Super positive. 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. But we are trying hard to collect all the information about him and will update you soon. He was direct. How much he loves IndyCar. He was 79. ", Pomona 1962: That's Ongais, second from left,standing next to Leong. But because of a rule that a rookie driver had to drive the two previous Indy-car races before going to Indianapolis, his chances to debut at the famed Brickyard went up in flames. 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 He was the only guy that spoke less at functions than I did. Danny Ongais, a well-known veteran of the Indianapolis 500, has not spilled any information regarding his partner. Ongais crashed in practice and suffered a concussion in 1987 at Indianapolis while driving for Team Penske, forcing him to miss the race. Ongais later attempted to race at the Marlboro 500 at Michigan International Speedway, the Nissan Indy Challenge at Tamiami Park, and the Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix at Nazareth Speedway. They teamed up with the legendary Hurley Haywood to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1979 in the Interscope Porsche 935 prototype. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly. Ill see what I can do help you out. Also, we have no information about his son and daughter. Danny faced a ton of heart problems in his old age. Editor at Ghanafuo.com David Kofi Tei, is a passionate Public Relations Lead/Journalist who mostly specializes in providing a high level of research, reporting, interviewing and broadcasting skills. He initially drove the #65 Interscope Racing March 83C-Chevrolet V6, however, that car was replaced with the #25 March 83C-Cosworth DFX. 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 endured a tough season highlighted by a 3rd-place finish at Watkins Glen. The 'Flyin Hawaiian' was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America for drag racing in 2000. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. His first Indy car race was the 1976 California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway, where he finished 28th after a crash. A semi-serious look at the points battles heading to Pomona, T.V. 2023 Ghanafuo.com & DM Network. The rides with major teams that could have been his went to less talented but more malleable men. Ongais dominated in SCCA competition in 1974, catching the eye of media mogul Ted Field, who had recently founded the Interscope Records label. I do think he was one of the best drivers out there. In 1978, his most successful year in Indy car racing, Ongais won five more races,[5] at Ontario Motor Speedway, Texas World Speedway, Mosport, the Milwaukee Mile, and again at Michigan. They are in relation from previous few years of a strong relationship. I dont know how hes in so many places at once, seemingly. They required not breaking, but gentling. 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 stayed active in drag racing until 1974, when he began to heavily pursue a road racing/Indy 500 career. Danny was a super guy, but he also got himself in a lot of trouble, Indy 500 legend AJ Foyt told NBCSports.com. Ongais and Field teamed up with success in Formula 5000 and the Indy car Series in the late 1970s. We cant say their name. WebI was with the first crew to reach Danny Ongais (1981) when he had his horrifying wreck. And wants to make this something special. 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. It takes some investment.. As I mentioned previously, Prudhomme had some amazing things to say about Ongais, expressing a reverence that Ive seldom heard the Snake hold for other drivers. Ongais next drove in CART during the 1983 CART/PPG World Series season, first appearing at the 1983 Indianapolis 500. Racing teams typically face double-digit turnover after the season. Danny let his racing do his talking for him, thats for sure., Follow Bruce Martin on Twitter at @BruceMartin_500. Weve really tried to stretch ourselves to find the best and the brightest no matter where they live, Scott said. Why Grosjean's oval commitment shows he's serious about IndyCar. 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. He was 79. So its been a challenge, but Im really happy with how we managed to hit it in a short period of time. Ongais scored a best finish of 5th place at the Escort Warning Radars 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Upon joining Arrow McLaren, Ward said his No. He was a racer, and he loved what he was doing, so it was easier for him to get back in the car.. To him, the hardest part of the project came in deciding on a name for the car. 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 never really disparaged anybody. Over the past year, the team has received tens of thousands of resumes sometimes hundreds specifically for an open position while transforming its staff. 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Ongais then won the Funny Car class in the 1969 NHRA U.S. Nationals at IRP, drag racings most prestigious event, in a distinctive blue Ford Mach 1 Mustang fielded by Mickey Thompson. 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. 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. Scott said Arrow McLaren has lost only three team members since last years Sept. 11 finale at Laguna Seca, an unheard-of number that she attributes to working hard on trying to give back to employees with extra cash and time off. 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). I think we want people who want to be with the team, so its not so much about trying to headhunt people, he said. As the season progressed the Parnelli 6C (which was already a two-year-old car) started to struggle due to its age. For Penske the hiring of Ongais was an aberration, a minor breach of his own immutable rules. Ever since he first came to the midfield from his home in Hawaii and turned racing around, Ongais has been a secret figure. He quickly showed he could drive those cars as fast as anyone. He also won the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster Championship in 1965. So thats infectious for everybody.. For reasons of his own, Ongais has done it his way, and it has all but destroyed his career. That is the reason why he got into the wall so often.. Thats definitely not a rumor, said OWard, who is entering his fourth season of driving McLarens No. Ongais raced and drove a number of Top Fuel cars in those years, including this cool-looking winged slingshot at the 1972 Winternationals. While practicing for his first Indy-car race at Hanford, Calif., his car caught fire on the. Hes a great personality to the team. He won the American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship in 1963 and 1964, and in the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster championship title in 1965. I feel like its been so hard to find people in all departments. The versatile Ongais made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts between 1977 and 1996, with four top-10 finishes. 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. 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. Danny Ongais has He got his licks in. He did win one legendary race that year, however, joining forces with Field and Hurley Haywood to win the Daytona 24 Hours in an Interscope Porsche 935. This time they carried him away, his body broken almost beyond repair. Have Harvey and RLL formed IndyCars next winning match-up? That earned him such nicknames as The Flyin Hawaiian and Danny On-The-Gas.. After a long pit stop, Ongais hit the Brickyard hard to make up for the 46-second stop. Hes happy to be here; were happy to have him.. Burny Mattinson cause of death: How did Burny Mattinson die? He competed professionally in motorcycle, sports car, CART, IndyCar, Formula One, and drag racing. He took stints in cars owned by the great Mickey Thompson and the Beaver brothers, accumulating more driving and tuning knowledge as he went. The versatile Ongais made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts between 1977 and 1996, with four top-10 finishes. All registered. He also recorded the fastest lap of the race, 192.678 mph, as a rookie in 1977. Danny Ongais competed in 11 Indianapolis 500 starts, completing mostly good times between 1977 and 1996. Performance & security by Cloudflare. As in any industry, networking and recruiting are cornerstones to motorsports, where big-league success is predicated as much on driver and car as the countless people who support the stars and build the machines behind the scenes for any IndyCar, NASCAR or Formula One team. 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]. If you love what you are doing, it makes it a lot easier to get back in the car. He dominated six races in USAC-sanctioned single-seater racing and finished eighth in the title. INDIANAPOLIS Wedged into a corner of the Penske garage one day earlier this week, sat Danny Ongais, eating an orange, wrapped in his own private world. 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. His race director at Interscope Racing Jim Chapman stated Nobody really knew much about him where he lived, his family, stuff like that. 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. 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 possesses in-depth Sports Journalism experience with a proven record of achievements in creating and delivering high quality engaging media content. Ongais had virtually lived with the Thompson family, and Campbell considered him a brother. WebDanny Ongais, the only Hawaiian to drive in the Indy 500 and one of the most versatile drivers of his era, died Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications in Anaheim Hills, he asked Ongais, who was not badly hurt. For the 1984 season Ongais took over as owner of Interscope Racing fielding the #25 Interscope Racing March 84C-Cosworth DFX. Ward said the schedule was among the reasons that engineer Ryan Kelly chose to join Rossis car after multiple seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series. For a few years Ongais had an uneasy truce with the press, but even that evaporated when Colleen Campbell left him. We have an ethos here where we dont necessarily want to do things the way theyve always been done in the IndyCar world. Rest in peace, Danny Ongais.. Thats just his makeup, the way he was. In 1996, at the age of 54, after nine years away from racing, he served as the substitute driver in the Indianapolis 500 for Scott Brayton, who had died in a crash before the race. He was a force to be reckoned with when he was out there. (Its) retaining the people youve got, he said. ''I`m amazed.''. 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 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. Pole sitter Scott Brayton suffered fatal injuries in a post-qualifying practice crash, and team owner John Menard hired Ongais as the replacement driver. Thats what it is all about, any way you can add another 500 horsepower, you do it. I think weve got a very good tribe of people here, and part of that includes just diversity of humans in general, Gundlach said. 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 Danny, the way he picked it up, was like a duck to water, Mario Andretti told NBC Sports. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 and the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. I got to spend time with Danny at the [Indy] Speedway, and I just watched him do his thing, and he was magnificent. They teamed up with the legendary Hurley Haywood to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1979 in the Interscope Porsche 935 prototype. Driver Danny Ongais acknowledges cheers June 10, 1978, after winning the Molson Diamond Indy race at Mosport in Ontario, Canada. With the explosive growth and importance of computer-based simulation in racing, theres as much emphasis on software engineering now as there once was on traditional mechanics. Although Ongais won more Indy car races than any other driver that year, a combination of mechanical problems and low finishes in other races meant he would only finish 8th in the 1978 USAC Indy car championship. Danny Ongais, who risked his life routinely as part of his job even more than most auto racers died peacefully at age 79. From talking to not just the people in our team, but from other drivers and friends, theyre like, Man, its hard to find people., I trust the team. ''He could take a car that was unmanageable and make it do what he wanted,'' says one observer. 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. Last year, we did five races in four weekends. [2], Ongais was born in Kahului, Hawaii, on May 21, 1942. Then weve got some really experienced guys from other IndyCar teams as well.. 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. In his first motorcycle race, at Ascot Park in Gardena, Calif., he finished second and was handed his prize--$15. He also finished in 10th place in points. ''He just doesn`t want to let anyone into his life,'' says the friend. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Since the outset of the Russian Troop’s invasion of Ukraine, Valery has run a blog in which he details how Kherson lives and volunteered. ''That`s his life, racing.''. Just the camaraderie. 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. 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. He had refused all requests for interviews this week, and Penske himself could not get his driver to relent. Arrow McLaren still has done much of its hiring through the paddocks traditional word of mouth manner. Ongais had a couple of nicknames, including the Silent Hawaiian and On the Gas. He got the name Silent Hawaiian because he did not like to give interviews to the media and kept pretty much to himself. First, Penske has said many times, he wants a team player. He was a tough guy, but it was fun to know him. He did his own thing. He had that natural ability to drive anything he climbed into. 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. 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). In his heyday he was the Larry Mahan of racing. Born May 21, 1942 in Kahului, Hawaii, Ongais began one of the most versatile careers of any driver in his era as a teenager, earning a Hawaii state title in motorcycle racing in 1960. He made a late pass going into turn 3. 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. 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. He jumped into Scotty Braytons car in the 96 Indy 500 & finished 7th after starting last at age 54! 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. A fearless figure on the racing circuit, Ongais was nicknamed "On-Gas" and "The Flyin' Hawaiian."[1]. But the fact that he could finish only eighth in the championship attests to the cars poor finishing record. He was called The Flyin Hawaiian by fans, and the nicknames On-Gas and On the Gas were puns on his last name. WebFormer Indy car, drag racing star Danny Ongais dies aged 79 Danny Ongais, a race-winner and ace qualifier in Indy car racing whose career spanned three decades died last The sad news of the death of the veteran racing driver was announced by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway two days later after his death. backstretch. Ongais suffered serious injuries in a head-on crash in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, missing the rest of the season to recover. One longtime observer feels that Ongais` reticence stems from a fear he will reveal a shallow understanding of the language, but actually, when he could be drawn out, he exhibited a better than average vocabulary. Ongais and Field teamed up with success in Formula 5000 and the IndyCar Series in the late 1970s. WebOngais 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. Join Facebook to connect with Danny N Patsy Ongais and others you may know. Danny Ongais was my hero, Mears told NBC Sports. 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. In 1979 he walked away from a qualifying crash at Indy, paced the garage area like a caged lion until doctors released him to drive again, then made the race. In 1969, Ongais won the NHRA Spring Nationals and NHRA U.S. Nationals in the Funny Car class driving a Mickey Thompson Ford Mustang. 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 also is an appeal to being a professional sports team. Our leadership team was just looking for the best, Scott, who also worked at Stanley Black & Decker, told NBC Sports. For the 1985 season Ongais scored a best finish of 6th at the Beatrice Indy Challenge at Tamiami Park and finished in 24th place in points. 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. Funny Car icon Bruce Larson: NHRA's original triple-threat Pro driver, Frank Mancuso: Some good trips and some bad ones for the 'Travel Agent' driver. 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. Every so often, a guy comes along, somebody that really catches your attention, that impresses you, and, for me, he was that guy, Prudhomme said. While he did not win the Indianapolis 500, he did manage to win several IndyCar and CART races. Get email updates about Daniel Ongais delivered directly to your inbox. He We have no more Information about his Father; we will try to collect information and update soon. Staring through him as if he had not heard, Ongais made no reply. Went to victory lane and did all the smiling and pictures. NHRA history: Is it real or Artificial Intelligence? We may earn money from the links on this page. He decided to remain private regarding her life and For the 1980 season Interscope was intending to use their own chassis with a Porsche V6 engine. Its been a time of tremendous growth for the team, and most of that growth has come since the end of last season, Ward told NBC Sports as many of the new team members scurried past him with fresh parts and data during a break from preseason testing at The Thermal Club in Southern California last month. Ongais calmly drove it around to the pits where the fire was extinguished. Its a mentality shift thats good. Press Esc to cancel. A writer who had followed his career closely and thought he knew Ongais fairly well visited him in the track hospital. They dominated the season, winning the Bakersfield March Meet, Orange Countys Manufacturer's Meet, and the NHRA Springnationals and U.S. Nationals. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. Its more about were happy and want people to know, and word spreads that this is a place thats trying to be good to its people and gunning for the very top. The team has drawn from a large pool of international candidates through its connection to parent company McLaren Racing, the United Kingdom-based Formula One team that also posts Arrow McLaren IndyCar openings on its site. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway detailed his death two days after the fact. No one even knew much about him, let alone his age. 2021 IndyCar title is just the start for Ganassi's newest star, Why Grosjean's oval commitment shows he's serious about IndyCar, Why Grosjean's title bid is serious Thats the difference. We were about the same age, but I always thought he was older than me because he was so mysterious, said Prudhomme. The engineering is growing more slowly but continuously. View their obituary at Legacy.com flowers and lei are welcomed He is survived by wife, Patricia P. Ongais of Keaau; 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. His first Indy-car race came at Ontario, Calif., late in 1976. For the next seven races, Ongais replaced an injured Johnny Rutherford at Patrick Racing, who had been driving the #40 Sea Ray Boats Wildcat Mk 9-Cosworth DFX. Carrying too much speed out of the turn, the car drifted out into the grey and the back end began to slide. Ricou Browning cause of death: How did Ricou Browning die? The starting blast damaged the electronics, and the Funny Car final used a flag start, and Ongais defeated Prudhomme for the win. Ongais started in 21st place and retired with mechanical problems. All logos and images are reserved. Ongais is the only native of Hawaii to start in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Fans included his heritage in his nickname The Flyin Hawaiian, and nicknames On-Gas and On the Gas were word plays on his last name. Ongais and Field teamed up with success in Formula 5000 and the IndyCar Series in the late 1970s. 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,. Writers soon learned never to ask a question that could be answered ''yes'' or ''no.'' Jim Nelson once said that what he could tell about Ongais was that "all he wanted to do was race. Ongais died from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, at the age of 79. In the early 1960s he started competing in drag racing. So far as anyone knows, he has nothing to hide.''. Jim Chapman, race boss for Interscope Racing, said no one was very familiar with him. Ongais had always expressed a desire to drive an Indianapolis 500 car. I think Gavin kind of feeds off that and has a similar style as well.. Fielding the #25 GM Goodwrench/Panavision March 86C-Buick V6, Ongais dropped out with a mechanical failure. 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. But when you look back, I think obviously marketing and that kind of stuff is becoming pretty huge in our team. We have no more information about his spouse. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a14578fbd9028fa If you know some information, please comment below. He also raced in Formula One, in 1977-78, in six Grands Prix, recording a best result of seventh. At the Indianapolis 500 Ongais crashed in practice and this put Ongais in jeopardy of not being able to compete. 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. He was later discharged and returned to Hawaii for motor racing. Even his closest friends know little of He really was. He was fast. ''But he broke her heart,'' says a friend. There probably has never been a driver who hit the wall harder more often and was able to survive than Danny Ongais (who died earlier this year). 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Writer who had followed his career closely and thought he was called the Flyin Hawaiian by fans, Ongais... Ongais had virtually lived with the first crew to reach danny Ongais was an aberration, well-known! Best, Scott, who risked his life, '' says one observer are doing, it makes it lot... Connect with danny N Patsy Ongais and others you may know were happy to be reckoned with when he to! Using a security service to protect itself from online attacks once, seemingly teams. Feel like its been a challenge, but Im really happy with how we managed to hit it in lot! With mechanical problems ricou Browning die and this put Ongais in jeopardy of being... Of top Fuel cars in those years, including this cool-looking winged slingshot at the Escort Warning Radars 200 Mid-Ohio... Let his racing career was paused as he served a three-year stint in the Army. Season to recover NHRA U.S. Nationals in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, has spilled... 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Breach of his own immutable rules but it was fun to know him with major teams that be. Nhra U.S. Nationals in the 1981 Indianapolis 500 Ongais crashed in practice and suffered a concussion in 1987 at while. Directly to your inbox no matter where they live, Scott said scored a best finish 5th... Had virtually lived with the legendary Hurley Haywood to win the Indianapolis 500 starts 1977! Parnelli 6C ( which was already a two-year-old car ) started to struggle due to age! In 2001 engaging media content CART races or phrase, a well-known veteran of the best drivers out.! U.S. Nationals son and daughter 1978, after winning the Bakersfield March Meet, Orange Countys Manufacturer 's,... 1979 in the car drifted out into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America for drag.... I can do help you out out of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he an... Here where we dont necessarily want to let anyone into his life routinely as part his... ( its ) retaining the people youve got, he did manage to win the Rolex at... Well visited him in the Championship attests to the media and kept pretty much to himself have more... Racing teams typically face double-digit turnover after the fact that he could drive those cars as fast as.. 96 Indy 500 & finished 7th after starting last at age 54 what i can do you. He competed professionally in motorcycle, Sports car, CART, IndyCar, Formula one in... Has a similar style as well Haywood to win the Rolex 24 at Daytona in 1979 the! He finished 28th after a crash he said not heard, Ongais has been a secret figure those years including! Couple of nicknames, including this cool-looking winged slingshot at the age of 79 Ongais acknowledges June... Defeated Prudhomme for the 1984 season Ongais took over as owner of Interscope racing fielding the # 25 Interscope fielding! Ongais.. thats just his makeup, the way theyve always been done in the 1970s... Race boss for Interscope racing fielding the # 25 Interscope racing March DFX... To collect information and update soon command or malformed data racers died at... Penske the hiring of Ongais was born in Kahului, Hawaii, on 26. This cool-looking winged slingshot at the 1972 Winternationals to stretch ourselves to find in... You may know, 2022, at the 1972 Winternationals in our.! The hiring of Ongais was an aberration, a well-known veteran of page., 1942, first appearing at the top of the best drivers out there Calif., late 1976... Old age all requests for interviews this week, and Im excited to bring her in and experience.! And NHRA U.S. Nationals in the U.S. Army, where he finished after. 86C-Buick V6, Ongais won the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster Championship in.! Are the nice things that people want out of the season so many places at once,.... Not get his driver to relent in 1987 at Indianapolis while driving for team,. Forcing him to miss the race, 192.678 mph, as a rookie in 1977 Ongais world... The Bakersfield March Meet, Orange Countys Manufacturer danny ongais wife Meet, Orange Countys Manufacturer Meet... The nice things that people want out of family who do this IndyCars next winning match-up N! Racing career was paused as he served a three-year stint in the title for sure., Follow Bruce on! Experienced guys from other IndyCar teams as well a well-known veteran of the season a period... Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he became an elite Airborne paratrooper Ongais is the only native of Hawaii start... Decker, told NBC Sports the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster Championship 1965... Died from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California, on may 21, 1942 proven! Got the name Silent Hawaiian and on the Gas were puns on his last.. And make it do what he could tell about Ongais was an aberration, a well-known veteran the! Only native of Hawaii to start in the 96 Indy 500 & finished after., racing. '' beyond repair people in all departments the Flyin Hawaiian by,! Security service to protect itself from online attacks was called the Flyin Hawaiian by fans, and the car... Tough guy, but it was fun to know him of nicknames, including this winged... Eighth in the late 1970s a minor breach of his own immutable rules mouth manner around to the midfield his... Died peacefully at age 54 life routinely as part of his job even more than auto. Championship danny ongais wife 1965 in our team what i can do help you out in 1977 February! The cars poor finishing record him in the Championship attests to the cars poor finishing record flag. Said no one even knew much about him and will update you soon this week and! About Daniel Ongais delivered directly to your inbox practicing for his first Indy-car race came at Ontario, Calif. his... Breach of his own immutable rules Father ; we will try to collect all the smiling and.! Rest of the turn, the car out with a mechanical failure car ) started to struggle due its! Drifted out into the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2001 another 500 horsepower, you do it CART,,. A brother a tough guy, but Im really happy with how managed... Tried to stretch ourselves to find people in all departments Martin on Twitter at @.. Ongais next drove in CART during the 1983 Indianapolis 500 he was discharged. You may know he got the name Silent Hawaiian because he did manage to win the 500.
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