Indy Car tangents unlimited

[Bob Riebe]

Thought I would start this thread so one has a place to write about Indy type cars and not have worry about going off key.

Right now I have to take care of some business but as there are only a few days to the Grand daddy of all oval race, if you have something to get off your chest, thisin is the place.
Bob

[Bob Riebe]

http://www.angelfire.com/ar/dw42/engfyi.htm

Here you can see how much some Indy, and many other engines weighed.

[Bob Riebe]

http://www.hemmings.com/index.cfm/fu...TOKEN=47663524

Another one, in case you want to buy some Indy cars and start a former all-star series.

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Bob Riebe
http://www.hemmings.com/index.cfm/fu...TOKEN=47663524

Another one, in case you want to buy some Indy cars and start a former all-star series.

Like the American Indycar Series (AIS)? Whatever happened to that? That guy who used to run in F5000/CanAm and who was in the first yeat of IRL was one of the mainstays was'nt he. Also the Lazier brothers did well thru it.

[ghinzani]

Oh another thing... look at this one:
http://www.hemmings.com/index.cfm/fu...TOKEN=47663524
A copy of a Penske. What was it about Indy and copies? It always seemed like someone would be driving a Watson built copy of a Lightening or a Kingfisher copy of a Wildcat - were plans of Indycars freely available to buy then?

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by ghinzani
Oh another thing... look at this one:
http://www.hemmings.com/index.cfm/fu...TOKEN=47663524
A copy of a Penske. What was it about Indy and copies? It always seemed like someone would be driving a Watson built copy of a Lightening or a Kingfisher copy of a Wildcat - were plans of Indycars freely available to buy then?

I cannot say for sure but as one cannot patent a tube or monocoque frame, or almost any I imagine, they were probably interpretive copies, not identical but the frame basics were close.
Remember this was pre-ground effects days, so they all approached aerodynamics in a similar manner.

The smaller builders did not have the funds for major research. And if you check out some of the designs of the mid-seventies, that was probably a good thing. Some "computer designs" were disasters.
Many builders did not hesitate to help others in those days, it was more a much a boys club than a way to get rich.
Jack Brahbams designs were often copied and he did not seem to mind.(Andretti won his only 500 in a basic copy)
Bob

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by ghinzani
Like the American Indycar Series (AIS)? Whatever happened to that? That guy who used to run in F5000/CanAm and who was in the first yeat of IRL was one of the mainstays was'nt he. Also the Lazier brothers did well thru it.

Ah, the AIS, I called it AIR in a post. I am glad you got it right. I think I am going to have to drink more, my memory works better that way.

AND, Johnny Unser, not Andretti, as I put in the same post, I think was the last champion.
I don't know what happened, Probably a lack of sponsor due to bad economy. That ususally does it.

Bill Tempero, was the founder. He would have a hayday with the old IRL cars and engines now.
One can only hope.
Bob

[ghinzani]

The AIS had a website listing races in 2003 - http://www.aisracing.com/

[ghinzani]

And the guy whose name I was tring to remember from F500/Can-Am/early CART and early IRL was Bill Tempero.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by ghinzani
The AIS had a website listing races in 2003 - http://www.aisracing.com/

I went to the web site and it appears that AIS, as it was, died in 1998. It was sold in 2001 and is totally different than it was, if it is still running.

I guess it was Robby not Johnny Unser who was a champion, though Johnny did win several races.
I wish I had caught one of ther races.
Bob

New Item: 1998

Pan American Motorsports Inc. has acquired the American IndyCar Series (AIS) from William Tempero and says it will enlarge the operation and and to expand into the South American market.
Pan American will use the American IndyCar Series name for the open-wheel, Indy Car, auto racing events it sanctions in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. In the North American market, the AIS racing series will continue to hold races in communities where Indy Car racing events are not normally held. These include cities such as Calgary, Canada, San Diego, Hallett, OK: Salt Lake City, UT; and Ensenada, Mexico. Due to the extreme popularity of open-wheel racing in South America, potential racing venues in Brazil, Argentina and Chile are currently under evaluation.
During the 1997 AIS season, thirty-two drivers, representing twenty racing teams competed in the race events in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Ken Petrie, Parker, CO was the 1997 AIS series champion. J. W. Mitchell, Irvine, CA, was the 1997 AIS Rookie of the Year. The 1998 AIS season began in April, with the first event held in Hallett, OK. Past champions include the 1996 INDY 500 winner, Buddy Lazier, as well as Robby Unser, son of three time INDY 500 Champion, Bobby Unser.
The AIS race cars, most of which have raced in the INDY 500 and the CART Indy Car Series, weigh 1600 pounds. These cars are powered by American built V-8 and V-6 engines with displacement as large as 5.9 liters (362 cubic inches) and producing 700 horse power. These race cars are capable of speed well in excess of 225 miles per hour with cornering forces of approximately 4 G's.
-----------------------------------

I guess it turned into this: http://www.racereview.com/usss.htm

[Bob Riebe]

It would seem the USSS went out of business also as there site is gone.
Here is a result from a 5/8 mile flat track, 9 degree turn banking, about 100 miles from me.

RESULTS

American IndyCar Series Coca Cola 100 Feature

1 Ken Petrie Parker, CO 100 laps
2 Don Warren Aberdeen, WA 100
3 Bill Tempero Ft Collins, CO 99
4 Nick Mitchell Yorba Linda, CA 97
5 Harold Quantie Locust Grove, OK 97
6 J.W. Mitchell Irvine, CA 93
7 Eric Koselke Indianapolis, IN 82
8 Curtis Spicer Vancouver, BC 76
9 John Luch Englewood, CO 59
10 Shawn Schmidt Omaha, NE 45
11 Joe Simmons North Hills, CA 24
12 David Hoffpauir Black Forest, CO 16
13 Jim Bryant Beijing, China 7
14 Don Dixon Salt Lake Cty, UT 3
15 Budd Hoffpauir Black Forest, CO 2

Qualifying - 1) Mark Petrie, 18.713 seconds, 105.034 MPH (Track Record, Fastest lap ever turned at La Crosse Speedway); 2) Bill Tempero, 19.145 secs., 102.664 MPH
----------------------------------------------------------
Let's make it Ken Petrie day:
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache...ios/Bio-Petrie(w).htm+ais+ken+petrie&hl=en

[ghinzani]

Was that result from 03 Bob? I'd really like to see more of what chassis they use - I recall seeing the AIS website a few years back and they had March-Buick Indy lights cars from the late 80s-early 90s running alongside March 86cs etc - all evry interesting, almost like our EuroBoss series.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by ghinzani
Was that result from 03 Bob? I'd really like to see more of what chassis they use - I recall seeing the AIS website a few years back and they had March-Buick Indy lights cars from the late 80s-early 90s running alongside March 86cs etc - all evry interesting, almost like our EuroBoss series.

From what I read, there were a coupleof races in 2002 but nothing after that. The AIS site lists 2003 dates but nothing else.
From a Google search noting else came up.
It appears after the Brooke brothers bought it fell apart.
Unless they did not update the sit.

The above result is from 2001.
Bob

[ghinzani]

Cheers for that - I read once in the back of Racer or Open Wheel about a series called either F4000 or F6000 that was being advertised - ever hear of that one? Would have been mid 90s.

[Tim Northcutt]

A note about the Indy 500....

I gave this some thought on my way to work this morning...

Look at a very partial and incomplete list of drivers who have cometed in the "500," but did not win it....and many of these drivers were definitely contenders when they ran here....

Jack Brabham
Geoff Brabham
Jackie Stewart
Jochen Rindt
Derek Daly
Dennis Hulme
Dan Gurney
Nigel Mansell
Lloyd Ruby
Wally Dallenbach
Jim Hurtebeise
Cale Yarborough
Lee Roy Yarborough
Bobby Allison
Donnie Allison
Gary Bettenhausen
Eddie Sachs
Joe Leonard
Michele Alboreto
Michael Andretti
Alberto Ascari (famous F-1 & sportscar driver from the 1940s or 1950s)
Hurley Haywood
Al Holbert
David Hobbs
Peter Revson
Graham McRae

Pretty impressive list of guys from a wide spectrum of racing disciplines.....

Came to Indy...

raced at Indy....

Never won it...

Can you think of any others????

[marcus]

Originally posted by ghinzani
Cheers for that - I read once in the back of Racer or Open Wheel about a series called either F4000 or F6000 that was being advertised - ever hear of that one? Would have been mid 90s.

We have a series here in Australia called Formula 4000 , it kinda like our Formula 3000 championship.

used to be called formula Brabham , Formula Holden and now Formula 4000.

dunno if thats anything to ya ghinzani ?

[JohnSSC]

Quick, non-winning drivers in the 500??
Kevin Cogan
Danny Ongais
Roger Mears
Roberto Guererro (I never can spell his name properly!)
Gary Bettenhausen
Give me time...

[JohnSSC]

Then there would be slow, non-winning drivers:

Howdy Holmes
Pat Bedard


And a couple of fast ones I forgot about:

Bill and Don Whittington
John Paul, Jr. (He and his father had an interesting way to finance their team...)
Jim Crawford

[marcus]

Originally posted by JohnSSC
John Paul, Jr. (He and his father had an interesting way to finance their team...)

Please explain , sounds like an interesting story ?

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by JohnSSC
Then there would be slow, non-winning drivers:

Howdy Holmes
Pat Bedard


And a couple of fast ones I forgot about:

Bill and Don Whittington
John Paul, Jr. (He and his father had an interesting way to finance their team...)
Jim Crawford

I know I asked for it to be explained because I simply didnt know , maybe I should have let this one slide. No slight on the poster as I did ask but we really cant have this kind of stuff being left on a public forum for legal reasons. Sorry

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by marcus
We have a series here in Australia called Formula 4000 , it kinda like our Formula 3000 championship.

used to be called formula Brabham , Formula Holden and now Formula 4000.

dunno if thats anything to ya ghinzani ?

Marcus I think I was subconciously confusing what I know as Formula Holden, correct. However the race series in the states was defineately known as F6000, guess they were 6 litre single seaters.

[JohnSSC]

I apologize as well marcus - I did not realize I had crossed the line there!

[marcus]

all sweet john

[Tim Northcutt]

More guys with a lot of racing success and pedigree that ran in the "500," but did not win:

Raul Boesel
Nelson Piquet
Clay Reggazoni (F-1 driver in the 1970s for Ferrari...)
Scott Pruett
Tim Richmond
Roger McCluskey (I believe he was a USAC season champion in late 60s?)

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by Tim Northcutt
Can you think of any others????

How about Swede Savage?

True, he didn't win a lot of races (in cars, anyway) throughout his career. His lone Indycar victory, for example, came at Phoenix in 1970.

But he was fast.

There were several times when he was running great or even leading races - just to be was forced out due to mechanical failures, and reading through his career statistics it strikes me what an absolutely torrid luck Savage had throughout his career.