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First Indycar/CART driver to wear an Arai helmet

Started by Kart15 , Mar 27 2012 01:01

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6 replies to this topic

#1 Kart15

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Posted 27 March 2012 - 01:01

I´m a big enthusiast of Arai helmets, and I want to know who was the first driver to wear one of them in Indycar/CART Racing.

In the Formula One we know that the first drivers to wear this brand were the japanese drivers who raced in the first ever F1 race in Japan, at Fuji in 1976: Kazuyoshi Hoshino, Masami Kuwashima, Masahiro Hasemi and Noritake Takahara. But the first driver to wear an Arai helmet for a complete season was Stefan Johansson in 1983, when he raced for the Spirit-Honda team.

But talking about US racing, who was the first to wear an Arai at Indianapolis based racing? I think was Danny Ongais in 1980. This is the oldest picture that I saw of an indycar driver with one Arai helmet:

Posted Image

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#2 Marc Sproule

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Posted 27 March 2012 - 01:14

Here are two of Ongais from Phoenix in '77..

http://www.flickr.co...157629543841653

http://www.flickr.co...157629543841653

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#3 Kart15

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Posted 27 March 2012 - 01:16

Yes, but he is wearing a Bell Star in these pictures.. But cool pictures anyway!

Edited by Kart15, 27 March 2012 - 01:17.

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#4 Marc Sproule

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Posted 27 March 2012 - 02:25

Yes, but he is wearing a Bell Star in these pictures.. But cool pictures anyway!

That's embarrassing. I thought for sure he was wearing an Arai there.

Oh well.

Running on too little sleep today.

I'll be quiet now.

:rolleyes:

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#5 Kart15

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Posted 27 March 2012 - 03:50

No problem mate, your flickr page is awesome!

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#6 Twin Window

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Posted 28 March 2012 - 09:17

But the first driver to wear an Arai helmet for a complete season was Stefan Johansson in 1983, when he raced for the Spirit-Honda team.

I'm splitting hairs here, but Stefan & Spirit didn't compete in the whole 1983 season - they made their combined debut at Silverstone and took part in six Grands Prix.

So, would that make Thierry Boutsen the first Arai-contracted driver to take part in an entire F1 season? I suspect Mike 'Helmet' Fairholme will know this!

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#7 Marc Sproule

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Posted 09 September 2014 - 20:16

stats from flickr tell me there's been some hits coming from this thread so i'd thought post an update since i've added a number of images of ongais recently.

most easily found in my testing set but others elsewhere too....

https://www.flickr.c...57626043689098/

all my sets....

https://www.flickr.c...81980@N03/sets/