UNSUNG HEROES #78 - The Cummins ''Diesel Special'' IndyCar

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Jul 26, 2019

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Episode 78 of Unsung Heroes, a series on HSG featuring some of the obscure cars from both the concept and mass production world which simply do not get the recognition which they deserve... In this episode we take a look at the seriously impressive Cummins Diesel Special, a monstrous IndyCar which was ultimately the last of its kind...

 

PRUETT: A salute to Dalton Kellett

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emailBy Marshall Pruett | November 15, 2022 11:34 AM ET

After deciding last month to exit A.J. Foyt Racing​ following t​hree years and 33 IndyCar races, Dalton Kellett had the sound of someone who was at peace with closing a major chapter in his life. His story is one we’ve seen in racing before, but rarely have we had its arc play out in such an interesting manner.

The Canadian held a rare place in the sport, reserved for those who want to race but don’t need to earn a living through driving. Blessed to be born into a highly successful family, Kellett learned to love motorized vehicles while he was in diapers and went on to spend more than half his life competing, racing, and training on the open-wheel ladder to reach IndyCar.

And like some of his predecessors who’ve had more funding than race-winning speed to offer, a point was reached where Kellett came to terms with where his future was headed. Despite the occasional highs that come with a strong day of qualifying or surviving a crash-fest and finishing ahead of some stars and champions, the novelty of running towards the back of the field eventually wears off. When that starts to happen, as it did for Kellett, bigger questions about the purpose of one’s life start to emerge.

“This wasn’t something I just decided,” Kellett tells RACER. “This was something I’d been mulling over and working through my head for the last third of the season or so. An important thing for me was definitely being able to do this on my terms as far as how I wanted to either stay or continue.”

It’s the opposite of what our typical racing heroes go through as they contemplate retirement. Slight losses in speed and increasingly infrequent trips to victory lane weigh heavily and become unsolvable problems. Amid the progressive distancing from poles and podium finishes, the joy of driving diminishes, the offers to remain with the best teams tend to dwindle, and a natural evolution occurs as the old lions are replaced by the younger generation.

For many who pay for the privilege to race in IndyCar, the triggers for calling time on their journey are altogether different. Once-enthusiastic sponsors lose interest. The willingness by family to write large checks reaches an end. Or, in the case of Kellett, one’s full potential was reached.

Having stepped onto the Road To Indy at the age of 18 in 2012, he spent eight years learning all he could before joining the Foyt team in 2020. During his time on the RTI, Kellett also earned a ​degree in engineering physics at Queen’s University in his native Canada, which spoke to his high ambitions and work ethic.
Kellett says he mulled over his future for the final third of the 2022 season before deciding to step away from A.J. Foyt Racing. Motorsport Images

Separate from his studies, Kellett invested a lot of time in bettering himself behind the steering wheel, and despite the absence of wins and impressive championship placings, progress was being made and demonstrated on the run from USF2000 to Indy Lights. The same could be said for his time with Foyt where serious commitments to fitness, the hiring of a driver coach—eight-time IndyCar race winner Ryan Briscoe, in particular, and constant studying of onboard data and video was done in the name of improving his pace.

But all of that coaching and investment on driver development wasn’t going to turn Kellett into the next Alex Palou or Callum Ilott. That isn’t a bad thing, nor is it a critical statement. Kellett remained on the IndyCar tour for as long as continued professional growth was realistic.

In a better team, there’s no doubt Kellett would have more impressive results to show for his time in IndyCar, but we’re talking about turning finishes of 22nd and 23rd into 18ths and 19ths. Rather than continuing to spend high seven-figure sums on a passion that reached its peak outcome, the 29-year-old went into the last races of the season preparing for a change of direction.

Amid questions of whether he’ll return next year for the Indianapolis 500 or his home race on the streets of Toronto, Kellett says he isn’t willing to completely close the door to rejoining the IndyCar field or competing in other series, but he also acknowledges there are no immediate plans to continue driving.

Focusing on the family-owned K-LINE power line and energy-related businesses is where his talents and degree in engineering physics will be applied.

“I’m cognizant that I’m really fortunate to have my engineering background, and obviously K-LINE, and a lot of other things going on in my life that may make it easier to make that decision,” he says. “Where I’m at right now is if the right opportunity came up, whether it’s IndyCar or something else, I would consider it. But I’ve got a lot of other stuff that I want to do in my life.

“Racing was always going to be ‘Career 1’ for me. My dad and I have talked a lot about K-LINE over the years [as Career 2]. That’s definitely something I’m really passionate about. The transition to that was closer than it was far away, it was probably going to be this year or next year, anyway. There’s definitely the desire to drive to get back out there, but it has to be right for me and in the absence of that, I’d rather just have things be my decision.”
The Canadian’s best IndyCar finish was a 12th at WWTR in 2021. Phillip Abbott/Motorsport Images

Kellett had an opportunity to remain with the Foyt team, albeit at an increased cost. While that wasn’t a deterrent, it was facing the strong likelihood of another season of fighting over unrewarding finishing positions that stopped making sense. It’s here where I appreciate Kellett’s humility and honesty.

He was a mortal — closer to one of us than the racing gods we worship — who dedicated his life to driving and went as far as his talent allowed. A more selfish version of Kellett would have ridden his racecar driver lifestyle out until he reached his 40s; I worked with plenty of drivers back in the day who burned through their parents’ wealth just to avoid getting a real job.

I’m also thankful for the Kellett family’s support of the Foyt team through some of its most precarious financial issues. As ABC Supply ended its 15-year run as the team’s primary sponsor, it went into 2020 in dire need of funded drivers and the Kelletts were part of the solution to plug the holes and stabilize the program.

They went all-in for 2021 with a full-season deal as the team hoped and prayed the jokers at ROKiT would pay their bills. There were serious concerns about ROKiT either leaving for another team or stepping away during the offseason leading into 2022, but K-LINE was there, rock solid as usual, making sure engineers and mechanics and all kinds of crew members had jobs and security. And when ROKiT finally bailed halfway through the year, Kellett’s car and sponsorship was a backstop where no worries were required.

I’ll miss having Kellett on the grid. I know he was an easy target for fans, but stories like his are important to any sport. As a high-achieving human, a normal person among deities, he connected with more fans than I can recall for someone who was never destined for driving stardom. Throw in the crucial role he and his family played in helping the Foyts to bridge some worrying years that allowed the team to find new funding and make a competitive reboot with Santino Ferrucci and Benjamin Pedersen, and there’s no question he left IndyCar in a better place.

If Kellett’s remembered largely for keeping one of the sport’s most beloved entrants and a dozen-plus people safe and employed at their lowest point, I’d say that’s a legacy to appreciate.​ ​

“There’s no part of me that’s bitter,” Kellett says. “I really hope Santino and Benjamin go out there and have a lot of success.”

 

RACER: Robin Miller's Tough Guys Series on Sammy Sessions

The RACER Channel
51.1K subscribers8,535 views May 18, 2020
If anyone ever looked like a sprint-car driver it was Sammy Sessions. A raw-boned native of Michigan with a flat-top haircut and a nose for adventure, Sessions started out in stock cars and supermodifieds before heading for USAC in the mid-60s. He was instantly successful in that rough-and-tumble era and his prowess on dirt and pavement earned him a ride for Indianapolis.

Sessions qualified for six consecutive Indy 500s (1968-73), where he finished fourth in 1972, and his final start came in 1975. The USAC sprint champ in 1972, Sammy raced snowmobiles in the winter to make ends meet and he lost his life on one in 1977 where it was believed he suffered a heart attack before crashing.

 

Tying some racing history together
See last post in thread:
See it before it goes away.
See last post of thread

*****************************

 

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emailBy Vintage Motorsport | March 18, 2023 8:55 AM ET

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum recently announced the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Inductees Tim Cindric and Tony George. The inductees will be formally celebrated at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and Dinner presented by Shell and supported by National Bank of Indianapolis, to be held on the evening of Friday, May 26, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom.

The two were chosen from a ballot of 14 nominees by a national panel of more than 150 journalists, participants, and historians.

Tim Cindric currently serves as President of Team Penske. Cindric has overall management responsibility for Team Penske’s racing operations which includes teams competing in the NTT IndyCar Series, the NASCAR Cup Series, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the World Endurance Championship.

Cindric grew up working with his father, Carl, who was an IndyCar engine builder for IMS Hall of Fame member Herb Porter. A basketball standout and a Hall of Fame member of Pike High School (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, where he recently received an honorary doctorate in engineering after graduating in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

After graduation, Cindric began his career with the TrueSports IndyCar team as a design engineer, then served as Team Manager for Team Rahal prior to joining the Penske organization as President in the fall of 1999. His 24-year career with Team Penske consists of more than 375 victories and 27 championships. His successes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway include eight Indianapolis 500 wins, eight IndyCar victories at the IMS Road Course, a Brickyard 400 win, and two NASCAR Xfinity Series victories.

In addition, Cindric served as race strategist for Helio Castroneves’s first three Indianapolis 500 wins and currently serves in this capacity for the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet, driven by Josef Newgarden, the two-time INDYCAR SERIES champion.

Tony George began his tenure as President and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation in 1989, continuing the work his grandfather, Anton “Tony” Hulman, Jr, started when he purchased the Speedway at the end of World War II. He served in this role until 2009. George joins his grandfather, grandmother, Mary Fendrich Hulman, and his mother, Mari Hulman George, in the Hall of Fame.

Under George’s leadership, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway underwent significant changes. Before George assumed the role, the Speedway traditionally only had one race, Indianapolis 500. Determined to bring more events and different racing styles to the Speedway, George announced the addition of a NASCAR race, The Brickyard 400, which debuted in 1994.

Continuing to grow the events and programming, George also helped bring Formula 1 back to the United States by hosting the United States Grand Prix in 2000, which ran through the 2007 season. Hosting the Formula 1 race involved the construction of the road course inside the oval. The road course was also the home to the MotoGP event, held from 2008 through 2015. The road course continues to be used for IndyCar and NASCAR events, among others, throughout the racing season.

George also oversaw the construction of the current iteration of the Pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Pagoda has nine tiers and reaches a height of 153 feet, equal to a 13-story building. The Pagoda has state-of-the-art facilities for race control, safety, timing and scoring, and radio broadcast booths. In addition to the Pagoda, the media center was constructed, and the tower terraces were rebuilt along with the suites behind Tower Terrace south. All of these new elements were designed to serve the Indianapolis 500 and other racing events that take place through the course of the year.

George has made a lasting impact on the sport of racing outside of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With a desire to improve the safety conditions for drivers, George enlisted the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to develop a new wall barrier for race tracks to reduce driver impact. The Steel and Foam Energy Reduction Barrier (SAFER Barrier) was installed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002. The technology is still used and installed in numerous other racetracks.

 

Tim Cindric, Tony George tapped for IMS Hall of Fame Class of 2023

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emailBy VM Staff | 3.14.23 1:12 PM



The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum recently announced the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Class of 2023 Inductees Tim Cindric and Tony George. The inductees will be formally celebrated at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and Dinner presented by Shell and supported by National Bank of Indianapolis, to be held on the evening of Friday, May 26, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom.

The two were chosen from a ballot of 14 nominees by a national panel of more than 150 journalists, participants, and historians.



Tim Cindric currently serves as President of Team Penske. Cindric has overall management responsibility for Team Penske’s racing operations which includes teams competing in the NTT IndyCar Series, the NASCAR Cup Series, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and the World Endurance Championship.

Cindric grew up working with his father, Carl, who was an IndyCar engine builder for IMS Hall of Fame member Herb Porter. A basketball standout and a Hall of Fame member of Pike High School (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, where he recently received an honorary doctorate in engineering after graduating in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

After graduation, Cindric began his career with the TrueSports IndyCar team as a design engineer, then served as Team Manager for Team Rahal prior to joining the Penske organization as President in the fall of 1999. His 24-year career with Team Penske consists of more than 375 victories and 27 championships. His successes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway include eight Indianapolis 500 wins, eight IndyCar victories at the IMS Road Course, a Brickyard 400 win, and two NASCAR Xfinity Series victories.

In addition, Cindric served as race strategist for Helio Castroneves’s first three Indianapolis 500 wins and currently serves in this capacity for the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet, driven by Josef Newgarden, the two-time INDYCAR SERIES champion.



Tony George began his tenure as President and CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation in 1989, continuing the work his grandfather, Anton “Tony” Hulman, Jr, started when he purchased the Speedway at the end of World War II. He served in this role until 2009. George joins his grandfather, grandmother, Mary Fendrich Hulman, and his mother, Mari Hulman George, in the Hall of Fame. Hey Tony, get a haircut!

Under George’s leadership, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway underwent significant changes. Before George assumed the role, the Speedway traditionally only had one race, Indianapolis 500. Determined to bring more events and different racing styles to the Speedway, George announced the addition of a NASCAR race, The Brickyard 400, which debuted in 1994.

Continuing to grow the events and programming, George also helped bring Formula One back to the United States by hosting the United States Grand Prix in 2000, which ran through the 2007 season. Hosting the Formula One race involved the construction of the road course inside the oval. The road course was also the home to the MotoGP event, held from 2008 through 2015. The road course continues to be used for IndyCar and NASCAR events, among others, throughout the racing season.

George also oversaw the construction of the current iteration of the Pagoda at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Pagoda has nine tiers and reaches a height of 153 feet, equal to a 13-story building. The Pagoda has state-of-the-art facilities for race control, safety, timing and scoring, and radio broadcast booths. In addition to the Pagoda, the media center was constructed, and the tower terraces were rebuilt along with the suites behind Tower Terrace south. All of these new elements were designed to serve the Indianapolis 500 and other racing events that take place through the course of the year.

George has made a lasting impact on the sport of racing outside of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. With a desire to improve the safety conditions for drivers, George enlisted the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to develop a new wall barrier for race tracks to reduce driver impact. The Steel and Foam Energy Reduction Barrier (SAFER Barrier) was installed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002. The technology is still used and installed in numerous other racetracks.

In addition to honoring the inductees, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum will celebrate Marlyne Sexton, a philanthropist and community leader who has contributed to the success of the Museum, supported the racing community, and the 500 Festival organization.

Tickets for the event are available for purchase at imsmuseum.org. Pricing is $2,000 for a table of eight and $250 for individual tickets. Sponsorship and VIP Opportunities are available; contact Bridget Sutton at bsutton@brickyard.com.

All proceeds benefit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, a 501c3 non-profit organization that aims to celebrate the cultural and historical significance of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway through storytelling and educational programs.

 

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Lucy Foyt, wife of A.J. Foyt, dies at 84

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emailBy IndyCar | April 6, 2023 9:48 AM ET

Lucy Foyt (pictured above, in sunglasses and red dress), wife of four-time Indianapolis 500 winner A.J. Foyt, passed away April 5 in a Houston hospital after a brief illness. She was 84.

Lucy had a special appreciation for life, always embracing new experiences, people and challenges. There was never a dull moment being married to the auto racing legend. For nearly 68 years of marriage, Lucy was A.J.’s rock, keeping him grounded as he ascended to superstardom in motorsports. Her steadfast support and amazing grace under pressure throughout A.J.’s career and post-career, which was marked by life-threatening injuries on several occasions, made it possible for him to stage the remarkable comebacks that added to his legendary status.

“I have known A.J. and Lucy Foyt nearly as long as I have been involved in racing,” Roger Penske said. “So much of A.J.’s racing success was rooted in the solid foundation of the love and support that Lucy provided for him throughout his career.

“Racing can be a tough business, and A.J. was not immune to the dangers drivers often face. It was Lucy who was always there to help A.J. navigate through the hard times and get him back to his winning ways. Most importantly, Lucy’s commitment to the Foyt family is her biggest legacy. Keeping the family connected allowed A.J. to focus on being one of the greatest race car drivers of all time. I truly believe that it would have been hard for A.J. to achieve all of his on-track success without Lucy.

“Our prayers and condolences are with A.J. and the entire Foyt family.”

Houston was always home to Lucy, having been born in 1938 to beloved parents, Dr. L. Lynn Zarr and Elizabeth Zarr, and raised in River Oaks, a prominent enclave of the nation’s fourth-largest city. During her time at Lamar High School, Lucy met Foyt, and the two married in 1955, further laying their roots in the Houston community.

Together, A.J. and Lucy raised three children, A.J. Foyt III, Terry and Jerry. Later on, they adopted their grandson Larry, who is president of A.J. Foyt Enterprises, the INDYCAR SERIES team Foyt started in late 1965.

Always seen as beautiful and gracious, Lucy bonded three generations of the Foyt family, with four children, eight grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren who adored her. She watched them grow to achieve success, marry for love and raise children, many of which are named after her with the most recent being Larry’s daughter, Lucy, who was born in January.

With a passion for culture, arts, and global travel, Lucy shared a broadened perspective and open mind about the world that motivated and inspired adventure to those around her. That legacy will live on through her family and influence more generations of Foyts to come.

 

2023 Indy 500 Test Day gallery

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emailBy Andrew Crask | April 21, 2023 2:11 PM ET

Scenes from April’s Open Day test for the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500.


Carpenter
Ed Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing No. 33 Chevy© Michael Levitt/Lumen | 4/20/23


O'Ward
Pato O'Ward, Arrow McLaren No. 5 Chevrolet© Michael Levitt/Lumen | 04/20/23