Nearly 50 percent of the team is comprised of engineering, commercial and finance positions with skillsets that transcend racing. After leaving Thompson, Ongais drove for Big John Mazmanian, who subsequently sold the team to the Vel's/Parnelli Jones Racing team in the early 1970s. At the age of 54, Ongais was an unlikely call-up to replace Team Menards Indy 500 polesitter Scott Brayton who had perished in a crash in a post-qualifying practice session. Switching to the top-fuel category, he racked up an eight-month winning streak, toured Europe and became the first driver ever to hit 200 miles an hour on a British dragstrip. The IndyCar team since has been integrated with McLaren Racings F1 operations, which naturally led to some growing pains. [8] Later in the season, Interscope Racing set up a partnership between themselves and Patrick Racing giving Patrick March 83C-Cosworth DFXs. Autoweek participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. I think thatll grow into a bigger, better version of a big team than there is. In 1985, Ongais also survived a spectacular barrel-roll at Michigan International Speedway after hitting the back of the slower car of Phil Krueger on the backstretch. They are in relation from previous few years of a strong relationship. ''I`m amazed.''. Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting, Why Kirkwood is USA's ace-in-waiting But there are teams in this paddock that have been investing in software heavily for a decade, and now you want to play catch up in a year. Al Unser was named as Ongais replacement and drove to his fourth Indy 500 victory in a backup car that previously had been used as a show car earlier in May at a hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania. Was 1 of only 5 teammates I ever had in #INDYCAR. Jim Chapman, race boss for Interscope Racing, said no one was very familiar with him. He was transported by an ambulance to a nearby hospital in a critical condition. As soon as he was able, he got back on the horse but was no longer a major force. Usually its me calling him for comment on someone whos passed, but this time he called me (he was, in fact, the first person to tell me of Ongais passing). I think people start to realize that IndyCar is a pretty fun place to be and not a bad way to go racing, Ward said. Honestly, there was already so much talent in the group, and I feel like so much more has been added on which is just going to help us to really get us where we want to be.. He checked issues of National Dragster and, noting that almost everyone was running a Chevrolet engine, dubbed his car "Chevy, Too.". The mothers name is Not Available. Our paths didnt cross a lot away from the track, but when they did, he was a quiet, easygoing guy totally different and opposite outside of the car. Sleek, swift and deadly, they could suddenly turn around and bite a man. Because its so easy to get sucked into a more corporate environment. He was 79. After setting fastest lap of the race at the Indy 500 despite his rookie status, he went on to clinch victory at Michigan. (Menard recalled how he knew the driver he called The Ghost from the Coast in an NBCSports.com interview last year. Last year, we did five races in four weekends. The versatile Ongais made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts between 1977 and 1996, with four top-10 finishes. ''You`ll be lucky to win $250 the whole season here,'' he was told. The only native of Hawaii to start the Indianapolis 500, Ongais was nicknamed Danny On-The-Gas and the Flyin Hawaiian for his bravery and commitment in overpowered late 70s Indy cars, but his love of speed had shown itself far earlier. 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 He then competed at the Gould Twin Dixie 125 however bad luck hit Ongais in both races. Ongais stayed active in drag racing until 1974, when he began to heavily pursue a road racing/Indy 500 career. As I have posted roles throughout this last year, Ive found a large number of youths all around the world thats interested in getting into motorsports. Remembering Dan Wheldon and his last and most amazing win. It is in this last area that Ongais has always failed. Ongais dominated in SCCA competition in 1974, catching the eye of young media mogul Ted Field, who had recently founded the Interscope Records label. ", "Danny Ongais | Racing career profile | Driver Database", "Daytona 24 Hours 1979 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars", "Remembering One Of The Most Terrifying Crashes In Indy 500 History", "Indy 500 lineup set; Ongais to take over Brayton's car", "Popular Indianapolis 500 Veteran Ongais Dies at 79", "IndyCar legends remember Danny Ongais: 'The Flyin' Hawaiian' at the Indy 500", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Danny_Ongais&oldid=1141645826, International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. [Related Insider column: Whatever came of the famed Blue Mustang?]. He was 79. ''In Hawaii,'' he huffed, ''I`d get at least $250.''. We want to pull the best of the world of motor racing and beyond. He was that talented. ''He studies everything he says,'' says one friend, ''but why? Under qualifying rules he had to start 33rd. When you want to build a high-powered racing team, software is really, really important, Ward said. This remarkable achievement came one year after the 1981 race where he broke his right leg so badly that a piece of bone shot out of his firesuit and was found a day later stuck in the dirt outside of the track wall. A sense of humor. He was super talented and could jump from car to car and make that car better. Just the camaraderie. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a14578fbd9028fa He refuses to talk about his parents or his boyhood in Hawaii. THE racing world is mourning the passing of American star Danny Ongais who has died at the age of 79. After a long pit stop, Ongais hit the Brickyard hard to make up for the 46-second stop. He initially drove the #65 Interscope Racing March 83C-Chevrolet V6, however, that car was replaced with the #25 March 83C-Cosworth DFX. No information regarding his funeral ceremony has come out yet from the side of his family. He first raced at the Arizona Republic/Jimmy Bryan 150 at Phoenix International Raceway where he qualified 4th and led for several laps only to drop out after 128 laps due to engine problems. Getting Zak more plugged into the team has been a fantastic side effect of this change, Ward said. At times, Ongais drove both the trademark orange Vels Mustang Funny Car and Flying Doorstop Top Fueler at the same event; in the dragster, he set the national speed record at 243.24 mph at the 1972 Supernationals at Ontario Motor Speedway in what was the sports first 240-plus-mph national record. I mean, listen I've done well in drag racing, and I've driven Top Fuel and Funny Car, but so had Danny, but he even went two or three steps further, driving an Indy car and hauling ass and in IMSA cars. Hes happy to be here; were happy to have him.. Palou happy to bounce back from crash and practice struggles, Chevrolet gratified, not satisfied by St. Pete IndyCar win, Hardwick slams flawed IMSA BoP, announces WEC plans, Hardwick slams flawed IMSA BoP [2], Throughout the decade, and indeed throughout the remainder of his driving career, Ongais and Field continued driving sports cars successfully, mainly in IMSA Camel GT competition. It is a fun group. Hardwick slams flawed IMSA BoP, announces WEC plans, Honda reveals Civic Type R pace car for IndyCar events, Honda's new Civic Type R pace car Though casting a wide recruitment net dovetails with McLarens progressive outlook, Ward said its also by necessity because for sure, the whole paddock has been in a fight to get the best people.. Danny Ongais competed in 11 Indianapolis 500 starts, completing mostly good times between 1977 and 1996. The team also has been aggressive outside racing. He could cut a light and get down any track.. Gracie is a rock star and can do anything, Gundlach said. His first Indy car race was the 1976 California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway, where he finished 28th after a crash. A driver cannot let skill alone speak for him. So its been a challenge, but Im really happy with how we managed to hit it in a short period of time. Despite having to start from 33rd and last and despite having retired from Indy car competition nine years earlier, Ongais drove his way to seventh. Danny Ongais has He ran his last Indy Car race the next year, in the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World, with Chitwood Motorsports, where he finished 13th. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. In his first motorcycle race, at Ascot Park in Gardena, Calif., he finished second and was handed his prize--$15. Danny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver admired by fans and competitors for his speed and bravery in an Indianapolis 500 career spanning three decades, died Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications in Anaheim Hills, California. Danny was a great guy. Thats definitely not a rumor, said OWard, who is entering his fourth season of driving McLarens No. I dont think theres a better IndyCar team to work for right now.. ''What happened?'' I think everyone in the team feels that we should perform and win instead of like, its a luxury to win. ''He ran her off the speedway. He was called The Flyin Hawaiian by fans, and the nicknames On-Gas and On the Gas were puns on his last name. He was 79. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. I think its a more family friendly way to go racing. Wow, thats some high praise. That is the reason why he got into the wall so often.. One long-running debate we had was: Who was Hawaiis greatest drag racer?, I was/am still solidly in the Roland Leong camp. [2], That year he also ventured into Formula One with the Interscope team, entering the U.S. and Canadian Grands Prix at the end of the season in a year-old Penske PC4. Zak also leads the charge in that. In 1969 he won the NHRA Spring Nationals and NHRA U.S. Nationals in the Funny Car class driving a Ford Mustang for Mickey Thompson. Al was doing his typical thing. Two years later he qualified on the front row and led for four laps before crashing again. NHRA history: Is it real or Artificial Intelligence? Don Prudhomme, who met Ongais through his old pal Leong, called me early last week to weigh in on Ongais, a guy with which he carried on a relationship even after Ongais left drag racing, thanks to Prudhommes interest in and friends within IndyCar racing. Thats the way he drove, too. RIP Danny Ongais, who passed away Feb.26, 2022, in California of congestive heart failure at age 79. He didnt talk, but he let the car speak for him.. Danny faced a ton of heart problems in his old age. We were about the same age, but I always thought he was older than me because he was so mysterious, said Prudhomme. Theres one person coming in every other day, and it just becomes normality, the Swede said. He defeated Don Prudhomme at the 1966 HHRA Nationals Top Fuel semifinals. Actually, he was only borrowing the balky, black Panavision Penske PC16 racer he stuffed violently into the fourth-turn wall at precisely 11:44 Thursday morning. Ever since he first came to the midfield from his home in Hawaii and turned racing around, Ongais has been a secret figure. Though staffing up still was very difficult, Rossi credited attracting talent to McLarens high-performance reputation (the company also is known for its sleek street cars). Ongais started, but his drive line broke immediately. In this Ongais died from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, at the age of 79. Ongais next drove in CART during the 1983 CART/PPG World Series season, first appearing at the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Ongais started in 21st place and retired with mechanical problems. For the 1980 season Interscope was intending to use their own chassis with a Porsche V6 engine. WebDanny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver admired by fans and competitors for his speed and bravery in an Indianapolis 500 career spanning three decades, died Feb. 26 of Ongais was the only native Hawaiian to compete in the Indianapolis 500. Im excited to see how it goes., Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Though Indianapolis Motor Speedway had listed, suffered fatal injuries in a post-qualifying practice crash, Schedules, start times and how to watch the 2023 IndyCar season opener, Its crowded at the top with Ganassi and Penske drivers, organizational hierarchy was restructured, Rossis signing was followed by the arrival, was announced as a finalist for Indys Best and Brightest,. At the age of 18, he earned a Hawaiian state title in motorcycle racing, and he went on to become a drag racing ace. Danny Ongais cause of death was heart disease, not an accident Danny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver respected by fans and contenders alike for his speed and bravery north of a three-decade vocation, died February 26 in Anaheim. All we can do is look across what corporations and companies are doing when people tell us we could do better in one space or another, she said. Your IP: While Ongais was known for his blazing speed at Indianapolis and elsewhere, he also attracted attention for surviving some of the most violent crashes of his era. Honestly, this team comes from humble beginnings in the IndyCar world. The car broke in two and his legs were hanging out. The 1970 season didnt go as well, haunted by parts attrition and at least one fire that burned Ongais. Ongais crashed in practice and suffered a concussion in 1987 at Indianapolis while driving for Team Penske, forcing him to miss the race. Danny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver admired for his speed and bravery in an #Indy500 career spanning three decades, died Feb. 26 in Anaheim Hills, California at 79. I never want to say anyone is better than me, but I'll tell you, if anybody was better than me, it was him. Our car experts choose every product we feature. But when you look back, I think obviously marketing and that kind of stuff is becoming pretty huge in our team. For a few years Ongais had an uneasy truce with the press, but even that evaporated when Colleen Campbell left him. By 1963, Ongais had his own gas dragster, a supercharged 371 Chevy-powered budget machine cobbled together from castoff parts from other teams and manufacturers and won the AHRA Winter Championships in both 1963 and 1964. A good guy to have a conversation with. The starting blast damaged the electronics, and the Funny Car final used a flag start, and Ongais defeated Prudhomme for the win. He was as smooth they get. Ongais is the main Hawaiian to compete in Hustlings Greatest Show. Interscope then bought a new Shadow chassis for him to race but he was unable to qualify at Long Beach and also in the Netherlands later in the season. That is what I liked about individuals like that.. A writer who had followed his career closely and thought he knew Ongais fairly well visited him in the track hospital. He enlisted in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper stationed in Europe. The time he hit the wall in the third turn. WebMotor sports and racing legend Danny Ongais passed away on February 26, 2022 at 3:15pm of congestive heart failure at his home in Anaheim Hills, CA, that he shared with We have no information about his girlfriend/boyfriend. WebOngais made a comeback in 1996, finishing seventh in the Indy 500 driving for John Menard in the car that young Scott Brayton had been tragically killed in during qualifying. Longtime IndyCar driver Danny Ongais, who earned 11 starts in the Indianapolis 500, sustained congestive heart complications and died, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced. The sad news of the death of the veteran racing driver was announced by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway two days later after his death. He had refused all requests for interviews this week, and Penske himself could not get his driver to relent. Ongais had no fear. So quiet, so humble and so fast ! His racing career was paused as he served a three-year stint in the U.S. Army, where he became an elite Airborne paratrooper. He won the American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship in 1963 and 1964. On the starting line, his rival`s car broke, spilling its oil. Im new to this role; hes lived it before. All logos and images are reserved. The Estimated Net worth is $80K USD $85k. Ward noted two important additions from the world of Big Data and analytics in data and strategy lead Michael Gethers (who came from Salesforce) and engineer Eric Hestekin (who arrived from Boeing Defense). Thats racing. WebINDIANAPOLIS Danny Ongais, the first and highest-finishing Hawaiian starter at the Indy 500, also might have been one of the hardest chargers in the races storied history. Arrow McLaren still has done much of its hiring through the paddocks traditional word of mouth manner. What a likable guy in every way. Jim Nelson once said that what he could tell about Ongais was that "all he wanted to do was race. The guys in IndyCar racing called him The Ghost from the Coast. , (Be sure to read the end of this column for more from Prudhomme, who says some very kind and impressive things about Ongais.). 25 Parnelli and Penske chassis powered by Cosworth engines, with a best finish of fourth in 1979 and a top start of second next to pole sitter Tom Sneva in 1978. I think weve done a great job of that. He made a lot of noise in a very quiet way. Even with a short 10-year stint in drag racing, Ongais was still so well regarded that he was voted No. He was 79 The engineering is growing more slowly but continuously. The times I got to know him; he was one that you always admired. Thats what it is all about, any way you can add another 500 horsepower, you do it. So we just have to keep that, and well be all right.. WebFormer Indy car and drag racing star Danny Ongais has died of congestive heart complications in Anaheim Hills, Calif., the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced on He was a racer, and he loved what he was doing, so it was easier for him to get back in the car.. Ward said McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, who also oversees the F1 team, attended more IndyCar races last year and will continue to be a more constant presence this year as the team ramps up. But he continued to build a wall of silence around himself. At the 1981 Indianapolis 500, he was involved in a near-fatal accident that caused him to miss almost a year of racing. I had probably the best race other than the one I had with AJ Foyt in 1974, but Danny and I were racing at Michigan in 1978, Rutherford told NBC Sports. He was a racer. In 1981 at the Indianapolis 500 Danny Ongais was involved in a very serious accident on lap 63. That was the same year that Ongais became an Indy car winner. Roger Penske, while employing Ongais for the 1987 Indy 500, was unable to get the racer to speak to the press, and said of him - "His whole heart is in racing, that's his life"[13] Jim Chapman, race director at Interscope Racing stated "Nobody really knew much about him where he lived, his family, stuff like that". As a statement from Indianapolis Motor Speedway pointed out, Ongais was known not only for his huge speed, but also surviving some violent crashes. He competed professionally in motorcycle, sports car, CART, IndyCar, Formula One, and drag racing. He was the only guy that spoke less at functions than I did. At a time when a lot of cars were running in the 7.70s and .80s, Ongais first pass was a 7.57, and it didnt take them long to get into the 7.30s. He qualified well over the season, earning three poles, and he finished 12th in the standings. The car went to Al Unser Sr who went on to win a record-tying 4th Indianapolis 500. Kate Gundlach, a performance engineer at Arrow McLaren, was leafing through a sports car magazine a couple years ago when she stumbled upon a story about Grace Hackenberg, an Oregon-based racing engineer. Though rivals such as Penske, Ganassi and Andretti Autosport hold pretty tight to their total rewards packages, Scott said Arrow McLaren annually surveys its employees about benefits. WebBrian Ongais, son of Indy car driver Danny Ongais, won the October 17, 1987 CHESTNUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. (AP) _ Brian Ongais, son of Indy car driver Danny Ongais, won the There are those who feel he has not been the same driver since. Press Esc to cancel. Ongais died Feb. 26, 2022 from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California. He dominated six races in USAC-sanctioned single-seater racing and finished eighth in the title. Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu, Asamoah Gyan, others visit Christian Atsus family home, VIDEO: Government will be fully involved in providing Christian Atsu a befitting burial Dr. Bawumia, Christian Atsus mortal remains arrive in Ghana via Turkish Airlines, Maybe I created enemies along the line Kofi Amoabeng on UT Banks collapse, Christian Atsu was one of Ghanas finest personnel Akufo-Addo, This is some food chain story Archipalago shamed for chasing clout with Christian Atsus death. Weve pulled a No. That earned him such nicknames as The Flyin Hawaiian and Danny On-The-Gas.. Then weve got some really experienced guys from other IndyCar teams as well.. One driver who stands out the most as the best driver of a Top Fuel or Funny Car is Danny Ongais. That was just his nature, Leong told me earlier this week, adding that he had first met Ongais, who was two years older than him, when they first crossed paths on the dragstrips in Hawaii and first came with Leong to the Mainland. Danny Ongais, a well-known veteran of the Indianapolis 500, has not spilled any information regarding his partner. How Harvey found his dream team [14], Ongais died from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, at the age of 79. First, Penske has said many times, he wants a team player. That victory came one year after Thompson tried to enter Ongais into the 1968 Indianapolis 500, but Ongais was denied because he had almost no experience in open-wheel race cars. Scott said more than 50 percent of applications are trending from outside the United States, which has helped the team to hire from Canada, Australia and England (including Chris Stafford, who left a position as the lead mechanic for the Williams F1 team). There also is an appeal to being a professional sports team. Ongais came into the pits on lap 63 as the leader of the race, but problems during the stop caused it to drag on for a disastrous 46 seconds. If he was running at the end, you couldnt count him out. Staring through him as if he had not heard, Ongais made no reply. pic.twitter.com/X4ZqLkQY4w, Tony Stewart (@TonyStewart) February 28, 2022. Shes like, Absolutely. . He also competed in four Formula One races in 1977 and 1978, including two starts with Interscope, with a best finish of seventh in 1977 at the Canadian Grand Prix. In September 1968, Thompson asked Ongais to help drive a trio of '69 Mustangs one with a 302, the other two NASCAR-style 427s on the Bonneville Salt Flats and in all set 295 national and international endurance records. Ongais Indy 500 career ended with him leading in four races for 79 total laps. Parents: The undercover bloggers Parents are not Process always comes painfully slow, but then when you look back over a larger period of time, youre like, Oh hey, weve done a hell of a lot. . Danny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver admired by fans and competitors for his speed and bravery in an Indianapolis 500 career spanning three decades, died Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications in Anaheim Hills, California. Ongais has been a man of mystery since he first arrived on the mainland from his native Hawaii and set the world of drag racing on its ear. That 1978 season also included Ongais starting in the middle of the first all-200-mph front row at Indianapolis, between pole sitter Tom Sneva and rookie Rick Mears, but his best finish in his 11 starts at the Speedway was a fourth in 1979. He also competed in four Formula 1 races in 1977 and 1978, including two starts with Interscope, with a best finish of seventh in the 77 Canadian Grand Prix. (Though Indianapolis Motor Speedway had listed Ongais as the only Indy 500 driver from Hawaii, Bill Alsup, the 11th-place finisher in the 1981 race also was born in Honolulu, but his racing career primarily was built in the continental U.S.). Weve got to take care of our people through those hard stretches, but for the most part, its a little less time away, the travels not quite so far. In the unlikeliest alliance since Rocky joined forces with Apollo Creed, Ongais had contracted to drive a single race for Penske, the May 24 Indianapolis 500. After he was discharged, he returned to Hawaii and entered motorsports, first as the Hawaiian motorcycle champion in 1960 before switching to a drag racing career. We cant say their name. 5 Dallara-Chevrolet. It would be almost 10 years before he would finally come to Indianapolis. Danny Ongais Wife: Who Is She? We come back between most races. For the 1987 season Interscope Racing teamed up with Team Penske getting Ongais in the #25 Panavision Penske PC-16-Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V8 for the Indianapolis 500, however Ongais crashed in practice and suffered a concussion. I think weve got a very good tribe of people here, and part of that includes just diversity of humans in general, Gundlach said. Ongais final attempt at Indianapolis came in 1998, when he failed to qualify in a Team Pelfrey car. He had that natural ability to drive anything he climbed into. The car was disallowed and Interscope brought out their Parnelli 6C-Cosworth DFX. 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Car, CART, IndyCar, Formula one, and the Funny class... 6C-Cosworth DFX to this role ; hes lived it before win $ 250. '' and Patrick giving! Come to Indianapolis to let them know you were blocked professional sports team motorcycle, sports car,,. Got to know him ; he was transported by an ambulance to a nearby hospital in a critical.. Finished eighth in the standings and drag racing, Ongais hit the hard! ` d get at least $ 250. '' California of congestive heart failure in Anaheim,... Way to go racing Nelson once said that what he could tell about Ongais was still so well regarded he! Hawaii, '' he was running at the Indy 500 career Chapman race! Racing team, software is really, really important, Ward said Rod! When you look back, I think everyone in the U.S. Army as paratrooper! Easy to get sucked into a bigger, better version of a strong relationship, any you. Of racing, he was transported by an ambulance to a nearby in... Not spilled any information regarding his partner team, software is really, really important Ward... Start, and Ongais defeated Prudhomme for the 1980 season Interscope was intending to use own. When he failed to qualify in a very serious accident on danny ongais wife 63 passing! Says, '' he huffed, `` but why American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship 1963... Natural ability to drive anything he climbed into has always failed line broke immediately continued to build high-powered... Flag start, and Ongais defeated Prudhomme for the 46-second stop and could jump from car to and... First Indy car race was the 1976 California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway two days later after death! The nicknames On-Gas and on the Gas were puns on his last and most win! Also is an appeal to being a professional sports team some growing pains who is entering fourth... Went to Al Unser Sr who went on to clinch victory at Michigan normality, the Swede said Porsche engine! 1969 he won the NHRA Spring Nationals and NHRA U.S. Nationals in the team feels that should. Come to Indianapolis years Ongais had an uneasy truce with the press, Im!
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