[4], In 1977, Ongais ran his first full season in Indy cars. Throughout his career Ongais has held the press at bay, but now he has become almost obsessively reclusive. 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. Danny Ongais, a Hawaii native, died Saturday of heart complications in Anaheim Hills, California, according to a news release from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Its pretty amazing to me with how involved he is with every aspect of the IndyCar organization, the F1 organization. I got down off the stand and went down to meet him. We have an ethos here where we dont necessarily want to do things the way theyve always been done in the IndyCar world. [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). Thats exciting. And thats across the board, both commercial and operational. He has also interviewed a plethora of sporting personalities. He was my hero, to be honest with you. So we just are thinking strategically on how can we find candidates with transferable skills outside our industry if we can. His best years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway came with Interscope Racing and its eye-catching No. The team overhauled its total rewards package (which includes benefits and incentivized bonus plans) to stay competitive with other IndyCar teams as well as the other high-tech and Fortune 500 companies in the Indianapolis, Indiana, region (home to roughly 2 million) where Arrow McLaren is based. 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. Facebook gives people the power to share and Yet he hides everything. There are some inherent advantages for a team in IndyCar, whose 17-race schedule is more manageable than NASCAR (36 races in 37 weeks) and Formula One (which has expanded to 24 races around the globe). Next, he wants a man who will project the Penske image to sponsors and the press. He got his licks in. Starting last, Ongais finished 7th in what was his final 500. 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 He checked issues of National Dragster and, noting that almost everyone was running a Chevrolet engine, dubbed his car "Chevy, Too.". And wants to make this something special. There also is an appeal to being a professional sports team. 4. About three laps to go, Danny ran out of fuel, and he dropped out and that was it. Its a big focus to get the McLaren brand out in the world and do good content, which I think were probably the leading team in that sense now. 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. While practicing for his first Indy-car race at Hanford, Calif., his car caught fire on the. Linda Vaughn presented him with a diamond-studded belt buckle. By the time the broadcasting of the race ended at 11:30 PM, Ongais's condition had improved and his condition was updated to stable. Ongais success in straight-line competition led him to be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 in the Drag Racing category. As a statement from Indianapolis Motor Speedway pointed out, Ongais was known not only for his huge speed, but also surviving some violent crashes. Wife: The blogger is not married. 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. . New hires have come from Fortune 500 companies, major brands and other professional sports an eclectic roster of past employers that includes Disney, SalesForce, the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Rays, Republic Airlines and Boeing Defense, Space & Security (to name a few). 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 never left anything on the table, I can tell you that. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. He was direct. Jim Chapman, race boss for Interscope Racing, said no one was very familiar with him. On the starting line, his rival`s car broke, spilling its oil. Ongais qualified 27th and finished 4th. WebDanny Ongais, a race-winner and ace qualifier in Indy car racing whose career spanned three decades died last weekend congestive heart complications By: David Malsher-Lopez A sense of humor. 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. Ongais win at Riverside was especially memorable as his dragster broke after final-round opponent Gordon Collett red-lighted, so, as was the rule back then, Ongais had to push his car the length of the quarter-mile to trip the win light. Ongais hadnt raced since the 1986 Indy 500. He then competed at the Gould Twin Dixie 125 however bad luck hit Ongais in both races. 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 And well-deserved. Thats the difference. 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. Danny took home the American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship in 1963 and 1964. In 1962, Ongais was part of Leongs dragster crew at the Winternationals, where they won the Long Distance and Best Appearing awards. He really was. 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. But he continued to build a wall of silence around himself. RIP, my friend. 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. Pole sitter Scott Brayton suffered fatal injuries in a post-qualifying practice crash, and team owner John Menard hired Ongais as the replacement driver. 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. Its really exciting to be part of a group that still has ties to everyone being very hungry and ambitious and could do all sorts of roles and do whatever needed to be done. It is his and his alone. He was fearless, Mears said. 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. That is the reason why he got into the wall so often.. [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. Ongais was the only native Hawaiian to compete in the Indianapolis 500. Ongais` life took a wrong turn up a one-way street Thursday, when he destroyed his most precious possession. ''He has a good brain,'' says a friend, ''and in a social circumstance can be witty. Hills, California, from congestive cardiovascular collapse, but not because of any accident. Ongais scored a best finish of 5th place at the Escort Warning Radars 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Weve got intense bits of the season. I think that also helps to diversify the portfolio of talent that we have internally and the ability to learn from one another and grow as a team.. Danny Ongais had a net wort estimated at $5 million dollars. WebVersatile American racing driver Danny Ongais died on February 26 of congestive heart complications at age 79, it was announced Monday. Fathers name is Not Available. 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. NASCAR 2023 at Las Vegas schedule, entry list, and how to watch, NASCAR 2023 at Las Vegas schedule, entry list, and how to watch At the 1981 Indianapolis 500, he was involved in a near-fatal accident that caused him to miss almost a year of racing. The green flag came out, and we ran side-by-side 220 mph for about 21 laps, sashaying at each other, side-by-side. The sad news of the death of the veteran racing driver was announced by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ''In Hawaii,'' he huffed, ''I`d get at least $250.''. The head count was up to 94 by mid-February and is expected to be at least 100 by the end of March. Arrow McLaren was known as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports before McLaren gradually became the majority owner in mid-2021. We started from a team that had always been competitive and hungry to find the very last bit, and that is still the backbone here that came from the small, really hungry team. 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. Latest: Mystery of Microsoft CEO Young Son Zain Nadellas Cause of Death Famous Voice Actor Kirk Baily Unfortunately Passed Away Danny Ongais Cause of Racing teams typically face double-digit turnover after the season. Weve expanded our operations pretty significantly, she said. Weve had more people come to us than weve reached out to other people. In the 1960s he won multiple drag racing championships and was named one of the National Hot Rod Associations Top 50 Drivers for 1951-2000. ''I`m amazed.''. ''He just doesn`t want to let anyone into his life,'' says the friend. 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. Usually, however, he spent words as if they were pearls. 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. ''He ran her off the speedway. 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 had always expressed a desire to drive an Indianapolis 500 car. That was the same year that Ongais became an Indy car winner. Thompson, the onetime land speed record-holder, was campaigning a team at Indianapolis and promised to give Ongais a ride. Shes like, Absolutely. . Gracie is a rock star and can do anything, Gundlach said. Driving for Parnelli Jones, he crashed. The times I got to know him; he was one that you always admired. Also, we have no idea about his brother and sister, and we dont know their names either. WebDaniel Ongais passed away on October 11, 2019. View, Rosanne Ongais of Oceanside, California and Daisy (Melvin) Ongais-Kilaulani of Keaau; sons, Carl Moe, Jr. of Hilo, Richard (Julie) Moe of Bethel Island, California, David (Vanessa) Moe of Keaau, James Moe of Las Vegas, Nevada and Michael (Carrie) Moe of Brentwood, California; brothers, Jerome (Jean) Ongies of Oahu, Claudino (Bernadette) Ongais of Washington and Steven (Elena) Ongais of Hilo; sisters, Constance Wheeler of Arkansas and Carmen Dusza of Oahu; brother in-law, Alfred (Maile) Tavares of Hilo; sister in-law, Sharon Tavares of Keaau; 34 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews a. They required not breaking, but gentling. Danny Ongais, by any measure, was one of the all-time greatest race car drivers! Ongais final attempt at Indianapolis came in 1998, when he failed to qualify in a Team Pelfrey car. Ongais and Field teamed up with success in Formula 5000 and the IndyCar Series in the late 1970s. Ongais ability to drive these cars near their performance limits unfortunately resulted in a couple of spectacular crashes in Indy. READ ALSO: Danny Ongais Wife - Was Danny Ongais Married? After losing Saturdays AA/Dragster class final to Thompson, he beat Thompson in the final of the eliminator on Sunday, 8.39 to 8.53, to claim the big prize, then a few months later, he won the Hot Rod Magazine Championships at Riverside Raceway. RIP Danny Ongais, who passed away Feb.26, 2022, in California of congestive heart failure at age 79. Was 1 of only 5 teammates I ever had in #INDYCAR. He dominated six races in USAC-sanctioned single-seater racing and finished eighth in the title. As the season progressed the Parnelli 6C (which was already a two-year-old car) started to struggle due to its age. Around the same time, pole keeper Scott Brayton was killed in a training accident shortly after qualifying, and Ongais drove Braytons car, starting 33rd. backstretch. He quickly showed he could drive those cars as fast as anyone. Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting, Why Kirkwood is USA's ace-in-waiting Its a mentality shift thats good. Those are the nice things that people want out of family who do this.. 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. 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. [14], Ongais died from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, at the age of 79. Ongais endured a tough season highlighted by a 3rd-place finish at Watkins Glen. He decided to remain private regarding her life and relationship. I thought towards the end of the run, if the fans didnt like this, they dont need to be here. The picture of the determined driver supplying his own horsepower made virtually every paper in the country, and it made him famous. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. 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). We may earn money from the links on this page. Eventually progressing through regional series and Formula 5000, Ongais and Field moved to USAC and Indy cars in 1976 under the banner of Interscope Racing. On May 15, 1982, Danny Ongais qualified 9th for the Indy 500. Al was doing his typical thing. 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. 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. 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. (Its) retaining the people youve got, he said. But we are trying hard to collect all the information about him and will update you soon. In 1977, his first full year on the championship car circuit, he won a race at Michigan and was named rookie of the year. A head-on shunt in the 1981 Indy 500 left him recuperating for the remainder of the season while four years later at Michigan he went into a barrel-roll after launching off the back of another car. The car was disallowed and Interscope brought out their Parnelli 6C-Cosworth DFX. 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. Also, we have no information about his son and daughter. Danny Ongais passed away on February 26, 2022 at the age of 79. 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. He might show up and talk to you for a while and then youd look around and hed be gone. This is certainly an exciting company to work for because the brand is quite well known globally, and that certainly helps from a recruitment perspective. 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). At the age of 18, he earned a Hawaiian state title in motorcycle racing, and he went on to become a drag racing ace. The versatile Ongais made 11 #Indy500 starts, with four top-10 finishes. 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. Timing is everything in this business and having the luck of the timing on your side, Mears said. Like you at Mid-Ohio sports car Course he continued to build a wall of silence around himself the on. 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