Photo: Alvis Upitis/Getty ImagesDanny Ongais, a beloved motorsports driver who made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts, died last week at the age of 79.According to theIndianapolis Motor Speedway, Ongais died on Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications at his home in Anaheim Hills, California.Ongais — May 21, 1942, in Kahului — is the only native Hawaiian to start the Indianapolis 500 and earned himself a collection of nicknames, including the “Flyin' Hawaiian” and “On the Gas,” the latter of which is a play on his last name.His 11 Indy 500 starts came between 1977 and 1996, and he earned four top-10 finishes and a fourth-place result in 1979. Ongais also competed in Formula 1 and NHRA drag racing during his storied career.Tony Stewart, the former IndyCar, CART and NASCAR driver, paid tribute to Ongais in a post to Twitter on Monday.“Danny Ongais stepped up when @INDYCAR & I needed him most,“Stewartwrote. “He jumped into Scotty Brayton’s car in the ‘96 Indy 500 & finished 7th after starting last … at age 54!“ISC Images & Archives via Getty ImagesScotty Brayton died in a crash shortly before the start of the 1996 Indianapolis 500. Ongais was selected as his replacement.“Was 1 of only 5 teammates I ever had in #INDYCAR,” Stewart added. “The time he spent with me was invaluable. RIP, my friend.“Other fans took to social media to remember Ongais as well.“Dude was flat out fast. In 1978 USAC did a race at Silverstone,” Twitter userMax Leitschuhsaid. “Nobody expected the USAC cars to be fast there, but Ongais went out and set the lap record - faster than the F1 cars!““The man was in a league of his own,” another Twitter user said in areplyto Stewart. “Could drive anything in any form.“Ongais was selected for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000.“Danny Ongais is simply a racer’s racer,” the organization said of Ongais on theirwebsite. “‘The Flyin’ Hawaiian’ has earned the reputation as someone who can drive nearly any type of race car as hard as it can possibly be driven.RELATED VIDEO: Former NASCAR Driver Eric McClure Dead at 42They continued on Ongais: " ‘On-The Gas,’ remains the only driver in history to have achieved professional level victories in drag racing, oval track racing, and road racing.”
Photo: Alvis Upitis/Getty Images
Danny Ongais, a beloved motorsports driver who made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts, died last week at the age of 79.According to theIndianapolis Motor Speedway, Ongais died on Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications at his home in Anaheim Hills, California.Ongais — May 21, 1942, in Kahului — is the only native Hawaiian to start the Indianapolis 500 and earned himself a collection of nicknames, including the “Flyin' Hawaiian” and “On the Gas,” the latter of which is a play on his last name.His 11 Indy 500 starts came between 1977 and 1996, and he earned four top-10 finishes and a fourth-place result in 1979. Ongais also competed in Formula 1 and NHRA drag racing during his storied career.Tony Stewart, the former IndyCar, CART and NASCAR driver, paid tribute to Ongais in a post to Twitter on Monday.“Danny Ongais stepped up when @INDYCAR & I needed him most,“Stewartwrote. “He jumped into Scotty Brayton’s car in the ‘96 Indy 500 & finished 7th after starting last … at age 54!“ISC Images & Archives via Getty ImagesScotty Brayton died in a crash shortly before the start of the 1996 Indianapolis 500. Ongais was selected as his replacement.“Was 1 of only 5 teammates I ever had in #INDYCAR,” Stewart added. “The time he spent with me was invaluable. RIP, my friend.“Other fans took to social media to remember Ongais as well.“Dude was flat out fast. In 1978 USAC did a race at Silverstone,” Twitter userMax Leitschuhsaid. “Nobody expected the USAC cars to be fast there, but Ongais went out and set the lap record - faster than the F1 cars!““The man was in a league of his own,” another Twitter user said in areplyto Stewart. “Could drive anything in any form.“Ongais was selected for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000.“Danny Ongais is simply a racer’s racer,” the organization said of Ongais on theirwebsite. “‘The Flyin’ Hawaiian’ has earned the reputation as someone who can drive nearly any type of race car as hard as it can possibly be driven.RELATED VIDEO: Former NASCAR Driver Eric McClure Dead at 42They continued on Ongais: " ‘On-The Gas,’ remains the only driver in history to have achieved professional level victories in drag racing, oval track racing, and road racing.”
Danny Ongais, a beloved motorsports driver who made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts, died last week at the age of 79.
According to theIndianapolis Motor Speedway, Ongais died on Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications at his home in Anaheim Hills, California.
Ongais — May 21, 1942, in Kahului — is the only native Hawaiian to start the Indianapolis 500 and earned himself a collection of nicknames, including the “Flyin' Hawaiian” and “On the Gas,” the latter of which is a play on his last name.
His 11 Indy 500 starts came between 1977 and 1996, and he earned four top-10 finishes and a fourth-place result in 1979. Ongais also competed in Formula 1 and NHRA drag racing during his storied career.
Tony Stewart, the former IndyCar, CART and NASCAR driver, paid tribute to Ongais in a post to Twitter on Monday.
“Danny Ongais stepped up when @INDYCAR & I needed him most,“Stewartwrote. “He jumped into Scotty Brayton’s car in the ‘96 Indy 500 & finished 7th after starting last … at age 54!”
ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images
Scotty Brayton died in a crash shortly before the start of the 1996 Indianapolis 500. Ongais was selected as his replacement.
“Was 1 of only 5 teammates I ever had in #INDYCAR,” Stewart added. “The time he spent with me was invaluable. RIP, my friend.”
Other fans took to social media to remember Ongais as well.
“Dude was flat out fast. In 1978 USAC did a race at Silverstone,” Twitter userMax Leitschuhsaid. “Nobody expected the USAC cars to be fast there, but Ongais went out and set the lap record - faster than the F1 cars!”
“The man was in a league of his own,” another Twitter user said in areplyto Stewart. “Could drive anything in any form.”
Ongais was selected for the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000.
“Danny Ongais is simply a racer’s racer,” the organization said of Ongais on theirwebsite. “‘The Flyin’ Hawaiian’ has earned the reputation as someone who can drive nearly any type of race car as hard as it can possibly be driven.
RELATED VIDEO: Former NASCAR Driver Eric McClure Dead at 42
They continued on Ongais: " ‘On-The Gas,’ remains the only driver in history to have achieved professional level victories in drag racing, oval track racing, and road racing.”
source: people.com
