Origins
Danny Ongais was born in Kahului, Hawaii, on May 21, 1942, to Puerto Rican immigrant grandparents. Some sources, including a documentary titled "On the Gas," claim he was born in 1939, citing the 1940 US Census. At the age of fourteen, Ongais began testing motorbike racing with some success. He enlisted in the United States Army in the late 1950s, serving as a paratrooper stationed in Europe before returning to Hawaii for motor racing. He became the Hawaiian motorcycle champion in 1960, placing in the top three in the expert class from 1960 to 1962.
Breakthrough
Ongais began competing in drag racing in the early 1960s. He won the American Hot Rod Association AA Gas Dragster Championship in 1963 and 1964, and the National Hot Rod Association AA Dragster championship title in 1965. He defeated Don Prudhomme at the 1966 HHRA Nationals Top Fuel semifinals. In 1969, he won both the NHRA Spring Nationals and the NHRA U.S. Nationals in the Funny Car class, driving a Ford Mustang for Mickey Thompson.
1970s Racing
In the 1970s, Ongais transitioned to circuit racing, progressing through SCCA road racing with the support of Ted Field, and then Formula 5000. He and Field moved to USAC and Indy cars in 1976 under the banner of Interscope Racing. His first Indy car race was the 1976 California 500 at Ontario Motor Speedway, where he finished 28th after a crash.
1977 marked Ongais’ first full season in Indy cars, achieving a seventh-place finish at Ontario and fifth at Phoenix, culminating in his first Indy car race win at Michigan International Speedway. He earned three pole positions that year, finishing twelfth in the standings. That same year, Ongais also entered Formula One with Interscope, competing in the U.S. and Canadian Grands Prix, achieving a seventh-place finish in Canada.
Ongais’ most successful year in Indy car racing was 1978. He won five races: at Ontario, Texas World, Mosport, Milwaukee, and again at Michigan, also securing eight pole positions. At the 1978 Indianapolis 500, he started near the front and led 71 laps before a blown engine ended his race while running in second position. Despite these successes, mechanical issues and inconsistent finishes resulted in an eighth-place finish in the 1978 USAC Championship. He also competed in Formula One with the Ensign team, retiring in Argentina and Brazil.
Throughout the decade, Ongais and Field continued to race sports cars successfully, primarily in IMSA Camel GT competition. A highlight of their sports car endeavors was winning the 1979 24 Hours of Daytona, sharing a Porsche 935 with Hurley Haywood.
CART and IndyCar Career
Ongais made his CART debut during the 1979 season driving the No. 25 Panasonic/Interscope Racing Parnelli 6C-Cosworth DFX. He qualified 4th at Phoenix and led laps before an engine issue ended his race. At the Indianapolis 500, Ongais crashed in practice but qualified 27th and finished fourth. He scored another fourth-place finish at Watkins Glen. In 1980, Ongais continued with Interscope, finishing seventh at the Indianapolis 500 and third at Watkins Glen. He also made a single start for AMI Racing at Michigan, finishing 11th.
In 1981 at the Indianapolis 500, Ongais was involved in a serious accident on lap 63 while leading the race. A lengthy pit stop caused him to rejoin the race behind a slower car, and attempting a pass, he lost control and crashed head-on into the wall. He was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion, compound fractures in both legs, a broken arm, and a tear in his diaphragm, sidelining him for almost a year.
Ongais ran in the 1982 Indianapolis 500, qualifying ninth and leading several laps before crashing out on lap 62. In 1983, he drove for Interscope and then substituted for an injured Johnny Rutherford at Patrick Racing, scoring a fifth-place finish at Mid-Ohio. He finished twentieth in points.
For 1984, Ongais owned Interscope Racing, finishing third at Detroit and tenth in points. He scored a sixth-place finish in 1985 and survived a barrel roll at Michigan. In 1986, he started the Indianapolis 500 but suffered a mechanical failure. In 1987, he attempted to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 with Interscope, but suffered a concussion in a crash; Al Unser Sr. took over the car and won the race.
Later Career and Honours
After a nine-year absence from racing, Ongais served as a substitute driver for Scott Brayton at the 1996 Indianapolis 500, starting last and finishing seventh. He ran one more Indy Car race in 1997, finishing thirteenth at Walt Disney World. In 1998, he attempted to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 with Team Pelfrey but suffered a concussion in a crash.
Ongais was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000, and ranked 39th on the National Hot Rod Association Top 50 Drivers list for 1951-2000. He was also inducted into the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.
Personal life
Ongais was known as a reclusive and private man, rarely giving interviews. He was survived by his long time partner Patricia Soldano, as well as his three children and five grandchildren. Mario Andretti remembered him after his passing as “that quiet lion.”
Ongais died from congestive heart failure in Anaheim Hills, California, on February 26, 2022, at the age of 79.
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