RETRO: Revisiting Team Scandia’s Drivers line-up – Americana’s

With a diverse background, spanning from Mexico to New York, and in-between…

 

Team Scandia’s final three drivers, according to their 1996 Indy 500 car numbers. Feature a winning Champ Car driver, a Super Modified champion, and a Bonneville Land Speed record driver.

 

Michel Jourdain Jr.

(1996 Indianapolis 500 results

Car No. 22, Start: 8th, Finish: 13th; Running, 177-laps

Michel Jourdain Jr began racing cars at the relatively late age of 12, in Mexico’s Junior formulae. Graduating to Mexico’s Formula K and Formula 2 series before joining Team Scandia in 1996, as a teenager.

 

Michele made His Indy Racing League (IRL)  debut in Round 2 at Phoenix International Raceway; presumably a “tune-up” for the Indianapolis 500. Which Michel contested as a 19 year old rookie.

 

Jourdain saved His best result for Team Scandia in His final outing. Finishing runner-up to Richie Hearn at the Fall (1996) Las Vegas Motor speedway race. With teammate Michele Alboreto finishing fifth.

 

Interestingly, Jourdain also contested the rival CART PPG IndyCar World Series for Dick Simon Racing in 1996, before joining Payton/Coyne Racing the following three years.

 

In 2000, Michel joined Bettenhausen Racing for two years, before moving to Team Rahal. Jourdain would have His best results at Team Rahal between 2002-03, the first season being a consistent top ten finishers, and tenth overall.

 

2003 would be Jourdain’s breakout year, claiming six podiums, including two wins. As Michel claimed His debutante IndyCar win on the Milwaukee Mile, leading most laps. Then a second victory at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve enroute to a career best third overall.

 

Jourdain’s final Champ Car season for RuSPORT in 2004, as rookie A. J. Allmendinger’s teammate surely was a disappointment, finishing 12th overall, with two podium finishes; including runner-up at Vancouver.

 

For 2005, Jourdain competed in the NASCAR Busch series, followed by the World Touring Car championship. (WTCC) Then returned to Open Wheel Racing in the 2007 A1 series, driving for Team Mexico.

 

Jourdain ran His second and final Indianapolis 500 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2012, finishing 19th, before failing to qualify the next year. With His maiden Indy 500 driving for Team Scandia being His best result.

 

Joe Gosek

Car No. 43, Start: 31st, Finish: 22nd; Radiator, 106-laps

Joe Gosek is a native of Oswego, New York, racing mainly as a Super Modified’s driver. Gosek made His lone start for Team Scandia in the 1996 Indy 500, before failing to qualify for the race with Liberty Racing in 1998.

 

Reportedly, Gosek’s nickname is “Double-O Joe” for running the number 00 in racing. Having been a prolific winner at His home track’s Oswego Speedway. Including winning its crown jewel, the International Classic 200 three times. Along with being a multi-time champion on the International Challenge Association’s Modified tour.

 

Racin Gardner

Car No. 90, Start: 25th, Finish: 25th ; Suspension, 76-laps

According to oldracingcars.com, Racin Gardner was given the name after His mom went into labour during a race at Ontario Motor Speedway. While His father Slick was also a racecar driver. Although two different sources give two different names for His father, i.e.; Slick or Dennis, and what racing series He dabbled in? Either being NASCAR or SCCA?

 

Born in Buellton, California, where His father owned a ranch. Uhm, Beef. Its what’s for dinner? Eventually racing in the High Desert Racing Association between 1991 to 1993. Making me think He’d be a perfect member of that ‘Ol Mears Gang, along with Robby Gordon and ‘Ol JJ’, nee Jimmie Johnson…

 

The most interesting part of Gardner’s Bio is that according to Wikipedia. Racin tested a Green Monster jet racer at Bonneville for four years before at age 16, becoming the youngest person to exceed 500mph on the Salt Flats in 1988!

 

Walt and Art Arfons were legendary Land Speed Record racers, battling with Craig Breedlove for supremacy oat Bonneville.

 

Art bought a General electric J-79 jet engine from a scrapyard out of a F-104 Starfighter jet, having been scrapped due to ingesting a bird! After crashing this version of the Green Monster at 610mph! Art bult another Green Monster jet car and apparently sold it to Slick Gardner.

 

Racin Gardner also raced in the short lived American IndyCar Series. (AIS) Devoted to stock block engine IndyCars, where Gardner was Rookie Of the Year in 1992.

 

Having failed His rookie test twice at Phoenix International Raceway due to engine failures, He made His one and only Indy Racing League start in the 1996 Indy 500 as Team Scandia’s seventh and final driver. Replacing Lyn St. James who’d driven the No. 90 in the first two IRL races, before running into funding issues.

 

St. James would then race for Zunne Group Racing aboard its No. 45 entry that May.

 

Racin then made one start in ARCA at Charlotte in 1997 before retiring from racing. Becoming a stunt driver for television and movies, along with various driving instructor roles, including off road.

 

Whilst reportedly, Racin and His father ran into legal problems and the ranch was sold, albeit Garner still lives in the “Sunshine State”.

 

VIDEO: All IndyCar’s Racin Gardner Bio 

Another Crazy, Diverse Weekend ‘O Motor Racing

As Thar were so many series racing, I couldn’t get to them All, and that Don’t even include RASSCAR’, Yeehaw!

 

This weekend’s Cornucopia ‘O Motor Racing was “action Packed!” Although I only could “Watch,” err listen to two different racing series, albeit a total of three races, i.e.; IndyCar’s Double Header at Detroit’s Belle Isle and the inaugural Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) event at Stafford Springs, Connecticut’s Stafford Motor Speedway. Since the Truncated Airing for the FIA’s World Endurance Championship (WEC) 8 Hours of Portugal on Motortrend TV conflicted with Sunday’s IndyCar race.

 

OOPS! I almost forgot the IMSA Sports Car race that felt like an After thought following the Day’s Insane IndyCar race!

 

As it’s kind of enjoyable in a Strange, Surreal way how the IndyCar season has been Split into two separate entities, i.e.; the Twisties’ (Road Courses & Street Circuits) portion being the Mainstay with the Ovals as Supporting Cast.

 

Since I was looking forward to the return of Romain Grosjean to “See” what the Frenchman could do for the Minnowecqe Dale coyne team, whilst I’m certain Jimmie Johnson will continue as Tail gunner Charlie. But will he finish ahead of Dalton Kellett, Survey Says?

 

Not to mention that “The Great Santini” continues his part-time IndyCar campaign running with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in it’s third #45 chassis. Which just makes me hope he doesn’t pull an Allmendinger Thar, Yikes!

 

Although I have to say when I thought of Belle Isle this year, the first thing I thought of was the GM Mucky Muck Vice President who Crashed the Corvette Stingray Pace Car there a few years ago!

 

Then just having listened to another Zany Speed Freaks interview with A.J. Allmendinger following his latest victory at Mid Ohio’s Gup lite’ race, ‘Ol Walldinger’ probably wouldn’t want to be reminded of when he Crashed during the opening laps of each day’s Belle Isle Duelie’ driving for El Capitano’ (Roger Penske) with the Race Sponsor Quicken Loans on the Sidepods of his Team Penske IndyCar, el Correctomundo!

 

http://www.nofenders.net/2016/06/belle-isle-recollections.html

 

And C’mon, Put them Hands up, how many of Yuhs Tuned in Saturday Nite’ to check out the Mucho Ballyhooed Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) Short Track race? Where some IndyCar drivers including What’s His Name? That guy who just won another Indianapolis 500 competed…

 

And I was mainly interested in the Portimao Sports Car race to “See” if Glickenhaus showed up, and more importantly if Ryan Briscoe got to race one of it’s brand new racecars, since there’s just the 6 Hours of Monza on July 18^th before le 24 Heurs du Mans in August, which will include 20% Crowd Attendance.

 

Naturally with this being a Double Header weekend, Qualifying for IndyCar was only available behind the Gilded Peacock Paywall! And then we went thru a Rollercoaster ‘O Emotions. From Nothing But commercials (NBC) every 7-9mins to Felix rosenqvist’s Narly Accident! To NBC going Nonstop Commercials for over an Hour before Hosing Us by having to immediately go to Thar Fucking, Are You Kidding Me? NBC Sports App for the Podium Celebration and Post Race coverage over Debutante IndyCar winner

 

As serves you right NBC! Having read that they had Technical Difficulties with the Bullshit Sports App Streaming portion, which Not everybody either Does, or has Access to, so Shame On You NBC!

 

Then simmerin’ over Not being able to “See” the IndyCar Post Race celebrations, I decided to Tune-in to the IMSA Sports Car race via Zed Internets. And for reasons unknown, either my computer or the broadcast decided to Dump at race’s Start, for the second gory time, as I scrambled to reboot my Confuzer and missed the first 7mins of the Sports Car race a la IndyCar!

 

Then I switched Thy Telie’ back on Justin-time to catch the entire “Made for TV:” Debutante SRX race, for which I have to say I actually enjoyed Alan Bestwick and Danica Patrick’s commentary. And when I told Florentine’ F1 Spotter Jeannie that I actually enjoyed queen Danica’s announcing, she promptly asked me how many Beers have you been Drinking?

 

As it was even better having the local Short Track Ace Doug Coby “School” All of the all-stars, not only winning Heat 2, but the 100 lap Feature race ahead of The Biffster’, aka Greg Biffle and SRX Series Co-founder Smoke’. (Tony Stewart)

 

But Hands Down, the Best race of the entire weekend for Mwah was Belle Isle’s Sunday IndyCar race, where my Numero Uno IndyCar Driver Shellacked the entire Grid! Having rolled off P16, Pato O’Ward methodically worked his way forward. As it was funny hearing his Strategist telling him to Focus forwards but Conserve his Push-to-Pass and presumably Save Fuel!

 

O’Ward made to Monster Passes on Scott Dixon and, Uhm? Before lining up fifth on the final restart on lap 67 and carving up Graham Rahal and Alex Palou as I think he passed both of them in one fell swoop? Then he tracked down Colton Big shot! Herta and Overtook him for second before Hunting Down Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden who’d led the entire race.

 

Newgarden who was the only one on used Red rubber Alternate Firestone tyres luridly slid exiting a corner and Pato swiftly sized him up and said Slingshot ON! Pardon Me, Playing Thru! As they made wheel-to-wheel contact before O’Ward took the lead for good enroute to his second career IndyCar win! As I yeled outloud O’wards and Animal!

 

And I understood Newgarden’s Post race Funk after finishing runner-up when being interviewed and saying it was Sad Sad Sad, after leading the first 67-of-70 laps. But just busted up laughing when he paused when asked about the move Patricio put on him for the win. Pausing mightily before saying Deadpan into the Camera, What are you gonna do? Which I took to mean it’s literally like trying to stop a Bull!

 

As O’Ward not only becomes the first repeat IndyCar winner this year, but with his Pole from Race-1 and two podium finishes at Belle Isle vaults from third in the championship, 37 points behind to One point ahead of previous points leader Alex Palou, who finished third today after starting 15^th. While as Claudio’ said, it was a Colton Who? Day with Herta finishing fourth and Graham Rahal rounding out the Top 5 with an unimpressive 5^th place finish.