Carl Haas 1930 - 2016

Thursday, 07 July 2016


RACER Staff / Images by LAT, IMS Photo
Famed team owner, track operator and businessman Carl Haas has died at the age of 86 after a long illness. The news was announced by representatives of his family on Thursday, although he passed away on June 29.
While Haas is best known for his part-ownership of Newman/Haas Racing, which was one of the most successful teams in CART/IndyCar history, he also ran programs in Formula 1, NASCAR and Can-Am. Over 40 years, his various teams won a combined 16 championships, and more than 140 races.
Outside of team ownership he spent 10 years at the helm of the Milwaukee Mile, ran the Houston GP for three years, while his many business interests included serving as the U.S. distributor for Hewland and Lola.
While his eye for driving talent would become a hallmark, he was also highly accomplished in the cockpit himself: he won 10 races at Milwaukee during the 1950s, and also won one of the first races ever held at Road America.
In lieu of flowers, a contribution can be made to the Alzheimer's Association at 8430 W. Bryn Mawr, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60631 (847/933-2413) or The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp at www.holeinthewallgang.org.

 

Carl Haas driver, racecar entrepreneur, car owner and promoter



MILLER: Haas a racer above all else

Thursday, 07 July 2016


Robin Miller / Images by LAT





Carl Haas was a driver, racecar entrepreneur, car owner and promoter during his six decades in motorsports, but above all, he was a racer.

"What I liked most about Carl was that he didn't come from wealth but something else, everything he earned and accomplished was from racing and he truly made a successful living from the sport," Mario Andretti said Thursday morning as he reminisced about his longtime car owner.
"After Formula 1 I found a home with he and Paul (Newman) and I was the luckiest guy around because it was the perfect situation and I loved those guys."
Haas, whose trademark was his unlit cigar and dark glasses, passed away June 29 in his Chicago home at the age of 86 after a long bout with Alzheimer's. He had not been seen publicly in several years.
A native of Chicago, Haas drove sports cars in the 1950s and 1960s before starting a clearinghouse for racecar parts and then becoming the Lola and Hewland distributor in North America.
But it was his partnership with Newman that brought Haas his true happiness, as their team scored 107 IndyCar victories plus eight championships in CART and Champ Car from 1983-2008.
Though rivals in Can-Am, Haas approached Newman about forming an IndyCar team and was rebuked before hearing the words: Mario Andretti.
"I said, where do I sign?" Newman recalled many years later.
After convincing them to go with a Lola chassis, Andretti worked out its bugs and scored two wins in that inaugural 1983 season before capturing the CART title in 1984.
"They were the original odd couple, Carl and Paul, but they always gave me the best equipment and Carl never held back on the things that were essential," said Andretti, who raced with Newman/Haas from 1983-1994.
"I had input on who we could hire and Carl always invested in the best people."
Michael Andretti joined the team in 1988 and racked up 40 wins and the 1991 CART crown. "I loved the fact they would do whatever it took to win," said Andretti, now a car owner himself. "It was a great atmosphere and one of the best teams ever."
Sebastien Bourdais, Cristiano da Matta and Nigel Mansell also captured championships, but Haas stealing Mansell away from Formula One in 1993 the year after his title still ranks as one of the greatest coups in motorsports history.
Ralph Hansen, who spent 30 years as Haas' right-hand man, still laughs about those negotiations with the 2001 F1 champion.

 

Ralph Hansen, who spent 30 years as Haas' right-hand man, still laughs about those negotiations with the 2001 F1 champion.
"Carl and I were at Watkins Glen for some kind of sponsorship function and we were sitting on a picnic table and Carl had Mansell on the phone," Hansen said. "Then Nigel had to put him on hold because he was getting a call from the Queen. There was a big demonstration outside Buckingham Palace called 'Save Our Nige' and she was imploring him to stay.
"Carl put his hand over the phone and said: 'My god, I negotiated against the Queen and we won.'"
It was such a well-kept secret that even the Newman/Haas team had no idea.
"Michael (Andretti) had just won the CART title but was headed to McLaren so we didn't know who was going to take his place," recalled veteran mechanic Tim Coffeen, who worked for Newman/Haas Racing for 20 years. "Carl called us all together and told us he had hired a driver we were all going to enjoy working with.
"Then a few days later Nigel walked into our shop. We were all in shock and I'd never seen Carl so happy."
Mansell earned the 1993 CART championship, but it was nine years before the team's next one. The war between CART and the Indy Racing League eventually saw a mass exodus to the Indy Racing League, but Newman/Haas remained loyal to CART and then Champ Car.
Bourdais bagged four consecutive Champ Car titles from 2004-07 and raved about his five-year run during a 2014 party for former Newman/Haas drivers, mechanics and employees.
"It was very unique with Carl leading the team and Paul providing the spirit. And when they ran out of sponsorship money, they chipped in to keep us going. I was very lucky to have driven for them," he said.
John Tzouanakis, who spent 28 years with Newman/Haas as a mechanic and team manager, loved the environment. "They weren't hands-on; they simply left you alone and let everyone do their job," he said. "Carl ran the business and Paul flew in for the races and I think racing was their country club. They could get away from people and enjoy their passion."
Hansen helped negotiate major sponsorships from Texaco, Kmart, Budweiser and Beatrice, but he also saw Haas and Newman dig into their own pockets to keep the team on track.
"Carl could be a tough businessman, but he was an incredibly honest person and he always lived up to his word," Hansen said. "He was a man of integrity and he would always underpromise and overdeliver to our sponsors, and they loved it."
The late Justin Wilson scored Newman/Haas' final win in 2008 at Detroit – shortly before Newman died of cancer – and the team shut down following the 2011 season.
Besides his CART team, Haas competed in Can-Am, launched a short-lived F1 team and also had a NASCAR operation. But his true love was Indy cars – especially the Indianapolis 500 – which Newman/Haas dominated on occasion but never won.
"Obviously we had everyone covered in 1987 and Michael was long gone in 1992, but that place always eluded them and it was a big disappointment," said the patriarch of the Andretti clan. "But it wasn't for a lack of trying. They always knew we were there and I always felt bad we couldn't get one."



Carl Haas, Michael Andretti, Mario And Paul Newman

 

Video Tribute
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-OX8FvbJ-o

 

David Land

Thanks for the memories Carl! What a great team Newman-Haas was.

 

[h=2]INDYCAR: Tributes flow for Carl Haas[/h] Thursday, 07 July 2016


RACER Staff / Images by LAT









The recent passing of legendary team owner Carl Haas, whose death was announced early on Thursday, prompted a rush of tributes from the IndyCar paddock, and also from the broader motorsport community.

MARIO ANDRETTI (driver for Newman/Haas Racing from 1983-1994, 1984 Indy car champion, 18 race wins with team)
"Carl had a heart of gold and a deep commitment to our sport. He earned the respect and admiration of his competitors and all those who drove for him through the years for being tenacious yet fair. In fielding teams in various series from SCCA to Formula One, Carl always sought the best equipment, the best drivers and the best team personnel. His legacy, especially in IndyCars, will be his phenomenal record of victories and championships, thanks in part to the great supporting cast I just mentioned. When I recall the joys of my whole career, I have to include my tenure at Newman/Haas because of the people. Spending 12 seasons with Carl and (wife) Berni and Paul Newman was amazing, triumphant, relentless work and heartwarming. All of it. The sport has lost a colorful character, but Carl Haas is unforgettable. He will always be an icon in motorsports and myself and so many others have lost a dear friend."
MICHAEL ANDRETTI (current owner of Andretti Autosport; driver for Newman/Haas Racing from 1989-1992, 1995-2000)
"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Carl Haas. Carl was an icon to our sport and the automotive industry, and I owe a great deal of my career's success to my time with Carl and the Newman/Haas family. Paul and Carl built what was undoubtedly one of the greatest teams in history; I am truly honored to have been a part of the legacy they built."
SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS (current driver at KVSH Racing; driver for Newman/Haas Racing from 2003-07, won four consecutive championships from 2004-07

"It is with great sadness that I heard the news of Carl's passing. Back in 2002, Carl gave me the opportunity of a lifetime when he hired me to drive the second Newman/Haas Racing in CART for the 2003 season. He did so with no sponsor to run the car, and I will be forever grateful for the faith he placed in me. From 2003 to the end of 2007, the whole team became a real family to me, thanks to him, Berni and Paul, who had successfully assembled the best group of guys I ever worked with. Today, I can only feel privileged to have been able to contribute with poles, wins and championships to Carl's racing legacy. My deepest condolences to Berni and their family. Carl, you will be dearly missed."
J. DOUGLAS BOLES (president, Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

"Carl Haas fielded cars for some of the best drivers in the world, and his leadership and competitive spirit caused Newman/Haas Racing to become one of the most successful teams in our sport's history. The IndyCar community was fortunate to have his personality as part of its family and Mr. Haas' legacy of excellence and winning will long be remembered."
MIKE LANIGAN (current co-owner at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing; former co-owner at Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing)

"As a partner of Carl's for four years in INDYCAR, I got to know him as a generous and kind individual whose whole life's purpose was racing. I have always had the respect for the man who achieved so much success on and off the track. He lived the American dream in starting his career under humble beginnings and achieved his accomplishments through hard work, long hours and determination. Isn't that what this country is all about? He will be sadly missed, but never forgotten."

 

MARK MILES (CEO, Hulman & Co., parent of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway)

"All of us at INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway are saddened to hear of the passing of Carl Haas. His contributions to our sport were immeasurable and the success of Newman/Haas Racing solidifies his place as a legend in motorsports. We send our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time."
GRAHAM RAHAL (current driver at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing; driver for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing from 2007-10)
"Carl Haas was one of the legends of our sport, a person whose passion for racing led his teams and businesses to amazing success over the years. I personally can't thank Carl enough for giving me my first opportunity and introducing me to the sport I love. In his time, Carl was the boss of many of racing's greatest drivers, and for me to get to work under him for those four years was some of the greatest times of my life. There weren't many like Carl, and he will surely be missed."

NICK CRAW (President and CEO of ACCUS; former President of the SCCA, SCCA Pro Racing. Haas served as Chairman of the SCCA Board of Directors and later of SCCA Pro Racing during Craw’s stints as President).

“While Carl’s accomplishments in IndyCar and Formula 1 are remarkable, he never received proper credit for his generosity to less visible parts of the industry, such as club racing. For six years, he gave countless hours to SCCA as its Board Chairman; I will always be grateful for his staunch support and wisdom.

DARIO FRANCHITTI (four-time IndyCar champion; three-time Indy 500 winner)
"I'm so sad to hear of the passing of Carl Haas. He owned cars in all kinds of series: Can-Am, F1, NASCAR and of course IndyCar, where he became a legend. Together with Paul Newman they had many huge years, world class drivers, big sponsors and a great team of people. In later years Carl and Paul dug into their own pockets to keep that group of amazing people together. He was an unbelievably hard businessman but loved his sport.
I talked with Carl and Paul once to come to their team, Paul wanted to drink beer and talk it over... Negotiating with Carl is something neither my manager Julian or I will ever forget! He wrote the book.

"Carl was an eccentric, hilariously so at times. I'll tell you this though, when I won a race or championship or had another sizeable crash the first email I always received was from Carl and Bernie either to congratulate me or to ask if I was ok and if I needed anything.
We will never see his or Paul's like again, rest in peace guys, we miss you both."

LISA NOBLE (President & CEO, SCCA)

"Carl Haas was a titan in the motorsports industry. His love for the Sports Car Club of America was evidenced by his commitment in serving for a dozen years as Chairman of the SCCA Board of Directors, and as Chairman of SCCA Pro Racing. But those are just facts, and facts will never give you a sense of his incredible personal presence and influence.

"His Lola Cars populated the ranks of SCCA formula car fields. Many a Club driver still remembers the day they called Haas Automobile Imports to order a Lola formula car or Hewland parts, many times ending up with Carl on the other end of the line.

"Because he is so aligned with his race business and pro teams, it is easy to forget the man was an accomplished race car driver himself. Long after his career as a driver had passed, I remember him and PL Newman on the Road Atlanta pit wall. A huge stogie clenched firmly between his teeth as they watched the action on track. There were race cars out there, so of course, he was interested!

"In his tenure at the helm of the SCCA, Carl established the business bedrock the Club is built on today. On behalf of our 67,500 SCCA members, we send condolences to the Haas family and team members."
RON DENNIS (Chairman and CEO, McLaren)

"The word 'legend' is often overused in a racing context, but undoubtedly it is justified in the case of Carl Haas. His passing is therefore an occurrence not only of great sadness to his grieving family and friends, but also of great significance to the motorsport community - not only in the United States, but also all over the world.

"Since Carl inaugurated his first race team in 1967, he has been prodigiously successful - 16 championships, more than 140 race wins - and on behalf of all at McLaren and Honda, I hereby therefore salute him and his legacy, and offer his loved ones our sincere condolences on this very sad occasion."
ORIOL SERVIA (driver for Newman/Haas Racing in 2005, '09, '11, below)
"Carl's overwhelming success in racing as his legacy states was only matched by his genuine, passionate and peculiar character. I was lucky enough to drive for Carl in the three different seasons and during those years all the conversations I had with him were priceless. He was loved and appreciated by everyone that ever worked for him. He had high loyalty standards and all his partnerships with manufacturers, sponsors, Paul Newman and with his long life partner and wife, Berni Haas, are a clear proof of it and should serve as an example to the rest of the racing and business community."

 

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