1968: On pole day, looking to become the first driver to win three consecutive poles, Mario Andretti qualified 4th, but not without all sorts of trouble. Twice the team had to wheel the car back to the garage with fouled spark plugs, then he burned a piston, requiring an engine change. Mario managed the inside of the second row (167.691 mph), but he could not get anywhere near the front row, all three of whom broke 170 mph. On race day, Mario suffered a stuck wastegate and piston failure on lap 2, and finished in last place. A few minutes later, he climbed into the car of his teammate, Larry Dickson to drive relief. He did not fare any better, as that car dropped out after 24 laps with a bad piston. For the second year in a row, a bad finish at Indy likely cost Mario the USAC Championship. He lost by only 11 points to Bobby Unser.