But on his return, Vince truly emerged from the shadow of his famous father when he took over Dan Cotters Indy car team in the 1980s and almost immediately found success. During World War II, he became a promoter of automobile racing events, such as the "Hurricane Racing Association", which combined racing opportunities for up-and-coming drivers with crowd-pleasing theatrics. That's what makes it happen. This did not deter Andy. Usage conditions may apply for digital images, video, and sound recordings linked within SOVA collections. 0 references. He would go on to work on the legendary and legendarily unfortunate STPturbine cars. Andy Granatelli at the 2011 Indianapolis 500. He debuted the STP-Paxton Turbocar in 1967, with a Pratt and Whitney aircraft engine modified for ground transportation and stationary power. As Chief Driver and Engineer at Studebaker Racing, he set over 400 world land speed records. Intense development of the abandoned Novi V8 engine, including the addition of superchargers from Granatelli's Paxton firm, became the family's mission in the early Sixties. Originally Published on May 22, 2008 Speedway, Indiana. In 1958, Andy and his brother Joe purchased Paxton Products, a failing engineering firm that made superchargers. Andys quest for Indy 500 fame began in Chicago, where, at the age of 20in 1943, he and his brothers pooled money and purchased a Texaco gas station on the north side of the city and named it Andys Super Service. In his own right, he had become one of the most celebrated men on Gasoline Alley. The name "STP" stands for "Scientifically Treated Petroleum." 40 Sneaky sort : WEASEL To weasel out of something is to back away from a prior commitment. Fast cars brought easy money, and that bought the boys more high-performance parts to make their cars even faster. Granatelli's cars became a significant presence at the Indianapolis 500. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The collection consists primarily of files, photographs, scrapbooks, and drawings. You see there wasnt just one Granatelli, there were three and each contributed significantly to how Americans eventually nurtured their cars. ?_l) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America ID. No stranger to fast driving, he was chief driver and chief engineer at Studebacker Racing and set more than 400 world land-speed records. F1 Bahrain Grand Prix: How to watch on TV in the USA on ESPN, How Liberty is "playing long game" to help F1 teams make money, How Liberty is "playing long game" to help F1 teams make money He wentback in 1952with the Grancor-Wynns Oil, driven by Jim Rathmann, to take second place, and then in 1953 with the Grancor/Elgin Piston Pin driven by Fred Agabashian for a fourth-place finish. After his innovative Lotus four-wheel drive car was destroyed in practice upon establishing itself as one of the most dominants cars to date, his driver Mario Andretti, nursing the burns from the Lotus crash, won at the wheel of a year-old backup car. Inducted into the Daytona Beach Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2003. But by 1969, the owner of "The Cinderella Car" -- so named because of its rise from backup to glory -- already had been a highly visible fixture at the Brickyard during the month of May. Joe, Andy, and Vince continued to be leaders by example and amassed personal fortunes during the course of their lives. Granatelli bought Tuneup Masters in 1976 for $300,000. nm0334686. Andy Granatelli, Indy racing pioneer, dies at 90 "Mr. 500" was unafraid to innovate, and the sport was better for it. Inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1980. actor. I enjoyed reading this. Published in the Post-Tribune / Chicago Sun-Times News Group Andy Granatelli's childhood dream of conquering Indy was fulfilled, not once, but twice. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. and Carmela "Minnie" Cardinale (1902-1936). Andy Granatelli, who passed away at 90 years old yesterday in a California hospital, will always be remembered in the open-wheel world for helping to revive the Novi engine in the early 1960s . See accession 2017.0092. Danny Kladis drove the Granatelli car to 21st place after qualifying at the back of the 33-car field. The Granatelli Brothers story is one of hard work, commitment and never giving up, all qualities they learned growing up on the streets of Chicago. Warning: JavaScript is disabled on your browser. For 1962, Granatelli also ordered two more new Kurtis chassis. One race car owner and driver, innovator, and entrepreneur who came to Indy to test his fate was Andy Granatelli. Granatelli bought Tuneup Masters in 1976 for $300,000. The Love Bug (1968), Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1967 . Granatelli went to Indianapolis with the Turbine car with Parnelli Jones as his driver. Anthony "Andy" Granatelli Anthony "Andy" Granatelli ( Dallas , 18 marzo 1923 - Santa Barbara , 29 dicembre 2013 [1] ) stato un imprenditore e dirigente sportivo statunitense . These files detail the internal workings of the company during this period, and include papers relating to such things as strategic planning, sales, marketing, advertising and competitors' products. Granatelli commissioned new front-engined chassis from Kurtis and Ferguson to carry the Novi and tried a variety of suspension layouts, four-wheel drive, and every other conceivable idea to remain competitive after rear-engined cars began to dominate the 500. The Granatelli Brothers, with Andy as the ringleader, fit in perfectly at Indy during a period in the great race's history where mechanical innovation and creativity went unchecked. Anthony " Andy " Granatelli (March 18, 1923 - December 29, 2013) was an American businessman, most prominent as the CEO of STP as well as a major figure in automobile racing events. Atomic car. 4 0 obj About Biography. F+s9H ! I have also enjoyed reading Andys autobiography They call me Mr 500. [2], He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America[4] in 2001. He was a man worthy of note in the world of cars and the world of business. Andy Granatelli, a flamboyant race car driver turned businessman who became a household name with TV commercials for his STP fuel and oil additives, died Sunday at a Santa Barbara hospital. Relocating to California, Andy got the bug to get back in business and he and Joe purchased the supercharger business of Paxton Products Corporation. The Granatelli brothers were so innovative that race sanctioning bodies soon began to legislate their cars out of existence. Anthony "Andy" Granatelli (March 18, 1923 December 29, 2013) was an American businessman, most prominent as the CEO of STP as well as a major figure in automobile racing events.[1]. However rumor is that the kiss began the infamous Indianapolis 500 curse that is named for Mario Andretti's family. It wasbuilt by Fred Offenhauser. In 1967, Granatelli's innovative spirit and competitive nature inspired him to bring turbine-powered cars to the speedway for the first time. Motorsports Hall of Fame of America 1801 W. International Speedway Blvd. 28 October 2013. In 1963, Bobby Unser (above) qualified sixth at 149+ mph but crashed out of the race on Lap 2. By reducing the air intake, the turbine engine was on more equal footing with the piston engine in terms of horsepower, reducing it to 480 HP and torque. 90 years biography, photo, best movies and TV shows, news, birthday and age, Date of Death. Race car driver and team owner; automotive engineer. "Legacy of 'Mr. Foyt.[2]. Mathews, Barbara E. "Profile of a Phenomenon," American National Business Hall of Fame. Skip to main content New Search Gallery Andy, always the promoter, needed a gimmick to set himself apart from other service stations. His legacy in American auto racing will never cease -- what a great man! Andy became the front man for an oil additive known as Scientifically Treated Petroleum (STP) and Andy's ability as a marketer made STP one of the most famous brands in racing beginning in the 1960s. Maybe a plain old piston car. A larger than life personality, and a genuine character, Granatelli's two Indy 500 wins as an owner were in many ways overshadowed by . Also included are papers relating to an organization he started called the Hurricane Hot Rod Association. By comparison, 1988 was a bust, riddled by bad luck and accidents, and scoring just two podium finishes. Even though the car failed to finish both years due to mechanical failure, the cars demonstrated superior speed and performance. In the 1920s, Papa Granatelli worked as a grocer during the day and taught himself how to read and write English at night. Andy Granatelli died this past Sunday at the age of 90. << Horsepower, popularized by James Watt (17361819), a Scottish-born inventor and engineer,isa unit of power equal in the United States to 746 watts and nearly equivalent to the English gravitational unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second. The Andy Granatelli Collection consists of business files, correspondence, publications, trade literature, photographs, sales, marketing, advertising, competitors products, specifications, test data, lap logs, performance statistics, scrapbooks, and drawings that document Granatellis involvement with race cars from his early years in Chicago through his career as an auto industry executive with STP Corporation. #2 No 53 Photo: Wikipedia . Masthead for Novi letterhead, undated. When it was destroyed in practice, his driver, Mario Andretti, was forced into a less desirable Brawner Hawk chassis, but went on to score his first and only win at the Brickyard. Andy Granatelli Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History(AC1403-0000036). Departing pit lane after his last stop, Guerreros faulty clutch caused him to stall twice, handing Penskes Al Unser his fourth Indy 500 victory. Anthony Vincent Granatelli (1923-2013) was born in Dallas, Texas, to Italian immigrant, Vincenzo Granatelli (1894-1977?) Granatelli said of Ed Winfield, he was a mechanicalthinker, a solver of problems, one who could look into the future. (They Call Me Mister 500, page 228). It wasnt long till he was one of best wrenches on the north side. and Carmela Minnie Cardinale (19021936). Granatelli's racing career began in 1946, when he built the first rocket-powered car to race on an oval track. I am adding to the gallery some treasured photos of Andy and his cars at the 1969 Indy Car race at Hanford, CA . [6], Granatelli died from congestive heart failure at the age of 90 in Santa Barbara, California. To learn more about his love affair with the Novi engine and car racing, visit theArchives Center. Hardwick slams flawed IMSA BoP, announces WEC plans, Nigel Mansells greatest F1 and Indycar drives, Nigel Mansells greatest drives Both the STP Paxton car of Parnelli Jones in 1967 and the Lotus 56 of Joe Leonard in 1968 would fail almost within sight of the checkered flag on Memorial Day Weekend. Comparison, 1988 was a man worthy of note in the 1920s, Granatelli. The 1920s, Papa Granatelli worked as a grocer during the day and taught himself how to and... Racing will never cease -- what a great man with a Pratt and Whitney aircraft engine modified for ground andy granatelli biography. And drawings Dallas, Texas, to Italian immigrant, Vincenzo Granatelli ( 1923-2013 ) born. Was born in Dallas, Texas, to Italian immigrant, Vincenzo Granatelli ( 1923-2013 was! It wasnt long till he was chief driver and team owner ; automotive engineer transportation and stationary.. 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