Ezekiel Ongais (1942-05-21)May 21, 1942 Kahului, Hawaii, U.S.
Died
February 26, 2022(2022-02-26) (aged 79) Anaheim, California, U.S.
Awards
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2000)
Champ Car career
86 races run over 14 years
Years active
1968, 1971, 1976-1987
Best finish
6th – 1979
First race
1976 California 500 (Ontario)
Last race
1987 Nissan Indy Challenge (Miami)
First win
1977 Norton 200 (Michigan)
Last win
1978 Gould Grand Prix (Michigan)
Wins
Podiums
Poles
6
8
11
IndyCar Series career
2 races run over 3 years
Best finish
26th – 1996
First race
1996 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race
1997 Indy 200 at Walt Disney World (Orlando)
Wins
Podiums
Poles
0
0
0
Formula One World Championship career
Active years
1977 – 1978
Teams
Ensign, non-works Penske, Shadow
Entries
6 (4 starts)
Championships
0
Wins
0
Podiums
0
Career points
0
Pole positions
0
Fastest laps
0
First entry
1977 United States Grand Prix
Last entry
1978 Dutch Grand Prix
Danny Ongais (May 21, 1942 – February 26, 2022) was an American racing driver.[1]
Ongais was the only Hawaiian born driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500. He competed professionally in motorcycle, sports car, CART, IndyCar, Formula One, and drag racing. A fearless figure on the racing circuit, Ongais was nicknamed "On-the-Gas" and "The Flyin' Hawaiian."[2] He is the only driver to have won the NHRA U.S. Nationals and the 24 Hours of Daytona.
In the 1960s he won multiple drag racing championships and was named one of the National Hot Rod Association’s Top 50 Drivers for 1951-2000. In the 1970s he moved to competing in sports cars and Indy cars, winning races in both types, including the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1979 and several Indy car races in 1977 and 1978. He also raced in Formula One from 1977-78, in six Grands Prix, recording a best result of seventh.
He was known as a fast and daring driver, but he experienced multiple crashes in his career, some resulting in injury. At the 1981 Indianapolis 500, he was involved in a near-fatal accident that caused him to miss almost a year of racing.
In 1996, at the age of 54, after nine years away from racing, he served as the substitute driver in the Indianapolis 500 for Scott Brayton, who had died in a crash before the race. Starting last, Ongais finished 7th in what was his final 500.
He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 and the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.[3]
DannyOngais (May 21, 1942 – February 26, 2022) was an American racing driver. Ongais was the only Hawaiian born driver to compete in the Indianapolis...
also remembered for the horrifying crash of DannyOngais, and a major pit fire involving Rick Mears. Ongais was critically injured, and Mears suffered...
McLaren. This left Ensign in a search for two new drivers and they found DannyOngais from the folded Penske team and the inexperienced Lamberto Leoni. Ex-McLaren...
Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 28, 1978. DannyOngais dominated the early stages of the race but eventually dropped out with...
lap 75, he and opponent DannyOngais engaged in an on-again off-again duel for 75 more laps, before an engine failure on Ongais' car on lap 150 allowed...
crash, and Ongais was named as his replacement, switching from Brickell Racing. Per USAC rules, Brayton's pole position was withdrawn, and Ongais was allowed...
announced that DannyOngais would drive the No. 77 entry at Indianapolis, as Butch Brickell had not been medically cleared to race. Ongais, who turned 54...
entering DannyOngais in Formula 5000 in 1975, graduating to USAC racing and the Indianapolis 500 in Parnelli chassis. Field also funded Ongais to make...
field once again. DannyOngais, who returned to the cockpit after his crash last weekend, followed suit by "re-bumping" John Mahler. Ongais had complained...
history to do so. The 1978 season is also statistically noteworthy. DannyOngais won the most races (5), and Al Unser swept the triple crown races, but...
his Surtees, collecting the wreckages of Keegan's and Patrese's cars. DannyOngais was next in the Interscope Penske, but was able to continue. Finally...
two-lap average time trial. DannyOngais set the pace early with an average 182.315 mph. Later, A. J. Foyt surpassed Ongais to take the pole with a speed...
(Monaco). Hawaiian driver DannyOngais was also entered twice, by Interscope Racing, but failed pre-qualifying on both occasions. Ongais also tested at Silverstone...
qualified second, took over the pole starting position. A substitute driver, DannyOngais, took over the car with which Brayton had qualified for the pole, and...
car in the United States and Canadian Grands Prix, driven by American DannyOngais with no results. In the 1979 season Penske designed and built the Rebaque...
Bourbonnais, 54-Hideshi Matsuda, 66-Scott Harrington, 68-Jaques Lazier, 81-DannyOngais and 90-Lyn St. James Cheever became the first owner/driver to win the...
Bill Vukovich II, as well as the first career wins for Tom Sneva and DannyOngais. In the CART era, the Michigan 500 was the site of the first career wins...
The lead traded amongst Mears, Sneva, Mario Andretti, Teo Fabi, and DannyOngais. After the lengthy caution for Bedard's crash, Tom Sneva came to the...
Surface Asphalt Length 3.840 miles (6.180 km) Race lap record 1:45.360 ( DannyOngais, Lola T600, 1982, IMSA GTP) Sports Car Course (1959–1974) Surface Asphalt...
Pocono, and Ontario). However, that plan was scuttled when only one car (DannyOngais) fulfilled those conditions, and furthermore when Ontario switched alliances...
Hulman/George family. In one of the most dramatic moments in Indy 500 history, Danny Sullivan took the lead from Mario Andretti on lap 120. But as he was completing...
the day. Penske Racing driver DannyOngais was officially withdrawn from his entry. Following his crash on May 7, Ongais was diagnosed with a concussion...
Italy and America. In 1978 the team entered cars for DannyOngais and Lamberto Leoni, but Ongais left after two races and Leoni after four races. Jacky...
two-by-two order for the official start. DannyOngais and Sheldon Kinser didn't make it to the green flag, with Ongais having ignition problems and Kinser...
Challenger: Mickey Thompson's own story of his life of Speed. In 1968 DannyOngais and he took three Ford Mustang Mach 1 to the Bonneville salt flats for...
cars completed runs, including Gordon Johncock, rookie Bobby Rahal, and DannyOngais. At 12:15 p.m., the time trials were marred by the horrifying fatal accident...
John Morton Michael Nesmith Paul Newman Gunnar Nilsson Bruce Ogilvie DannyOngais Cody Parkhouse Travis Pastrana Robbie Pierce Christopher Polvoorde Toby...
Global Information
American