I always like to see Danny Ongias mentioned, that is a guy that NEVER gets his due. Motorcycle champion in Hawaii, AHRA and NHRA Top Gas Champion (for Leong) during the nitro ban, excellent nitro Funny Car driver. Oh yeah ... He set many records at Bonneville in Mickey Thompson's Mach 1 Mustang. Oh yeah ... He drove both of Parnelli Jones' cars at NHRA National Events, one was a top fueler and the other was a nitro funny car, winning National Events in the flopper for both Jones and Thompson. Oh yeah ... he was a winner in the Indy Cars too. Several top 10 finishes in the Indy 500. Oh yeah ... he raced in F1 too ... a couple of top 10s back when they only gave out points to the top 6 in the race. In 1987, he finally got the dream ride, a Penske at the Indy 500. He wrecked in practice and was unable to compete in the race, he was replaced by Al Unser in a car that was a show car the week before the race. All Big Al did was go on to win the 500. In 1996, at age 54, he replaced Indy 500 pole sitter Scott Brayton after his fatal accident on Carb Day in the Menard as a teammate to Tony Stewart, Ongias started last and finished 7th. Danny "On The Gas" could drive anything, anywhere and was quicker than most, yet you never hear about him these days. I think he is the only guy in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame for Drag Racing and IndyCars. When NHRA did their Top 50 Drivers in 2001 for the 50th anniversary of NHRA, Ongias was #39.
As far as I know he is still alive, I hope he is enjoying his well earned retirement. That is definitely a guy I would like to sit down and have a couple of beers with.
EDIT: Oh yeah .. I forgot he was an SCCA Sports Car Champion and competitor at the 24 hours of Le Mans.
EDIT #2: GREAT video Bobby. These Legends series vids just keep getting better and better.
