This was utterly phenomenal - as much as he was a private man who didn't like fanfare or attention, I am sure the man himself would have enjoyed watching it had he still been with us.
Met Danny twice at the US Nationals and later at an IMSA race at Mid Ohio got my go danny o button. Danny made Kimi Raikkonen seem like a chatty cathy. Love Love Love those Interscope liveryed cars
My father and I DO WIN at Ontario,Ca. OMS a Indycar race Twin 200. The other race a stock car.A Great Event. Both races especially the Indycar race. So, fast.
An unexpected bio, but a great one. Ongais was a driver whose career had some incredible highs, and massive lows. He didn't need to speak, he let his driving do the talking
5:48. Dr. Terry Trammel - The second I saw the Ambulance I knew the next scene would be with Dr. T. Our family owes him immeasurably for saving my sister’s life. Her boyfriend fell asleep driving home on T-giving and he drove OFF of an overpass. She was sleeping across the seat and her back snapped on the console when they landed 20-30 down below. Through his skill, she was able to walk again. AND he was so down-to-earth. Back then, if you were going to get in a bad car wreck, there was probably no one in the world as qualified as the guy who puts the Indy drivers back together!!
I always look forward to your documentaries. They're all as good if not better than "professional" documentaries and you always pick an interesting subject. Indycar or/and NASCAR should hire you and give you the money to do more.
Huge fan to this day. I live in Indy and saw him out and about a few times. Other racers didn't even know him very well. He is a HOF drag racer, motorcycle racer and a top notch Indycar driver. He drove a lot of different cars in different series. Danny was worthy of being called a Hero. My home is decorated with several photos of him. RIP Danny O, you were simply worth the price of admission.
Nascarman, your racing documentaries like this, the Davey Allison and Peter Revson one are absolutely out of this world. It is truly a privilege to watch such something so well researched and meticulously put together. Thank you for what you do.
I’ve been seeing you on a bunch of random racing videos the last few days lol. I just rewatched the 2001 Pepsi 400 a couple days ago….that was one from years ago. Baader-Meinhoff phenomenon.
1981 Portland, Oregon - G.I. Joe's Grand Prix (IMSA) - I was just a 17yr kid with my Nikon camera in the paddock area taking snapshots of just about everything. Passed by Hurley Haywood who was sitting on the steps of his motorhome, looking down at the ground. When I stopped to take a picture of him, he looked up at me and smiled. Knowing that I was fledgling fanatic motorsports fan. Indeed. Those were great days back then.
Great tribute to a great driver. I became a fan of Danny in 1974 during a Formula 5000 race at Road America. I still get excited when I see his old Lola T332 in vintage races. He might have gotten better results and less health issues if his right foot had been lighter sometimes, but then he wouldn’t have been Danny-on-the-gas. R.I.P.
I first got to know his name through drag racing, he was always one of those I rooted for. I finally got to meet him when he and Ted drove in IMSA and he was always pleasant to be around (as was Ted). While I knew him as a drag racer gone road racing, this is the first that I've learned that he started in road racing (my favorite aspect of motor sports). A great driver and a special person. Thank you for this bio, it means a lot!
thank you man, this was brilliant. met danny once at nazareth in 1987, he smiled signed my old 1960 indy 500 book, we shook hands and it was very special. , his car was in the paddock, long ,lean, black no.25, but alas, he did not race that day in 1987. he was my hero as a drag race boy, then he won 24 daytona with my friend brian redman. and i still remember him racing hard at pocono in 1978. thank you agan, as i was too busy living my own life to follow racing like i did as a kid, you have covered so much and it really is very well done, i just wanted to let you know. how much i learned from watching your documentary, very well done my friend, cheers from the foot hills of the alps, in italy, robert
Very informative and enjoyable, I didnt know much about him before, most of what I knew was about him and Mickey Thompson .Being a quiet man , and not fond of attention,he is similar to Denis Hulme , who had said that he would think about backing off in a race and not winning, to avoid having to talk to the media and be the center of attention. I'd be like that too.
My dads favorite driver 😔this is already such a tough week for me every year. I really had to fight back the tears watching this. Thanks for making it. Miss you dad wish you were coming to the race this weekend 🏁❤️
Fantastic program, thank you. I remember seeing Danny at Phoenix, I don't remember the year it was his first year running full time, and I commented to the group I was with that the "Flying Hawaiian" was there. They had no idea who I was talking about, so I had to tell them. Here a kid in his mid-teens was telling adults about the drivers. RIP Danny, I loved to watch you race.
as a 5 year old in 1981.. Danny was my fav.. I ran to him on Gasoline Alley.. Telling him"Mr. On the gas" you are my pick..He stopped, took a photo with me ( I still have) Smiled big, and said "we will try".. Huge Ongias fan! His crash happened right in front of us
This was an amazing video. Very well done on someone who meant a great deal to many fans. Thank you for putting this together great work. Wish he was around to see it and know he was appreciated and missed by his fans.
Excellent video on one of the forgotten greats of motor racing. For a few years up until shortly before his death I had wondered what happened to Danny Ongais. You truly did him justice. Congratulations!
I have never watched one of your Indycar videos and not shed a tear. Beautifully done. First 500 was 1997 and my 20th was 2024, grew up in Speedway, Indiana... thank you for what you are doing.
When you are on the front row with sneva and mears you are in the presence of royalty. Ongias was the shit in anything he piloted. I was a fan of drag racing growing up but he turned me into a fan of all motorsports. Great doc on a phenomenal talent, thanks for the memories
Never heard of this guy, as I was born in 77 and really didn't start watching any kind of racing except Nascar until the late 80's, early 90's. He just seemed like a racer's racer. Just minded his own business but spoke loudly when it came to talent on the track
Kudos to Nascarman and Brock Beard for this phenomenal piece. Ongais is almost a mythical figure among indycar fans due to his incredible speed but incredible bad luck.
Brilliant video, as usual. I realise that the crossover was probably unintentional and more down to the subject matter, but would love to see more of Nascarman covering the early days of drag racing.
This video doesn't mention anything about Danny's acquiring an aged Indy car that he dragged back to Long Beach with 4 flat tires on an open trailer. This was while the Mustang funny cars were just taking shape. Danny worked on the Indycar on his own taking it to Willow Springs to drive. He was on his way to Indy before anyone else knew. I was there at Mickey's shop when that poor Indycar (Champ Car) arrived. IIRC, Mickey allowed a small space in the shop. Then Mickey sold his name and product line and moved to Wilmington, CA into a building with no name on the door. This was all pre off-road and stadium racing
Really well done. During the last part I realized I had a connection to this story. I was friends with Butch Brickell the car he was trying to qualify and then switched to the Menard car. I saw Mr. Ongais buzzing around the Cart race at the 87 Miami race. I remember a Car & Driver issue with Mr. Ongais test driving a Porsche Turbo and a Turbo Motorcycle.
Danny Ongais was based. A racing driver's personal life shouldn't even be a point of discussion unless it somehow had to do with their on-track antics, and even then only sparingly.
Had the honor of seeing Mr. Ongais at Lime Rock in the 1980's. Camel GTP cars, Monday the day after he ran the INDY 500, soaking wet track he never drove on. He was allowed one lap to learn the track. I have a photo of him in the Ted Fields sinister black Lola "INTERSCOPE" GTP on that lap. I knew of Mr. Ongais from driving Roland Leong's Hawaiian AA/FD and Mickey Thompson's blue Mustang AA/FC way back when. His INDY career as noted below had brilliant highs and very low lows, cannot forget his wrecked car with his legs exposed sliding against the wall. A RACER!!!
Danny Ongais Was IndyCar And Imsa Driver From The 70s Before Crash At Indianapolis In 1987 That Let's Al Unser Was The Winner 500 Miles Thanks For Uploading
A great guy..." Danny On The Gas"...he said very little to reporters but I remember him being asked if he had anything to say after qualifying...his response was, "Anything to say? Yes. BUY AMERICAN". And then he walked off
Danny Ongais was one my favorite racers. He was a pure racer and with an incredible resume of diversity. NHRA, CART, F1, IMSA, IROC, SCCA, Baja 1000, Bonneville, motorcycle, etc. How many people have been able to do this?
A racer's racer for sure. I had friends who were fast on motorcycles and in cars and they crashed from time to time, but they were fast. I was a non-crasher but a good finisher. That last 1% makes all the difference. The top finishing racers use it, and I never did. I began with endurance road racing where you learn to modulate that last 1%. Danny's 1% switch was always in the on position. This is the difference between real racers and those who are just along for the ride. A cruel statement but true.
This was utterly phenomenal - as much as he was a private man who didn't like fanfare or attention, I am sure the man himself would have enjoyed watching it had he still been with us.
I agree
Met Danny twice at the US Nationals and later at an IMSA race at Mid Ohio got my go danny o button. Danny made Kimi Raikkonen seem like a chatty cathy. Love Love Love those Interscope liveryed cars
@@randyjohnson-er9rd They were good looking cars
My father and I DO WIN at Ontario,Ca. OMS a Indycar race Twin 200. The other race a stock car.A Great Event. Both races especially the Indycar race. So, fast.
The Black No. 25 Indycar car,is a sharp looking car and DO and were very fast.
One of my favorite stats, he is the only driver (as far as I know) that has raced F1 and Nitro (Funny Car/Top Fuel) Drag Cars.
I should add driven in a race in both. Tony Stewart has tested an F1 car before and now races top fuel
Circumstances it was Tony Stewart that did a swap with Lewis Hamilton, many years ago. A sponsor thingy
Danny Ongais sounds like a true Race Car Driver any car, any track and any type of race; The Flying Hawaian was a rare talent in motorsports Indeed.
An unexpected bio, but a great one. Ongais was a driver whose career had some incredible highs, and massive lows. He didn't need to speak, he let his driving do the talking
Holy cow, an hour and forty minutes? What a great way to start my week....
5:48. Dr. Terry Trammel - The second I saw the Ambulance I knew the next scene would be with Dr. T. Our family owes him immeasurably for saving my sister’s life. Her boyfriend fell asleep driving home on T-giving and he drove OFF of an overpass. She was sleeping across the seat and her back snapped on the console when they landed 20-30 down below. Through his skill, she was able to walk again. AND he was so down-to-earth. Back then, if you were going to get in a bad car wreck, there was probably no one in the world as qualified as the guy who puts the Indy drivers back together!!
I always look forward to your documentaries. They're all as good if not better than "professional" documentaries and you always pick an interesting subject. Indycar or/and NASCAR should hire you and give you the money to do more.
Excellent documentary about a driver I heard about all my life but never really knew who he was. RIP Danny Ongais
The most underrated American driver..Never got a fair shake
Huge fan to this day. I live in Indy and saw him out and about a few times. Other racers didn't even know him very well. He is a HOF drag racer, motorcycle racer and a top notch Indycar driver. He drove a lot of different cars in different series. Danny was worthy of being called a Hero. My home is decorated with several photos of him. RIP Danny O, you were simply worth the price of admission.
Wonderfully written and produced documentary for a great American racer. RIP Danny.
Nascarman, your racing documentaries like this, the Davey Allison and Peter Revson one are absolutely out of this world. It is truly a privilege to watch such something so well researched and meticulously put together. Thank you for what you do.
Let’s goooo! A Danny Ongais documentary!
I’ve been seeing you on a bunch of random racing videos the last few days lol. I just rewatched the 2001 Pepsi 400 a couple days ago….that was one from years ago. Baader-Meinhoff phenomenon.
This was well researched and presented. Thanks for making this!
Remember meeting him in the pits at York U.S. 30. Yelled his name a couple of times and got a wave. Good times.
1981 Portland, Oregon - G.I. Joe's Grand Prix (IMSA) - I was just a 17yr kid with my Nikon camera in the paddock area taking snapshots of just about everything.
Passed by Hurley Haywood who was sitting on the steps of his motorhome, looking down at the ground. When I stopped to take a picture of him, he looked up at me and smiled. Knowing that I was fledgling fanatic motorsports fan.
Indeed. Those were great days back then.
Wow. An amazing documentary and tribute to a real racer.
Great tribute to a great driver. I became a fan of Danny in 1974 during a Formula 5000 race at Road America. I still get excited when I see his old Lola T332 in vintage races. He might have gotten better results and less health issues if his right foot had been lighter sometimes, but then he wouldn’t have been Danny-on-the-gas. R.I.P.
Great vid, always liked Danny Ongais 🏁🏁 Also good to hear Bobby Unser announcing!
I first got to know his name through drag racing, he was always one of those I rooted for. I finally got to meet him when he and Ted drove in IMSA and he was always pleasant to be around (as was Ted). While I knew him as a drag racer gone road racing, this is the first that I've learned that he started in road racing (my favorite aspect of motor sports). A great driver and a special person. Thank you for this bio, it means a lot!
Damn it Nascarman! Now I’ve gotta spend 3 hours and 18 minutes watching this today: once for the first time, and another to rewatch it
The most in depth bio on Danny, thanks for this much needed deep dive on the Legend Danny Ongais 🏁🏁
Very well done. Thank you for sharing his story
thank you man, this was brilliant. met danny once at nazareth in 1987, he smiled signed my old 1960 indy 500 book, we shook hands and it was very special. , his car was in the paddock, long ,lean, black no.25, but alas, he did not race that day in 1987. he was my hero as a drag race boy, then he won 24 daytona with my friend brian redman. and i still remember him racing hard at pocono in 1978. thank you agan, as i was too busy living my own life to follow racing like i did as a kid, you have covered so much and it really is very well done, i just wanted to let you know. how much i learned from watching your documentary, very well done my friend, cheers from the foot hills of the alps, in italy, robert
Very informative and enjoyable, I didnt know much about him before, most of what I knew was about him and Mickey Thompson .Being a quiet man , and not fond of attention,he is similar to Denis Hulme , who had said that he would think about backing off in a race and not winning, to avoid having to talk to the media and be the center of attention. I'd be like that too.
Danny was one of my favorite racing drivers
Fantastic!
My dads favorite driver 😔this is already such a tough week for me every year. I really had to fight back the tears watching this. Thanks for making it.
Miss you dad wish you were coming to the race this weekend 🏁❤️
Really great documentary.Ongais was one of those real racers you remember.This gave some great background story to the man.
Fantastic program, thank you. I remember seeing Danny at Phoenix, I don't remember the year it was his first year running full time, and I commented to the group I was with that the "Flying Hawaiian" was there. They had no idea who I was talking about, so I had to tell them. Here a kid in his mid-teens was telling adults about the drivers. RIP Danny, I loved to watch you race.
as a 5 year old in 1981.. Danny was my fav.. I ran to him on Gasoline Alley.. Telling him"Mr. On the gas" you are my pick..He stopped, took a photo with me ( I still have) Smiled big, and said "we will try".. Huge Ongias fan!
His crash happened right in front of us
This is great! Ongias is one of my favorite racers of all time. Thanks for posting!
This was an amazing video. Very well done on someone who meant a great deal to many fans. Thank you for putting this together great work. Wish he was around to see it and know he was appreciated and missed by his fans.
The GOAT has returned
I respect the hell out of a man who conducts himself this way, especially in the social media era
This is amazing. Danny was a legend in both drags and Indy. Very cool doc.
Amazing video. One of the best documentaries on Danny.
RIP Mr. Danny Ongais! I enjoyed watching you race at Pocono, and Indianapolis. Rest easy sir.
Fantastic documentary on one of the greatest legends of racing. Truly a “Driver’s, driver”
RIP Danny. Thanks for the memories.
Excellent video on one of the forgotten greats of motor racing. For a few years up until shortly before his death I had wondered what happened to Danny Ongais. You truly did him justice. Congratulations!
fantastic tribute, one of the best fan made docs ive seen.
Unbelievable job guys 👍 Danny we miss you! ❤️
This was such an awesome film and now I respect and like Danny even more. What a hard nosed racer he was. Thank you for this film.
All the effort you put into this one was more than worth it! Fascinating! Kudos!!!
Awesome. Thank you!!
I have never watched one of your Indycar videos and not shed a tear. Beautifully done. First 500 was 1997 and my 20th was 2024, grew up in Speedway, Indiana... thank you for what you are doing.
Very well done!
Great Video!
He clearly has a very very deep understanding of the draft, he could have won a ton of NASCAR races
Why would he waste his time nascrash
I'm here because of my friend Ted Keney. I really enjoyed this enlightening video. Thanks to all who made it.
Masterfully done, something that went away with the Speedvision network. I always think of Ongais in May. Thank you for giving the man his due.
After Al Unser he was my childhood Indy 500 hero. So thrilling. What a phenomenal look at his career.
Really enjoyed this about one of my favorite drivers back in the day. He was the original "driver" in black!
When you are on the front row with sneva and mears you are in the presence of royalty. Ongias was the shit in anything he piloted. I was a fan of drag racing growing up but he turned me into a fan of all motorsports. Great doc on a phenomenal talent, thanks for the memories
This was VERY WELL DONE! I learned a lot about a driver I never knew much about.
That ongais indy 500 porsche is the most gorgeous race car ever made
Excellent video: well-researched and flawlessly presented.
Great coverage of Danny’s career! I remember as a kid going to Atco Dragway and watching the Mickey Thompson Mustang. That day he only ran a 7:27.
What a treat. Nicely done documentary and I’m sure Danny Ongais would have enjoyed it.
Wow he was awesome great story great man! RIP DANNY
Very well done sir! Always liked Danny, he would race anything
Never heard of this guy, as I was born in 77 and really didn't start watching any kind of racing except Nascar until the late 80's, early 90's. He just seemed like a racer's racer. Just minded his own business but spoke loudly when it came to talent on the track
Kudos to Nascarman and Brock Beard for this phenomenal piece. Ongais is almost a mythical figure among indycar fans due to his incredible speed but incredible bad luck.
Brilliant video, as usual. I realise that the crossover was probably unintentional and more down to the subject matter, but would love to see more of Nascarman covering the early days of drag racing.
Wonderful job.
Very nicely put together. I remember a lot of the Indy footage , thanks for the memories!
This was fantastic. Well done. Thank you very much. 👍
Top-level NASCAR content
This video doesn't mention anything about Danny's acquiring an aged Indy car that he dragged back to Long Beach with 4 flat tires on an open trailer. This was while the Mustang funny cars were just taking shape. Danny worked on the Indycar on his own taking it to Willow Springs to drive. He was on his way to Indy before anyone else knew. I was there at Mickey's shop when that poor Indycar (Champ Car) arrived. IIRC, Mickey allowed a small space in the shop. Then Mickey sold his name and product line and moved to Wilmington, CA into a building with no name on the door. This was all pre off-road and stadium racing
Danny Ongais was my favorite in Daytona at The Paul Revere 250 and the 24 hours.
Phenomenal job as always!! Fantastic documentary!!
Really well done. During the last part I realized I had a connection to this story. I was friends with Butch Brickell the car he was trying to qualify and then switched to the Menard car. I saw Mr. Ongais buzzing around the Cart race at the 87 Miami race. I remember a Car & Driver issue with
Mr. Ongais test driving a Porsche Turbo and a Turbo Motorcycle.
Danny Ongais was based. A racing driver's personal life shouldn't even be a point of discussion unless it somehow had to do with their on-track antics, and even then only sparingly.
This.
You guys did it again. Great documentary as always!
What a video
Speaking of Mickey Thompson, could you do something on the his Stadium Off Road series? It seemed hugely popular and the vanished in a flash
Not to mention the series & fallout from court case directly responsible for his murder
I can second a Mickey Thompson video idea, there is a lot to unpack in the life of Mickey Thompson
I've spoken to Danny many times at the drags ... I've always liked him ...
This was really good. He was always a favorite at the speedway. I was there for every race he drove in
This was an amazing piece! Very well done as always!
Great video! I always appreciate the in depth history!
NASCAR man has delivered!!! Let’s GOOO
Had the honor of seeing Mr. Ongais at Lime Rock in the 1980's. Camel GTP cars, Monday the day after he ran the INDY 500, soaking wet track he never drove on. He was allowed one lap to learn the track. I have a photo of him in the Ted Fields sinister black Lola "INTERSCOPE" GTP on that lap. I knew of Mr. Ongais from driving Roland Leong's Hawaiian AA/FD and Mickey Thompson's blue Mustang AA/FC way back when. His INDY career as noted below had brilliant highs and very low lows, cannot forget his wrecked car with his legs exposed sliding against the wall. A RACER!!!
HOW HAVE I NEVER EVER HEARD OF THIS LEGEND BEFORE???
Happy Birthday, Danny Ongais (May 21)
Having watched Danny, I guess I won't comment very much.
Awesome documentary!
What a great story. I grew up during his career. I remember his name well.
Thank you!!!🏁🏁🏁🏁
Danny Ongais Was IndyCar And Imsa Driver From The 70s Before Crash At Indianapolis In 1987 That Let's Al Unser Was The Winner 500 Miles Thanks For Uploading
Thanks!
My favourite driver as a young lad.
On the gas at 24 hours of Daytona with mighty Porsche 935 K3
Overall winner what a drive
if you car holds together driven by danny, it was very tough.
A great guy..." Danny On The Gas"...he said very little to reporters but I remember him being asked if he had anything to say after qualifying...his response was, "Anything to say? Yes. BUY AMERICAN". And then he walked off
This was really well done.
Nice work! Love the videos!
"Fly'in Hawaiian"..... Incredible PERIOD
One of the best!
worth the wait
Danny Ongais was one my favorite racers. He was a pure racer and with an incredible resume of diversity. NHRA, CART, F1, IMSA, IROC, SCCA, Baja 1000, Bonneville, motorcycle, etc. How many people have been able to do this?
A racer's racer for sure. I had friends who were fast on motorcycles and in cars and they crashed from time to time, but they were fast. I was a non-crasher but a good finisher. That last 1% makes all the difference. The top finishing racers use it, and I never did. I began with endurance road racing where you learn to modulate that last 1%. Danny's 1% switch was always in the on position. This is the difference between real racers and those who are just along for the ride. A cruel statement but true.