatelli at the 2011 Indianapolis 500. After World War II he thrilled State Fair crowds as "Antonio Granatelli" with his jet powered race car. [3] He did not attend the race in 2013, and died later that year. Granatelli, Andy, 1923-2013 Granatelli, Vincent Grancor Automotive Specialists Hurricane Hot Rod Association More . Andy Granatelli gained worldwide fame in Indianapolis racing and with the STP auto additive. But the title Mister 500 is the one that befits him most, for it describes a lifelong dream to conquer the famous 500-mile race in Indianapolis. In 1958, Andy and his brother Joe purchased Paxton Products, a failing engineering firm that made superchargers. Andy was born on March 18, 1923 in Dallas, Texas. The 1967 STP-Paxton Turbocar had a 23-square-inch air intake area and 550 HP capacity. Andy Granatelli Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History (AC1403-0000035). Andy Granatelli rose to prime prominence as a Business. 0 references. Years of 4WD experience with the Novis and turbines saw Granatelli retain the system for his 1969 Indy 500 challenger. I was born supercharged.". Granatelli formed his own Corporation, Grancor Automotive Specialists, in 1945, and began pioneering the mass merchandising of automotive performance products. Viewing film and audio portion of collection requires special appointment. The carwas designed by the brilliant Bud and Ed Winfield, brothers and mechanics who used a V8 engine designed to their specifications by Leo Gossen, the premier race carengine designer of the 20th century. It was the Granatelli Brothers who brought the word high to high-performance, creating a multi-million dollar business based on the automotive parts aftermarket. Chemical Compounds had only one, little known product . [1] Granatelli was born in Dallas, Texas. Andy Granatelli, Indy racing pioneer, dies at 90 "Mr. 500" was unafraid to innovate, and the sport was better for it. << Andy Granatelli, who passed away at 90 years old yesterday in a California hospital, will always be remembered in the open-wheel world for helping to revive the Novi engine in the early 1960s . Jones led 197 laps of the 200-lap race until a gear bearing failed. xwXSsN`$!l{@ $@TR)XZ(
RZD|y L0V@(#q `= nnWXX0+; R1{Ol (Lx\/V'LKP0RX~@9k(8u?yBOr y Andy Granatelli was born on March 18, 1923 in Dallas, Texas, USA. The Granatelli Brothers, with Andy as the ringleader, fit in perfectly at Indy during a period in the great race's history where mechanical innovation and creativity went unchecked. Andy Granatelli, a flamboyant race car driver turned businessman who became a household name with TV commercials for his STP fuel and oil additives, died Sunday at a Santa Barbara hospital. So powerful was the image of Granatelli and STPs marketing, that a cartoon was published in the New York Times of Neil Armstrong setting foot on the moon and the first thing he saw was an STP decal. But as with just about every Granatelli success there came a setback. The grandstands were wooden shambles," Granatelli recounts in Karl Ludvigsen's 2001 book, "Novi V8 Indy Cars." The collection consists primarily of files, photographs, scrapbooks, and drawings. Anthony "Andy" Granatelli (March 18, 1923 - December 29, 2013) was an American businessman, most prominent as the CEO of STP as well as a major figure in automobile racing events.. Granatelli was born in Dallas, Texas.Along with his brothers Vince and Joe, he first worked as an auto mechanic and "speed-shop" entrepreneur, modifying engines such as the flathead Ford into racing-quality equipment. Search millions of objects in the collections including photographs, artworks, artifacts, scientific specimens, manuscripts, sound records, and transcripts. After his innovative Lotus four-wheel drive car was destroyed in practice upon establishing itself as one of the most dominants cars to date, his driver Mario Andretti, nursing the burns from the Lotus crash, won at the wheel of a year-old backup car. /Filter /FlateDecode At the end of the 1968 season, the U.S. Auto Club revised engine specifications, effectively outlawing Granatelli's turbine car. However, at the end of the year, Granatelli merged with the now Bob Tezak-owned Doug Shierson Racing and thus acquired the services of the most recent Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk and a contract with Chevrolet. . 43,", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Andy_Granatelli&oldid=1141732473, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 14:27. STP could be found in virtually every venue of speed: on land, on the water or in the air. This engine ultimately led Granatelli into litigation. In a letter to Studebaker President Sherwood Egbert, Granatelli wrote, "The thing that never ceases to amaze me is the ease . Andy Granatelli, in They Call Me Mister 500, page 227). Included are key chains, trophies, STP stickers, TuneUp Masters stickers, belt buckle, and patch. Anthony "Andy" Granatelli (March 18, 1923 - December 29, 2013) was an American businessman, most prominent as the CEO of STP as well as a major figure in automobile racing events. When Andy Granatelli wasn't burning up tracks, he was tearing up the business world. In 1958, he purchased Paxton Products, a failing engineering firm that made superchargers. Andy Granatelli, president of Studebaker Paxton Division, is shown at the controls of a Paxton dynamometer, running final tuning tests on the 775 HP supercharged Novi racing engine that powered both of the four-wheel-drive STP Specials in the Indianapolis 500, May 1965. Granatelli's racing career began in 1946, when he built the first rocket-powered car to race on an oval track. That's what it's all about. Granatelli was the second of three sons, between Joseph (1919-2003) and Vincent (b. biography/Andy-Granatelli. In both years, he saw probable race-winners fail near the end; Joe Leonard's breakdown in the Lotus 56 with 10 laps remaining in 1968 had been topped the previous year when Parnelli Jones, leading comfortably with just three laps to go, suffered the failure of a six dollar transmission bearing in the STP-Paxton Turbocar and retired, handing a sure victory to A. J. At right is Andy Granatelli, President of Paxton Products, and at left is his brother Vincent Granatelli, builder of car No. [2], 2013 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, May 26, 2013, Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 14:27, Indianapolis 500 curse that is named for Mario Andretti's family, "Auto racing legend Andy Granatelli dies at 90", "Andy Granatelli Dies at 90; Revved Businesses and Cars", "13 Inductees set as Class of 2011 for National Sprint Car Hall of Fame", "Midget Hall Of Fame Ceremony Set For Jan. 11". After winning the Indy 500 in 1983 with Tom Sneva, the Bignotti-Cotter teams fortunes dwindled as Sneva departed and Bignotti retired. Maybe a plain old piston car. Andy Granatelli died this past Sunday at the age of 90. Granatelli was born in Dallas Texas. (Merriam-Webster). Nigel Mansells greatest F1 and Indycar drives, How Marcus Ericsson finally unlocked his potential in IndyCar, How Ericsson unlocked his potential His larger-than-life personality and flair for the dramatic made him an American cultural phenomenon. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Finally, the collection contains a large number of photographs covering all aspects of Granatelli's career. Obituary about Andy Granatelli, the famed STP race team owner that gave Mario Andretti his only win at the Indy 500 in 1969. The Granatelli Brothers founded the Hurricane Hot Rod Racing Association and put tens of thousands of racing fans in the seats of Chicagos Soldier field, night after night. [2], He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America[4] in 2001. Fortunately, he had quite a few other talents to rely on. ", Porsche 996 Classic Club Coupe Goes to Auction, Two JGR Crew Members Suspended for Loose Wheel, Tom Brady Is Part of Jota's Privateer Porsche 963. /CreationDate (D:20221213155122-05'00') He faced further disappointment at Milwaukee and Portland despite taking pole for both, and a pole at Cleveland yielded only fifth place, but at Pocono Guerrero scored a podium and two races later he was in Mid-Ohios victory lane. "The thing is, you must get in there and race. They raced at the Brickyard over the course of the next three decades. Like so many engineering innovations, there were several players who collaborated, with great enthusiasm and skill, to its creation. They did their own mechanical work, and brought innovations like fully independent suspension, yet never made it to "Victory Lane". Andy is a resident of 4698 La Espada Driv, Santa Barbara, CA 93111-1301. Season: St: W: T5: T10: Poles: Standing: Laps Led 1950: 1 of 5: 0: 1: 1: 10: 0 TOTALS: 1: 0 0%: 1 The STP logo became the most recognizable in all of advertising, as the company became the advertising voice for all of motorsports through its huge (and overly generous) advertising budget. (Joe reacquired the company years later, serving as president until 2003.). Masthead for Novi letterhead, undated. The Love Bug (1968), Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967 . Granatelli, along with his brothers, Vincent and Joseph, andJohn C. Thompsonquickly seized the opportunity and bought the engines, tooling, patterns, spare parts, trailers, and drawings. He spent a large part of his adult life in Chicago, where he and his brothers Joe and Vince opened a speed shop known as Grancor. Rolt wrote on September 27, 1963, "Andy, this is a heck of a thing to try and settle by writing or cables and I really think you ought to come over immediately and talk.". See accession 2017.3043. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. These . Steam car. Granatelli's cars became a significant presence at the Indianapolis 500. 1968 He was an actor, known for The Love Bug (1968), Laugh-In (1967) and The Hollywood Palace (1964). Marcenac joined Granatellis team in an advisory capacity to help bring the engine to life. Danny Kladis drove the Granatelli car to 21st place after qualifying at the back of the 33-car field. They devoted their next business strictly to speed. In 1957, they walked away from it all and retired or so they thought. Two Indianapolis entries sponsored by STP for 1965 were the all new STP Oil Treatment (No. His 1968 autobiography, "They Call Me Mister 500," chronicled Granatelli's life and career just after turbine engines had been effectively banned by the Indy 500 sanctioning body, and within his writings, his enduring spirit and curiosity is preserved. Collection is open for research. Vincent Joseph Granatelli, son of charismatic STP promoter Andy Granatelli,started at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1961 as a mechanic on the Novi-powered machines his father brought to the 500 that year. STP RACERS - From his early days, Andy Granatelli was a marketer. Back at Indianapolis, Granatelli entered a revolutionary race car of his own design - one with a turbine engine in 1967 and 1968. His gimmick? Some of the earliest files relate to Grancor, a company founded by Granatelli and his two brothers in 1945, which customized cars for clients. He would go on to work on the legendary and legendarily unfortunate STPturbine cars. The Divison holds artifacts related to STP and the STP-Paxton Turbo Car. He grew up in Chicago during the Depression and was raised in dire poverty, along with his brothers. Additionally, this portion contains STP's Board of Directors' minutes, documents on policies and procedures, papers documenting advertising campaigns, comparative sales figures, sales manuals, and Granatelli's business correspondence. Andy Granatelli Biography, Automotive Hall of Fame (last accessed January 29, 2020 https://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honoree/andy-granatelli/). Hotshoe Andy Granatelli, who knew a thing or two about driving fast-and even more about promoting merchandise-was president of Paxton Products at the time, and one of his superchargers wailed under the Avanti's hood. For many years he ran a successful grocery business in Dallas. While many in the racing community did not agree with his turbine engine used in 1967, Granatelli was constantly pushing himself, his brothers, and those with whom he collaborated to the limits of engine design to go faster. Andy Granatelli once said that in the 1960s, virtually every kid in America had an STP sticker on his bedroom door, his notebook or his lunchbox, and he was probably right! [6], Granatelli died from congestive heart failure at the age of 90 in Santa Barbara, California. Fu pilota automobilistico e poi amministratore delegato della STP , con la quale ha partecipato come costruttore ad alcune 500 Miglia di Indianapolis Granatelli eventually became visible in the racing world in the 1960s as the spokesman for STP oil and gasoline treatment products, appearing on its television and radio advertisements as well as sponsoring race cars. Originally Published on May 22, 2008 Speedway, Indiana. Turbine car. Andy Granatelli is the author of They Call Me Mister 500 (4.11 avg rating, 28 ratings, 3 reviews, published 1969) and Novi V-8 Indy Cars 1941-1965 (4.33 . Granatelli went to Indianapolis with the Turbine car with Parnelli Jones as his driver. Anthony"Andy" Granatelli(March 18, 1923 - December 29, 2013) was an American businessman, most prominent as the CEO of STPas well as a major figure in automobile racing events. Andy Granatelli at the 2011 Indianapolis 500. MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) Andy Granatelli, the former CEO of STP motor oil company who made a mark on motorsports as a car owner, innovator and entrepreneur, has died. STP was founded in 1953 by racing enthusiast and businessman Andy Granatelli. 4 0 obj Warshaw Collection of Business American, Series: Automobile Industry (NMAH.AC.0060), Winton-Anderson Scrapbook Collection (NMAH.AC.0122), Sam DeVincent Collection of Illustrated American Sheet Music, Series 1: Transportation (NMAH.AC.0300), Evan Rangeloff Collection of Punchboards and Liggett & Myers Tobacco Sales Materials (NMAH.AC.0716). The Granatelli family would quit racing in 1974. Andretti had just taken the checkered flag in Granatelli's Ford-powered Brawner Hawk after leading 161 laps at a then-record speed of 156.887 mph. The business was a huge success. Now 78, Granatelli is retired from racing and other businesses. Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting, 2021 IndyCar title is just the start for Ganassi's newest star, 2021 title just the start for Palou Andy's father, Vincent, emigrated from Sicily to America at age 18. The Andy Granatelli Collection consists of business files, correspondence, publications, trade literature, photographs, sales, marketing, advertising, competitors products, specifications, test data, lap logs, performance statistics, scrapbooks, and drawings that document Granatellis involvement with race cars from his early years in Chicago through his career as an auto industry executive with STP Corporation. Anthony "Andy" Granatelli (March 18, 1923 December 29, 2013) was an American businessman, most prominent as the CEO of STP as well as a major figure in automobile racing events.[1]. %PDF-1.4 Despite the rules change, Granatelli got his first Indy win in 1969 when Andretti crashed his primary car and drove the backup to victory lane and accepted the kiss seen 'round the world. At seasons end Guerrero departed, and Granatelli switched to the Buick engines for 89 but the ageing Tom Sneva, John Andretti and Didier Theys could barely muster a top 10 finish, and 1990 would prove little better. Other intellectual property rights may apply. I have also enjoyed reading Andys autobiography They call me Mr 500. Freebase ID /m/0bpvbm. It was his work ethic that seemed to catch fire in the hearts of his young sons. Joe, Andy, and Vince continued to be leaders by example and amassed personal fortunes during the course of their lives. Inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992. During World War II, he became a promoter of automobile racing events, such as the "Hurricane Racing Association", which combined racing opportunities for up-and-coming drivers with crowd-pleasing theatrics. Andy Granatelli's childhood dream of conquering Indy was fulfilled, not once, but twice. Along with his brothers Vince and Joe he first worked as an auto mechanic and speed-shop entrepreneur modifying engines such as the flathead Ford into racing-quality equipment. Andy Granatelli Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History (AC1403-0000032). actor. He won it again in 1973 with Gordon Johncock as his driver. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. 6, May 1965. He was 90. Granatelli and his brothers Vince and Joe got into racing in the 1930s . Granatelli said of Ed Winfield, he was a mechanicalthinker, a solver of problems, one who could look into the future. (They Call Me Mister 500, page 228). They showed up at Indy in 1946, right after World War II. He'd raced hot rods with some success in his twenties and set a number of land speed records in Avantis years later, but as a rookie driver in the Indianapolis 500 in 1948, he crashed during his qualifying run, breaking an arm and losing 11 teeth. Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting, Why Kirkwood is USA's ace-in-waiting 0 references. See accession 2017.0092. With all three becoming master mechanics, their wallets began to thicken with cash. In 1963, Bobby Unser (above) qualified sixth at 149+ mph but crashed out of the race on Lap 2. Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions. Usage conditions may apply for digital images, video, and sound recordings linked within SOVA collections. Summarize this article for a 10 years old, Anthony "Andy" Granatelli (March 18, 1923 December 29, 2013) was an American businessman, most prominent as the CEO of STP as well as a major figure in automobile racing events.[1]. Motorsports Hall of Fame of America ID. Copyright 2023, Smithsonian Institution, All Rights Reserved, The Supercharged, Super Fast, Novi Engine, archivescenter-grantelli-anthony-ac1403-0000032-750-inline-edit.jpg, archivescenter-grantelli-anthony-ac1403-0000030-750-inline-edit.jpg, archivescenter-grantelli-anthony-ac1403-0000033-750-inline-edit.jpg, archivescenter-grantelli-anthony-ac1403-0000036-750-inline-edit.jpg, https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/indy500/history/historical-stats/race-stats, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horsepower, Exploring Sports and Innovation at the Lemelson Center, Coleman, Annie Gilbert. That same year, he took his first car to the Indianapolis 500--a pre-war Harry Miller--designed Ford. If you were to characterize Granatelli as a shameless self-promoter, a braggart of the first order, you would, in part, be right. They sold it for a hefty profit three years later to Studebaker, with Andy joining the management of South Bend automaker in the deal. Have Harvey and RLL formed IndyCars next winning match-up? At the age of 62 in his street legal passenger car, he drove to an amazing record of 241.731 mph on pump gasoline. Kladis only completed 46 laps and was disqualified when the car was towed after stalling; the crew found that the fuel valve had been turned off. One of the longest-lasting images in motorsports history is that of Andy Granatelli planting a big smooch on the cheek of Mario Andretti in victory lane after the 1969 Indianapolis 500. That's what makes it happen. Andy became the front man for an oil additive known as Scientifically Treated Petroleum (STP) and Andy's ability as a marketer made STP one of the most famous brands in racing beginning in the 1960s. They became an institution at Indianapolis. During the 1960s Granatelli rapidly expanded STP from a seven-person company with sales of $2 million to an operation . Granatellis cars nearly won the Indianapolis 500 in 1967 and 1968 with turbine engines, and he finally won at Indy in 1969 with a conventional engine. They were part of the famed NOVI Racing team in the 1950s and 1960s. In time, he earned his reputation as the greatest motorsports promoter of all time, thanks to his creativity, perseverance and hard work. However rumor is that the kiss began the infamous Indianapolis 500 curse that is named for Mario Andretti's family. With no insurance, they had to start over from scratch. Granatelli made the company profitable in seven months and sold it to Studebaker Corporation. Race car owner and driver, innovator, and entrepreneur Andy Granatelli was as supercharged as the Novi itself. Granatelli's fame, however, came in the 1960s, when he became president of the STP Corporation. Vincent is retired, residing in Arizona. He clad his pit crews in white coveralls with the oval STP logo scattered all over them, and once wore a suit jacket with the same STP-laden design. "Legacy of 'Mr. As youngsters growing up in Depression-era Chicago, the three Granatelli boys, Joseph (born 1919) Andrew (born 1923) and Vincent (born 1927), leaned about life the hard way. . As youngsters growing up in Depression-era Chicago, the three Granatelli boys, Joseph (born 1919) Andrew (born 1923) and Vincent (born 1927), leaned about life the hard way. But he is most famous for STP. Both the STP Paxton car of Parnelli Jones in 1967 and the Lotus 56 of Joe Leonard in 1968 would fail almost within sight of the checkered flag on Memorial Day Weekend. Despite Granatelli's rise, Andy and his brothers Joe and Vince had been staples at the Speedway for almost 20 years at that point, turning up at Indy during a period in which facility had fallen into disrepair and the event itself had lost some of its luster. No stranger to fast driving, he was chief driver and chief engineer at Studebacker Racing and set more than 400 world land-speed records. By the time Granatelli's turbine came within three laps of winning the 1967 Indy 500 with Parnelli Jones behind the wheel, he'd witnessed the track's renovation and re-emergence as the epicenter for automotive advancement. But the former Chicagoan cut his racing and entrepreneurial teeth on and near Route 66 in Illinois. Warning: JavaScript is disabled on your browser. I enjoyed reading this. Andy was born March 18, 1923, in Dallas, Texas. An innovator, tireless promoter and public relations genius, the flamboyant, larger-than-life Andy Granatelli succumbed to congestive heart failure Sunday, Dec. 29 in a Santa Barbara, Calif . Terakhir diperbarui pada: 24 Mei 2020. >> Two of his cars, a 1967 turbine engine race car and the 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner, are in National Museum of American History's Division of Work & Industry collection. He was a man worthy of note in the world of cars and the world of business. The name "STP" stands for "Scientifically Treated Petroleum." 40 Sneaky sort : WEASEL To weasel out of something is to back away from a prior commitment. Both featured patented a Ferguson four-wheel-drive system and both are powered with updated Novi overhead camshaft V-8 engines with 775 HP. Their most defining moments were: 1) dominating and almost winning the 1967 Indy 500 with Parnelli Jones piloting the STP Turbine Whooshmobile before a $3 gearbox bearing cost them the race with just three laps to go; 2) winning the 1969 Indy 500 with Mario Andretti driving and; 3) winning the 500 in 1973 with Gordon Johncock. Andys quest for Indy 500 fame began in Chicago, where, at the age of 20in 1943, he and his brothers pooled money and purchased a Texaco gas station on the north side of the city and named it Andys Super Service. In 1946, the three brothers entered the first of several Indianapolis 500 races, as the Grancor racing team. But its Granatellis return to the Indy 500 in 1963 with a supercharged engine called the Novi that set him apart from other race car designers. NASCAR 2023 at Las Vegas schedule, entry list, and how to watch, F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: How to watch on TV in the USA on ESPN, F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: How to watch on TV in the USA on ESPN 500' rides again with the No. His leave-no-stone-unturned mindset led to a kinship with the brilliant owner of Lotus, Colin Chapman, whose 1966 Indy 500 entries carried STP sponsorship via Granatelli. An Indianapolis Motor Speedway legend was lost with Sunday's passing of Anthony "Andy" Granatelli at the age of 90. Granatelli was one of the sharpest minds in motor racing. Published in the Post-Tribune / Chicago Sun-Times News Group But on his return, Vince truly emerged from the shadow of his famous father when he took over Dan Cotters Indy car team in the 1980s and almost immediately found success. The STP logo became one of the best recognized in history. endobj Np%p `a!2D4! Hurricane events, according to Granatelli in his autobiography They Call Me Mister 500, included drivers who were experts at executingand survivingroll-over and end-over-end crashes, and also an ambulance that not only got caught up into the race but also ejected a stretcher (with a dummy on it) into the way of the racers. Losing gives you a bit more fight, says fired-up Dixon, Graham Rahal expects to take charge of RLL some day, Hardwick slams flawed IMSA BoP, announces WEC plans, Hardwick slams flawed IMSA BoP Ottum, Bob. While digital content may be restricted, SOVA collection descriptions and catalog records are available CC0 for re-use. 1973 (Asylum Records) . Vince Granatelli of STP, Bill Dunne, Mario Andretti and March designer Robin Herd at Kyalami F1 GP in 1970. Granatelli commissioned new front-engined chassis from Kurtis and Ferguson to carry the Novi and tried a variety of suspension layouts, four-wheel drive, and every other conceivable idea to remain competitive after rear-engined cars began to dominate the 500.