Open-wheel racing in Atlanta, 1983 (Spring)
#1
Posted 17 September 2008 - 20:32
Please help ID car and driver.
Henry
#7
Posted 17 September 2008 - 23:04
POST 2: #5 Tom Sneva - Bignotti/ Cotter// March 83C - Q4 / P14
#6 Kevin Cogan - Bignotti/ Cotter// March 83C - Q10 / P15
#9 Roger Mears - Machinists Union// Penske PC10 - Q22 / P7
POST 3: #12 John Paul Jr. - VDS// Penske PC10 - Q16 / P3
#17 Al Unser Jr. - Galles// Eagle - Q21 / P6
#18 Mike Mosley - Kraco// March 83C - Q7 / P13
POST 4: #20 Gordon Johncock - Patrick// Wildcat MkIX - Q4 / P1 This shows him spinning in pitlane
during race
#21 Pancho Carter - Alex Foods// March 82C - Q12 / P16
#33 Teo Fabi - Forsythe// March 83C - Q9 / P20 **Note Indeck, pre Skoal paint scheme
POST 5 #34 Derek Daly - Wysard// March 82C - Q13 / P22
#38 Chet Fillip - Circle Bar// Wildcat MkVIII - Q19 / P19
#40 Johnny Rutherford - Patrick// Wildcat MkIX - Q2 / P18
POST 6 #41 Doug Heveron - Rhodes Racing// Wildcat MkVIIIB - Q17/ P12
#66 Pete Halsmer - Arciero Racing// Penske PC10 - Q11 / P4
More info available, as needed. B2
#8
Posted 18 September 2008 - 00:00
#9
Posted 18 September 2008 - 17:05
#66 Pete Halsmer - Arciero Racing// Penske PC10 - Q11 / P4
I believe Mike Hull ran this team, now Team Managing Director at Ganassi Racing.
#10
Posted 19 September 2008 - 18:01
race at Cleveland's Burke Lakefront airport course. The temperature was in the 90's. It was a long, hot day for teams and workers alike. Al Unser Sr. was first in, what I believe to be, the PC11's only victory.
Brian
#11
Posted 20 September 2008 - 15:25
Really, it is no small feat that Big Al won the title in what wasn't such a great car, overcoming the fast but ultimately not-always-reliable development March of Teo Fabi (driving for Forsythe) by a handful of points. (Big Al later took another pig of a car - a Team Menard Buick in '92 - to a podium spot at Indy years after his prime...)
#12
Posted 21 September 2008 - 04:03
Brian
#13
Posted 21 September 2008 - 07:53
#14
Posted 21 September 2008 - 12:40
#15
Posted 21 September 2008 - 13:17
My late friend, Bob Vannice, took this photo of 1983 Atlanta winner, Gordon Johncock's Wildcat cockpit on qualification day. "OIL - FUEL - HAVE FUN" We sure did.
Brian
#16
Posted 21 September 2008 - 22:01
photo: B2 Design
Uncle Bobby sharing a moment race day morning at Atlanta 1983. It would be Al Unser Jr.'s first oval race in an IndyCar. He had only one other start in the series. A 5th @ Riverside in 1982.
Let me know if the images get old quick. I'm not sure if there is a "photo etiquette" to be aware of. Please let me know, if there are basics that are the norm. Thanks,
Brian
#17
Posted 21 September 2008 - 22:18
Originally posted by B Squared
Let me know if the images get old quick. I'm not sure if there is a "photo etiquette" to be aware of. Please let me know, if there are basics that are the norm. Thanks,
Brian
You are doing great!
Henry
#18
Posted 22 September 2008 - 16:09
Originally posted by B Squared
I think so too Michael. I 've come to appreciate his talents over the years. He & brother, Bobby were always up for the battle, no matter the type of track. A great picture in my latest Motor Sport - Sept 08, page 84-85; reminds me of this. It shows the 1975 F5000 starting grid @ Laguna Seca with Vel's/ Parnelli Jones teammates Mario & Al sharing the front row. I think the way Rick Mears approached racing was similar to Al's methods. It's easy for me to highly respect their records and talents.
Al Sr.'s two 1980s CART titles really speak for themselves, IMO, especially given that he never drove the full schedule again after the second one. What was the story behind that - did he want to go part-time at Penske afterwards, or was he planning to retire upon the end of 1985? He had plenty left even at that late date, as 1987 would demonstrate...
Surely he was a better choice for the second Penske car than, say, Kevin Cogan or Bill Alsup...or Danny Ongais.
#19
Posted 22 September 2008 - 16:22
Brian (please correct me as needed)
Advertisement
#20
Posted 22 September 2008 - 17:32
1985 was a pretty good year for Big Al outside of Champcar too - he won the 24 Hours of Daytona co-driving with AJ Foyt and Bob Wollek (and I think Thierry Boutsen too?) for Preston Henn's Swap Shop Porsche squad. Didn't he drive a Pennzoil-sponsored car for much of 85 (which normally would've been Mears') rather than the Hertz cars of 83 and 87?
#21
Posted 22 September 2008 - 22:53
photo: B2 Design
A picture of the aforementioned Pete Halsmer - this is at the 1983 Michigan 500 for practice on Thursday or Friday leading up to the event. Halsmer's Arciero Penske PC10 in foreground. Next back is Pancho Carter's XLNT 82C March, third back is Teo Fabi's Forsythe 83C March.
Stranger - yes Big Al ran the Pennzoil car in Rick's absence. When Rick ran the ovals, Al would be in the Hertz sponsored third car. At the Fall race in Michigan for the 200 miler, Al ran a Gould Charge sponsored car. If you need the entire breakdown, let me know.
Brian
#22
Posted 23 September 2008 - 03:10
Originally posted by B Squared
photo: B2 Design
Uncle Bobby sharing a moment race day morning at Atlanta 1983. It would be Al Unser Jr.'s first oval race in an IndyCar.
I watched Little Al in an early practice session from T4. There was a nasty bump there that Al's Eagle took exception to. Al paid no attention to the Eagle's rear steppin out a foot or two as it traversed the bump, his right foot buried and his hands givin the wheel a quick twist to catch the slide.
#23
Posted 23 September 2008 - 11:46
Brian
#24
Posted 24 September 2008 - 17:56
Originally posted by B Squared
Stranger - yes Big Al ran the Pennzoil car in Rick's absence. When Rick ran the ovals, Al would be in the Hertz sponsored third car. At the Fall race in Michigan for the 200 miler, Al ran a Gould Charge sponsored car. If you need the entire breakdown, let me know.
Brian
Never knew that the Gould sponsorship made a reappearance in 1985 - any photos of it out there?
#25
Posted 24 September 2008 - 18:03
Brian
#26
Posted 25 September 2008 - 16:05
Originally posted by B Squared
Stranger - I'll look for a photo. I got the posted info from my CART results book. I worked that race, not sure if I remember the car either! I'm thinking it may have been in yellow also.
Brian
Thanks, Brian I've always wondered about the Gould sponsorship to begin with, given that it was not a traditional beer/automotive sponsorship, or a later consumer products-oriented deal, but rather something much more specialized. Here's that company's website (the logo is still the same as it was during their days as sponsor in Champcar) -
http://www.gould.com/
#27
Posted 25 September 2008 - 16:16
Stranger, very similar to the Norton sponsorship on the sister cars of the era.
Henry - I hope that my photo posting from the same event is not hindering you from posting your recently acquired archive. I'm guessing that you are busy, as we all can be - I'm really looking forward to more at your convenience. Thank you in advance.
Brian
#28
Posted 25 September 2008 - 16:57
Originally posted by B Squared
http://www.ind.nortonabrasives.com/
Stranger, very similar to the Norton sponsorship on the sister cars of the era.
Absolutely - there was also a third one, AB Dick, a printing company (also still in existence), which sponsored Bill Alsup's 1981 CART ride for Roger. Norton had been a sponsor of Penske's team from about 1975 on (the car Sneva flipped had the Norton colors going) - did Sunoco simply leave the squad? When Donohue moved on to the Penske F1 effort, I recall that squad being sponsored by First National City (Citibank), which later sponsored both McLaren and Chaparral in the early CART/late USAC era.
During Mario Andretti's brief time with Penske, he had a more traditional sponsorship in Cam2 Oil.
#29
Posted 25 September 2008 - 20:14
Gordy's cockpit photo and the Lil' Al/Bobby pics are incredible shots!
#30
Posted 25 September 2008 - 21:56
Originally posted by B Squared
http://www.ind.nortonabrasives.com/
Stranger, very similar to the Norton sponsorship on the sister cars of the era.
Henry - I hope that my photo posting from the same event is not hindering you from posting your recently acquired archive. I'm guessing that you are busy, as we all can be - I'm really looking forward to more at your convenience. Thank you in advance.
Brian
Yes Brian, more will be coming. As you say life is busy................................if only I can get to retirement!
Most do not have any notations so this group will have to help me get them sorted out.
Henry
Here is a sample and I may put these in the "Montage" thread to prevent confusion on what event/year is involved. On this one I personally do not know who/when/where as the photograph is not marked.
#31
Posted 25 September 2008 - 22:19
#32
Posted 25 September 2008 - 23:10
My official CART "box score" from Michigan 200 confirms the Gould sponsored Penske/ March 85C of Al Unser in P12. Now, to find a photo.
Stranger - I believe that Cam2 was a Sun Oil Co. product. They were first a title sponsor with Penske at IMS in 1975. The driver was Bobby Allison. An absolutely beautiful red, white, & black paint scheme. With Mario in '76 & '77 - with Rick Mears his rookie year of 1978. The appearances at the Speedway seem to stop with the 1979 disqualification of Bill Alsup in the third car. Some engine related "irregularities". This is extremely incomplete at best. Just a baseline.
The AB Dick car is a Penske PC9 or 9B of 1980-81. With the ropes around it, it's most likely doing the "Show Car" curcuit, which would make this being shot at Atlanta in 1983 quite likely.
Walter - Glad you like the photos.
Henry - Thanks for the photo.
Brian
#33
Posted 26 September 2008 - 07:22
Alsup used an engine for his qualification that had already been qualified by Bobby Unser, iirc. Penske's "unfair advantage"?;)Originally posted by B Squared
The appearances at the Speedway seem to stop with the 1979 disqualification of Bill Alsup in the third car. Some engine related "irregularities".
#34
Posted 26 September 2008 - 09:31
Brian
#35
Posted 26 September 2008 - 10:14
Originally posted by B Squared
My official CART "box score" from Michigan 200 confirms the Gould sponsored Penske/ March 85C of Al Unser in P12. Now, to find a photo.
Stranger - I believe that Cam2 was a Sun Oil Co. product. They were first a title sponsor with Penske at IMS in 1975. The driver was Bobby Allison. An absolutely beautiful red, white, & black paint scheme. With Mario in '76 & '77 - with Rick Mears his rookie year of 1978. The appearances at the Speedway seem to stop with the 1979 disqualification of Bill Alsup in the third car. Some engine related "irregularities". This is extremely incomplete at best. Just a baseline.
The AB Dick car is a Penske PC9 or 9B of 1980-81. With the ropes around it, it's most likely doing the "Show Car" curcuit, which would make this being shot at Atlanta in 1983 quite likely.
Walter - Glad you like the photos.
Henry - Thanks for the photo.
Brian
I don't think AB Dick was still active as a sponsor in 1983, so a showcar does not make sense for that year. Alsup ran the #7 in 1981 so if you do not have any other 1981 photos in your collection then it could only be a photo from 1982, but I would not rule out 1981.
#36
Posted 26 September 2008 - 10:55
Originally posted by TheStranger
Absolutely - there was also a third one, AB Dick, a printing company (also still in existence), which sponsored Bill Alsup's 1981 CART ride for Roger. Norton had been a sponsor of Penske's team from about 1975 on (the car Sneva flipped had the Norton colors going) - did Sunoco simply leave the squad? When Donohue moved on to the Penske F1 effort, I recall that squad being sponsored by First National City (Citibank), which later sponsored both McLaren and Chaparral in the early CART/late USAC era.
During Mario Andretti's brief time with Penske, he had a more traditional sponsorship in Cam2 Oil.
Mario Andretti drove the AB Dick (Albert Blake Dick was the company founder in 1884) sponsored third Penske PC9 twice in 1980 but in December Roger Penske announced that Andretti would be unable to meet the schedule requirements of sponsor in 1981 because of his F1 commitements and Bill Alsup will compete in 8 races during the 1981 season in AB Dick Pacemaker PC9B. For the unsuspecting Alsup it was an impossible dream come true. Designated races were Indy 500, Atlanta Twin, Norton 500 at MIS, Bettenhausen Classic at Milwaukee - AB Dick sponsored as well, California 500 at Riverside, Michigan 150, Copa Mexico 150 and season finale at Phoenix where he actually was forced to drive his own PC7 in AB Dick colours after crashing the works PC9B during the practice. 1981 was the best year in Bill Alsup career, finishing in the top five in half the races and second in CART championship points table after Rick Mears. He also drove his own PC7 at season opener Phoenix and Watkins Glen.
EDIT: I`d say the Henry`s image is taken somewhere between 80-81 season -it`s PC9 not PC9B and the car is still in 1980 (Andretti) colours, only renumbered. The paintjob in 1981 was a bit different.
The same car in hands of Andretti in 1980 season finale at Phoenix.
image from 1981 CART annual
#37
Posted 26 September 2008 - 12:01
Thanks for the great info. I still believe that the image posted by Henry is at Atlanta & the car (Penske PC9) is being utilized as a show car. Look at the hill in the background with the building at the top & the surrounding roped off area. It reminds me of the terrain on the outside of the Atlanta track. Possibly the aspect was to generate close up IndyCar exposure, instead of sponsor exposure. The locals were far more familiar with the beloved taxi cabs. I think the car was beginning to cry out to be rescued by a vintage racing enthusiast! Sorry if I'm wrong & complicating the issue.
Brian
#38
Posted 26 September 2008 - 14:29
Originally posted by B Squared
"EDIT: I`d say the Henry`s image is taken somewhere between 80-81 season -it`s PC9 not PC9B and the car is still in 1980 (Andretti) colours, only renumbered. The paintjob in 1981 was a bit different."
Thanks for the great info. I still believe that the image posted by Henry is at Atlanta & the car (Penske PC9) is being utilized as a show car. Look at the hill in the background with the building at the top & the surrounding roped off area. It reminds me of the terrain on the outside of the Atlanta track. Possibly the aspect was to generate close up IndyCar exposure, instead of sponsor exposure. The locals were far more familiar with the beloved taxi cabs. I think the car was beginning to cry out to be rescued by a vintage racing enthusiast! Sorry if I'm wrong & complicating the issue.
Brian
I`m agree with you Brian - the picture is most likely taken at Atlanta (as all Henry`s images are) but i`m not sure about Atlanta Twin weekend in June. Alsup`s racing mount wore during the season also decals of associate sponsors like Gould, Norton, CAM2 and Kraco(and these should be mandatory for such a billboard as show car is as well) but this car on picture have AB Dick only. Also Penske sold 2 of his PC9s to Psachie-Garza Racing before Indy 500 so my best guess is that image might be taken during some pre-season test or presentation. Of course if we have some more pics of this event...
Edit: Also check the back wing - this car is in superspeedway settings.
Advertisement
#40
Posted 02 October 2008 - 00:26
photo: B2 Design
I know that I'm in Michigan 1983, but maybe some of these may help with Atlanta identifications as more come to light. This is the Patrick Racing Team on the Wednesday leading up to Sunday's race in July of 1983 for the Michigan 500. Cars left to right of Gordon Johncock #20 March 83C, Danny Ongais #40 March 83C (I forgot about that!), & Chip Ganassi #60 Wildcat MkIX. Ganassi finished in P8, the other two broke before halfway. I always liked to get to the events early in the weekend, the casual, friendly atmosphere would always give way to the business at hand.
Brian
#41
Posted 02 October 2008 - 05:17
Obviously, Ted Field's Interscope would later be much more famous as a record company, though it practically followed all of Ongais's career (like Provimi Veal for Luyendyk, or Gilmore for AJ Foyt). How long did he run the Sea Ray #40?
And that #60 - was that a Patrick Racing ride for Ganassi? (He later would be a co-owner of the team when Emerson Fittipaldi won the 1989 CART title and Indy behind the wheel of the Marlboro #20). #60 would fit with the Patrick Racing numbering scheme that they inherited from the original STP sponsorship days - Gordon Smiley drove a beautiful #70 Valvoline gold and blue car for Patrick in 1980 if I recall correctly.
Sadly, that 1983 Michigan 500 would be the beginning of the end of Gordy's career, in a race he had just won the year previous, at his home track.
#42
Posted 02 October 2008 - 11:52
Yes, it indeed was the same Chip Ganassi that has been such a successful owner in the IndyCar series'. Chip won the "Most Improved Driver" award at the 1983 CART banquet. Chip closed out the '83 season with 6th @ the Michigan 200; 3rd @ Caesars Palace; 3rd @ Laguna Seca; and 5th @ Phoenix. He was a pretty darn good driver that had the moment that "blunted the edge" in a huge crash at the 1984 Michigan 500 involving Al Unser Jr. and himself. It occurred coming out of turn two. I was working the Black Flag station #4 mid way down the backstretch. Chip lost it (something broke?) exiting two, Al Jr. had nowhere to go and they headed to the infield armco. I made the call for yellow, Chip's car was travelling backwards and started to lift. I thought that it was going to clear the rail & go into the spectator area. The driver's left rear clipped the armco and started a violent tumbling on top of, and parallel to, the armco barrier. We saw Chip's helmet strike the armco, and I quite frankly thought that it was over for him. As the carnage came to a stop in front of our station, it was obvious that Ganassi was hurt badly. His helmet was split, I'll spare the details of the removal. Coma, and long recovery. But recover he did. He ran Indy in 1985 with Foyt, and then 1986 with the Machinist's Union team. I remember an interview with his father at Indy when making his comeback. The question was along the typical line of , do you worry? is he really okay? His dad's response was to the effect that Chip had permanent brain damage, otherwise why would he ever get in one of these things again!
In the same '84 Michigan race, Pancho Carter impacted just feet past our station on the last lap trying to get Mears for third. He ripped out 9) I-Beams buried 5) feet in concrete, flattened triple stacked armco, and destroyed his Galles March. He fortunately walked away. I still tremble at the thought of five dead workers if he wouldn't have gotten past us by those few precious feet. What a wild race. I'm so commited, I actually went back to work that same station in the Fall! My friends and family thought I should be commited; to an asylum!
Brian
#43
Posted 02 October 2008 - 15:54
That '84 race was full of incidents, not just what happened to Pancho and Chip - there was Gary Bettenhausen almost recovering from a spin before getting hit by Phil Krueger (I think that's who it was), and Rahal and Al Holbert colliding with Johncock nearby. But at the same time, the finish was the closest in CART/Indycar history at the time, with Tom Sneva being edged out by Mario Andretti. It wouldn't be unreasonable to say that this was pivotal in that year's points battle, given that Mario finished first and Sneva finished second in the final standings that season.
Were you there in '85 when Ongais had his big tumble on the backstretch?
#44
Posted 02 October 2008 - 15:55
#45
Posted 02 October 2008 - 17:21
So I went to Station 6, which was the mid point between turns 3 & 4, on the outside of the track. Then the adventure really began..... can you say August 2, 1986 Michigan 500, Randy Lanier, cut right front tire on lap 101 while running 5th? Long story short, my friend & co worker Bob Vannice & myself were hit by debris from the crash. We both hit the deck and usually that would allow the debris to clear us. We'd get up, dust ourselves off, and resume our duties. This time, Bob took 25 stitches in the top of his head from some unidentified flying debris. I had my head covered with my hands, my butt in the air, co worker Mel Turner ducked behind me. Anyway, I could feel the wall shudder, the incredible violence & heat of the crash. I was impacted by, what was later determined to be the right rear wheel & tire & whatever was still attached to it in my back. On the spine & left shoulder blade area. It knocked the wind out of me to the point I thought I was going to die due to lack of oxygen. I tried to get up to walk it off, and discovered that my legs were no longer operable. It turned out to be a compression paralysis, but at the time one fears the worst. It bruised every organ in my torso and I missed close to a year of (regular) work. It is an injury that is still felt as I sit here writing this. However, I feel like I'm one of the luckiest guys in the world to actually survive such a beating. I thought I was watching myself die, then once recovering, I just wanted to be able to do regular activities to a ripe old age. So far, so good. Plus, what a great story to recount. Thanks for allowing me the therapy!
And yes, I worked alot more races, a few from that same station. At times, I still miss it terribly.
Brian
#46
Posted 02 October 2008 - 18:47
#47
Posted 06 October 2008 - 18:27
Brian, I sure understand your thoughts, my friend...
I was a track marshall at the Estoril track for 8 years, I was never injured but had some sh... scary moments too.
It's a hell of a dirty job, but someone's got to do it.
Glad you're here with us to tell.
Regards
Luis
BTW, thanks for that great Michigan photo.
#48
Posted 07 October 2008 - 10:49
photo: B2 Design
Thanks for the nice comments, I would have sure missed out on alot.
The Patrick team now housed in the garage area at Michigan 1983. Ongais & Johncock's 83C March/ Cosworth's. Ganassi's Wildcat is visible by its number in the background.
Brian
#49
Posted 14 November 2008 - 11:41
photo: B2 Design
I confess, a totally shameless thread bump, but is in pit lane at Atlanta in 1983 on race day morning. And there are other things to life than, as my just ex-girlfriend would say, "your damn race cars". She sure isn't the first to exit stage left because of my car interests. Oh well.
Henry - I, for one, would still very much be interested in seeing & help you sort out the photos that you have from this event. As time allows of course.
Brian
#50
Posted 14 November 2008 - 17:08
Have you researched THOSE chassis numbers...?;)