Colin Chapman inspects the back of Mario Andretti's Lotus 79 in the pit lane before practice for the 1978 United States Grand Prix East at Watkins Glen.
Sports Car Digest continues the series of photo retrospectives drawn from the film archive of Bob Harmeyer. The first installment looked at the 24 Hours of Daytona, followed by the 12 Hours of Sebring, 1977 Indianapolis 500 and the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans. The latest installment is a collection of candid, environmental portraits of drivers, owners and other personalities from four decades of racing. To see more of Bob Harmeyer’s images, visit bobh.photoshelter.com
Drivers and Personalities from 1971 to 2008
By Bob Harmeyer
Many aspects of auto racing have changed dramatically over the decades — the circuits, cars and technology all have changed, and the “sport” of racing has been overrun by the “business” of racing.
But the intensity, joy, commitment and dedication of the drivers, owners, crew members and others have never changed, and these characteristics and emotions are documented and preserved by photographers every season.
Winning drivers and owners hoist, hug, and pose with their trophies, and spray champagne from victory podiums around the world. Although usually distinguished and composed, a momentarily gleeful Roger Penske gave photographers and his own crewmen a “champagne shower” at Nazareth in 2000 when he became the first IndyCar owner to reach 100 career victories. Along with Penske, drivers Alex Zanardi, Dale Earnhardt, Michael Andretti and others are included in the celebratory photographs in the following selection.
Also included are designers like Jim Hall, Colin Chapman and Derek Gardner who were, arguably, as innovative in their own eras as anyone working today. The tools have changed, with computers replacing pens and drafting tables, but the people behind the extraordinary ideas have always been the ones working on the conceptual, cerebral margins.
Most drivers seem to speak an occupational sign language, using their hands as illustrative tools when talking to engineers, designers, crew chiefs, or other drivers. Whether it is Rusty Wallace speaking to his crew at Daytona in 2005, or Mario Andretti talking to Colin Chapman in Sweden almost 30 years earlier, photographs illustrate these drivers’ hands are an integral part of their communication process.
And for sheer longevity wheeling a race car at the front of the field, it’s hard to imagine anyone surpassing sprint car legend Steve Kinser, shown in a photograph from Eldora Speedway early in his career. He’s been a regular on the World of Outlaws tour for more than 30 years, winning 20 championships during that period. Unbelievable.
Drivers and Personalities from 1971 to 2008 – Photo Gallery
Jackie Stewart prepares to drive Carl Haas’ Lola T260 in the 1971 Can-Am race at Le Circuit Mont Tremblant in Quebec. Stewart won the Formula 1 World Championship that season for Ken Tyrrell, and also drove the full Can-Am schedule for Carl Haas, winning at both Mont Tremblant and Mid-Ohio. Clay Regazzoni, Emerson Fittipaldi and Ronnie Peterson (L-R) with ‘Miss Grand Prix’ in victory lane at the 1974 Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport Park. Fittipaldi, Regazzoni and Peterson finished first, second and third, respectively, and Fittipaldi beat Regazzoni for the World Championship by just three points. Niki Lauda receives the trophy for winning the 1975 United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen. This was Lauda’s fifth victory of the season for Ferrari, and his first World Championship. Jim Hall, photographed in the paddock area at Road America during the F5000 event in 1975. Although a top-flight designer in his own right, Hall teamed with Carl Haas to run a Lola/Chevrolet in the F5000 series for Brian Redman, winning three consecutive championships. Roger Penske in the pit lane at Darlington Raceway during the Rebel 500 NASCAR race in 1976. Carlos Reutemann sits in his Brabham BT45 before practice for the 1976 Grand Prix of Belgium at Zolder. Reutemann had engine problems during the race and completed just 17 laps. Derek Gardner(center, white coat), designer of the Tyrrell P34 six-wheel Formula 1 car, speaks with a crew member in the Tyrrell race shop near Ockham, Surrey. Gardner originally designed the car as a four-wheel drive entry for the Indianapolis 500, before USAC changed the regulations and abolished four-wheel drive machines. Emerson Fittipaldi, photographed during the production of a promotional film for Goodyear, in the pit lane before practice for the Monaco Grand Prix in 1976. Mario Andretti, sitting in his Lotus 77, gestures with his hand as he speaks with designer Colin Chapman during practice for the 1976 Grand Prix of Sweden. Andretti qualified the Lotus on the pole. Richard Petty flashes his characteristic smile before practice for a NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway in 1976. Gordon Johncock lifts the trophy after winning a USAC Champ Car race en route to the 1976 national championship. David Hobbs maximizes product identification for IMSA’s series sponsor after winning a Camel GT race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1977. For the 1977 World Sports Car Championship round at Watkins Glen, Hans Stuck (left) and Ronnie Peterson were entered in a pair of BMW 320i machines for different teams. Both had full-time Formula 1 rides – Stuck with Brabham, and Peterson in the 6-wheel Tyrrell – but this was an era when F1 drivers made occasional appearances in other series. Gilles Villeneuve, photographed at the 1977 Canadian Grand Prix at Mosport, Villeneuve’s first drive for Ferrari. A few days short of his 16th birthday, Michael Andretti holds a pit board for his father during the 1978 United States Grand Prix East at Watkins Glen. Mario had clinched the World Championship a few weeks earlier at Monza, but engine problems developed early in the Watkins Glen event and dropped him from the race after just 27 laps. Colin Chapman inspects the back of Mario Andretti’s Lotus 79 in the pit lane before practice for the 1978 United States Grand Prix East at Watkins Glen. As the defending Indy 500 champion, AJ Foyt was in a good mood early in the month of May during practice for the 1978 Indianapolis 500. He qualified on the outside of the front row, but faded to 13th by the race’s finish. Rolf Stommelen (left) speaks with co-driver Rick Mears during practice for the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1979. Starting from pole position in a Porsche 935 entered by Dick Barbour, the team finished fourth. If it was easy, anyone could do it….Al Unser doesn’t look pleased after a practice session for the CART Gould Twin Dixie 125 event at Atlanta International Raceway in 1979. World of Outlaws sprint car legend Steve Kinser waits to qualify at the Eldora Speedway in October, 1979. Johnny Rutherford waves to the crowd after winning the pole position for the 1980 Indianapolis 500 in Jim Hall’s Chaparral 2K. Two weeks later, Rutherford also won the race. Paul Newman waits to drive the Datsun 280 ZX Turbo that he shared with Sam Posey in an IMSA race at Road America in 1980. Linda Vaughn, Miss Hurst Golden Shifter, waves to the crowd during a pre-race parade for the 1981 Daytona 500. Rick Mears waits for the start of practice for the 1981 Indianapolis 500. Mears dropped out of the “500” after a pit fire, but won the following CART races at Atlanta, Riverside, Michigan, Watkins Glen and Mexico City to wrap up his second CART championship. Team owner Carl Haas (left) and team manager/crew cheif Tony Dowe, monitoring practice laps during a Can-Am event at Watkins Glen. Alan Jones checks a replacement helmet visor before practice for the 1981 Canadian Grand Prix. Christie Brinkley participates in the victory lane celebration following the 1982 Grand Prix of Long Beach. Tim Richmond spoofs photographers after qualifying for the 1983 Daytona 500. Richmond’s flashy personality didn’t fit well with NASCAR management of that era, but likely would be a welcome addition to the series’ driver line-up today. Cale Yarborough celebrates with the trophy and several hats in victory lane after winning the 1984 Daytona 500 in Harry Ranier’s Chevrolet. During qualifying a week earlier Yarborough had become the first driver to officially break the 200 mph barrier at Daytona. Shirley Muldowney, photographed in the pit area at the 1984 NHRA Gatornationals near Gainesville, Florida, was the NHRA’s first three-time Top Fuel champion. Al Unser, Jr. (left) was ambushed with an unexpected bearhug from CART champion Bobby Rahal during a photo session before the 1988 season’s opening event in Phoenix. Dale Earnhardt celebrates his fourth NASCAR championship at Atlanta in 1990, while Dale Earnhardt, Jr.(upper left) looks at the trophy over his father’s shoulder. Nigel Mansell, photographed in the pit lane before the 1993 Marlboro 500 CART race at Michigan International Speedway, perhaps the most significant victory of his IndyCar career. Dale Jarrett celebrates in victory lane with his daughters Natalee and Karsyn after winning the 1996 Daytona 500, his second victory in NASCAR’s most prestigious race. Paul Tracy (right) speaks with teammate Dario Franchitt (left, in car) before practice for the 1998 CART race in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Alex Zanardi hugs the trophy after winning the 1998 CART race in Surfers Paradise, Australia, en route to his second consecutive championship for Chip Ganassi. Michael Andretti spends a contemplative moment alone on the pit wall before qualifying for the 2000 CART race in Toronto. Andretti went on to win the event, his sixth victory on the streets around Exhibition Place. Christian Fittipaldi (right) speaks with Newman-Haas engineer Todd Bowland following practice for the 2000 CART race at Motegi, Japan. Roger Penske celebrates his team’s 100th IndyCar win following Gil de Ferran’s victory at the Nazareth Speedway on May 27, 2000. Michael Andretti celebrates his victory in the 2001 CART race in Toronto – his seventh, and final, triumph as a driver in the Molson Indy Toronto event. Rusty Wallace speaks with his crew in the garage area at Daytona during a NASCAR test session before the 2005 season. Perhaps one of the most under-rated drivers, Scott Pruett is still winning races, well past his 50th birthday. Experienced in sports cars, Indy cars and NASCAR stock cars, Pruett currently drives for Chip Ganassi’s Grand-Am prototype team. Richard Petty inspects a tire during NASCAR winter testing in 2005 at Daytona. A hands-on team owner, Petty isn’t one to fly in on race morning, socialize with sponsors and fly home before the finish. Nearly 70 years old when this picture was taken, the seven-time champion was at a mid-January test, bent over a tire at the back of a primer-gray race car. John Force celebrates with the NHRA trophy after winning the Funny Car class at Topeka in 2008. Force had been severely injured in a crash during the 2007 season and missed the remainder of the year. This victory at Topeka was his first since the accident.
