CIS: Gordon Johncock
Centennial Interview Series, Interviews, Podcasts — By More Front Wing Staff on May 13, 2011 10:09 amWe begin featuring two-time Indianapolis 500 champions with this Centennial Interview Series profile of Gordon Johncock. Going into this series, we suspected that we would hit upon at least one driver whose memories of Indianapolis might be more negative than positive, and Gordon was that driver. He had a difficult career at the Speedway, and his controversial viewpoints on a number of aspects of the sport reflect the challenges he faced there.
Gordon began by talking about his rookie year in 1965, then talked about his early difficulty with finishing races and the danger that drivers faced by climbing into the cockpit in those days. He reflected on 1973, the year of his first win and an event that many who witnessed it prefer to forget. He also talked about dueling with Rick Mears to take his second win in 1982 and discussed how he feels about his two wins when he looks back on them today. Gordon then talked about some of the aspects of racing that have changed since his time, including improvements in safety and his very passionate views on the effect of the influx of foreign drivers. Gordon then shared how he viewed racing differently than most other drivers of his day in that he saw it only as a weekend job that he left behind when he returned home. Finally, Gordon talked about why he was never really close with any of the other drivers in the paddock before talking about his unique view on being a champion of the Indianapolis 500.
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Tags: Centennial Interview Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indy 500
Well, I guess over 100 years one winner is bound to be a Xenophobic possible racist. His dated prejudice attitude is on the decline, much like NASCAR’s ratings.
Nothing I dislike more than folks who brag about being “The best in the world”. Then complain about actually having to compete against people from outside their nation. Nice work on this interview, I might have told him my view of him then. Enjoying the whole series of interviews.
Easy to throw out liberal slurs, doesn’t take much thought. Are you an oikophobe? Your dated liberalism is also on the decline, much like your brain.
It’s not xenophobia. Gordy is Gordy, and what he says isn’t far from the truth. One of the biggest reasons Indy has lost some of its luster is that the casual fans (not folks like you, Spike or even I) can’t identify with the drivers. That’s a pretty big deal, whether you care to admit it or not.
Have to say that I’m with James on this one. Gordy is the product of a different era, and nothing can change that.
Wow. Yeah…Gordy is Gordy. Can’t really put it any other way, can you?
[…] want to hear a well-done interview gone awry, check out the More Front Wing Gordon Johncock podcast here. While there, check out the others that are not quite as depressing as […]
Yes, Indy racing is not the same since it has now become a field of racers from outside the USA. We use to watch our cousin and the races every weekend. Since his retirement and the sons of the drivers he use to compete against no longer race, we no longer follow even the Indy 500. When I look back at Gordon’s career, I understand why he feels the way he does since so many of his wrecks (98%) were of course from other drivers.
I wonder if Gordon (the Weekend Warrior ) would have gotten into the races he won had the Provisional been in effect back then.
The Truth is that he is spot on in his opinion. Like Smokey said it all went south when Mercedes wouldn’t let anyone look into Al Jr.’s motor.
When these guys showed up it was the fastest 33 out of at least a hundred that raced. All this with complete transperency.
Gordy did that in 65 with a home built car!
Being a 60 year Indy Car fan I agree with Johncock 100 percent. Indy Car today is a shadow of its former glory. Look at the excitement with Kurt Bush going to Indy!
Foreign drivers at Indy, for the most part I am with Gordy. Ok foreign money can buy a good ride for sure, but what sucks about Indy is that the grass roots guys like Smokey or Roger Rager using an old school bus engine (Remember how pissed AJ was!) can not still build a car and engine to compete against the big guys like the then PPG (Penske Patrick and God). In 82 I was there when Teo put the March on the pole, Dan Gurney was there with the American made Eagles with a youthful Al Jr driving a cosworth, a stock block Chevy Jet Titanium team, a stock block OLDSMOBILE with a new AAR fuel injection system. There was a new Buick V6 turbo, a new Penske car, a new Wildcat for Gordy, a Longhorn, etc etc etc. Private guys put cars together and tried to qualify because they could, twenty or so teams failed to qualify BUT THEY TRIED!!!!!!!!!!!! Now you have buy a BORING spec car, and you must lease one of two engines and have a zillion dollars, multiple electronic data engineers, more radio equipment than NASA had on the moon shots. Why don’t you just go rent a Mustang from Hertz and race them. Who wants to see 33 of the same chassis race with the same engines. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
Open the field up, scrap the spec cars, throw out the carbon fiber, require crate motors that any one of us can buy from GM/Ford/Dodge/etc performance parts, keep electronics to only on board engine management, no radios, no electronic telepathy, low noses (I hate high noses on Indy cars and people), spec a side pod and rear wind to keep the wind tunnel jerks at bay. Now if you do all that, In three years there would be 60 teams trying to qualify at Indy and I will put Gordy behind the wheel any day.
In this day an age technology can virtually replace the driver the same way we have let technology replace innovation and creativity. What drives people to the races is uniqueness, innovation, creativity, curiosity, drama, skill, mistakes, driver bravery and guts! Today in a field filled with spec cars and a few mega dollar teams all you get with multi color billboards and boredom. Pit boards and Gordy all the way man!
Gordy is just being patriotic. I’ve heard this same sentiment from many Americans.
However, they are misguided and I think a foolish use of patriotism. While it’s true that Indycar let Jeff Gordon slip away, most foreign IndyCar drivers are there due to talent. Road course talent that was nurtured better in their home countries than what Americans have been able to garner at home. I think that is the real problem that these patriotic fans should be focused on.
Thanks to the media fanning the flames of the IndyCar split in ’96, many fans left while NASCAR flourished. IndyCar would likely have lost Gordon anyway – as they did Tony Stewart, Sam Hornish Jr. and Danica Patrick, who switched, hoping for richer and safer racing careers.
Not knowing who the drivers are is not the fault of having foreign drivers. The fault is that you do not follow the series. I grew up watching Indycar in the 70s and I have never stopped being a fan. So, I know who all the drivers are. Also, there has always been some foreign drivers (and cars) in the Indy 500 since the start.
I choose my favorite drivers based on how good of a race car driver they are and on their personality. What country they are from has never entered into it. In fact I think it’s cool that IndyCar now has as many different countries represented as Formula 1. It lends the series more legitimacy.
While I must admit I’m happy that one of my current favorite IndyCar drivers is an American, I would much rather watch IndyCar which has the best racing in the world, than a lesser series because all the drivers are Americans. If it peeves you to see drivers from other countries, then you basically have to stop watching all top racing series and stick to NASCAR. You’re just short-changing yourself in my opinion.