The time zone changes arent quite so big. [15] His former Indy car competitors remembered him well after his passing, with Mario Andretti calling him that quiet lion.[16], (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position). I got to spend time with Danny at the [Indy] Speedway, and I just watched him do his thing, and he was magnificent. Starting last, Ongais finished 7th in what was his final 500. Im new to this role; hes lived it before. He dominated six races in USAC-sanctioned single-seater racing and finished eighth in the title. Russian Colonel Alexander Bespalov cause of death cause of death, wife, children, net worth, funeral, obituary, Cathal Coughlan cause of death, wife, children, Microdisney and The Fatima Mansions. What a likable guy in every way. They teamed up with the legendary Hurley Haywood to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1979 in the Interscope Porsche 935 prototype. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. A look at seven decades of wild, wheelstanding crowdpleasers, Altered States, Part 2: Breakage, tears, and fears, but ultimately a success story, Altered States: Fear and loathing (and a lot of thrills) on the quarter-mile, Ed 'the Outlaw' Jones: Living life on two wheels for more than 45 years, You never know with nitro: A look back at seven great Funny Car upset wins, Everyone loves an underdog: Here's a list of five great Top Fuel upsets, 30 years ago: The 1992 NHRA season was a year full of historic firsts, Female Pro Stock pioneer Shay Nichols: A life well lived (and then some), Magnificent Seven: A history of female racers in NHRA Pro Stock competition, On the Gas: The drag racing life and times of Danny Ongais, By The Numbers: Pro Stock readies for 900th event 'birthday' in Pomona, That was then, this is now: A look back at the NHRA season 50 years ago. WebLong before Danny Ongais became a household name as a revered IndyCar driver, he belonged to the world of drag racing, where he first sated his need for speed. Born in 1942 in the wake of the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, Ongais grew up in Kahului on the island of Maui, and he raced BSA motorcycles as a teenager before he was introduced to the dragstrip by some friends. All the world was a colorful Circus when Bob Gerdes painted race cars, Top Fuel dynasties: Torrence, Schumacher, Dixon, Garlits, Amato, Shirley, Beck, Some top-shelf books that every drag racing history fan should check out, Yeah, but what if? The times I got to know him; he was one that you always admired. The sad news of the death of the veteran racing driver was announced by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway two days later after his death. The IndyCar team since has been integrated with McLaren Racings F1 operations, which naturally led to some growing pains. 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. The Arrow McLaren organizational hierarchy was restructured with last years departure of Taylor Kiel (who left to become team manager for Ganassi). Ongais died Feb. 26, 2022 from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California. And I found her in a magazine and just reached out to her., ST. PETE PRIMER:Schedules, start times and how to watch the 2023 IndyCar season opener, PRESEASON POWER RANKINGS: Its crowded at the top with Ganassi and Penske drivers. 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 Jody Scott, McLarens director of people who joined the team a year ago from Anthem, Inc. (now Elevance Health), said there was no target for the number of hires outside motorsports. 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. 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 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. Thompson and Ongais also teamed up to set nearly 300 national and international speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a Mach 1 Mustang during the 1960s. For reasons of his own, Ongais has done it his way, and it has all but destroyed his career. Daniel "Doc" Ongais | 2019 Daniel "Doc" Ongais October 11, 2019 Daniel "Doc" Ongais, 81, of Keaau, passed away on Friday, October 11, 2019 at Hilo Medical Center, born on June 10, 1938, in Olaa; he was a retired Motor Vehicle Operator for the United States Army as a Civilian worker (Federal Government) and worked for the Former Puna Sugar Company. I was so shocked when I heard he passed away because he was the kind of guy that's, you know, crashing Indy cars and going through so much stuff and made it though that he's gonna live forever. Danny commenced his journey from 11 Indianapolis 500 races from 1977-96 and made many races on his name as the winner. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), Skip Bayless Wife Ernestine Sclafani Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Net Worth, Fast Facts. He drove with bravado and advocated unlimited rules at the Indianapolis 500. I think Gavin kind of feeds off that and has a similar style as well.. Have Harvey and RLL formed IndyCars next winning match-up? Rosenqvist, driver of the No. But we are trying hard to collect all the information about him and will update you soon. More of the same followed in 78. Facebook gives people the power to share and Nielsen was hard-core Ongais all the way, peppering me with facts and stats to prove his case, so, naturally, I reached out to ask for his parting thoughts on Ongais. Weve got a lot of positivity. He was the only guy that spoke less at functions than I did. Weve had more people come to us than weve reached out to other people. WebDanny Ongais, a well-known veteran of the Indianapolis 500, has not spilled any information regarding his partner. Ongais, racing at age 54 in his first 500 since 1986, finished a creditable seventh after starting from the rear of the field. He refuses to talk about his parents or his boyhood in Hawaii. WebI was with the first crew to reach Danny Ongais (1981) when he had his horrifying wreck. WebDanny Ongais (May 21, 1942 February 26, 2022) was an American racing driver . 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. The rides with major teams that could have been his went to less talented but more malleable men. In 1982, he ran on only one Indy car race, the Indianapolis 500 (which was still sanctioned by USAC). While deployed in Europe in the early 1960s, he also got his first taste of sports-car racing that would become one of his many fortes later in his career. Thompson and Ongais also teamed up to set nearly 300 national and international speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a Mach 1 Mustang during the 1960s. In the 1970s he moved to competing in sports cars and Indy cars, winning races in both types, including the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1979 and several Indy car races in 1977 and 1978. The 1970 season didnt go as well, haunted by parts attrition and at least one fire that burned Ongais. The car was disallowed and Interscope brought out their Parnelli 6C-Cosworth DFX. The Flyin`. 2 at 11:30 a.m. Casual attire; flowers and lei are welcomed He is survived by wife, Patricia P. Ongais of Keaau; daughters, Deneen (Nathan) Ongais Louie of Hilo, Renee (Clarence) Ongais-Salvador of Mt. When you want to build a high-powered racing team, software is really, really important, Ward said. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 and the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. Field was part of the famed Marshall Field family, the famed owners of the department store chain in Chicago. Shes like, Absolutely. . That stems more from drag racing. His way has, in effect, betrayed his talent and denied his intellect. The starting blast damaged the electronics, and the Funny Car final used a flag start, and Ongais defeated Prudhomme for the win. How much does an F1 car weigh in 2023 and what's included in the limit? READ ALSO: Danny Ongais Wife - Was Danny Ongais Married? But were also pretty realistic that you cant rob Peter to pay Paul, so were not always going to be able to hire from motorsports and especially other IndyCar teams. 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. Danny Ongais Net Worth Explored Indy car racer Danny Ongais total assets are estimated to be around $5 million. That helps winnow down the applicant pool for hiring by an executive team that includes Ward, competition director Billy Vincent, operations director Max Neyron, performance director Nick Snyder, marketing vice president Mo Murray and general manager Brian Barnhart (Murray and Barnhardt also have joined within the last few months). After a 9-year hiatus from racing, Ongais was asked by John Menard to fill in for Scott Brayton who was killed during Friday Practice for the 1996 Indianapolis 500. Ongais had a sixth sense, so he could detect the car almost before it started to move and get out of shape. Good grief, who can forget Jim Crawford (1990)? Daniel was born on June 10, 1938 and passed away on Friday, October 11, 2019. THE racing world is mourning the passing of American star Danny Ongais who has died at the age of 79. In 1962, Ongais was part of Leongs dragster crew at the Winternationals, where they won the Long Distance and Best Appearing awards. 1 mechanic out of F1. 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. In fact, even his closest associates have little insight into his own life, as he doesnt talk about his family or his youth in Hawaii. Join Facebook to connect with Danny N Patsy Ongais and others you may know. Phil Burgess can be reached at[emailprotected], Hundreds of more articles like this can be found in theDRAGSTER INSIDER COLUMN ARCHIVE, Or try theRandom Dragster Insider story generator, Long before Danny Ongais became a household name as a revered IndyCar driver, he belonged to the world of drag racing, where he first sated his need for speed. Timing is everything in this business and having the luck of the timing on your side, Mears said. It doesnt happen overnight. We stayed friends over the years, and wed see each other at functions if he showed up. Weve done a bit of that. 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". 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. We let him drive my car, and his first run was as good as any I ever made. Gracie is a rock star and can do anything, Gundlach said. 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. Weve expanded our operations pretty significantly, she said. Racing teams typically face double-digit turnover after the season. In 1998 he attempted to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 with Team Pelfrey but was unable to do so when he suffered a concussion after a crash. Ongais ability to drive these cars near their performance limits unfortunately resulted in a couple of spectacular crashes in Indy. With sponsorship dollars generally on the rise in IndyCar, and manufacturer money pouring into rival series such as IMSA and F1, it likely never has been harder for hiring across U.S. motorsports. After finally leaving the pits, Ongais approached a slower car at the end of the backstretch. Sadly, Ongais crashed in practice and suffered a concussion that sidelined him. So far as anyone knows, he has nothing to hide.''. That 1978 season also included Ongais starting in the middle of the first all-200-mph front row at Indianapolis, between pole sitter Sneva and rookie Rick Mears. On the starting line, his rival`s car broke, spilling its oil. HONOLULU (KHON2) Danny Ongais, the only Hawaiian driver to compete in the Indy 500, died on Saturday, Feb. 26, in California at the age of 79. WebDanny N Patsy Ongais is on Facebook. He and renowned innovator Mickey Thompson set nearly 300 national and international speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a Mach 1 Mustang during the 1960s. Ongais dominated in SCCA competition in 1974, catching the eye of young media mogul Ted Field, who had recently founded the Interscope Records label. He made a late pass going into turn 3. Danny Ongais, who risked his life routinely as part of his job even more than most auto racers died peacefully at age 79. People get to see how much enthusiasm Zak brings. Over the course of his Indy 500 career, he led in four races for a At his first race of the season, the Indianapolis 500 Ongais started 16th and finished 7th. 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. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. They did score a memorable AHRA win at Lions Dragstrip on the fateful March 8 day that Don Garlits exploded the transmission in Swamp Rat 13, severing half of his right foot. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. Ongais Indy 500 career ended with him leading in four races for 79 total laps. Drag racing, that's been my life, but for Danny, it was just part of where he wanted to go, and he sure got there.. Racing director Gavin Ward, who oversees day-to-day operations as the direct report to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, started last July after working as head engineer for Josef Newgarden at Team Penske. He defeated Don Prudhomme at the 1966 HHRA Nationals Top Fuel semifinals. It is a fun group. BREAKING! Thats just his makeup, the way he was. That earned him such nicknames as The Flyin Hawaiian and Danny On-The-Gas.. And its especially true during a season with the kind of expansion that Arrow McLaren has undertaken for the 2023 season. He competed This coupled with his lightning-quick reflex reactions and featherlight touch allowed him to correct for it and to get to the finish line without lifting off the throttle. Linda Vaughn presented him with a diamond-studded belt buckle. Ill see what I can do help you out. We want to pull the best of the world of motor racing and beyond. He was a tough guy, but it was fun to know him. In 1985, he also survived a spectacular barrel roll at Michigan International Speedway after hitting the back of the slower car of Phil Krueger on the backstretch. F4 Thailand Boys Over Flowers Season 1 Episode 13 Release Date and Time, Countdown, When Is It Coming Out. He moved up to the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster championship and defeated the legendary Don Prudhomme in the 1966 NHRA Nationals in the Top Fuel semifinals. 25 Parnelli and Penske cars powered by Cosworth engines, with a best finish of fourth in 1979 and an excellent start of second near assistant Tom Snow in 1978. Virtually all that is known of Ongais is a matter of public record. 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). 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. He crashed out on a wet track at Watkins Glen after moving up early but managed a 7th place in Canada in what would be his best finish in F1.[2]. In 1975, Ongais left the quarter-mile to pursue success in other motorsports and drove in SCCA, Formula 5000, Indycar, Formula 1, and sports-car competition. 1977-96 and made many races on his name as the winner, a veteran. Not spilled any information regarding his partner to talk about his parents or his in! Expanded our operations pretty significantly, she said to build a high-powered racing team, software is really really! 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