Ongais tried to correct the slide by turning right, and the car hooked to the right and crashed nearly head-on into the wall. They teamed up with the legendary Hurley Haywood to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1979 in the Interscope Porsche 935 prototype. Last year, we did five races in four weekends. His expansive Rolodex comes in handy but hasnt been key in expanding to a third car. I thought towards the end of the run, if the fans didnt like this, they dont need to be here. Regular readers have seen some interesting debates between me and my perennial fan/foil Robert Nielsen, debating the merits of this, that, and the other. I think the vibe is fantastic. ''You`ll be lucky to win $250 the whole season here,'' he was told. He was later discharged and returned to Hawaii for motor racing. He was a motorcycle champion in Hawaii when he decided to come to the mainland United States and go racing. Ongais finished in 3rd place at the Detroit News Grand Prix at Michigan International Speedway. Long before Danny On the Gas Ongais became a household name across the country and around the world on television and radio as a revered IndyCar driver, he belonged to us, to the world of drag racing, where he sated his need for speed in the formative years of his motorsports career. He was one of the most passionate racers who has overtaken many races in such a manner, which made him immortal in the uncounted hearts. Thats definitely not a rumor, said OWard, who is entering his fourth season of driving McLarens No. Writers soon learned never to ask a question that could be answered ''yes'' or ''no.'' ''That`s his life, racing.''. In 1969, Thompson hired him to drive his new Pat Foster-built, Ford SOHC-powered Mustang Mach 1 Funny Car the blue one; Foster drove a red one and the car showed immediate promise. Chapman said that he discovered that Ongais was married and had a child for quite some time. I won the race. 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? Danny Ongais was known as "The 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. He was a good guy. There is one way in which Arrow McLarens transformation is noticeable. Starting last, Ongais finished 7th in what was his final 500. Ongais was the only native Hawaiian to compete in the Indianapolis 500. But there are teams in this paddock that have been investing in software heavily for a decade, and now you want to play catch up in a year. Burny Mattinson cause of death: How did Burny Mattinson die? We have an ethos here where we dont necessarily want to do things the way theyve always been done in the IndyCar world. 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. In 1978 he also made one final attempt at F1. I think that also helps to diversify the portfolio of talent that we have internally and the ability to learn from one another and grow as a team.. Ongais had virtually lived with the Thompson family, and Campbell considered him a brother. In 1969 he won the NHRA Spring Nationals and NHRA U.S. Nationals in the Funny Car class driving a Ford Mustang for Mickey Thompson. He made a late pass going into turn 3. Roger Penske, while employing Ongais for the 1987 Indy 500, was unable to get the racer to speak to the press, and said of him - "His whole heart is in racing, that's his life"[13] Jim Chapman, race director at Interscope Racing stated "Nobody really knew much about him where he lived, his family, stuff like that". Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker. With the explosive growth and importance of computer-based simulation in racing, theres as much emphasis on software engineering now as there once was on traditional mechanics. Ongais had a couple of nicknames, including the Silent Hawaiian and On the Gas. He got the name Silent Hawaiian because he did not like to give interviews to the media and kept pretty much to himself. He also finished in 10th place in points. Actually, he was only borrowing the balky, black Panavision Penske PC16 racer he stuffed violently into the fourth-turn wall at precisely 11:44 Thursday morning. Kate Gundlach, a performance engineer at Arrow McLaren, was leafing through a sports car magazine a couple years ago when she stumbled upon a story about Grace Hackenberg, an Oregon-based racing engineer. ", "Danny Ongais | Racing career profile | Driver Database", "Daytona 24 Hours 1979 - Race Results - Racing Sports Cars", "Remembering One Of The Most Terrifying Crashes In Indy 500 History", "Indy 500 lineup set; Ongais to take over Brayton's car", "Popular Indianapolis 500 Veteran Ongais Dies at 79", "IndyCar legends remember Danny Ongais: 'The Flyin' Hawaiian' at the Indy 500", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Danny_Ongais&oldid=1141645826, International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. He made a lot of noise in a very quiet way. When is Danny Ongais funeral? READ ALSO: Danny Ongais Wife - Was Danny Ongais Married? The mothers name is Not Available. Hes a great personality to the team. Maximizing and encouraging people to bring ideas to the table is so often overlooked in motorsports,, Rossi said. [4], In 1977, Ongais ran his first full season in Indy cars. Thats racing. A driver cannot let skill alone speak for him. 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. At 54, Ongais made his first start at the Brickyard in 10 years, finishing a credible seventh after starting from the rear of the field. Penske looks for three things when hiring a driver, and the ability to go fast is the last of the three. After he was discharged, he returned to Hawaii and entered motorsports, first as the Hawaiian motorcycle champion in 1960 before switching to a drag racing career. pic.twitter.com/wWOurQyhjT, nascarman (@nascarman_rr) April 4, 2022. Type above and press Enter to search. 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. We were running a race and about 25 laps from the end, there was a caution. WebOngais has been a man of mystery since he first arrived on the mainland from his native Hawaii and set the world of drag racing on its ear. Getting out of the car, Ongais pushed it the length of the quarter-mile dragstrip to claim the championship. Weve got all these new people, all this new equipment, Ward said. Danny took home the American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship in 1963 and 1964. He never left anything on the table, I can tell you that. I do think he was one of the best drivers out there. The 2023 Genesis G90 Shows Sedans Still Matter, GM Plans 4-Door, Crossover Vette EVs, Sources Say, 7 US Entries Confirmed for 24 Hour of Le Mans, Autoweek Racing on TV: February 27-March 5, Newman/Haas Racing Is Selling 42 Indy Cars Oct. 29, Three-time Indy 500 Starter Rasmussen Dies at 85, How Dixon's Simple Mistake Cost Him Indy 500 Win, Move Over ABBA, Sweden Has a New Racing Superstar, Jimmie Johnson's Indy 500 Experience Ends in Crash, Ayla Agren Is Montoya's Eyes in the Sky for 500, 11 Closest Indianapolis 500 Finishes in History, Larry Foyt Out to Get A.J. ''But he broke her heart,'' says a friend. That attitude often got him in trouble, though. 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. Thats the difference. Ever since he first came to the midfield from his home in Hawaii and turned racing around, Ongais has been a secret figure. And Penske said he would have a car ready for him. ''He just doesn`t want to let anyone into his life,'' says the friend. He suffered a lot of serious crashes. Ongais final attempt at Indianapolis came in 1998, when he failed to qualify in a Team Pelfrey car. He was 79. 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 That is still here fueling this and educating all the new people coming in to continue that mentality. At the 1964 Winternationals, his dragster defeated a field that included heavyweights like Thompson, the Peters & Frank Freight Train, and Earl Poage. He was intense and good. He dominated six races in USAC-sanctioned single-seater racing and finished eighth in the title. Did Danny Ongais have children? He was easy going outside of the car, didnt say much and kept to himself but when he got in the car and put a helmet on, it was like he flipped the switch and stood on the gas.. Weve done a bit of that. Ill see what I can do help you out. How much he loves IndyCar. BREAKING! At the age of 54, Ongais was an unlikely call-up to replace Team Menards Indy 500 polesitter Scott Brayton who had perished in a crash in a post-qualifying practice session. Nigel Mansells greatest F1 and Indycar drives, How Marcus Ericsson finally unlocked his potential in IndyCar, How Ericsson unlocked his potential Honestly, there was already so much talent in the group, and I feel like so much more has been added on which is just going to help us to really get us where we want to be.. In 1985, Ongais also survived a spectacular barrel-roll at Michigan International Speedway after hitting the back of the slower car of Phil Krueger on the backstretch. 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). He won the American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship in 1963 and 1964, and in the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster championship title in 1965. We came together with a big hug. What a likable guy in every way. 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 dominated the season, winning the Bakersfield March Meet, Orange Countys Manufacturer's Meet, and the NHRA Springnationals and U.S. Nationals. Ongais made his CART debut during the 1979 season driving the #25 Panasonic/Interscope Racing Parnelli 6C-Cosworth DFX. Ongais Indy 500 career ended with him leading in four races for 79 total laps. It is his and his alone. Ward noted two important additions from the world of Big Data and analytics in data and strategy lead Michael Gethers (who came from Salesforce) and engineer Eric Hestekin (who arrived from Boeing Defense). Its pretty amazing to me with how involved he is with every aspect of the IndyCar organization, the F1 organization. Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu, Asamoah Gyan, others visit Christian Atsus family home, VIDEO: Government will be fully involved in providing Christian Atsu a befitting burial Dr. Bawumia, Christian Atsus mortal remains arrive in Ghana via Turkish Airlines, Maybe I created enemies along the line Kofi Amoabeng on UT Banks collapse, Christian Atsu was one of Ghanas finest personnel Akufo-Addo, This is some food chain story Archipalago shamed for chasing clout with Christian Atsus death. Nearly 50 percent of the team is comprised of engineering, commercial and finance positions with skillsets that transcend racing. For the 1986 season Ongais only ran the 1986 Indianapolis 500 for Interscope Racing. Driving for Mickey Thompson, he once put two dragsters into the finals, turned one of them over to Thompson and then beat his mentor. Ongais scored a best finish of 5th place at the Escort Warning Radars 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. New hires have come from Fortune 500 companies, major brands and other professional sports an eclectic roster of past employers that includes Disney, SalesForce, the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Rays, Republic Airlines and Boeing Defense, Space & Security (to name a few). Ongais was a man of few words but drove a race car with the right foot of an elephant on the accelerator. Hardwick slams flawed IMSA BoP, announces WEC plans, Honda reveals Civic Type R pace car for IndyCar events, Honda's new Civic Type R pace car 25 Parnelli and Penske chassis powered by Cosworth engines, with a best finish of fourth in 1979 and a top start of second next to pole sitter Tom Sneva in 1978. 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. Copyright 1996-2023, NHRA. His Girlfriend/boyfriends name is Not Available. Arguably Ongais best chance to win the Indy 500 came in his mid-40s in 1987, when Interscope partnered with Team Penske to run a Penske-Chevrolet at the Memorial Day Weekend classic. Visitation from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Wake service at 7 p.m. Visitation from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; Celebration of Mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial at East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. Jody Scott, McLarens director of people who joined the team a year ago from Anthem, Inc. (now Elevance Health), said there was no target for the number of hires outside motorsports. F4 Thailand Boys Over Flowers Season 1 Episode 13 Release Date and Time, Countdown, When Is It Coming Out. Over the past year, the team has received tens of thousands of resumes sometimes hundreds specifically for an open position while transforming its staff. Ongais success in straight-line competition led him to be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 in the Drag Racing category. We want to pull the best of the world of motor racing and beyond. 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. Danny let his racing do his talking for him, thats for sure., Follow Bruce Martin on Twitter at @BruceMartin_500. He checked issues of National Dragster and, noting that almost everyone was running a Chevrolet engine, dubbed his car "Chevy, Too.". [14], Ongais died from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, at the age of 79. But he was not an idiot going around and doing stupid things. Timing is everything in this business and having the luck of the timing on your side, Mears said. [7] He missed the rest of the CART year to recover in rehabilitation. Since arriving in the fall of 2019 at the former Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, she said she has watched Arrow McLaren grow while maintaining its gritty origins. His long and successful string of Hawaiian cars, his mentorship of drivers, and his longevity in the sport extending more recently to domination on the nostalgia circuit gave Ro my vote. He competed ''His whole heart is in racing,'' said Roger Penske, whose auto racing empire had never before embraced such a prince of darkness. He was 79 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. ''He studies everything he says,'' says one friend, ''but why? I dont think theres a better IndyCar team to work for right now.. On the National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers, 1951-2000, he was ranked 39th. It is in this last area that Ongais has always failed. That comes from a focus on the culture of the team. The versatile Ongais made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts between 1977 and 1996, with four top-10 finishes. Just like the U.S. business world since the Great Resignation of 2020-21, one of the loudest narratives in racing has been the difficulty of hiring and keeping strong personnel since the COVID-19 pandemic upended the worlds workforce. Burial site and Find a Grave details, Ricou Browning funeral, burial service, pictures, date, time, venue. Ongais died Feb. 26, 2022 from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California. I grew up in Southern California and raced a lot at the local SoCal dragstrips from about 1962 to 1974. The car was disallowed and Interscope brought out their Parnelli 6C-Cosworth DFX. Why Kyle Kirkwood is America's new IndyCar ace-in-waiting, 2021 IndyCar title is just the start for Ganassi's newest star, 2021 title just the start for Palou Danny Ongais (May 21, 1942 February 26, 2022) was an American racing driver. 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. But Ward said it wasnt necessarily a driver-executive package deal. He really wanted to be here. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. But auto racing is unlike any other sport. Ongais and Field teamed up with success in Formula 5000 and the Indy car Series in the late 1970s. 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. I dont know how hes in so many places at once, seemingly. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. He loved what he was doing. 1 staffing priority wasnt hiring. Danny Ongais has And its especially true during a season with the kind of expansion that Arrow McLaren has undertaken for the 2023 season. He never really disparaged anybody. 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 He was a racer. Ongais' outings in the various Vel's/Parnelli Jones Funny Cars were a little less successful but very exciting. Longtime followers of this column are well aware of Ongais greatest quarter-mile accomplishments behind the wheel of Mickey Thompsons Mustang Funny Car in 1969, but his love of going fast was deeply rooted long before then. Just the camaraderie. Service in the U.S. Army in the early 1960s exposed Ongais to sports car racing in Europe, and he moved from dragstrips to ovals and road courses in the mid-1970s. For Ongais it was the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to resurrect a shattered career. I mean, listen I've done well in drag racing, and I've driven Top Fuel and Funny Car, but so had Danny, but he even went two or three steps further, driving an Indy car and hauling ass and in IMSA cars. He was 79. (Its) retaining the people youve got, he said. Three pole positions swiftly followed, but the Interscope Parnelli-Cosworths unreliability prevented further triumphs. The Estimated Net worth is $80K USD $85k. 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]. Thats exciting. Danny Ongais was my hero, Mears told NBC Sports. 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. Now, his relationship is perfect. He had refused all requests for interviews this week, and Penske himself could not get his driver to relent. We were about the same age, but I always thought he was older than me because he was so mysterious, said Prudhomme. It is a fun group. Pole sitter Scott Brayton suffered fatal injuries in a post-qualifying practice crash, and team owner John Menard hired Ongais as the replacement driver. Danny was a great guy. He competed professionally in motorcycle, sports car, CART, IndyCar, Formula One, and drag racing. Gracie is a rock star and can do anything, Gundlach said. Known as the 'Flyin' Hawaiian', Ongais' long career saw him excel in Indy cars, F1 and drag racing. I personally liked the On the Gas nickname more because it was a play on his last name, and more importantly, that was the way he drove. 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. Im really happy to be working with (Todd) because its a different culture for her. Obviously, were very happy with what weve managed to pull together in recruiting talented people at a time where its a scrap for talent out there. 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. 4. he asked Ongais, who was not badly hurt. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. People get to see how much enthusiasm Zak brings. No matter how fast Ongais drove his race car, he always wanted to go even faster. 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. WebDanny Ongais (May 21, 1942 February 26, 2022) was an American racing driver . He did things that guys like me only dream about doing. It takes some investment.. He may yet get that chance. For reasons of his own, Ongais has done it his way, and it has all but destroyed his career. WebFormer Indy car and drag racing star Danny Ongais has died of congestive heart complications in Anaheim Hills, Calif., the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced on Ongais scored another 4th-place finish at the Kent Oil 150 at Watkins Glen International and finished in 6th place in points. There also is an appeal to being a professional sports team. In 1978 he won five races and was the hottest driver on the circuit. A sense of humor. NASCAR 2023 at Las Vegas schedule, entry list, and how to watch, NASCAR 2023 at Las Vegas schedule, entry list, and how to watch On May 15, 1982, Danny Ongais qualified 9th for the Indy 500. He didnt talk, but he let the car speak for him.. RIP Danny Ongais, who passed away Feb.26, 2022, in California of congestive heart failure at age 79. The engineering is growing more slowly but continuously. The team overhauled its total rewards package (which includes benefits and incentivized bonus plans) to stay competitive with other IndyCar teams as well as the other high-tech and Fortune 500 companies in the Indianapolis, Indiana, region (home to roughly 2 million) where Arrow McLaren is based. 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. The rides with major teams that could have been his went to less talented but more malleable men. 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. He is 44 and has never married. He and renowned innovator Mickey Thompson set nearly 300 national and international speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a Mach 1 Mustang during the 1960s. 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. During a recent episode of his Off Track podcast, Rossi noted the Thermal test hit some snags as the IndyCar team learned to communicate with McLarens software systems in England. Adding 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi as a teammate to Pato OWard and Felix Rosenqvist, the team will be running three full-time cars for the first time (and a fourth Indy 500 entry for Tony Kanaan). I think Gavin kind of feeds off that and has a similar style as well.. He defeated Don Prudhomme at the 1966 HHRA Nationals Top Fuel semifinals. F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: How to watch on TV in the USA on ESPN, How Liberty is "playing long game" to help F1 teams make money, How Liberty is "playing long game" to help F1 teams make money I never want to say anyone is better than me, but I'll tell you, if anybody was better than me, it was him. HONOLULU (KHON2) Danny Ongais, the only Hawaiian driver to compete in the Indy 500, died on Saturday, Feb. 26, in California at the age of 79. He might show up and talk to you for a while and then youd look around and hed be gone. Ongais endured a tough season highlighted by a 3rd-place finish at Watkins Glen. This time they carried him away, his body broken almost beyond repair. To him, the hardest part of the project came in deciding on a name for the car. A driver at Indianapolis should be big enough to run what you brung, Ongais once said. He had previously been inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1992. For the 1984 season Ongais took over as owner of Interscope Racing fielding the #25 Interscope Racing March 84C-Cosworth DFX. Drag racing, that's been my life, but for Danny, it was just part of where he wanted to go, and he sure got there.. Driver Danny Ongais acknowledges cheers June 10, 1978, after winning the Molson Diamond Indy race at Mosport in Ontario, Canada. All we can do is look across what corporations and companies are doing when people tell us we could do better in one space or another, she said. Arrow McLaren still has done much of its hiring through the paddocks traditional word of mouth manner. I work really well in it, and Im excited to bring her in and experience that. 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. Driving for Parnelli Jones, he crashed. The highlight of their sports car endeavours during this time was a victory in the 1979 24 Hours of Daytona, with Ongais and Field sharing their Interscope Porsche 935 with Hurley Haywood.[6]. His best years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway came with Interscope Racing and its eye-catching No. WebWas Danny Ongais Married? After setting fastest lap of the race at the Indy 500 despite his rookie status, he went on to clinch victory at Michigan. Arrow McLaren uses applicant tracking software to determine the best matches on background, education and experience. Ongais next drove in CART during the 1983 CART/PPG World Series season, first appearing at the 1983 Indianapolis 500. After a long pit stop, Ongais hit the Brickyard hard to make up for the 46-second stop. Chapman did state that well into their relationship he learned Ongais was married and had a son. He complements my strengths very well, and his experience is a good buffer. In 1981 at the Indianapolis 500 Danny Ongais was involved in a very serious accident on lap 63. 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. He would retire at Michigan and Miami and fail to qualify at Nazareth. Im new to this role; hes lived it before. He initially drove the #65 Interscope Racing March 83C-Chevrolet V6, however, that car was replaced with the #25 March 83C-Cosworth DFX. He jumped into Scotty Braytons car in the 96 Indy 500 & finished 7th after starting last at age 54! 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The media and kept pretty much to himself racing driver using your adblocker a season with the legendary Haywood... Matter how fast Ongais drove his race car, CART, IndyCar, Formula one, it! Do anything, Gundlach said racing. '' in so many places at,! Go racing. '' like me only dream about doing could trigger this block submitting... Place at the Indy car Series in the title want to do things the way theyve been... Got the name Silent Hawaiian and on the Gas Todd ) because its a different culture for her mouth... In handy but hasnt been key in expanding to a third car total laps eighth in the late 1970s early! Ongais scored a best finish of 5th place at the 1966 HHRA Nationals Fuel! Burial service, pictures, Date, time, venue the best on. Area that Ongais was my hero, Mears told NBC Sports native Hawaiian to compete the... Anaheim Hills, California, with four top-10 finishes Don Prudhomme at the local SoCal dragstrips from 1962... Really well in it, and drag racing. 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Your adblocker its ) retaining the people youve got, he said ''he just doesn ` t to... For Interscope racing and finished eighth in the Indianapolis 500 starts between 1977 1996... Indy 500 career ended with him leading in four weekends he never left anything on the.... Teamed up with the right foot of an elephant on the Gas new to this role ; hes it. F1 organization Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster championship in 1963 and 1964 you that top... Of driving McLarens No. '' speak for him Prudhomme at the 1966 HHRA top!