50th anniversary of the USGP at Watkins Glen (merged)
#1001
Posted 15 December 2015 - 11:00
http://www.racer.com...t-watkins-glen#!1978_F1_WatkinsGlen_MarshallPruettArchives_088a
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#1002
Posted 16 December 2015 - 03:13
I was quite proud to witness Bobby in both his GPs, as I also saw his very-first driver's school, his only Runoffs win, and many other races. He looked right at home immediately, and I was sure hoping he'd continue in F1...
Thanks for the post.
#1003
Posted 16 December 2015 - 13:58
Very cool, Brian.
I was quite proud to witness Bobby in both his GPs, as I also saw his very-first driver's school, his only Runoffs win, and many other races. He looked right at home immediately, and I was sure hoping he'd continue in F1...
Thanks for the post.
I too was at Road Atlanta when Bobby won the F Atlantic crown. Somewhere I have a pic of him on his victory lap with the checkers.
#1004
Posted 17 December 2015 - 16:12
This is a picture of the driver's meeting immediately after Cevert's accident in 1973. I attended every Watkins Glen F1 race from 1973 thru 1977, and have driven the track there in my 1963 Z06 Corvette Vintage Racer. I have lots of pictures and Super 8 film of many of these races, including the start of the 1974 F1 race from the Ferrari Pit roof grandstand. At that time, you could go aanywhere, and meet anybody...........and we did
#1005
Posted 17 December 2015 - 16:41
That's quite the photo; thanks for posting. Starter Tex Hopkins is seen amongst the drivers. I'm confident those who have contributed to this thread would be happy to see your other Watkins Glen photos as your time allows. I think your last sentence applied to all of us that were fortunate to see Formula 1 at this circuit.
#1006
Posted 17 December 2015 - 17:38
I can't quite figure out who that is behind Clay... anybody know?
#1007
Posted 17 December 2015 - 18:10
OK Another pic of the same driver's meeting
Niki, Mariella and Montezemolo (Niki and Luca autographed this pic for my wife the following year)
Fittipaldi and wife (at the time)
Fittipaldi and car
Donohue's Penske
James Hunt's Hesketh-run March 731 at the 1973 race
Edited by 63Corvette, 17 December 2015 - 18:22.
#1008
Posted 17 December 2015 - 18:19
#1009
Posted 17 December 2015 - 18:23
The last photo shows James Hunt's Hesketh-run March 731 at the 1973 race. It finished second behind Ronnie Peterson's Lotus 72.
Thanks, I have some pics of Hunt I will find and post.
#1010
Posted 17 December 2015 - 19:54
Poor Jackie looks to be in pure shock there. Impressive he even attended, but only partly because he must have already decided to no longer be a driver. I suspect his interests in safety and comraderie were stronger than his grief.
I can't quite figure out who that is behind Clay... anybody know?
Possibly Merzario? There have been other pictures on here in the past but I can't find them.
Sad pictures.
Let's focus on the happier times!
#1011
Posted 17 December 2015 - 20:18
Where and When II
The chap sitting between Clay and von Opel was thought to be little Art, but I assumed E1's question referred to the man sitting against the wall at the side of the room?
#1012
Posted 17 December 2015 - 20:56
Arturo Merzario (with cigarette) between Rega and von Opel
#1013
Posted 17 December 2015 - 21:26
Thanks Tim, Artie is who I was unsure about. Didn't think his hair looked like that, or maybe I never saw him without the cowboy hat!Here's the discussion that took place after that photo was first posted:Where and When IIThe chap sitting between Clay and von Opel was thought to be little Art, but I assumed E1's question referred to the man sitting against the wall at the side of the room?
The guy against the wall looks like he's checking his cell phone. ;-). Simpler times...
#1014
Posted 18 December 2015 - 00:28
When I saw the first version of the pic I was sure that was Howden G (where we can only see the hair) between Pace and Hailwood .
In the second version (where Arturo seems to have vacated his seat), it looks more like Brian Redman. What do you think?
#1015
Posted 18 December 2015 - 01:05
When I saw the first version of the pic I was sure that was Howden G (where we can only see the hair) between Pace and Hailwood .
In the second version (where Arturo seems to have vacated his seat), it looks more like Brian Redman. What do you think?
I believe it was Howden Ganley. Brian Redman was disqualified, but I don't believe that he was at this meeting. There was only one Ferrari entered, for Arturo.
Edited by 63Corvette, 18 December 2015 - 01:11.
#1016
Posted 18 December 2015 - 10:10
Brian drove the third shadow at this meeting, but the driver in the picture is howden.
#1017
Posted 18 December 2015 - 15:32
I would llike to make a small personal observation in association with this specific event (1973 USGP), and perhaps offer some contrast with modern GP racing.
In 1973 Lotus were especially successful, winning several GPs and in fact winning two in a row on several occasions. There seemed to be the use of "stickers or decals" on some of the cars, in this era before commercialization, so, The James Hunt Hesketh sported a decal or sticker with the words "Niki Lauda is a steaming turd", and the Lotus cars sported decals proclaiming the various GPs they had won, and an additional decal with the words "Won Two One Two".
As I walked through the garage area after the Cevert accident, it was very quiet, and at the Tyrrell garage, they were boxing up the Cevert car. There along side was the Jackie Stewart car, and I noticed on the rear wing was an unmistakable LOTUS decal with the words "1973 World Champion - Nice one Jackie". What a wonderful gesture! and what would "modern" teams think of that? What would Ron Dennis say? I wonder if Nico Rosberg had a similar decal made for Lewis Hamilton's car?
Edited by 63Corvette, 18 December 2015 - 15:35.
#1018
Posted 18 December 2015 - 15:36
#1019
Posted 14 January 2016 - 03:08
Something to smile about. c. 1978
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#1020
Posted 14 January 2016 - 03:32
Thanks for showing us, Big Jim, please post more when you're able.
#1021
Posted 14 January 2016 - 15:44
Thanks for showing us, Big Jim, please post more when you're able.
+1
#1022
Posted 18 November 2016 - 21:29
From the January 1964 Road & Track article on the running of the 1963 USGP at Watkins Glen by Dean Batchelor - page51:
"Jack Brabham brought two of his Brabhams for himself and Dan Gurney and suffered the indignity of having to hitchhike the last 20 miles to Watkins Glen. Jack flew into the Elmira, NY airport and was unable to secure either a rental car or a taxi and complete with baggage and racing kit, thumbed a ride to the Glen."
Michael Argetsinger mentioned picking up drivers and dropping them off numerous times during our conversations over the years - I wonder what the circumstances were that led to this unusual situation and Brabham being on his own. Can you imagine picking up a World Champion (or any other top-flight driver) while they were hitchhiking?
#1023
Posted 18 November 2016 - 22:05
Thanks for the resurrection, Brian.
It surely would provide a great memory for the ride-giver, at least!
I suspect that as much as Black Jack getting picked up would be graciously met, if by a race fan — sure enough — it could well be a white-knuckle affair!
Such as "How'd I do on that last turn, Jack," or "Hang on, Mr. Brabham!!!" et al.
#1024
Posted 19 November 2016 - 01:27
That makes 2 stories in a day of Jack having difficulty getting to the circuit! Maybe this was only in n America.
#1025
Posted 20 November 2016 - 09:24
Donohue's Penske
A friend/work colleague (Bill Windham) was at Team Penske at this time. I showed him this photo and asked him if it was him at the left-rear in the blue Team shirt; it is and he is talking to Steve Hulbert (Mr. Penske's brother-in-law) and the Citibank rep. Small world.
Edited by B Squared, 20 November 2016 - 10:08.
#1026
Posted 20 November 2016 - 14:09
Just another example of what makes racing so wonderful. :-)
#1027
Posted 20 November 2016 - 16:07
#1028
Posted 23 January 2017 - 12:07
#1029
Posted 23 January 2017 - 13:33
#1030
Posted 23 January 2017 - 15:26
#1031
Posted 23 January 2017 - 16:48
Michael took me for the initial lap, of course. And he related how Stirling Moss, on being shown this old circuit during his first visit to the new circuit, said he would much rather be racing on the old one.
Mike told me this as we were going through the downhill section to the bridge, the Westernmost extremity of the circuit as shown, it was just the right time to relate that story!
#1032
Posted 23 January 2017 - 17:02
#1033
Posted 23 January 2017 - 17:44
On my sole trip to the Glen in 2005 I made a point of driving the old course. The area's beauty is astounding, and the essentially unspoiled nature of the course (no traffic, stop signs, or housing developments to wreck the fun) made me nearly forget I was driving a rental Chevy Cobalt!
#1034
Posted 24 January 2017 - 02:01
...I was most certainly born too late.
Take it up with your parents.
#1035
Posted 24 January 2017 - 06:59
Those dirty rotten shaggers!!
#1036
Posted 25 January 2017 - 03:23
I drove the old course in 2015 after visiting Watkins Glen State Park. Rather than parking in the park's lot, I grabbed a spot on the street, and I was surprised to discover that I unwittingly parked about half a block from the start/finish line!
#1037
Posted 25 January 2017 - 11:24
My laps in 2010.
#1038
Posted 10 July 2020 - 09:00
Michael Argetsinger's widow, Lee, sent me this Hemmings link to a Brock Yates 1972 documentary on Watkins Glen:
https://www.hemmings...aign=2020-06-21
#1039
Posted 10 July 2020 - 10:50
Good of you to keep us posted on these things, Brian...
Meantime, because Photobucket have mauled Oscar's fine work above, here it is unmolested:
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#1040
Posted 05 October 2023 - 21:46
My brother and I were talking a few days ago that 49 years ago on this Thursday PM, we started on our first journey to see Formula One in person, Emerson, Clay, and Jody still had a chance at the Championship for 1974 during the October 6 event. We saw our first cars as they entered "the toe of the boot" but could hear them winding out down the straight on their way to our position. We were already hooked, seeing them appear sealed the deal. This experience and the memories from those great days still give me chills. Then to think, meeting Michael Argetsinger 34 years later, becoming friends with him, and then to experience the village and its history in a way I'd never dreamed of, I still pinch myself that those years actually occurred. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Watkins are two of my favorite places to be, thanks to all along the way for making both venues so special to me.
#1041
Posted 05 October 2023 - 23:22
Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of François Cevert's passing (and Koinigg's 49th)