 |
|
IMS Hall of Fame museum Dan Gurney Brochure. (The
Tomaso Collection)
|
Once again with A lotso help from my Friend', happily I found
myself back again at one of my most favourite museums, nee thee IndyCar Shrine, aka Indianapolis
Motor Speedway's Hall of Fame museo...
As apparently I hadn't visited IMS on my last
journey to Indianapolis a year and a half ago, which I loosely chronicled in;
Thus I can only ARSE-sume its been two years
since my last visit, which naturally I don't remember now, albeit that's when I
saw the famous "Stinger" IndyCar "Gentleman John"
(Andretti) got A-L-L of the past drivers "John Hancock's" on and will
be auctioned off next year.
While the visit to the Dallara factory where CARPETS' personally escorted me on the
tour, which I believe sadly isn't available anymore? Stands out more to Mwah,
as it was fun getting to hold actual DW12 Dallara IndyCar bits.
Gurney's Creations
- #31 Jochen Rindt Eagle
- #6 Joe Lenard(?) Owned by Ray Evernham
- 1973 #20 Gordon Johncock Indy 500 winner - Owned by Craig & Susan McCaw
- 1967 #36 F1 Winner - Driven by Dan Gurney
- 1975 #48 Bobby Unser Indy 500 winner
- '99 AAR Eagle/Toyota IndyCar
- Mike Mosley's "Pepsi Challenger*"
- IMSA GTP Car
Along with Arch Nemesis and past Co-driver
A.J. Foyt running his third Indy 500
entry piloted by 'TAG (Alex Tagliani) in the No. 48 and painted a deep shade 'O
black; in total tribute to Dan Gurney,
albeit Gurney's #48 "Mystery Eagle" was actually dark blue.
 |
| The last American made & driven Formula 1 racecar to win a Grand Prix, which is exactly what Dan Gurney did aboard his AAR Eagle in 1967 sits proudly on display at IMS's Hall of Fame museum! (The Tomaso Collection) |
IMS and the museum were honouring Gurney with
an excellent gathering of All American Racers (AR) creations, primarily
focusing upon various IndyCar generations naturally! As these ranged from the
early 1960's thru the final incarnation, of the late 1990's Eagle which were chauffeured
by such drivers as Juan Manuel Fangio II and P.J. Jones who come to mind.
And ironically, a la another 'Mega racing
name; Can Y'all say Rahal? And NO I'm not talking 'bout Graham; Hya! As think
of father Bobby's involvement with Honda, nee Judd engines...
It was Gurney who got Toyota to go IndyCar
racing after obliterating the IMSA GTP field with his 'Uber Dominant blown
Toy-Yoter' 4-banger!
Yet if only Dan could have been granted more
time to wring his magic upon the Eagle chassis, after beginning in 1996, before
eventually Cheep' (Ganassi) would score
victories with some Dude named Montoya at the Keyboard, along with "Shorty,"
aka Cristiano da Matta giving the Japanese Auto Giant its lone CART (IndyCar)
championship in '02.
Then Toyota jumped ship - along with many
others to the IRL where Scott Dixon would score their final Open Wheel Racing
title to date in '03 before Toyota surrendered
and ran off to the rosier; Err more prolific confines of 'RASSCAR
instead, where it's still chasing its first premiere Sprint Cup title.
Yet it took nearly three years before a
Toyota powered chassis led laps in an IndyCar race, with Alex Barron leading
twelve circuits at Vancouver, BC's Molson Indy on Labour Day weekend. Then
Scott Pruett gave Toyota its first Pole at the '99 season finale at Fontana,
for which I've heard "Scooter" marvel over doing 246 FREAKIN' MPH
there! With Juan Pablo Montoya getting the debutant victory at Milwaukee the
following year.
As recall it was Arciero/Wells running
"Tail-gunner Charlie" with the promising Jeff Krosnoff, who sadly
lost his life at Toronto in the then under-performing Toyota powered racecar.
As arguably my favourite Formula 1 car, the
last American chassis to win a Grand Prix 38-years ago was on display! When Dan
Gurney was victorious at the mighty Spa Francorchamps a Fortnight after his
biggest victory ever, winning the 24 Heurs du Mans with A.J. Foyt aboard the
Ford GT 40 Mk IV.
While I'd never seen the Mike Mosley driven
"Pepsi Challenger," which I believe was the Eagle chassis last
winner.
Yet the other car I most admired on hand was
that Oh So Wicked IMSA GTP car! Which I'd seen racing live at Portland
International Raceway during the end of the
IMSA GTP era. When Gurney's Eagle's blew away the then dominant Nissan's
which in turn had ended Porsche's 962 reign.
My list above is
by NO means complete, just what I was able to recollect upon my return from
this year's thrilling Indy 500 race - before I-T all slipped away.
(Brochure & Photo Courtesy of No Fenders
‘Offical Photographer ‘CARPETS)
Kudos to Dave CARPETS' O'Brien as always for taking
me to Indianapolis Motor Speedway!