Gordon Johncock

Gordon Johncock (born August 5, 1936) is an American former racing driver. He won the Indianapolis 500 twice, and was the 1976 USAC Marlboro Championship Trail champion. Johncock was most often simply referred to as "Gordy."

Gordon Johncock
Gordon Johncock's 1982 Indianapolis 500 winning car
NationalityAmerican
BornAugust 5, 1936 (1936-08-05) (age 84)
Hastings, Michigan, U.S.

Early career

Johncock began racing at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Michigan. Johncock began his USAC and CART/IndyCar career in 1964 when he drove for Weinberger Racing. He ran four races in 1964, and then went full-time in 1965. Johncock's first USAC victory was scored at the Milwaukee Mile in August 1965. In 1966, he went winless in nine starts out of 16 races, so he left Gerhardt Racing at the end of the year, to form his own team, Johncock Racing. His primary sponsor became Gilmore Broadcasting and Johncock was the only other "owner-driver" in IndyCar other than AJ Foyt. Although Johncock's team won six races in a three-year period (1967 - 1969), things went downhill when Johncock lost the Gilmore sponsorship at the end of 1970. Between 1970 and 1973, Johncock went winless, his team shuttered operations, and Johncock found himself in bankruptcy court. He also was involved in a divorce with his ex-wife.

Johncock's winless drought came to an end when he joined the STP/Patrick Racing team ahead of the 1973 USAC season. At the 1973 Indianapolis 500, a major accident at the start involving Salt Walther, coupled with two days of rain, postponed the race until late Wednesday afternoon. When the race was held, Johncock's teammate Swede Savage was severely injured in a fiery crash on lap 58. A moment later, Armando Teran, a pit crew member on the same STP/Patrick team, was struck by a fire truck going northbound in the pits, and was fatally injured at the scene. When the race resumed, Johncock took the lead on lap 73 and held it until rain fell again on the 133rd lap. Nearing 6 p.m., the race was red flagged and declared over. After a short and muted victory lane celebration, Johncock went to visit Savage at the hospital. Afterward, the celebratory victory banquet was cancelled. Instead, Johncock and his crew went to a local fast-food joint for hamburgers. 33 days after the race, Savage died from his injuries.

Johncock won the USAC national championship in 1976, snatching the title from Johnny Rutherford in the final race of the season at Phoenix International Raceway. In 1976 and 1978 he finished third at Indianapolis, and in 1977 he was leading A. J. Foyt when the car's crankshaft broke with sixteen laps to go.

Johncock's car at Pocono, October 2008

Johncock took a second Indianapolis 500 victory in 1982 by a car length over Rick Mears. After falling behind on the final sequence of pit stops, Mears was rapidly closing on Johncock in the final laps, and on the 197th and 198th laps came from 3 seconds back to within car lengths. Johncock's tires were deteriorating by the lap, and with each turn the car understeered more severely. Mears caught Johncock at the start of the final lap and tried to pass him for the win, but Johncock made a decisive defense of first place in Turn One and held on to win by 0.16 seconds. At the time it was the closest finish in history and remains the fourth-closest behind the 1992, 2014, and 2006 races. Mears would later joke about watching the tape over and over "to see if this time I get around Gordy". Johncock, during a live interview on ABC years later, offered that if the dramatic duel had occurred two or three years later—when Mears had additional experience—the Californian would probably have pulled off the winning pass.

Johncock leads Rick Mears in the closing stages of the 1982 Indy 500.

Johncock took another three Indycar races, including the 1982 Michigan 500 to complete two legs of what was then known as the Triple Crown (Indianapolis, Michigan, and Pocono) before retiring from full-time racing in 1985. He returned for occasional appearances in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991 and retired for good after the 1992 Indianapolis 500.

Johncock's last Indycar win was in the opening round of the 1983 CART PPG Indy Car World Series at the Atlanta Motor Speedway driving a Cosworth powered Patrick Wildcat. Johncock, who started 3rd on the grid, won the 200 mile, 132 lap race at an average of 146.133 mph from the Penske-Cosworth of Al Unser and John Paul, Jr. in a 1982 model Penske-Cosworth.

Johncock competed in twenty-one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events in his career. He earned three top-fives and four top-tens in his limited schedules. The best of those finishes were a pair of fourths in 1973 at Daytona and 1966 at Rockingham.

First retirement

Johncock abruptly retired from IndyCar racing during the first week of practice for the 1985 Indianapolis 500, just before qualifications. He served on the IMS Radio Network in 1985 but decided to return to racing in 1986. He planned to enter the 1986 Indianapolis 500, but his funding for a car fell through. He wound up sitting out the race. He attempted another return in 1987. During the first week of time trials, Jim Crawford suffered serious injuries to his feet. Johncock was hired to drive in replacement and qualified for the race.

Second retirement

Johncock completed a sixth-place finish in the 1991 Indy 500, despite having flu-like symptoms the morning of the race. His final race was the 1992 Indy 500, where he dropped out with engine failure. Since his retirement, Johncock has distanced himself from motorsports, and focuses on his timber business in Michigan. He participated in a 2004 interview on ESPN Classic's "Big Ticket" review of the 1982 Indy 500. In the interview, he admitted that his interests in racing were now limited, and was no longer his daily focus. In discussing the 1973 race, Johncock appeared to have made peace with the circumstances. While most discredit the race as being rain-shortened, and for its overall miserable memories, Johncock insisted that his car was undoubtedly the fastest on the track, led easily, and was not simply in front at the time of the red flag by chance.

Johncock chose not to attend the 2011 Indianapolis 500, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first race. Despite the fact that all living former participants, and particularly living former winners, were invited, Johncock did not attend any of the festivities, seemingly by choice. A year later, Speedway officials again invited him to attend, and he did return to the Speedway and participated in pre-race festivities at the 2012 race.

Awards

Motorsports career results

American open-wheel racing

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

USAC Championship Car

USAC Championship Car results
Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Pos. Pts
1964 Weinberger & Welseck Enterprises Blum 62 D Offenhauser PHX TRE INDY MIL LAN TRE ISF
18
MIL
21
DSF
DNQ
INF
14
TRE
DNQ
SAC
DNQ
PHX
10
40th 60
1965 Weinberger & Welseck Enterprises Watson 62 FE Offenhauser PHX
17
INDY
5
MIL
7
LAN
10
PPR IRP
8
ATL
6
LAN
3
MIL
15
5th 1540
Blum 62 D TRE
8
ISF
11
DSF
10
INF
DNQ
Pete Salemi Gerhardt 65 TRE
23
Weinberger & Welseck Enterprises MIL
1
TRE
14
SAC PHX
21
1966 Weinberger & Welseck Enterprises Gerhardt 65 Offy 252 ci PHX
9
TRE
2
3rd 2050
Gerhardt 66 Ford 255 ci V8 INDY
4
LAN
19
ATL
3
PPR IRP
5
LAN
2
ISF MIL
2
DSF INF TRE
12
SAC PHX
DNS
Offy 252 ci MIL
DNS
1967 Johncock Racing Team Gerhardt 67 Ford 255 ci V8 PHX
3
TRE
20
INDY
12
MIL
1
LAN
4
PPR MOS
3
MOS
3
IRP
6
LAN
2
MTR
7
MTR
4
ISF MIL
4
DSF INF TRE
2
SAC HAN
1
RSD
26
4th 2700
Offy 159 ci t PHX
4
1968 Johncock Racing Team Gerhardt 66 Offy 159 ci t HAN
1
TRE
4
12th 1257
Gerhardt 67 Ford 255 ci V8 LVS
7
PHX
18
Gerhardt 68 Offy 159 ci t INDY
27
MIL
12
LAN
1
PPR LAN
21
LAN MCH
DNS
PHX
7
Eagle 68 Ford 255 ci V8 MOS
13
MOS CDR
25
NAZ MTR
15
MTR ISF RSD
11
Gerhardt 68 IRP
5
IRP
16
Eagle 68 Offy 159 ci t MIL
15
DSF INF TRE
19
SAC HAN
DNS
1969 Johncock Racing Team Gerhardt 67 Offy 159 ci t PHX
10
HAN
3
5th 2070
Gerhardt 68 INDY
19
MIL
8
TRE
4
MIL
19
ISF DOV
2
DSF INF TRE
6
SAC SIR SIR
Eagle 68 LAN
20
PPR PHX
10
Ford 255 ci V8 CDR
1
NAZ BRN
1
BRN
2
Gerhardt 68 IRP
10
IRP
14
Chevrolet 320 ci V8 RSD
9
1970 Johncock Racing Team Gerhardt 68 Offy 159 ci t PHX
18
TRE
15
INDY
28
7th 1160
Eagle 68 Ford 255 ci V8 SON
4
CDR
7
IRP
3
ISF MIL
McLaren M15A Offy 159 ci t MIL
12
LAN
10
MCH
12
ONT
4
DSF INF SED TRE
DNQ
SAC PHX
1971 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 67 Ford 159ci V8t RAF
9
RAF
10
PHX
8
TRE
15
MIL
10
27th 225
McLaren M15A Offy 159 ci t INDY
29
POC
20
MCH
23
MIL
25
Team McLaren McLaren M16A ONT
27
TRE PHX
1972 Team McLaren McLaren M16A Offy 159 ci t PHX TRE
3
21st 360
McLaren M16B INDY
20
MIL MCH
9
POC
22
ONT
13
TRE
20
PHX
Roger Penske Enterprises MIL
22
1973 Patrick Racing Eagle 72 Offy 159 ci t TWS
23
TRE
2
TRE
21
INDY
1
MIL
18
POC
14
7th 2240
Eagle 73 MCH
9
MIL
17
ONT
5
ONT ONT
32
MCH
17
MCH TRE
1
TWS
7
PHX
1
1974 Patrick Racing Eagle 74 Offy 159 ci t ONT
14
ONT ONT
26
PHX
4
TRE
2
POC
3
MCH
3
MIL
1
MCH
14
TRE
11
TRE
2
PHX
1
3rd 3050
Eagle 73 INDY
4
MIL
16
1975 Patrick Racing Wildcat Mk 1 DGS 158 ci t ONT
5
ONT ONT
15
INDY
31
MIL
14
POC
20
MCH
11
MIL
2
MCH
6
TRE
1
PHX
23
10th 1280
Eagle 74 Offy 159 ci t PHX
2
TRE
10
1976 Patrick Racing Wildcat Mk 2 DGS 158 ci t PHX
3
TRE
2
INDY
3
POC
27
MCH
1
TWS
5
ONT
3
MCH
2
TWS
2
PHX
2
1st 4240
Wildcat Mk 1 MIL
2
TRE
1
MIL
2
1977 Patrick Racing Wildcat Mk 2 DGS 158 ci t ONT
5
PHX
12
TWS
9
TRE
2
INDY
11
MIL
12
POC
3
MCH
2
TWS
2
ONT
11
MCH
1
PHX
1
5th 2830
Wildcat Mk 3 MOS
18
MIL
10
1978 Patrick Racing Wildcat Mk 2 DGS 158 ci t PHX
1
ONT
19
TWS
3
TRE
1
INDY
3
MIL
22
POC
14
MCH
19
ATL
7
TWS
7
MIL
3
ONT
3
MCH
3
TRE
14
PHX
3
3rd 3548
Wildcat Mk 4 Drake DT 160 V8 MOS
DNS
Wildcat Mk 3 DGS 158 ci t SIL
4
BRH
11
1979 Patrick Racing Penske PC-6 Cosworth DFX V8t ONT TWS INDY
6
MIL POC TWS MIL NC 0
1980 Patrick Racing Wildcat Mk 6 Cosworth DFX V8t ONT
3
4th 1330
Penske PC-6 INDY
4
Phoenix 80 MIL
3
POC
DNS
MDO
2
1981-82 Patrick Racing Wildcat MK8 Cosworth DFX V8t INDY
9
POC ISF DSF INF 5th 1000
Wildcat 8B INDY
1
1982-83 Patrick Racing Wildcat IX Cosworth DFX V8t ISF DSF NAZ INDY
14
22nd 25
1983-84 Patrick Racing March 84C Cosworth DFX V8t DSF INDY
25
29th 10

PPG Indy Car World Series

PPG Indy Car World Series results
Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pos. Pts
1979 Patrick Racing Penske PC-6 Cosworth DFX V8t PHX
1
ATL
4
ATL
9
INDY
6
TRE
3
TRE
5
MCH
1
MCH
4
WGL
3
TRE
16
ONT
15
MCH
13
ATL
2
PHX
4
3rd 2211
1980 Patrick Racing Wildcat Mk6 Cosworth DFX V8t ONT
3
MCH
5
6th 1572
Penske PC-6 INDY
4
Phoenix 80 MIL
3
POC
DNS
MDO
2
WGL
21
MIL
23
ONT
23
MCH
24
MEX
19
PHX
24
1981 Patrick Racing Wildcat MK8 Cosworth DFX V8t PHX
6
MIL
16
ATL
4
ATL
4
MCH
36
RIV
2
MIL
6
MCH
5
WGL
10
MEX
3
PHX
3
4th 142
1982 Patrick Racing Wildcat 8B Cosworth DFX V8t PHX
5
ATL
2
MIL
1
CLE
5
MCH
1
MIL
11
POC
6
RIV
26
ROA
22
MCH
15
PHX
23
4th 186
1983 Patrick Racing Wildcat IX Cosworth DFX V8t ATL
1
INDY
14
16th 20
March 83C MIL
23
CLE
26
MCH
26
ROA POC RIV MDO MCH CPL LAG PHX
1984 Patrick Racing Wildcat MkX Cosworth DFX V8t LBH
11
14th 39
March 84C PHX
10
INDY
25
MIL
6
POR
9
MEA
12
CLE
18
MCH
4
ROA
9
POC
11
MDO
10
SAN
17
MCH
DNQ
PHX
13
LAG CPL
DNS
1985 Patrick Racing March 85C Cosworth DFX V8t LBH INDY
Wth1
MIL POR MEA CLE MCH ROA POC MDO SAN MCH LAG PHX MIA NA -
1987 Patrick Racing March 86C Buick 3300 V6t LBH PHX INDY
22
MIL POR MEA CLE TOR MCH POC ROA MDO NAZ LAG MIA NC 0
1988 Royal Motor Racing Lola T87/00 Buick 3300 V6t PHX LBH INDY
DNQ
MIL POR CLE TOR MEA 21st 16
Hemelgarn Racing Lola T88/00 MCH
6
POC
6
MDO ROA NAZ LAG MIA
1989 Hemelgarn Racing Lola T88/00 Buick 3300 V6t PHX LBH INDY
31
MIL DET POR CLE MEA TOR NC 0
Lola T89/00 Judd AV MCH
21
POC
15
MDO ROA NAZ LAG
1991 Hemelgarn Racing Lola T90/00 Cosworth DFS V8t SRF LBH PHX INDY
6
MIL DET POR CLE MEA TOR MCH DEN VAN MDO ROA NAZ LAG 20th 8
1992 Hemelgarn Racing Lola T91/00 Buick 3300 V6t SRF PHX LBH INDY
29
DET POR MIL NHA TOR MCH CLE ROA VAN MDO NAZ LAG NC 0
1 Johncock was listed as the primary entry and participated in practice; prior to qualifying, Johncock announced he was withdrawing, and announced a retirement from driving.
Indianapolis 500
Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
1965 Watson Offenhauser 14 5 Weinberger & Welseck Enterprises
1966 Gerhardt Ford 6 4 Weinberger & Welseck Enterprises
1967 Gerhardt Ford 3 12 Johncock Racing Team
1968 Gerhardt Offenhauser 9 27 Johncock Racing Team
1969 Gerhardt Offenhauser 5 19 Johncock Racing Team
1970 Gerhardt Offenhauser 17 28 Johncock Racing Team
1971 McLaren Offenhauser 12 29 Vollstedt Enterprises
1972 McLaren Offenhauser 26 20 Team McLaren
1973 Eagle Offenhauser 11 1 Patrick Racing
1974 Eagle Offenhauser 4 4 Patrick Racing
1975 Wildcat DGS 2 31 Patrick Racing
1976 Wildcat DGS 2 3 Patrick Racing
1977 Wildcat DGS 5 11 Patrick Racing
1978 Wildcat DGS 6 3 Patrick Racing
1979 Penske Cosworth 5 6 Patrick Racing
1980 Penske Cosworth 17 4 Patrick Racing
1981 Wildcat Cosworth 17 9 Patrick Racing
1982 Wildcat Cosworth 5 1 Patrick Racing
1983 Wildcat Cosworth 10 14 Patrick Racing
1984 March Cosworth 5 25 Patrick Racing
1985 March Cosworth Wth Patrick Racing
1987 March Buick 18 22 Patrick Racing
1988 Lola Buick DNQ Royal Motor Racing
1989 Lola Buick 23 31 Hemelgarn Racing
1991 Lola Cosworth 33 6 Hemelgarn Racing
1992 Lola Buick 30 29 Hemelgarn Racing

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 NGNC Pts Ref
1966 K&K Insurance Racing 71 Dodge AUG RSD DAY
7
DAY DAY
29
CAR BRI ATL
19
HCY CLB GPS BGS NWS MAR DAR LGY MGR MON RCH CLT DTS ASH PIF SMR AWS BLV GPS DAY ODS BRR OXF FON ISP BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB AWS BLV BGS DAR HCY RCH HBO MAR NWS NA - [2]
Junior Johnson & Associates 26 Ford CLT
4
CAR
27
1967 R.L. Diestler 85 Plymouth AUG RSD
43
DAY DAY
11
DAY
30
AWS BRI GPS BGS NA - [3]
Ford ATL
41
CLB HCY NWS MAR SVH RCH DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS MGY DAY TRN OXF FDA ISP BRI SMR NSV ATL BGS CLB SVH DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS
Bud Moore Engineering 16 Mercury CLT
42
CAR
5
AWS
1968 Lyle Stelter 55 Ford MGR MGY RSD DAY
DNQ
BRI RCH ATL HCY GPS CLB NWS MAR AUG AWS DAR BLV LGY CLT ASH MGR SMR BIR CAR GPS DAY ISP OXF FDA TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB BGS AWS SBO LGY DAR HCY RCH BLV HBO MAR NWS AUG CLT CAR JFC NA - [4]

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 Crawford Racing 22 Plymouth RSD DAY RCH ONT CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL TAL MCH NSV DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
42
CAR TWS
35
NA - [5]
1973 Ellington Racing 28 Chevy RSD DAY
38
RCH CAR
25
BRI ATL
11
NWS DAR MAR TAL
38
NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY
4
BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR
25
NA - [6]
1975 Ellington Racing 28 Chevy RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL
36
NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI ATL ONT NA - [7]
1976 K&K Insurance Racing 17 Dodge RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT
39
CAR ATL ONT NA - [8]
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1966 K&K Insurance Racing Dodge 13 29
1967 R.L. Diestler Plymouth 22 30
1968 Lyle Stelter Ford DNQ
1973 Ellington Racing Chevrolet 5 38

International Race of Champions

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

International Race of Champions results
Season Make Q1 Q2 Q3 1 2 3 4 Pos. Pts Ref
1973–74 Porsche RSD
10
RSD
9
RSD
11
DAY 11th - [9]
1976–77 Chevy MCH
7
RSD
10
RSD
10
DAY 11th - [10]
1977–78 MCH
6
RSD
3
RSD
10
DAY
3
6th - [11]
1978–79 MCH MCH
3
RSD RSD
6*
ATL
6
6th - [12]
1979–80 MCH MCH
1
RSD RSD
5
ATL
4
4th 26 [13]
1984 Chevy MCH
3
CLE
3
TAL
7
MCH
5
5th 45 [14]

References

  1. Gordon Johncock at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
  2. "Gordon Johncock – 1966 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  3. "Gordon Johncock – 1967 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  4. "Gordon Johncock – 1968 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  5. "Gordon Johncock – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  6. "Gordon Johncock – 1973 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  7. "Gordon Johncock – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  8. "Gordon Johncock – 1976 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  9. "Gordon Johncock – 1974 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  10. "Gordon Johncock – 1977 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  11. "Gordon Johncock – 1978 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  12. "Gordon Johncock – 1979 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  13. "Gordon Johncock – 1980 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
  14. "Gordon Johncock – 1984 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 16, 2017.
Achievements
Preceded by
Mark Donohue
Indianapolis 500 Winner
1973
Succeeded by
Johnny Rutherford
Preceded by
Bobby Unser
Indianapolis 500 Winner
1982
Succeeded by
Tom Sneva
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