Gordon johncock biography

Gordon johncock biography: Gordon Walter Johncock (born August 5,

He won the Indianapolis twice and and the Michigan in Gordon was born in Hastings in and began racing at the Berlin Raceway in the Michigan town of Marne. His Indy career kicked off inrunning four races and going full-time by Not a fan of doing interviews, he would always hide when he saw a member of the press heading his way. There are many, many more facets to Gordon's racing career, that you can read about here.

Gordon Johncock stands out as one of American rear-engined, open-wheel, open-cockpit racing's most successful performers ever. Best remembered for holding off Rick Mears to win the thrilling Indianapolisthe former super-modified standout from Hastings, Michigan won no fewer than 25 national championship events under the sanction of either USAC or CART between andaccumulating enough points to rank 7th or higher in 14 seasons.

In and he finished third at Indianapolis, and in he was leading A. Foyt when the car's crankshaft broke with sixteen laps to go. Johncock took a second Indianapolis victory in by a car length over Rick Mears. After falling behind on the final sequence of pit stops, Mears was rapidly closing on Johncock in the final laps, and on the th and th laps came from 3 seconds back to within car lengths.

Gordon johncock biography: Gordon Johncock competed in 24 Indianapolis

Johncock's tires were deteriorating by the lap, and with each turn, the car understeered more severely. Mears caught Johncock at the start of the final lap and tried to pass him for the win, but Johncock made a decisive defense of first place in Turn One and held on to win by 0. At the time it was the closest finish in history and remains the fourth-closest behind the, and races.

Mears would later joke about watching the race over and over "to see if this time I get around Gordy". Johncock, during a live interview on ABC years later, offered that if the dramatic duel had occurred two or three years later—when Mears had additional experience—the Californian would probably have pulled off the winning pass. Johncock took another three Indycar races, including the Michigan to complete two legs of what was then known as the Triple Crown IndianapolisMichiganand Pocono before retiring from full-time racing in He returned for occasional appearances in,and retired for good after the Indianapolis Johncock, who started 3rd on the grid, won the mile, lap race at an average of He earned three top-fives and four top-tens in his limited schedules.

The best of those finishes were a pair of fourths in at Daytona and at Rockingham. Johncock abruptly retired from IndyCar racing during the first week of practice for the Indianapolisjust before qualifications. He planned to enter the Indianapolisbut his funding for a car fell through. He wound up sitting out the race. He attempted another return in During the first week of time trials, Jim Crawford suffered serious injuries to his feet.

Johncock was hired to drive in replacement and qualified for the race. Johncock completed a sixth-place finish in the Indianapolisgordon johncock biography having flu-like symptoms the morning of the race. His final race was the Indianapoliswhere he dropped out with engine failure. Since his retirement, Johncock has distanced himself from motorsports, and focuses on his timber business in Michigan.

In the interview, he admitted that his interests in racing were now limited, and was no longer his daily focus. In discussing the race, Johncock appeared to have made peace with the circumstances. While most discredit the race as being rain-shortened, and for its overall miserable memories, Johncock insisted that his car was undoubtedly the fastest on the track, led easily, and was not simply in front at the time of the red flag by chance.

Johncock chose not to attend the Indianapoliswhich celebrated the th anniversary of the first race. Despite the fact that all living former participants, and particularly living former winners, were invited, Johncock did not attend any of the festivities, seemingly by choice. A year later, Speedway officials again invited him to attend, and he did return to the Speedway and participated in pre-race festivities at the race.

During the lead up to the Indianapolisofficials from Borg-Warner invited Johncock to Indianapolis in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his win there in After stopping for pictures at the Yard of Bricks, Johncock got into the driver's seat of the bus and took his family for an impromptu second, and final, lap around the track. Italics — Pole position earned by points standings or practice time.

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Gordon johncock biography: Gordon Johncock was one of the

Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item. American racing driver born Early career [ edit ]. First retirement [ edit ]. Second retirement [ edit ]. Awards [ edit ]. Motorsports career results [ edit ]. American open-wheel racing [ edit ]. Indianapolis [ edit ].

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Gordon johncock biography: Gordon Walter Johncock is an

Daytona [ edit ]. International Race of Champions [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. Retrieved Retrieved August 16, Retrieved April 16, External links [ edit ]. Johnny Rutherford. Foyt A. Afterward, the celebratory victory banquet was cancelled. In and he finished third at Indianapolis, and in he was leading A. Foyt when the car's crankshaft broke with sixteen laps to go.

At the time it was the closest finish in history and remains the fourth-closest behind the, and races. Mears would later joke about watching the race over and over "to see if this time I get around Gordy".