14 replies to this topic

[biercemountain]

After dominating Trans Am he became an announcer and TV test drive guy. Did he simply make more money without risking life and limb? Anyone know why he didn't move on to Sportscar/Prototype racing? Seemed like a real talent.

Edited by biercemountain, 08 May 2012 - 12:41.

[arttidesco]

Looking at the racingsportscars.com archive on Tommy he certainly got into prototypes, maybe he couldn't catch the right deal to make a proper go of it.

[JacnGille]

Reducing his legs to splinters at Watkins Glen driving the Chevy Intrepid didn't do much to extend his career.

[RA Historian]

After his very bad crash in the Intrepid Kendall had a lengthy recovery. When he did come back he almost exclusively stayed with the tin tops, mainly in the Trans Am, where he excelled. When Ford (Roush) ended its Trans Am involvement after the 1997 season, Kendall largely drifted away from active competition and increasingly worked in television. He did a few races c1998 in the Mathews team sports racers, then was announced as the driver for Steve Saleen's works SR-7 entry in GT. That of course came to nothing. After a few years of invisibility behind the wheel Kendall did the 2004 Trans Am season for Rocketsports, winning one race. Kendall thought that he had a deal with Rocketsports owner Paul Gentilozzi for 2005, but that fell apart with some controversy. I do not recall Kendall racing since then.

[E1pix]

There were also long rumors of Tommy getting into Indy Cars, but he was simply too tall.

I was watching live when he had his Watkins Glen crash at the end of the fast backstretch, after a left-rear went down (or brake failure?) and head-on into the fence. It was immediately obvious he'd been seriously hurt at the least.

Great talent.

Edited by E1pix, 08 May 2012 - 17:36.

[biercemountain]

I guess I caught the very tail end of his career when I got back into motorsports in 1997. My ignorance of his earlier Sportscar drives is humbling.

[ascension]

Yeah, it was interesting to read, I didn't know much about it either.

[Ray Bell]

A refreshing bloke to meet...

He came to Bathurst for the 1000 in 1996 and co-drove on the Dick Johnson team. He came through that all right so he obviously had talent.

[Lee Nicolle]

A refreshing bloke to meet...

He came to Bathurst for the 1000 in 1996 and co-drove on the Dick Johnson team. He came through that all right so he obviously had talent.

Though very rough on the gearbox as he does not use the clutch, evidently due to his injurys.Was it that long ago? damn time flies.

[OCTARD]

A little video tech fact here on the alterations made to the Intrepid for Tommy Kendall, after his wreck.

[Frank S]

Tommy Kendall has a Facebook page, but his friends list was already full when I applied a year ago.

The way I knew his injuries were serious at the Watkins Glen accident was the reaction of his crew chief, Dan Binks, when he reached the car and looked in.

[arttidesco]

A refreshing bloke to meet...

He came to Bathurst for the 1000 in 1996 and co-drove on the Dick Johnson team. He came through that all right so he obviously had talent.

Wiki says that Tom is the only American driver to finish the 'great race' can that possibly be correct ?

[Lee Nicolle]

Wiki says that Tom is the only American driver to finish the 'great race' can that possibly be correct ?

Quite possibly. The Yanks have a lousy record there.

[ellrosso]

Scott Pruett finished 11th with Alan Jones and Jason Bright in 1997

[arttidesco]

Scott Pruett finished 11th with Alan Jones and Jason Bright in 1997

This does not diminish Tom Kendall's achievement in any way, just sounded very unlikely that he was the only US driver to compete the great race