6 replies to this topic

[Graham Clayton]

One of the biggest mysteries in NASCAR history involved Trenton, New Jersey native Mario Rossi. Rossi was born in 1932, and had a handful of NASCAR races in the 1950's. He was much better known as an engine builder and engineer, and is credited with adding the lap belt to the existing existing shoulder harness/seat belt configuration. Rossi ran his own team between 1967 and 1971, employing drivers such as Donnie and Bobbie Allison, Darrel Derringer, David Pearson and Dick Brooks. He then was involved with Digard Racing and a young Darrell Waltrip, but was fired after the 1975 season.

Then......nothing. The last contact Rossi's family had with him was in January 1983, when his sister received a phone call claiming that Rossi had been killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas. According to press reports, the plane that crashed was had been resold three times since 1983.

Rossi is believed to have returned to South Florida in the early 1980s, when the area was a mecca for drugs activity. It is speculated that Rossi got mixed up in that dangerous world, which could account for his strange disappearance. Another theory is that Rossi turned state's evidence in a drugs trial and was placed in a Witness Protection Program, in which case he may still be alive, with a new identity and living in a secure location.

Have there been any alleged sighting of Rossi, or any concrete details about his place and date of death?

[Bloggsworth]

Er - Apparently not...

[LittleChris]

Rossi is believed to have returned to South Florida in the early 1980s, when the area was a mecca for drugs activity. It is speculated that Rossi got mixed up in that dangerous world, which could account for his strange disappearance.

Have there been any alleged sighting of Rossi, or any concrete details about his place and date of death?

Concrete may be an appropriate word in this instance

[JoBo]

One of the biggest mysteries in NASCAR history involved Trenton, New Jersey native Mario Rossi. Rossi was born in 1932, and had a handful of NASCAR races in the 1950's. He was much better known as an engine builder and engineer, and is credited with adding the lap belt to the existing existing shoulder harness/seat belt configuration. Rossi ran his own team between 1967 and 1971, employing drivers such as Donnie and Bobbie Allison, Darrel Derringer, David Pearson and Dick Brooks. He then was involved with Digard Racing and a young Darrell Waltrip, but was fired after the 1975 season.

Then......nothing. The last contact Rossi's family had with him was in January 1983, when his sister received a phone call claiming that Rossi had been killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas. According to press reports, the plane that crashed was had been resold three times since 1983.

Rossi is believed to have returned to South Florida in the early 1980s, when the area was a mecca for drugs activity. It is speculated that Rossi got mixed up in that dangerous world, which could account for his strange disappearance. Another theory is that Rossi turned state's evidence in a drugs trial and was placed in a Witness Protection Program, in which case he may still be alive, with a new identity and living in a secure location.

Have there been any alleged sighting of Rossi, or any concrete details about his place and date of death?

"...Another theory is that Rossi turned state's evidence in a drugs trial and was placed in a Witness Protection Program, in which case he may still be alive, with a new identity and living in a secure location..."

If this is the case and he is running around with a new identity - how naive are you to believe that someone say here on a public forum "hey...here is ol`Mario!"

Perhaps Jimmy Hoffa knows where he is....

JoBo

Edited by JoBo, 31 January 2013 - 22:18.

[Emery0323]

There was a request posted by Mario's son, Bill Rossi, a few years ago on another online racing forum, in which he asked if anybody knew of his father's whereabouts:

http://stockcar.race...ics/mario-rossi

There's no new substantive information, apart from what has already been speculated about for many years. It is an interesting, if rather cryptic, discussion thread.

[ensign14]

He could be hiding in plain sight. Perhaps he's Carl Haas.

[Tom Glowacki]

"...Another theory is that Rossi turned state's evidence in a drugs trial and was placed in a Witness Protection Program, in which case he may still be alive, with a new identity and living in a secure location..."

If this is the case and he is running around with a new identity - how naive are you to believe that someone say here on a public forum "hey...here is ol`Mario!"

Perhaps Jimmy Hoffa knows where he is....

JoBo

If he is in WIPP, then most likely it was the result of testimony in a high level criminal prosecution, so there would be a record of that, testifying under his own name. Then, he'd disappear.