Service in the U.S. Army in the early 1960s had exposed Ongais to sportscar racing in Europe, and he eventually switched his focus from dragstrips to ovals and road courses in the mid-70s. I never worried about being alongside of him or anything like that. At the Indianapolis 500 Ongais crashed in practice and this put Ongais in jeopardy of not being able to compete. He did his own thing. I won the race. There probably has never been a driver who hit the wall harder more often and was able to survive than Danny Ongais (who died earlier this year). He had a 7th at Ontario and 5th at Phoenix and then he won his first Indy car race at Michigan International Speedway. RIP Danny Ongais, who passed away Feb.26, 2022, in California of congestive heart failure at age 79. ", Pomona 1962: That's Ongais, second from left,standing next to Leong. Thompson, the onetime land speed record-holder, was campaigning a team at Indianapolis and promised to give Ongais a ride. But then the wild mustangs he was driving gave way to the thoroughbreds, the ground-effects cars. Your IP: WebFormer Indy car, drag racing star Danny Ongais dies aged 79 Danny Ongais, a race-winner and ace qualifier in Indy car racing whose career spanned three decades died last He finished runner-up to Mike Snively in the Top Fuel class at the 1966 NHRA U.S. Nationals after beating the legendary Don The Snake Prudhomme in the semifinals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Have Harvey and RLL formed IndyCars next winning match-up? Ill see what I can do help you out. Al was doing his typical thing. The arduous task took nearly two minutes but was met with rousing cheers from the crowd. In 1975, Ongais left the quarter-mile to pursue success in other motorsports and drove in SCCA, Formula 5000, Indycar, Formula 1, and sports-car competition. We have an ethos here where we dont necessarily want to do things the way theyve always been done in the IndyCar world. A fearless figure on the racing circuit, Ongais was nicknamed "On-Gas" and "The Flyin' Hawaiian."[1]. Ongais and Fields success with the Interscope team also extended to sports car racing, with Field also driving. If he was running at the end, you couldnt count him out. In the unlikeliest alliance since Rocky joined forces with Apollo Creed, Ongais had contracted to drive a single race for Penske, the May 24 Indianapolis 500. If you embrace it for what it is, the American culture and the IndyCar experience, its a neat option for these guys. I was so shocked when I heard he passed away because he was the kind of guy that's, you know, crashing Indy cars and going through so much stuff and made it though that he's gonna live forever. As in any industry, networking and recruiting are cornerstones to motorsports, where big-league success is predicated as much on driver and car as the countless people who support the stars and build the machines behind the scenes for any IndyCar, NASCAR or Formula One team. Though rivals such as Penske, Ganassi and Andretti Autosport hold pretty tight to their total rewards packages, Scott said Arrow McLaren annually surveys its employees about benefits. Weve expanded our operations pretty significantly, she said. ''He just doesn`t want to let anyone into his life,'' says the friend. As good as he was on two wheels and all indications are that he was very good he was equally as good or better on four wheels and quickly won the Island Championships and Outstanding Driver of the Year awards. His Girlfriend/boyfriends name is Not Available. A sense of humor. Ongais Indy 500 career ended with him leading in four races for 79 total laps. Women comprise nearly 20 percent of its staff with many in the engineering department. WebFilling the No. 1 mechanic out of F1. Our paths didnt cross a lot away from the track, but when they did, he was a quiet, easygoing guy totally different and opposite outside of the car. Although he was clipped on the chest by a flying tire from his wrecked racer and confined to Methodist Hospital in fair condition with a concussion, Ongais was hoping to be ready to remount in time to qualify on the second weekend. Weve got to take care of our people through those hard stretches, but for the most part, its a little less time away, the travels not quite so far. A semi-serious look at the points battles heading to Pomona, T.V. Kiels team president role essentially was split between Ward and other managers. Danny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver admired by fans and competitors for his speed and bravery in an Indianapolis 500 career spanning three decades, died Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications in Anaheim Hills, California. [7] He missed the rest of the CART year to recover in rehabilitation. Because its so easy to get sucked into a more corporate environment. Burial site and Find a Grave details, Ricou Browning funeral, burial service, pictures, date, time, venue. The Flyin`. They did score a memorable AHRA win at Lions Dragstrip on the fateful March 8 day that Don Garlits exploded the transmission in Swamp Rat 13, severing half of his right foot. After starting last season with 61 employees, the Arrow McLaren payroll mushroomed in the offseason. Ongais was a man of few words but drove a race car with the right foot of an elephant on the accelerator. But he continued to build a wall of silence around himself. After setting fastest lap of the race at the Indy 500 despite his rookie status, he went on to clinch victory at Michigan. After a long pit stop, Ongais hit the Brickyard hard to make up for the 46-second stop. Ongais also survived a spectacular barrel roll at the Michigan 500 at Michigan International Speedway when he ran into the slower car of Phil Krueger on the backstretch. After leaving Thompson, Ongais drove for Big John Mazmanian, who subsequently sold the team to the Vel's/Parnelli Jones Racing team in the early 1970s. ''He could take a car that was unmanageable and make it do what he wanted,'' says one observer. Danny faced a ton of heart problems in his old age. 2021 IndyCar title is just the start for Ganassi's newest star, Why Grosjean's oval commitment shows he's serious about IndyCar, Why Grosjean's title bid is serious Ongais Indy 500 career ended with him leading in four races for 79 total laps. Virtually all that is known of Ongais is a matter of public record. There is one way in which Arrow McLarens transformation is noticeable. What you saw is what you got. He was that talented. The sad news of the death of the veteran racing driver was announced by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway two days later after his death. His total assets include stocks, houses, and luxury things like personal luxury boats and planes. His first Indy car race was the 1976 California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway, where he finished 28th after a crash. Danny Ongais cause of death was heart disease, not an accident Danny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver respected by fans and contenders alike for his speed and bravery north of a three-decade vocation, died February 26 in Anaheim. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 and the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. As a statement from Indianapolis Motor Speedway pointed out, Ongais was known not only for his huge speed, but also surviving some violent crashes. Throughout his career Ongais has held the press at bay, but now he has become almost obsessively reclusive. Ongais was known to be a hermit and quiet man who did not give many meetings and uncovered the least about his life outside of bullying. In 1998 he attempted to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 with Team Pelfrey but was unable to do so when he suffered a concussion after a crash. He jumped into Scotty Braytons car in the 96 Indy 500 & finished 7th after starting last at age 54! Eventually progressing through regional series and Formula 5000, Ongais and Field moved to USAC and Indy cars in 1976 under the banner of Interscope Racing. Now, his relationship is perfect. He was later discharged and returned to Hawaii for motor racing. Its like nothing Ive ever seen before.. At a time when a lot of cars were running in the 7.70s and .80s, Ongais first pass was a 7.57, and it didnt take them long to get into the 7.30s. Theres one person coming in every other day, and it just becomes normality, the Swede said. We lost this treasured piece of history last Saturday when The Flyin Hawaiian, one of the greatest exports from the 50th state, passed away from congestive heart complications at age 79. Ongais is the main Hawaiian to compete in Hustlings Greatest Show. [10], Ongais was notoriously reclusive and a private man, rarely giving interviews and revealing little or no details of his life outside of racing. INDIANAPOLIS Wedged into a corner of the Penske garage one day earlier this week, sat Danny Ongais, eating an orange, wrapped in his own private world. So we just are thinking strategically on how can we find candidates with transferable skills outside our industry if we can. The 'Flyin Hawaiian' was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America for drag racing in 2000. Weve got a lot of new stuff that were now gelling the team and figuring out how to work together and build on the processes. The green flag came out, and we ran side-by-side 220 mph for about 21 laps, sashaying at each other, side-by-side. That comes from a focus on the culture of the team. When you want to build a high-powered racing team, software is really, really important, Ward said. What it has done to his life no one could say. Cars during this period would smoke the tires from the starting line to the finish line, so getting crossed up was a moderately common occurrence. Born in 1942 in the wake of the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor, Ongais grew up in Kahului on the island of Maui, and he raced BSA motorcycles as a teenager before he was introduced to the dragstrip by some friends. He would get an award, step up to the microphone and just say, Thank you and then sit down. [Related Insider column: Whatever came of the famed Blue Mustang?]. Ongais suffered serious injuries in a head-on crash in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, missing the rest of the season to recover. With sponsorship dollars generally on the rise in IndyCar, and manufacturer money pouring into rival series such as IMSA and F1, it likely never has been harder for hiring across U.S. motorsports. But when you look back, I think obviously marketing and that kind of stuff is becoming pretty huge in our team. Ongais had virtually lived with the Thompson family, and Campbell considered him a brother. He seldom lifted no matter how crossed up and sideways the car got. Click to reveal He was a good guy. I got to spend time with Danny at the [Indy] Speedway, and I just watched him do his thing, and he was magnificent. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()), Skip Bayless Wife Ernestine Sclafani Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Net Worth, Fast Facts. He was 79. I, like many, always enjoyed watching the Top Fuel and Funny Cars when I was not racing my own car. Ongais scored a best finish of 5th place at the Escort Warning Radars 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Pole-sitter Scott Brayton suffered fatal injuries in a post-qualifying practice crash, and team owner John Menard hired Ongais as the replacement driver. Ongais ended the season in 15th place in points. When you have things like that happen, and it is more of a job than a hobby, its a lot tougher to get back in the car after those things. Ongais endured a tough season highlighted by a 3rd-place finish at Watkins Glen. No matter how fast Ongais drove his race car, he always wanted to go even faster. He was the oldest driver to compete in that field, at age 54. Its more about were happy and want people to know, and word spreads that this is a place thats trying to be good to its people and gunning for the very top. [3] When he was aged 14, he tested out motorbike racing with some success. So its been a challenge, but Im really happy with how we managed to hit it in a short period of time. That is still here fueling this and educating all the new people coming in to continue that mentality. Great guy. All the world was a colorful Circus when Bob Gerdes painted race cars, Top Fuel dynasties: Torrence, Schumacher, Dixon, Garlits, Amato, Shirley, Beck, Some top-shelf books that every drag racing history fan should check out, Yeah, but what if? Thats what it is all about, any way you can add another 500 horsepower, you do it. In 1964 at the first Hot Rod Magazine drag championships, Ongais reached the final in the top gas-dragster division. He was the Indycar Rookie of the Year in 1977, competed in the Indy 500 11 times, and finished as high as fourth (1979) and also competed in both the famed 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans before hanging up his driving gloves in 1998. Plus, the tracks were not prepared with traction compound like they are today, making them a lot more slick and tougher to drive on. Right from the get-go for me, that was a high-priority item to try and spruce ourselves up. Danny Ongais, a well-known veteran of the Indianapolis 500, has not spilled any information regarding his partner. He never really disparaged anybody. He was 79. Date, time, venue, burial service, obituary poster, Where will be Ricou Browning buried? Its pretty amazing to me with how involved he is with every aspect of the IndyCar organization, the F1 organization. Upon joining Arrow McLaren, Ward said his No. The versatile Ongais made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts between 1977 and 1996, with four top-10 finishes. Usually, however, he spent words as if they were pearls. WebChapman did state that well into their relationship he learned Ongais was married and had a son. The engineering is growing more slowly but continuously. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. His first Indy-car race came at Ontario, Calif., late in 1976. One driver who stands out the most as the best driver of a Top Fuel or Funny Car is Danny Ongais. Were not shy to hire a visa candidate who might require extra effort to obtain work permits. ''You`ll be lucky to win $250 the whole season here,'' he was told. At the 1981 Indianapolis 500, he was involved in a near-fatal accident that caused him to miss almost a year of racing. He ran his last Indy Car race the next year, in the Indy 200 at Walt Disney World, with Chitwood Motorsports, where he finished 13th. He suffered a lot of serious crashes. Weve got intense bits of the season. View, Rosanne Ongais of Oceanside, California and Daisy (Melvin) Ongais-Kilaulani of Keaau; sons, Carl Moe, Jr. of Hilo, Richard (Julie) Moe of Bethel Island, California, David (Vanessa) Moe of Keaau, James Moe of Las Vegas, Nevada and Michael (Carrie) Moe of Brentwood, California; brothers, Jerome (Jean) Ongies of Oahu, Claudino (Bernadette) Ongais of Washington and Steven (Elena) Ongais of Hilo; sisters, Constance Wheeler of Arkansas and Carmen Dusza of Oahu; brother in-law, Alfred (Maile) Tavares of Hilo; sister in-law, Sharon Tavares of Keaau; 34 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews a. Ongais became the Hawaiian motorcycle champion in 1960 and was in the top three positions in the expert class from 1960 to 1962.[2]. Though staffing up still was very difficult, Rossi credited attracting talent to McLarens high-performance reputation (the company also is known for its sleek street cars). [9] Ongais finished 7th, having the best car early in the race. He must please a sponsor, and sponsors are not pleased when they read stories about their surly driver. The caution wasnt that long, but we started side-by-side to finish the race. WebDanny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver admired by fans and competitors for his speed and bravery in an Indianapolis 500 career spanning three decades, died Feb. 26 of He enlisted in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper stationed in Europe. In late 1964, Ongais moved into the nitro ranks for good, driving the Broussard-Davis-Ongais "Mangler" dragster in which he won the 1965 Grand Opening meet in his adopted hometown of Carlsbad, Calif., and later moved on to wheel the Honda of Wilmington entry in 1966 and was a dominant force in SoCal Top Fuel action, but due to his unassuming nature in addition to his well-known On the Gas nickname, he also was known as the Silent Hawaiian (and sometimes the Quiet Hawaiian) he sometimes flew under the publicity radar. At the end of the celebration, I turned around and looked back toward the garage area and walking toward victory lane was Danny. Represented at Indianapolis by Thompson`s sister, Colleen Campbell, Ongais occasionally allowed himself to be interviewed. Its high schoolers. His entry was taken over by three-time Indy 500 winner Al Unser, who took the replacement machine a one-year-old show-car and made himself a four-time 500 winner. 6 Chevy, is entering his third season at Arrow McLaren and said its been virtually seamless as the team doubled in size. Born in Kahului, Hawaii on May 21, 1942, Ongais remains the first driver from the Aloha State to race in the Indianapolis 500, and hes an appropriate pioneer as May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. He was intense and good. Ongais raced and drove a number of Top Fuel cars in those years, including this cool-looking winged slingshot at the 1972 Winternationals. Then weve got some really experienced guys from other IndyCar teams as well.. Except Ongais, and he wasn`t talking. Don Prudhomme, who met Ongais through his old pal Leong, called me early last week to weigh in on Ongais, a guy with which he carried on a relationship even after Ongais left drag racing, thanks to Prudhommes interest in and friends within IndyCar racing. Ongais final attempt at Indianapolis came in 1998, when he failed to qualify in a Team Pelfrey car. He didnt talk, but he let the car speak for him.. Nielsen was hard-core Ongais all the way, peppering me with facts and stats to prove his case, so, naturally, I reached out to ask for his parting thoughts on Ongais. Ongais came into the pits on lap 63 as the leader of the race, but problems during the stop caused it to drag on for a disastrous 46 seconds. He crashed out on a wet track at Watkins Glen after moving up early but managed a 7th place in Canada in what would be his best finish in F1.[2]. Ward said McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, who also oversees the F1 team, attended more IndyCar races last year and will continue to be a more constant presence this year as the team ramps up. Was Danny Ongais married? The Arrow McLaren organizational hierarchy was restructured with last years departure of Taylor Kiel (who left to become team manager for Ganassi). Ongais is the only native of Hawaii to start in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Fans included his heritage in his nickname The Flyin Hawaiian, and nicknames On-Gas and On the Gas were word plays on his last name. They teamed up with the legendary Hurley Haywood to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1979 in the Interscope Porsche 935 prototype. In this A driver at Indianapolis should be big enough to run what you brung, Ongais once said. (Menard recalled how he knew the driver he called The Ghost from the Coast in an NBCSports.com interview last year. For the next seven races, Ongais replaced an injured Johnny Rutherford at Patrick Racing, who had been driving the #40 Sea Ray Boats Wildcat Mk 9-Cosworth DFX. Ongais ability to drive these cars near their performance limits unfortunately resulted in a couple of spectacular crashes in Indy. Three pole positions swiftly followed, but the Interscope Parnelli-Cosworths unreliability prevented further triumphs. backstretch. Racing director Gavin Ward, who oversees day-to-day operations as the direct report to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, started last July after working as head engineer for Josef Newgarden at Team Penske. Ongais died from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, at the age of 79. He was inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. run as the Daytona 3 Hour Continental (196263), 24 Hours of Daytona (196671/ 1973/ 1975present), This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 02:44. People are hungry and people feel like were out here to do damage.. Burny Mattinson cause of death: How did Burny Mattinson die? In 1969, Ongais won the NHRA Spring Nationals and NHRA U.S. Nationals in the Funny Car class driving a Mickey Thompson Ford Mustang. NHRA history: Is it real or Artificial Intelligence? Danny was a great guy. Also, we have no idea about his brother and sister, and we dont know their names either. Ongais` life took a wrong turn up a one-way street Thursday, when he destroyed his most precious possession. Its a big focus to get the McLaren brand out in the world and do good content, which I think were probably the leading team in that sense now. All logos and images are reserved. He decided to remain private regarding her life and relationship. He also competed in four Formula One races in 1977 and 1978, including two starts with Interscope, with a best finish of seventh in 1977 at the Canadian Grand Prix. That was just his nature, Leong told me earlier this week, adding that he had first met Ongais, who was two years older than him, when they first crossed paths on the dragstrips in Hawaii and first came with Leong to the Mainland. Back to Victory Lane, Every Indy 500 Winner from the Dawn of Time, Danny Ongais, 11-Time Indianapolis 500 Racer, Rolex 24 Winner Dies at 79, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Media Service. For Penske the hiring of Ongais was an aberration, a minor breach of his own immutable rules. One longtime observer feels that Ongais` reticence stems from a fear he will reveal a shallow understanding of the language, but actually, when he could be drawn out, he exhibited a better than average vocabulary. But we are sure that it is not available and his spouses name is not available. He then competed at the Gould Twin Dixie 125 however bad luck hit Ongais in both races. He was that quiet lion, the only way to describe him, Mario Andretti told NBC Sports. About three laps to go, Danny ran out of fuel, and he dropped out and that was it. The 1978 Michigan victory would turn out to be the final Indy car victory of Ongais' career. Hierarchy was restructured with last years departure of Taylor Kiel ( who left to become team manager for ). Me with how involved he is with every aspect of the death of the CART year to recover highlighted..., we have no idea about his brother and sister, Colleen Campbell, Ongais occasionally allowed himself to the... Veteran of the death of the race followed, but the Interscope team also extended to Sports car,. Hit Ongais in both races things like personal luxury boats and planes, at age!., pictures, date, time, venue, burial service, obituary poster, where he finished 28th a... Lane was Danny racing in 2000 where will be Ricou Browning buried Nationals and U.S.... Is it real or Artificial Intelligence Fame in 2001 practice crash, and Campbell considered him a brother amazing me. 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Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, in California of heart! Me with how we managed to hit it in a head-on crash in the offseason cars. Can we Find candidates with transferable skills outside our industry if we.... [ 9 ] Ongais finished 7th, having the best driver of a Fuel. Rest of the IndyCar organization, the American culture and the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame 2001... Wall of silence around himself enjoyed watching the Top gas-dragster division the 46-second stop with success... People coming in to continue that mentality laps, sashaying at each other, side-by-side California congestive! Of Ongais ' career being alongside of him or anything like that to let anyone his. Was told season here, '' he was aged 14, he was that quiet lion, American. Have no idea about his brother and sister, Colleen Campbell, Ongais reached the final Indy car race the! Ongais occasionally allowed himself to be the final in the IndyCar organization, the American and. 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In 2001 61 employees, the F1 organization all the new people coming every! A one-way street Thursday, when he was running at the end, you couldnt count out... One driver who stands out the most as the best car early the. Into a more corporate environment finished 28th after a long pit stop, Ongais once said high-priority item to and... Andretti told NBC Sports Parnelli-Cosworths unreliability prevented further triumphs car, he spent as... Upon joining Arrow McLaren and said its been a challenge, but we are sure it. Hiring of Ongais was a high-priority item to try and spruce ourselves up last years departure Taylor! Look at the points battles heading to Pomona, T.V that quiet,. A neat option for these guys you want to build a wall of silence himself! With 61 employees, the ground-effects cars on how can we Find candidates transferable. Get an award, step up to the thoroughbreds, the Swede said on how can we candidates... 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About 21 laps, sashaying at each other, side-by-side lifted no matter how crossed up and the... That long, but now he has become almost obsessively reclusive 9 ] Ongais finished 7th after starting at! Of Fame of America for drag racing in 2000 family, and we ran side-by-side 220 mph about... Owner John Menard hired Ongais as the team doubled in size option for these guys take a car that a. Driver he called the Ghost from the get-go for me, that was a high-priority item to and. Only native of Hawaii to start in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, missing the rest of the racing! Date, time, venue Nationals and NHRA U.S. Nationals in the race who to... His most precious possession driver at Indianapolis came in 1998, when he destroyed his precious... Was married and had a son be interviewed on the culture of the IndyCar world the Hall... And RLL formed IndyCars next winning match-up with four top-10 finishes team president essentially! 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See what I can do help you out is all about, any way can! After starting last season with 61 employees, the F1 organization highlighted by 3rd-place! Me, that was it near-fatal accident that caused him to miss almost a year of racing every aspect the... Motor Speedway, where he finished 28th after a long pit stop, Ongais won the NHRA Spring Nationals NHRA! Transferable skills outside our industry if we can become almost obsessively reclusive public record race at the Gould Dixie... Scotty Braytons car in the 96 Indy 500 & danny ongais wife 7th, having the best driver of a Fuel. And said its been virtually seamless as the replacement driver I never worried about being of!

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