Folks Of Interest RIP ... Danny Ongais

Ezekiel “Danny” Ongais
May 21, 1942 - February 26, 2022
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Danny's first trip to the mainland was in 1962 with "The Islanders" for the 2nd Annual NHRA Winternationals in Pomona ... where they were awarded the NHRA "Long Distance" and "Best Appearing Crew" awards:

(l to r) Ronnie Saiki - Danny Ongais - Roland Leong - Donald Nakano - Teddy Leong - Tom Nelson - Pat Moniz


(l to r) Ronnie Saiki - Danny Ongais - Roland Leong - Donald Nakano -
Wally Parks - Barbara Parks - Teddy Leong - Tom Nelson - Pat Moniz



Tom Nelson driving the "Dragmaster Hawaii" at the 1962 Winternationals​

 

Danny Ongais ... Top Gas "DRAGMASTER DART" ... circa 1963-64:

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Danny Ongais ... "The Mangler" AA/FD ... circa 1965:

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Sad to lose another of the ones I read about as a kid.

Indy racer & drag racer - "The Flyin' Hawaiian"

I think he had (has) the record for the slowest winning e.t. in Top Fuel. The story I remember is that on a solo run his car broke at the line & he pushed it by himself down the 1/4 mile to cross the finish line to get the win. (Now days they just have to stage to win a solo pass.)

 

RIP

 

^^^^Thats awesome! RIP man.

 

What a Legend !!!!! My favorite video of Danny, driving Mickey's Funny Car, "hard on the hammer, of a Ford Cammer". R.I.P. Mr. Ongais.

 

Danny on the Gas.

 

One of the greats, for sure! Rest In Peace, Sir.
Thanks for the great video. Some of those shots look like Thunder Valley in nearby Bristol.

 

My favorite video is of him doing that side to side thing in the lights and getting snapped straight with the chute, the car had all four off the ground.

 

Just can't be.

Rest In Peace Danny. Lots of thrills over the years.

 

Danny Ongais ... "Honda of Wilmington" AA/FD ... circa 1966:

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My strongest memory of him was at Indy. He crashed and hit the wall. I saw something silver on the front of the car as it scrubbed down the wall. As the car slowed down, I realized that it was his feet in the old aluminized boots that we all wore before there were better nomex products. That was in the late 70's or early 80's before the car's footbox area was improved. He was the real deal. RIP.

 

^^^^^Great picture today, waving goodbye to his fans.

 

I still credit Danny Ongais for me deciding to start wearing a seat belt! His horrendous crash at Indy (maybe '81?) made me decide that if you stay in the car in any way at least there's a chance to survive a bad crash. With that said, God was still taking care of him that he wasn't killed that day!

Godspeed Danny!

Lynn

 

If it was fast, Danny could drive it. RIP.

Mick

 

Sad news, he was one of my favorite drivers growing up. RIP.

 

RIP Danny... on the gas in heaven ! He was a favorite driver of mine when I was a kid.. He did it all..

 

Sad news
R.I.P. from Aussie

 

Aloha Danny - sincere sympathy goes out to his racing family & fans - most of all to his immediate Family

 

This...


RIP, Danny....

 

The blue 69 Mach 1 funny car. He won a lot of match races and national events with that car.

RIP Danny "on the gas" Ongais.

 

Condolences to the Ongais family and friends in Danny's passing...certainly a well rounded master in go fast...may he rest in Peace...

Regards,
Stogy

 

Another great one gone...Condolences to family and friends

 

RIP, another great gone.

 

Terrible news . I was always a fan of his when I was growing up . The only time that I remember seeing him race though was at Bristol when he was driving a top gas rail . This was in ‘65 or ‘66 .He always struck me as someone who just went out and got the job done with no unnecessary drama . He will be missed ; my condolences to all .

 

I have to admit, I wasn't familiar with the name Danny Ongais. So I watched the video.
(Thanks, Marty)
I do remember the Mustang.
"He left."
My balls feel tiny right now.
Sincere condolences.