Although some of these have more than a Dubious
Past!
Yeah, I simply cannot scribble a short story
here upon thoust Isle ‘O Nofendersville, where the Dazes are long, and the
nights cold. Hence the list keeps Mushrooming Y’all…
As here’s some more of the Father’s and Son’s
who raced with each other in the Post World War II era that I’ve come up with.
But I’m just doing this by memory, with the exception of the first duo I
learned about when scribblin’ my No Fenders five part Sports Car Triple Crown
winners tome last fall…
The first Father-Son duo I’ve run across was
Louis and Jean-Louis rosier, who won the 1950 24 Heurs du Mans. Of note, father
Louis ran almost the entire race solo! With the exception of His son Jean-Louis
driving a scant two laps aboard the winning Talbot Lago Grand Sport T26.
Louis contested 38 Formula 1 races between
1950-56, scoring two podium finishes, along with running Ecurie Rosier for
Himself and other racing drivers.
The elder Rosier was also responsible for what
ultimately became Circuit Louis Rosier and ran a large Renault car dealership in
the same Clermont-Ferrand region. With the race track originally known as
Circuit de Charade, and also Circuit Clermont-Ferrand hosting the French Grand
Prix on four occasions; 1965, 1969-70 and 1972. Along with the French
Motorcycle Grand Prix ten times, amongst other major racing events…
Louis sustained Head injuries in the Coupe du
Salon Sports Car race driving a Ferrari 750 Monza in Montlkery in early
October, and perished three weeks later on October 29, 1956.
John Paul Sr and John Paul Jr are another
Father-Son duo who raced together. With the Paul’s career highlight being
winning both the 1982 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring driving
together in their JLP Racing Porsche 935. As the Paul’s were joined at Daytona
by Rolf Stommelen.
John Paul Jr also won the 1983 Michigan 500
IndyCar race. And subsequently His second Rolex 24 in 1997, along with His lone
Indy Racing League victory at Texas in ‘98.
As Paul Jr’s first brush with Drug Trafficking
offenses occurred when He was a 15yr old teenager. Before His promising racing
career was interrupted in 1986. Being sentenced to five years in Prison for
refusing to testify against His Father! Ultimately serving 30 months at a
minimum security Prison in Alabama…
While I’ve never known how ruthless and
terrible of a person His father was. Just learning for the first time that John
Paul Sr is still wanted for questioning about the mysterious “Disappearances”, first
of His former Wife and then later, His Girlfriend. Along with being initially
sentenced to twenty years in prison upon pleading guilty to first degree Murder
in ‘86! Before His sentence was increased to 25yrs for other various charges…
Yet following release from prison after being
paroled in 1999, Paul Sr disappeared upon His 55-foot sailboat, after the
disappearance of His then Girlfriend. Albeit being spotted in various places
around the world as late as 2011. And is still wanted for questioning by
authorities for the two women’s disappearances, along with breaking His parole.
As the Paul’s were part of what became known as
the International Marijuana Smugglers Association, a play upon then the IMSA
Camel GTP series in the mid-1980’s…
https://racer.com/2018/11/07/retro-the-year-they-all-went-to-jail/
To the not-so famous Zwolsman’s duo of “Chuck”
and Charles Junior of the Netherlands.
As Charles Jnr won the 2005 Toyota Atlantic
Championship with three wins, ahead of title runner-up Tonis Kasemets and third
place finisher Katherine Legge. With All three racing in the Champ Car World
Series the following year.
Zwolsman
Junior made His Champ Car debut at the ’05 season ending Mexico race
driving for Team Australia, running the full 2006 season for Mi Jack Conquest Racing. He subsequently was
accused of Money laundering in 2011, before being cleared of All charges five
years later.
Meanwhile His Father, an accomplished Sports
Car racer, who competed in the World Sportscar Championship between 1991-92.
Along with racing at Le Mans, where His best finish was 13th in ’92. Co-driving
with Heinz 57’, aka Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Shunji Kasuya.
Zwolsman Senior was a notorious Dutch Drug
Smuggler and Money launderer, having begun His illicit behaviour in the early
1980’s. Reportedly building up a Drug operation employing some sixty people.
With the elder Zwolsman receiving a three years Jail sentence, and dying in
Prison in 2010.
capping off part one of this monstrosity, the
name Luyendyk Jr made me realize I’d left out the “flying Dutchman”, aka Arie
Luyendyk, Two-times winner of the Indianapolis 500, the Rolex 24 and 12 Hours
of Sebring. While Arie’s son, Arie Luyendyk Jr is arguably more famous for His
non-racing related television appearances in the Bachelorette and Bachelor,
Huba-Huba! Then His Indy Lights career where He finished second-third and
fourth. Racing primarily in theIndy Pro Series between 2002-07, before joining
the reborn Indy Lights championship in 2008.
Ironically, Luyendyk Junior was Bumped from the
2005 Indianapolis 500 in the waning moments by Felipe Giaffone in a third A.J.
foyt entry! Although He did successfully qualify for the race in ’06 driving
for a team backed by His Father…
And Thars’ the legendous’ Mears Gang. Obviously
the most famous being “Rocket Rick” Mears, whom garnered the nickname for
claiming a record six Indianapolis 500 Pole positions. Who we all know became
the race’s third Four-times winner in 1991, after beginning His racing career
as a Off-road Desert racer.
Rick’s son Clint Mears briefly raced in single
seaters. Spending the 1994-95 seasons racing in Toyota Atlantic. After a year’s
absence, Clint contested the 1997-98 seasons in Indy Lights. Scoring two wins
in ’97 at Milwaukee and Fontana racing for Team Mears alongside cousin Casey.
Clint then attempted cracking the Craftsman PickemUp’ Trucks series to no
avail. Then worked as a Driving Instructor at Irwindale Speedway before
returning to amateur Motocross racing…
Roger Mears is the older brother of Rick. Being a prolific Off Road racer. While His son Casey Mears raced in Indy Lights, IndyCar and nearly 500 races in NASCAR. Casey won the 2006 24 Hours of Daytona and Coca-cola 600 driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.
