See How A.J. Foyt Won His 2nd Indy 500 in 1964

With rear-engined cars now truly getting a foothold—they occupied the entire front row—and with rapidly improving tire development, Scotland’s Jim Clark raised the qualifying records by almost eight miles per hour to sit on the pole at 158.828 mph.

Tragedy struck near the end of the second lap when a huge accident took place on the main straight, stopping the race for the first time ever for a reason other than rain. Two drivers, Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald, both perished in the fiery accident, which basically ended the use of gasoline as a fuel in the “500.”

The race, however, was a triumph for A.J. Foyt in a traditional Offenhauser-powered Watson “roadster” as he won his second Indianapolis 500, although this would mark the very last occasion on which a front-engined car would enter victory lane.