11 replies to this topic

[racinggeek]

For those TNFers who don't head over to the Racing Comments forum every so often, American motorsports lost a legendary player when Carl Haas passed away at age 86, after reportedly battling Alzheimer's for some time. Here's the link to the already-started thread over there.

[E1pix]

Oh, that's really sad... though expected for quite some time.

RIP, Carl. Thank You for everything you've done for racing. :-(

[Michael Ferner]

That's very sad!

[SJ Lambert]

He commissioned Elfin Racing Cars to design a Sports Racer - we'll continue to carry the torch on his behalf.....

RIP Mr Haas

[E1pix]

In thinking over my lunch, on behalf of myself and my friends, I feel some thanks are in order.

Thank You for sponsoring a dear friend to Formula Ford and Super Vee championships helping his F5000 effort, and for giving breaks to other deserving friends in FF and FSV.

Thank You for having so much faith in this 15 year-old reporter to place an ad -- sight unseen -- in his magazine, and then personally calling with regrets when that second issue was cancelled.

Thank You for the personal shop tour given to a kid on a Saturday when you had piles of stuff on your desk to tend to.

Thank You for your efforts to save the Can-Am, and for likely saving Lola in the hard times.

Thank You for bringing Sports 2000 to the States and for pumping up a friend before he lost his Dad.

Thank You for helping a young driver and friend win the Pro S2000 championship at 20.

Thank You for teaming up with that wonderful actor to add glamor to Champ Car racing, while supporting our nation's greatest driver ever.

Thank You for saving the Milwaukee Mile.

Thank You for always being there, if even ten inches before everyone else.

This is a sad day indeed...

[Richard Jenkins]

Sad news, RIP. What a great ambassador to the sport he was.

[JacnGille]

Sad news

[Jack-the-Lad]

Farewell to a genuine legend in American racing.

[10kDA]

R.I.P. Carl Haas. One of the institutions of American racing. I have a number of photos of Carl, all basically the same pose, taken at Elkhart Lake over a span of maybe a dozen years. Cigar, shades, driving a golf cart. I'll always remember the Simoniz Lolas, the Lola 333 vs Budweiser Spyder duels, and the photos, press releases, and personally-signed Lola Formula Ford brochure I received from Carl Haas Automobiles in response to my request for info for a high school paper I was writing back in 1969. Time flies.

[B Squared]

I had the pleasure of working with CART on track for over a decade from when the Newman/Haas Indy Car team was first formed to my last year in the mid-1990s. I was able to visit both the old and new shops in northern Chicago. Friend Michael Argetsinger drove for Carl in a support race (FF) for the 1979 Indy Car event at Watkins Glen and always had complimentary things to say about Mr. Haas. Another sadly lost from this wonderful era.

When I was at the IMRRC/Penske/Argetsinger award dinner, I had the pleasure of talking with Rick Mears for a surprising period of time, some of which was recounting certain races we saw from different sides of the wall. As we were wrapping up our conversation as the proceedings were ready to begin, he stated; "we really were there for the best of times weren't we." I agree wholeheartedly. Thanks to all, including Mr. Haas for enriching my life with this sport, and the people involved that make it so special.

[B Squared]

From Indycar.com:

http://www.indycar.c...-Carl-Haas-obit

[Jack-the-Lad]

^Great picture.