As we begin a new year, we take time to remember some of those in the classic car community who left us in 2019 (presented here in chronological order of their passing):
Peter Giddings, vintage racer
Michael T. Lynch, historian and author
Glen Wood, longtime NASCAR team owner
Robert Hubbard, inventor of the HANS device used in racing
John B. Haynes, founder of the Haynes Manual publishing company
Bob Nixon, former American Motors designer
Charles Whiting, longtime Formula One race director
Arlen Ness, custom-motorcycle builder
Jim Russell, racing champion and driving-school founder
Howard Danino, FIVA vice president
George Drolsom, racer and Amelia Island Concours board member
Heidi Hetzer, round-the-world driver in her 1930 Hudson Great Eight
Niki Lauda, Formula 1 champion
Jack Martin, restoration shop manager, Branson Collector Cars
Robin Herd, Formula One racing car designer and co-founder of March cars
Norman Dewis, Jaguar test driver
Richard Kughn, car collector, museum owner and reviver of Lionel trains
Gene Romero, motorcycle racer
Rod Hall, off-road racer
Monte Shelton, longtime import-car dealer and vintage racer
Nicole Meguiar, founder, Benedict Castle Concours
‘Cactus Jack’ Gartley, early collector car auction founder
Kenneth Behring, founder, Blackhawk Collection Museum
Lee Iacocca, ‘father’ of Ford Mustang and Chrysler minivan
Mitsuo Ito, only Japanese rider to win Isle of Man TT
Don Sommer, car collector and co-founder of the MeadowBrook/Concours of America
Dick Jordan, longtime U.S. Auto Club public relations director
Don Roberts, driver of “winningest” Shelby Cobra
Ferdinand Piech, chairman of Volkswagen, former head of Audi, Porsche racing
Jessi Combs, speed-record racer and TV personality
Mike Stefanik, 9-time NASCAR modified or truck series national champion
Luigi Colani, car and industrial product designer
Chuck Stoddard, racer and one of original Porsche dealers in U.S.
Andy Cohen, co-founder, Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories
Ron Watson, founder, Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
Louis “Sonny” Meyer Jr., 15-time Indy 500-winning engine builder
Walter “Wally” Miller, museum founder and automotive literature collector
Jerry Hirchberg, Buick and Nissan designer
Print editions of AutoWeek, Automobile, Lowrider and more than a dozen other car magazines
Bill Simpson, Indy racer and safety-equipment pioneer
Junior Johnson, moonshine runner turned stock car racer
Horst Kwech, two-time Trans-Am racing champion
Syd Mead, illustrator and futurist
Too bad John Haynes’ son and his corporate henchmen did not learn from John but rather felt no issue in ending many senior manager’s careers (all males over 50 interestly enough) in the US. So much for decades of loyalty to a company. No wonder the company is for sale. Hope they get pennies for it. They deserve nothing less.
99% never take a second to appreciate the people and technology that gets them back and forth. I used to work in the oil and gas industry and nobody takes a minute to think about the work that is required to obtain the oil to refine a gallon of gas.