|
|
Post by Calvin on Aug 24, 2014 0:25:44 GMT -5
Time and Time again I think of some stat or some fact about Indycar racing that I would like to share but sometimes its not appropriate time to do so on someone else thread.....so here is a thread dedicated to just that.
So if you have anything you would like to share then post it here.
|
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Aug 24, 2014 0:27:25 GMT -5
I just posted this on anther thread, but I was so proud of it I'll put it here for future reference.
Here is the list of Pennzoil Drivers thru the history of Indycar racing.
Mari Rose (1951 Indy 500)
Johnny Rutherford (1980-1982 1984 Subbing for Rick Mears)
Rick Mears (1983-1990)
Al Unser (1979, 1985 subbing for Rick Mears)
Michael Thackwell (1984 Laguna Seca subbing for Rick Mears)
John Andretti (1991-1992)
Teo Fabi (1993-1994)
Gil De Ferran (1995-1996)
Roberto Guerrero (1996-1997)
Scott Goodyear (1998-2000)
Tyce Carlson (1999 Indy)
Dave Steele (1998-1999)
Sam Hornish (2001-2003)
Dan Wheldon (2002)
Tomas Scheckter (2004-2005)
Buddy Lazier (2005)
Helio Castroneves (2014 Indy)
EDIT Jordan thought of one...Tyce Carlson 1999 and easy one to forget!
|
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Aug 24, 2014 0:33:51 GMT -5
Jerry Grant's Mystery Eagle was actually not a sponsor but a mystery of no sponsor. Note the "You name it" on the car.
|
|
sam198
Front Runner
Posts: 217
|
Post by sam198 on Aug 24, 2014 2:44:46 GMT -5
Only two drivers have the distinction of starting last, finishing last, starting first, and finishing first at Indianapolis in their careers. Tom Sneva and Mario Andretti.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldphotos on Aug 24, 2014 12:54:24 GMT -5
Your facts on the Mystery Eagle are incorrect, This article well explain the sponsor of the car and why it was the Mystery Eagle.
The terrific challenge that Sarah Fisher Racing has encountered in the last few weeks is not without precedent in Indianapolis 500 or big-time auto racing history.
Probably the most glaring example of a race team laying it all out on the line for a sponsor who was never really confirmed as paying his way was the run of the 1972 “Mystery” Eagle. Dan Gurney and his company, All American Racers were building some of the most technologically advanced Indycars (labeled the “Eagle”) in the world when they showed up at Indy for the month of May in 1972.
Gurney’s primary car, the No. 6 Olsonite Eagle, was the class of Gasoline Alley. Bobby Unser took the pole for the race at a new track record of 195.940 mph, beating the former pole speed record by 17.244 miles per hour, the largest track record incremental increase in the history of IMS.
Team owner Gurney was thrilled. Even more inviting was the proposition that if he could find sponsorship, he could run a second car.
Enter Chris Vallo, then of Highland. Vallo was the man behind CV Enterprises, whose logo sported the slogan “You Name It.” Vallo fancied himself an entrepreneur and was introduced to Gurney by Unser, who met him while driving for Nichels Engineering in 1971.
Gurney was desperate for sponsorship and Vallo was looking for another avenue to pursue his financial goals.
What wasn’t apparent to many at the time was that Vallo was being sued by Ray Nichels, who alleged Vallo had defaulted on his agreement to sponsor a $7 million stock car program preparing Pontiacs in NASCAR for David Pearson and Plymouths for A.J. Foyt and Unser in USAC.
Before anyone knew it, the No. 48 Mystery Eagle, driven by Jerry Grant, appeared on the track with the big CV Enterprises oval logo. The car ran so well it almost won the race. Grant was leading with 12 laps left when he unexpectedly pitted because his right-front tire was out of balance. During the confused stop, he was given fuel from Unser’s tank and subsequently was disqualified and scored 12th.
There was much discussion about who the man was behind the “Mystery” Eagle at Indianapolis that year.
Not long after Indianapolis, Vallo vanished from the Indy-car scene as he continued to fight a handful of lawsuits in Lake and Porter counties. He eventually would be imprisoned on two separate occasions and died in 2000.
Interview requests about Vallo and his relationship with Gurney have been politely refused by Gurney over the last several years. Gurney’s company would weather its involvement with Vallo and continues to build race-related vehicles to this day.
Oldphotos
|
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Aug 24, 2014 13:20:45 GMT -5
Now this why I made this thread - its already starting to get interesting! As for the Mystery of the Jerry Grant Eagle.....Well, I guess I'll have to talk that over with my source as I think I misunderstood some things....  That Mystery Eagle has always been a mystery for me.... Thank you for the info Walt it makes more sense now. |
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Aug 24, 2014 13:23:07 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by Michael Chriss on Aug 24, 2014 13:30:18 GMT -5
How many drivers named "Smith" have competed in the Indy 500?
|
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Aug 24, 2014 13:33:03 GMT -5
How many drivers named "Smith" have competed in the Indy 500? None! |
|
|
|
Post by SteveK51 on Aug 25, 2014 12:22:03 GMT -5
I just posted this on anther thread, but I was so proud of it I'll put it here for future reference. Here is the list of Pennzoil Drivers thru the history of Indycar racing. Mari Rose (1951 Indy 500) Johnny Rutherford (1980-1982 1984 Subbing for Rick Mears) Rick Mears (1983-1990) Al Unser (1979, 1985 subbing for Rick Mears) Michael Thackwell (1984 Laguna Seca subbing for Rick Mears) John Andretti (1991-1992) Teo Fabi (1993-1994) Gil De Ferran (1995-1996) Roberto Guerrero (1996-1997) Scott Goodyear (1998-2000) Tyce Carlson (1999 Indy) Sam Hornish (2001-2003) Tomas Scheckter (2004-2005) Helio Castroneves (2014 Indy) EDIT Jordan thought of one...Tyce Carlson 1999 and easy one to forget! Wheldon, 2002:  Dave Steele, 1998-1999  And Buddy Lazier, 2005  |
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Aug 25, 2014 18:00:52 GMT -5
I kinda figured there was more! LOL
|
|
|
|
Post by lazierfan on Aug 25, 2014 20:46:53 GMT -5
Here is an interesting fact. Johnny Rutherford a three time Indy 500 winner was my favorite driver when I was growing. Ironically he has only completed all 500 miles of the race twice. 1974 and 1980.
Eric
|
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Aug 25, 2014 23:51:19 GMT -5
Here is an interesting fact. Johnny Rutherford a three time Indy 500 winner was my favorite driver when I was growing. Ironically he has only completed all 500 miles of the race twice. 1974 and 1980. Eric Interesting! That's amazing! |
|
|
|
Post by indycals on Aug 26, 2014 1:19:06 GMT -5
Despite record qualifying speeds in 1992, the race average (as a percentage of the pole speed) was the slowest in Indianapolis 500 history. 134.477/232.482 = 57.8%. In the 1960s typical race average speeds were well over 90% of pole speed, some up around 95%. Nowadays typical average is 70-80% of pole speed (2013 it was 81.9%)
|
|
|
|
Post by indy on Aug 26, 2014 8:47:18 GMT -5
Rick Mears started the 500 15 times and only once did he start outside the 10. He started 11 times on the front row and once on rows 2, 3, 4, and 8. Out of the six races he did not finish, he never retired from the 500 after lap 122 (305 mile mark). Mears' 500 finishes were all top 5 with him completing a minimum of at least 198 laps each time. When he finished 2nd (1981) he reset the record for closest 1-2 finish and when he finished 3rd (1986) he reset the record for closest 1-2-3 finish (late caution helped admittedly).
I also never realized that Parnelli got tangled with LeeRoy Yarbrough on lap 70 of the 1967 Indy 500, resulting in them both spinning. Made me wonder if the bearing that failed on the turbine car might not have failed without that incident or the race being postponed.... we will never know!
Jordan
|
|
|
|
Post by indy on Sept 10, 2014 14:20:54 GMT -5
In 2014, there were 11 drivers from 7 different teams won an IndyCar race during the 18 race season. In the IR-12/DW-12 era, only four teams have at least one win each of the three season it has been campaigned: obvious teams like Penske, Ganassi, and Andretti have wins each year while the fourth is the plucky outfit of Dale Coyne Racing (2012-Wilson @ Texas, 2013-Conway @ Detroit 1, 2014-Huertas @ Houston 1). www.indycar.com/News/2014/09/9-10-Season-wrapup-by-the-numbersJordan |
|
|
|
Post by harveythedog2 on Sept 11, 2014 7:01:21 GMT -5
Mario Andretti nearly drove a Wedge Turbine in 1968. In fact he actually shook one down in practice. 1968 was the year that Mario owned his own team since Al Dean had passed away so Mario took on the respondsibilty of team owner. He of course later decided to keep his commitment to his sponsor Overseas National Airways. Sadly Mario only completed 2 laps before experiencing engine failure. Can you imagine if he had run the Turbine? With Mario's luck at Indy it could have been him that got pole and nearly won instead of Joe Leonard. Maybe it's best that everything happened the way it did.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldphotos on Sept 11, 2014 10:17:32 GMT -5
Mario DID drive a turbine in 1968 at Riverside and in 1 Lap he crashed and took out the other Turbine in the race.
So ended the STP turbine cars in Indy Car history in the wall at turn 9 at Riverside.
Oldphotos
|
|
|
|
Post by pje on Sept 11, 2014 11:11:48 GMT -5
And Mario was going to try out one of Mickey Thompson's cars in 1964. He decided that night that he wasn't ready upon the advice of one of his mentors and didn't show up at the Thompson garage the next morning. Kind of bothers me that Mario couldn't have at least called Mickey to tell him if indeed that's the way things happened.
Paul Erlendson
|
|
|
|
Post by indy on Jan 15, 2015 12:24:34 GMT -5
With all the hype around Super Tex's 80th birthday, I stumbled upon an interesting fact looking at AJ's history. The three four time winners of the Indy 500 never led a lap until the year of their first win. AJ's first 3 races were without a lap led, Al's first 4, and Rick's 1 first start.
Interesting to see the 3 time 500 winners of Helio (rookie winner), Meyer (rookie winner), Uncle Bobby (5 races w/o leading a lap before '68 win), and Lone Star JR (10 races w/o leading a lap before '74 win) all follow the same trend. The only two exceptions in the 3x500 winners are Dario (two races led before '07) and Shaw (three races led before '37).
Jordan
|
|
|
|
Post by clm1545 on Jan 15, 2015 12:47:05 GMT -5
One of, if not the most successful teams of the 1950's was the Dean Van Lines outfit, yet 3 drivers left the team, and then won the 500. Bob Sweikert left the team after the 53 season and won in 55. Jimmy Bryan left after 57, and won in 58. A J Foyt left after the 59 season, and won in 61. Hard to think that leaving that team was the key to success at Indy.
|
|
|
|
Post by mjjracer on Jan 15, 2015 15:18:59 GMT -5
I just posted this on anther thread, but I was so proud of it I'll put it here for future reference. EDIT Jordan thought of one...Tyce Carlson 1999 and easy one to forget! How could you forget T-Bone! How about longest time between ones first 500, and his second? That would be me! 1965 & 2013 - 48 years. What, you thought I meant the drivers??  MJ |
|
|
|
Post by indy on Mar 28, 2016 14:40:31 GMT -5
Was looking over Michael Andretti's Wikipedia page and figured out an interesting statistical correlation. Whenever MiA finished in the Top 5 at Indy, a Team Penske/Penske Racing car won.
1984 - Michael finishes 5th, Mears wins
1988 - Michael finishes 4th, Mears wins
1991 - Michael finishes 2nd, Mears wins
2001 - Michael finishes 3rd, Castroneves wins
2006 - Michael finishes 3rd, Hornish Jr wins
If Mears had won the 1986 Indy 500, the trend would cover all of Michael's top 10 Indy finishes:
1985 - Michael finishes 8th, Sullivan wins
1986 - Michael finishes 6th, Rahal wins, Mears top Penske driver finishes a very close 3rd
1994 - Michael finishes 6th, Unser Jr. wins
2002 - Michael finishes 7th, Castroneves wins
Also, for all the speed Michael showed at the Brickyard the junior Andretti only qualified on the front row once (1986). But qualified second row six times: his rookie year plus all five 500's he attempted from 1990-1995, missing 1993 due to McLaren F1 drive.
Finally, Michael has 8 IRL/IndyCar starts. His three non-IMS races to start 2003, all top 10 starts. His five 500 starts, no top 10 starts.
Jordan
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2016 15:28:39 GMT -5
Yellow Submarine was the name hung on the Hall entered, John Barnard designed 1979 Chaparral.
had nothing to do with Roger Penske, who's cars, once the took over the entire front row, were given the names "Penske's Panzers"
but hey, it's only history. Tony made sure of it's value in 1996........
nice post Walt. Phone bill is going to go up! Gurney has the rubber check framed in his office.
|
|
|
|
Post by indycals on Mar 28, 2016 16:07:58 GMT -5
The story I recall from many years ago was that it was called the Yellow Submarine because it continually surfaced at the top of the field.
|
|
|
|
Post by SWT500 on Mar 28, 2016 18:39:27 GMT -5
Calvin, get your checkbook out. There is a vintage Pennzoil Chaparral go-cart on eBay, just listed, GO GET IT!
|
|
|
|
Post by Calvin on Mar 29, 2016 3:33:13 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by speedracer on May 4, 2016 18:17:15 GMT -5
What happened to the 13th pit box. The first year I was in the pits at Detroit (I imagine all other tracks) I was asked to paint the pit # on the boxes and pit wall. I painted 1,2,3 etc. and got to the 13th box. I was told that most drivers and owners are very superstitious and to mark that box 12A.,14, 15, etc. |
|
|
|
Post by alterrenner on May 4, 2016 20:05:15 GMT -5
What happened to the 13th pit box. The first year I was in the pits at Detroit (I imagine all other tracks) I was asked to paint the pit # on the boxes and pit wall. I painted 1,2,3 etc. and got to the 13th box. I was told that most drivers and owners are very superstitious and to mark that box 12A.,14, 15, etc. Right on the money--superstition and tradition. It's the same reason most hotels have no 13th floor! It's not so much that people are superstitious, it's just why take any extra chnces? When was the last time you saw car #13 at Indy? Avoid numbers that read the same right-side-up as upside-down! Want to talk peanuts on pit road? --Frank |
|
|
|
Post by pje on May 5, 2016 0:12:08 GMT -5
I’ve been thinking how best to pass on this information and this looks like the perfect thread to use. A couple of weeks ago I ran upon 3 electronic books about Indy car racing on Amazon by Brian G. Boettcher. They run $3.99 each. I think that they’re close to being self-published and with that brings some poor editing and proof reading. That being said, for $4 bucks a pop I’ve found some information in them that I was not familiar with. I certainly didn’t know about the war and bad feelings between USAC and NASCAR in the late 50’s. The author refers to the 500 as the “Sweepstakes”. I also found it humorous over some of the penalties given to drivers by USAC, especially related to today. So right now there are 3 volumes with a 4th on the way. I started with Volume 3 as that’s where my main interests lie, and at some point I may check out the first books.
Apparently, Volume 1 has not been published yet.
The Indianapolis 500 - Volume Two: Roadsters, Laydowns and Another World (1954 - 1958) (The Indianapolis 500, A History Book 2)
The Indianapolis 500 - Volume Three: Watson's Wonders (1959 - 1962) (The Indianapolis 500, A History Book 3)
The Indianapolis 500 - Volume Four: British Invasion (1963 - 1966) (The Indianapolis 500, A History Book 4)
Volume 5 is in the works.
Paul Erlendson
|
|
