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Indy Cars by the Thames - 1978

Started by Even Darker , Aug 30 2004 20:01

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18 replies to this topic

#1 Even Darker

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Posted 30 August 2004 - 20:01

When the Indy cars visited the UK in 1978 they raced at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, but they also made an appearance in the centre of London on the banks of the river Thames, close to where the Eye is now.

As I'm beginning to get the hang of my scanner, I thought people might like to see a few of my pictures from that event.

A J Foyt helping the police with their enquiries

Danny Ongais (and wife?)

From memory, this was Johhny Rutherford, doubtless someone will correct me if I'm wrong!
[edit: I'm informed it was Gordon Johncock - Thanks Dave, I guess those senior moments are creeping up on me.]

Close up of detail on AJs car

I have a few more pictures I could post if anyone is interested, including three of the cars that were on display.

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#2 Dave Ware

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Posted 30 August 2004 - 20:53

Good pics. I'd like to see more.

#3 is Gordon Johncock.

Looks like A.J.'s holding his temper in #1.

Thanks,

Dave

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#3 Ruairidh

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 02:23

Very cool - of course we're interested!!! Please do post whatever you have - you'll find some willing viewers here :clap:

Thanks for posting

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#4 theunions

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 06:34

I don't believe Danny was married during his USAC years, if ever.

I assume his was among the three vehicles on display?

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#5 Even Darker

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 08:12

Glad people are interested.

Dave: AJ looks a bit happier in some of the other pictures!

The unions: Apart from AJs car I have pictures of a Chaparral in Citibank colours and a third car in a yellow Kent Oil livery (IIRC).

I'll post the rest of my photos when I get home tonight.

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#6 gbl

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 09:04

Great pictures, I'd also like to see more. The Kent Oil car should be an AJ Watson entry.

PS: What's the relation between AJ Foyt and the Vel's Parnelli team. I know that he ran the Ontario race in the old #21 car used by Al Unser the previous year. Did the teams merge in 78?

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#7 BRG

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 10:14

Originally posted by theunions
I assume his was among the three vehicles on display?

I think that there were more than three cars - IIRC, it was supposed to be scrutineering for the Brands Hatch race.

I worked nearby at that time and went along to have a look. Dick Simon asked me if I could recommend a local restaurant for lunch - I suggested 'Il Pappagallo' in York Road. It was this event, and the two UK races, which made me set aside my previous naive disdain for US oval racers and to understand that there was life outside F1, and that it might even be better in some respects. A valuable lesson!

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#8 theunions

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 17:07

Originally posted by Even Darker
Apart from AJs car I have pictures of a Chaparral in Citibank colours and a third car in a yellow Kent Oil livery (IIRC).

The former would actually be Al Unser Sr.'s Triple Crown-winning Lola, which said "Chaparral" right above the Lola logo on the nose. Did it really say "Citibank" instead of "Citicorp" or "First National City Travelers Checks" as it did in the States? I'm not sure exactly when the latter name was phased out in favor of Citicorp/Citibank, but it would've been around this timeframe.

The Kent Oil car was indeed a Watson entry/chassis, for Tom Bagley.

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#9 Even Darker

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 19:39

Here are the rest of the pictures I have to hand. I think I had far more at one time, but these are probably the survivors of a cull.

BRGs information about scrutineering rings a vague bell, though I don't recall the whole field being there. But then sometimes I have trouble remembering my own name!

theunions was right, Citicorp livery and a Lola badge!

AJs no 14, half of my pictures feature him, I guess I was a fan.

AJ looking pensive, perhaps he was in a bad mood after all.

But he's smiling in this one.

Gordon Johncock and companion chatting to Danny Ongais

The Kent Oil car

I hope you enjoy these.

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#10 gbl

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 19:57

Big thanks :wave:

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#11 theunions

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Posted 31 August 2004 - 20:38

Originally posted by Even Darker

Gordon Johncock and companion chatting to Danny Ongais

The woman does bear a resemblance to Gordy's then-wife Linda, but I'm not positive...then again I don't think Gordy looks much like Gordy in those shots to begin with.

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#12 Gert

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Posted 01 September 2004 - 18:09

Thanks for the nice pictures!

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#13 Mother Duck

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Posted 02 September 2004 - 17:26

Thanks to a friend who put me on to this site, I got to see some neat photos that brought back alot of good memories of our trip to England.

I remember that day in the Park by the Thames it was the day after our arrival I can remember looking across the way and seeing Big Ben( I believe). Could not believe racing had brought me to England.

It was cold and wet for our Silverstone venture but bright and sunny when we went down to Brands Hatch the next week.

One thing that I was amazed at, is how amazed the British fans were that our drivers took time to sign autographs and speak with them. The corner marshals and workers were completely taken aback when they were invited to enter garages and get a closer look at the cars. They were all ever so polite to us, I really liked the British people.

Thanks again for bringing back some good memories.

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#14 Mother Duck

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Posted 02 September 2004 - 17:27

FYI the one picture is of Gordy and Lynda Johncock and Danny Ongais

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#15 lyndajohncock

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Posted 21 January 2006 - 15:26

THE FEMALE IN THE PICTURE WITH GORDON JOHNCOCK AND DANNY ONGAIS IS ME! LYNDA JOHNCOCK... THE RACE WAS MY 30TH BIRTHDAY AND WE WERE IN ENGLAND FOR 3 WEEKS AT SILVERSTONE AND BRANDS HATCH... ALSO YOU WONDERED WHAT FOYT HAD TO DO WITH THE VEL PARNELLI TEAM AND HE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT TEAM... THE VEL AND PARNELLI TEAM WAS CALLED THE "SUPER TEAM" DRIVERS WERE MARIO ANDRETTI, JOE LEONARD AND AL UNSER... MY UNCLE, JIM MCGEE WAS ONE OF THE CHIEF MECHANICS.. THE SPONSORS WERE JOHNNY LIGHTNING, VICEROY, AND SAMPSONITE LUGGAGE... THIS MAY BE WAY MORE TRIVIA THAN YOU WANT... SINCERELY, LYNDA JOHNCOCK-HENKEL

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#16 Gary C

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Posted 21 January 2006 - 16:19

welcome to TNF Lynda!!

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#17 2F-001

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Posted 21 January 2006 - 16:39

Hello and welcome, Lynda.

I think folks around here fall broadly into two camps: those who would say there is no such thing as too much trivia; and those who wouldn't regard is as trivia. So you can't lose!

I had just finished college at the time and living in the midlands of England, so only made it to the Silverstone race. I hadn't recalled the Thames-side dispaly at all. Certainly, the upper levels of racing here had begun to get quite "cloistered" and a little aloof, so the whole meeting-the-people and open-door mentality was a little disarming to some, but quite a breath of fresh air really.

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#18 RS2000

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Posted 21 January 2006 - 17:29

Interesting. I never knew of the London appearance. I worked directly across the river from there on return but at that time I was working alongside the Delaware, not the Thames, so missed it. I think I also arrived in the USA just late enough to miss the nearest race at Trenton, NJ. Was 78 the last year champ cars ran at Trenton?