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George Follmer

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George Follmer
Born (1934-01-27) January 27, 1934 (age 90)
Phoenix, Arizona
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityUnited States American
Active years1973
TeamsShadow
Entries13 (12 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums1
Career points5
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1973 South African Grand Prix
Last entry1973 United States Grand Prix

George Follmer (born January 27, 1934) is an American former auto racing driver, and one of the most successful road racers of the 1970s. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona. His family moved to California when he was just an infant.

Career

Follmer began his career running a Volkswagen Beetle in Gymkhana competition in parking lots in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California.

Follmer raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1967-1971 and 1974 seasons, with 25 career starts, including the 1969-1971 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his one victory in 1969 at Phoenix International Raceway. His best finish at the Indianapolis 500 was in 1971. He started 29th and finished in the 15th position driving the Grant King Racer's turbo Offy.

In 1973, Follmer competed in Formula One with Don Nichols' UOP Shadow team. He took part in his first Grand Prix, in South Africa, at the age of 39 years and 1 month - making him F1's oldest débutant since the 1950s, a distinction he still holds.[1] In 13 Championship races, his best results were 6th in South Africa and a podium 3rd in Spain, in his first two Grands Prix, which gave him 13th in the Drivers' Championship with five points. He also competed in several non-Championship races.

Follmer's 1968 AMC Javelin

Follmer also had success in other racing series. In 1965, he won the SCCA United States Road Racing Championship. Follmer won two races in the 1970 SCCA Continental Championship for Formula A cars, placing sixth in the standings. He won the Trans-Am championship in 1972, winning four races with an AMC Javelin, and 1976, driving a Porsche 934 Turbo.

In 1972, Follmer was the Can-Am champion, substituting for the injured Mark Donohue in Penske Racing's Porsche 917/10, causing the racing press to dub Follmer "George Am". He was vice-champion in 1973 driving for Rinzler and 1974 in a Shadow. He collected 6 wins and 13 podiums in the three-year spell. He is the only driver to win the Can-Am and Trans-Am championship in the same year.

Follmer competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup series in 1974, with appearances in 13 of 30 races. He collected three top 5 finishes and a pole position. In 1974 and 1975, he raced at the International Race of Champions, where he won a race.

In 1977 he returned to the revived Can-Am, resulting 6th in 1977 and 5th in 1978.

After his retirement, he came back to racing for the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans, obtaining a prestigious third place with a Porsche 956.

Though long-retired from professional motorsports competition, Follmer still competes in vintage races, often driving the very same cars in which he competed during his heyday.

In addition to his racing career, Follmer also owned a Porsche-Audi-Subaru dealership in Pomona, California, later relocated to Montclair, California, from 1977 to 1990.

Award

He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America[2] in 1999. He was also inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2019.

2014 Saleen Mustang Limited Edition

2014 Saleen/Follmer Edition
Overview
Production2014
AssemblySaleen (Corona, California, USA)
Body and chassis
Body style2-door 2+2 sports coupe
Platform5th Generation Mustang
Powertrain
EngineSaleen 5.0L Hi-Revving 495HP V8
Transmission6-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase107.1 in (2,720 mm)
Length188.1 in (4,778 mm)
Width73.9 in (1,877 mm)
Height55.1 in (1,400 mm) (Coupe)
Curb weight3,631 lb (1,647 kg)

On August 17, 2013 Saleen introduced a limited edition Saleen | George Follmer Edition Ford Mustang. Based on the #16 1969 Boss 302 Mustang racecar that he drove in the 1969 SCCA Trans-Am series, the 2014 Saleen/Follmer Edition was period correct with its livery, naturally aspirated 495HP[3] 5.0L high revving engine, track tuned suspension, and 6-speed manual transmission. Production was limited to 250 units.[4]

Motorsports career results

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1966 United States North American Racing Team United States Charlie Kolb Ferrari Dino 206S P 2.0 9 DNF DNF
1986 Germany Joest Racing United States John Morton
United States Kenper Miller 		Porsche 956 C1 355 3rd 3rd

American open-wheel racing

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

USAC Championship Car

USAC Championship Car results
Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Pos. Pts
1967 Rolla Vollstedt Vollstedt Ford PHX TRE INDY MIL LAN PPR MOS MOS IRP
17 		LAN MTR MTR SPR MIL DSF INF TRE
21 		SAC HAN PHX RSD
6 		27th 230
1968 George R. Bryant Cheetah Ford HAN
11 		LVS
15 		PHX
24 		TRE INDY
DNQ 		MIL MOS
11 		MOS
10 		LAN PPR CDR NAZ IRP IRP LAN LAN MTR MTR ISF MIL DSF INF TRE SAC MCH HAN PHX RSD
8 		32nd 206
1969 George Follmer Cheetah Chevy PHX
1 		HAN
9 		IRP
6 		IRP
3 		MIL
11 		ISF DOV DSF INF BRN
6 		BRN
6 		TRE SAC SIR
15 		SIR
6 		16th 880
Ford INDY
27 		MIL LAN PPR CDR NAZ TRE
STP Racing Lotus 56 Offy PHX
DNQ
Plymouth RSD
14
1970 Brawner Hawk Ford PHX SON TRE INDY
31 		MIL LAN CDR MCH ONT
20 		DSF INF SED TRE SAC PHX NC 0
George Walther Morris Ford IRP
21 		ISF MIL
1971 Grant King Kingfish 70 Offy 159 ci turbo RAF RAF PHX TRE INDY
15 		MIL POC MCH MIL ONT TRE PHX NC 0
1975 American Kids Racer Eagle 72 Offy 159 ci turbo ONT ONT
8 		ONT
DNS 		PHX TRE INDY
DNQ 		NC 0
Adams Automotive Eagle 72 Offy 159 ci turbo INDY
DNQ 		MIL POC MCH MIL MCH TRE PHX

Indianapolis 500

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
1968 Cheetah Ford DNQ George R. Bryant
1969 Cheetah Ford 27 27 George Follmer
1970 Brawner Hawk Ford 21 31 STP Racing
1971 Kingfish Offenhauser 29 15 Grant King
1975 Eagle Offenhauser DNQ American Kids Racer
Eagle Offenhauser DNQ Adams Automotive

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 NWCC Pts Ref
1972 Frasson Racing 18W Dodge RSD DAY RCH ONT
49 		CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV MCH RSD TWS DAY BRI TRN ATL TAL MCH NSV DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR TWS 120th 9 [5]
1974 Bud Moore Engineering 15 Ford RSD
18 		DAY
20 		RCH CAR
5 		BRI
28 		ATL
4 		DAR
22 		NWS
6 		MAR
22 		TAL
28 		NSV
6 		DOV
5 		CLT 29th 230.49 [6]
Penske Racing 16 AMC RSD
33 		MCH DAY BRI NSV ATL POC TAL MCH DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR
Donlavey Racing 90 Ford ONT
32
1975 Moyer Racing 33 Chevy RSD DAY
24 		RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT 74th 167 [7]
Michael Brockman 50 Chevy RSD
29 		MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI ATL ONT
1986 Midgley Racing 29 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN
18 		MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD
36 		76th 164 [8]
1987 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR TAL CLT DOV POC RSD
40 		MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR RSD
16 		ATL 70th 163 [9]
1988 50W Pontiac DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD
DNQ 		POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL NA - [10]
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1974 Bud Moore Engineering Ford 5 20
1975 Moyer Racing Chevrolet 40 24

International Race of Champions

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

International Race of Champions results
Year Make 1 2 3 4 Pos. Pts Ref
1973–74 Porsche RSD
4 		RSD
1 		RSD
5 		DAY
5 		5th - [11]
1974–75 Chevy MCH
5 		RSD
2 		RSD
5 		DAY
8 		7th - [12]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 WDC Pts
1973 UOP Shadow Racing Team Shadow DN1 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG BRA RSA
6 		ESP
3 		BEL
Ret 		MON
DNS 		SWE
14 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
Ret 		NED
10 		GER
Ret 		AUT
Ret 		ITA
10 		CAN
17 		USA
14 		13th 5

Non-Championship Formula One results

(key) (races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2
1973 UOP Shadow Racing Team Shadow DN1 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ROC INT
6

References

  1. ^ "The F1 FAQ". Atlas F1. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  2. ^ George Follmer at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
  3. ^ "Follmer Edition". saleen.com. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  4. ^ seyth miersma (17 August 2013). "2014 Saleen George Follmer Edition Mustang debuts at Laguna Seca". Autoblog. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  5. ^ "George Follmer – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  6. ^ "George Follmer – 1974 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  7. ^ "George Follmer – 1975 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  8. ^ "George Follmer – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  9. ^ "George Follmer – 1987 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  10. ^ "George Follmer – 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  11. ^ "George Follmer – 1974 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  12. ^ "George Follmer – 1975 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved April 23, 2017.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Follmer.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Can-Am Champion
1972 		Succeeded by
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