1975 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year Bill Puterbaugh dies

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bill Puterbaugh, the 1975 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, died Monday at his home on the west side of Indianapolis.

He was 81 years old.

Puterbaugh finished seventh in that rain-shortened race, driving a turbocharged Offy-powered Eagle from Patrick Racing. He qualified twice more for the 500, finishing 22nd in 1976 and 12th in 1977. 

The Roxana, Illinois, native registered 30 starts in United States Auto Club (USAC) national competition between 1966-79, picking up 11 top-10 finishes, including at the 500 and Pocono in 1975 and in 1976 at Ontario, California. 

He also won five USAC sprint car races, with a best finish of third in the points in 1969 (behind Gary Bettenhausen and Larry Dickson). 

More racing coverage

► Tony Kanaan joins A.J. Foyt racing

► Get all our IndyCar coverage with the INSports app

Puterbaugh's claim to fame was his persistence, wrote Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian Donald Davidson in a recent story, as despite success as a USAC sprint car driver, he failed to qualify for the 500 every May from 1968-74. 

Puterbaugh dreamed of driving in the 500 since he was a boy, Davidson said, but he struggled to qualify for the race before getting help from some famous friends. 

Puterbaugh credited Al Unser and Lloyd Ruby with helping him qualify for his first 500, with Ruby giving him invaluable advice on how to handle turns. 

Davidson said that following qualifying for his first 500, the "extremely popular Puterbaugh gave a most emotional speech over the public address and then spent the next hour or two staggering around the pits and garage area in an apparent state of shock, well-wishers slapping him on the back every inch of the way." 

Puterbaugh is survived by his wife, Joyce, and sons, Russell and Billy, the later having followed in his father's footsteps as a sprint car driver.

Services have not yet been announced. 

Follow IndyStar Motor Sports Insider Jim Ayello on Twitter and Instagram: @jimayello.