Background:
I was working my way thru college and offered a job for the weekend as a "security guard" at an event the then 1971 and inaugural Schaefer 500 at a new facility, the Pocono International Raceway which was about 40 miles from my home - I was given to use a bright yellow jacket with "SECURITY" on the back a assigned to a garage to make sure only those with the proper credentials were allowed to pass - the garage was for Penske Racing with driver Mark Donohue - I watched them work on the car recall I saw this strange tool working on the wheels an tires (now known to me as Dunlop Gauges) for what is seemed like hours - another one of my tasks was to escort the car to the front straightway grid to keep prying hands off the car - I was there I took a and old business card from my wallet borrowed a pen and received an autograph from Mark ! He won that day and the "party hardy" was their garage post race - I then followed his career in a new magazine for me, Road & Track but continued mine in Drag Racing
Fast forward to 1974 - I left for grad school and during the following summer my brother on the 4th of July 1975 took me to a place called " ...The Glen" for the 6 Hours, WC of Makes, F5000 and Super Vee Trans Am - I was in shock - I was amazed by what I saw - the next weekend went to AutoWorld in Scranton PA saw my first formula ford, bought an AutoWeek and the hook was set --- sold all my drag racing stuff (car and all) a planned for a post grad school racing .............
Went back to grad school that mid August and after the long drive from PA to Fla turned on my 'ole B&W tv and heard on the NBC news Mark was dead - - gone - I was crushed
For Christmas 1975 my brother gave me Unfair Advantage and I cannot tell you how many times I have read this book - If you hav'nt then it is your loss - All we hope to achieve in our sport - the alignment, the development, the tinker'ing the driving and hopefully winning is exposed therein -
I have a framed photo of Mark standing in his 1972 McLaren from Indy framed with that 1971 business card autograph in my home office.
So I remember Mark this weekend, An Ivy Mechanical Engineer. NYU MBA a racer, a champion, husband, father ................ and my inspiration :checkered:
I was working my way thru college and offered a job for the weekend as a "security guard" at an event the then 1971 and inaugural Schaefer 500 at a new facility, the Pocono International Raceway which was about 40 miles from my home - I was given to use a bright yellow jacket with "SECURITY" on the back a assigned to a garage to make sure only those with the proper credentials were allowed to pass - the garage was for Penske Racing with driver Mark Donohue - I watched them work on the car recall I saw this strange tool working on the wheels an tires (now known to me as Dunlop Gauges) for what is seemed like hours - another one of my tasks was to escort the car to the front straightway grid to keep prying hands off the car - I was there I took a and old business card from my wallet borrowed a pen and received an autograph from Mark ! He won that day and the "party hardy" was their garage post race - I then followed his career in a new magazine for me, Road & Track but continued mine in Drag Racing
Fast forward to 1974 - I left for grad school and during the following summer my brother on the 4th of July 1975 took me to a place called " ...The Glen" for the 6 Hours, WC of Makes, F5000 and Super Vee Trans Am - I was in shock - I was amazed by what I saw - the next weekend went to AutoWorld in Scranton PA saw my first formula ford, bought an AutoWeek and the hook was set --- sold all my drag racing stuff (car and all) a planned for a post grad school racing .............
Went back to grad school that mid August and after the long drive from PA to Fla turned on my 'ole B&W tv and heard on the NBC news Mark was dead - - gone - I was crushed
For Christmas 1975 my brother gave me Unfair Advantage and I cannot tell you how many times I have read this book - If you hav'nt then it is your loss - All we hope to achieve in our sport - the alignment, the development, the tinker'ing the driving and hopefully winning is exposed therein -
I have a framed photo of Mark standing in his 1972 McLaren from Indy framed with that 1971 business card autograph in my home office.
So I remember Mark this weekend, An Ivy Mechanical Engineer. NYU MBA a racer, a champion, husband, father ................ and my inspiration :checkered:
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