Former Indy car, drag racing star Danny Ongais dies aged 79

The only native of Hawaii to start the Indianapolis 500, Ongais was nicknamed “Danny On-The-Gas” and the “Flyin’ Hawaiian” for his bravery and commitment in overpowered late ’70s Indy cars, but his love of speed had shown itself far earlier.

At the age of 18, he earned a Hawaiian state title in motorcycle racing and went on to become a drag racing ace.

He finished runner-up in the Top Fuel class at the 1966 NHRA US Nationals after beating legend Don Prudhomme in the semifinals at Indianapolis Raceway Park, and three years later he clinched the Funny Car class win in the same event.

He and renowned innovator Mickey Thompson set nearly 300 national and international speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a Mach 1 Mustang during the 1960s.

Ongais was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 in the Drag Racing category.

Service in the US Army in the early 1960s had exposed Ongais to sportscar racing in Europe, and he eventually switched his focus from drag strips to ovals and road courses in the mid-1970s.

Ongais dominated in SCCA competition in 1974, catching the eye of media mogul Ted Field, who had recently founded the Interscope Records label.

Ongais and Field teamed up with success in Formula 5000 and the Indy car Series in the late 1970s.

He also competed in four Formula 1 races in 1977 and 1978, including two starts with Interscope, with a best finish of seventh in the 1977 Canadian Grand Prix.

That was the same year that Ongais became an Indy car winner.

After setting fastest lap of the race at the Indy 500 despite his rookie status, he went on to clinch victory at Michigan.

Three pole positions swiftly followed, but the Interscope Parnelli-Cosworth’s unreliability prevented further