Jim McGee: Crew Chief of Champions
By Gordon Kirby
During a career that began in the mid-1960s and continues in a reduced role today, Jim McGee became the most successful crew chief in Indycar history with 91 race wins, nine National Championships and four Indy 500 triumphs. He worked for all the major teams, beginning with Clint Brawner’s Dean Van Lines squad before moving on to Penske, Patrick, Granatelli, Vel’s Parnelli Jones, Rahal-Hogan, Newman/Haas and, at the moment, Ganassi.
Beginning with his earliest years in Boston, author Kirby tells McGee’s long and fascinating life story through not only interviews with the subject himself, but a number of those noted above and many other drivers, mechanics and car owners as well. All seem to be on the same page, as the consensus is that there is no one quite like Jim McGee.
After all, he won three National Championships and an Indy 500 with Mario Andretti, single championships and 500s with both Rick Mears and Emerson Fittipaldi, a 500 with Gordon Johncock, a pair of titles with Tom Sneva and consecutive crowns with Bobby Rahal in ’92 and Nigel Mansell in ’93.
All of that and much more, printed on high-quality paper stock and including many previously unseen photographs, is available for US$75 at enthusiast bookstores or direct from publisher Racemaker Press at www.racemaker.com.
