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  *Comments on the 1979 Road Racing Qualifier:*
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  1.   Steve posted:
  07.27.2006 - 6:12 pm
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3-time Formula One World Champion Niki Lauda makes his only IROC start,
but a clutch failure prevented him from showing his talent. This is a
true story about the Austrian:

In 1976 he was in a savage crash at the old Nurburgring circuit (14
miles long!) on the second lap. His Ferrari had inexplicably crashed and
burst into flames. Four brave drivers and a marshal plunged into the
towering inferno and hauled out the smouldering body. In hospital, with
first to third degree burns on his head and wrists, several broken bones
and lungs scorched from inhaling toxic fumes, Niki Lauda was given up
for dead and administered the last rites by a priest.

Six weeks later, with blood seeping from the bandages on his head, he
finished fourth in the Italian Grand Prix. Astonished doctors said he
had recovered by sheer force of will. Jackie Stewart (3-time World
Champion) said it was the most courageous comeback in the history of
sport. (I can't disagree.) Niki said the loss of half an ear made it
easier to use the telephone. That's putting a positive spin on such a
potential tragedy!


  2.   Steve posted:
  07.27.2006 - 6:34 pm
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1980 Formula One Champion Alan Jones' best IROC finish. He made 4 IROC
starts, all of which resulted in Top 5s. Also some guy named David Hobbs
finished 5th in this race. (I'm just kidding about the "some guy" quote.
He's an F1 commentator on SPEED Channel as a former driver.)


  3.   Anonymous posted:
  02.23.2009 - 10:52 pm
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In reality Hobbs' F1 career was not much longer then his NASCAR career,
but he was a hugely prolific driver that competed in many series. He
also commentated on many Daytona 500s, including in 1979.


  4.   RaceFanX posted:
  10.20.2009 - 10:36 am
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Peter Gregg's lone IROC win


  5.   ii posted:
  11.10.2010 - 6:31 am
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It was Hobbs' only start in IROC


  6.   RaceFanX posted:
  06.23.2011 - 12:24 am
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Numbers:
Peter Gregg- #4
Patrick Depailler- #18


  7.   nascarman posted:
  07.21.2011 - 8:28 am
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A few more numbers:
Alan Jones- 8
Mario Andretti- 7
John Watson- 11


  8.   Jon Saltinstall posted:
  04.28.2013 - 5:33 am
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Does no one please know the colour of the car Lauda raced in the
Riverside qualifier, and the number he carried? Seems to be a mystery
everywhere....Many thanks


  9.   Anonymous posted:
  10.09.2013 - 6:14 am
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Corrections:

David Hobbs- SCCA


  10.   nascarman posted:
  06.11.2014 - 11:09 am
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Here's a few more numbers.

David Hobbs - #1
Niki Lauda - #2 (it was a yellow car)
Emerson Fittipaldi - #3


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