posted 06-19-2005 11:08 PM         

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Originally posted by Bob Miller:
The day racer Donahue died (can't remember his first name). Believe it was int eh 60's and it was a road course.

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Mark Donahue ???....

not the answer I was looking for....

posted 06-19-2005 11:38 PM         

....Pierre Levegh was the Mercedes driver and Mike Hawthorne also took some blame....Hawthornes friend and racer Peter Collins was killed a few years later and Hawthorne retired from racing only to be killed in a traffic accident at age 30...most statistical accounts place the casualties at 83...June 11, 1955.....a very interesting racing program on a few months ago with lots of historical footage from LeMans......love the old racing films...

posted 06-20-2005 01:05 AM         

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Originally posted by tangled up in BLUE:
Mark Donahue ???....

not the answer I was looking for....

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I met Mark Donohue in the parking lot of Riverside Raceway in January 1972. Mark's #16 Penske Javelin was on a trailer having broken a rear end and not finishing the race. Being a race fan for most of my life, racing locally and dreaming of someday racing at Riverside Raceway, I went over to the car to take a look. I was just a 17 year old kid with long hair. There was a guy standing by the car but I had no idea who he was. I started looking at the car, we made small talk and I finally realized he was part of the crew. I asked him what broke to keep them from finishing. He told me the watts link had broken, causing their 39th place finish. I asked what a watts link was and he tried to explain it to me. After a couple of minutes and him probably realizing that I was serious about learning, he got on the ground under the car and told me to join him. He pointed out the watts link, showed me where it broke, explained how it worked and how it would need to be modified to prevent a repeat of the failure. We must have spent 10 minutes under that car on our backs and in the dirt. It was my first lesson in suspension from a real NASCAR crewman. When I was ready to leave, I thanked him for his time and asked his name. Mark Donohue he said, my jaw about dropped to the ground. He was the driver of the car. Here was a very well known man, a legend in his time, laying on the ground in the dirt and taking the time to teach a long haired kid about racing.
I've never forgotten the time he took for me and I've done my best throughout my racing career to take the same time for each and every kid that asks me a question. Mark Donohue made a tremedous impact on my life. He was a real class act.
I never even asked for an autograph. To me he was not a hero but just another racer like many of the others I have known. I only later, learned just how wrong I was.

I made it to Riverside. I raced there a few times. I was in the lead of the last Grand American race when the spindle on my car broke. It was my last chance ever to win a race at Riverside. The track closed the next year and with it went my dream of winning a race at my favorite track. A place where legends raced.

posted 06-20-2005 04:22 PM         

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Originally posted by ed monahan:
The day down at Laddie's track when my PT could not break the 14 second mark.
Tami Faye will confirm this was a tragedy. lol

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quote:

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Originally posted by Thunder:
I think it was that crash that Mercedes was involved in...where the engine separated from the car and both flew into the grand stands killing about 80 or so people and injuring hundreds. in the 30's or 40's I think....Mercedes stopped racing for many years after that crash. I forget where this happened?????

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I saw a program on TV of this recently... it was horrible

posted 06-21-2005 10:07 AM         

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Originally posted by ed monahan:
That is a great story, L.L. Thanks for sharing it.

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The three most memorable drives (to me) from the late 60's were A.J. Foyt, Mark Donahue, & the late Jim Hall (of the Chapparell fame). Three down-to-earth, never forgot their roots racers, as Larry so clearly pointed out.

posted 06-21-2005 09:42 PM         

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Originally posted by SirReal:
Fireball Roberts was always a favorite of mine.

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