4/23/2008
This web site is dedicated to the memory of Mark Donohue. Mark was a
multiple SCCA National Champion, as well as the 1972 Indy 500 winner, 1968-69-71
SCCA Trans Am Champion, 1973 SCCA Can Am Champion, and inaugural IROC Champion.
There are many pictures of cars that Mark Donohue was involved with, so please
take your time and browse thru the galleries below and reminisce. You can see
and read how a nice guy finished first, many times.
I just recieved
word that my friend and author of the new book about Mark; Michael Argetsinger,
has lost his father, Cameron Argetsinger, after a long battle. I wanted to
express my sorrow for Michael and his entire family's loss. Cameron Argetsinger
was the husband of Jean, and the Father of nine children. Cameron was the
founder and organizer of the first races in Watkins Glen on the streets, owned
and maintained Watkins Glen race track for many many years and founded the
International Motorsports Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen, NY. He had
been very ill for some time. Please say a prayer for the entire Argetsinger
family. Cameron, thanks for all the great memories through the years.
The
new book Michael Argetsinger is writing about Mark is progressing well, just
taking more time than originally thought. The joy for Michael is writing it and
I look forward to reading it all when it is finished. All I will say is I am
sure it will be the best book written about Mark, and once you read it you will
feel like you were part of Mark's life. The first book that Mark wrote "The
Unfair Advantage" was about all the cars he drove throughout his life, and
the new book will be much more personal stories from the people who were with
him from the beginning to his untimely end. Hopefully we can expect the book out
before the end of 2008. Would be a great Christmas present. Michael has put his
whole heart and soul into this project. Each time I talk to him I feel his
excitment and cannot wait for it to finally be finished and read it. One of the
reasons it has taken a little longer in writing the new book, Michael has been
helping with caring for his parents back in New York. He is one of nine children
and each child has been taking two weeks from there hectic schedule, rotating
with the care of them. Keep Michael and his parents in your thoughts prayers.
It still amazes me how much Mark stays in the mainstream of racing
news and such. It was nice seeing Roger Penske win the Daytona 500 and even
coming in with a 1-2 finish. When Roger was talking to the people doing the TV
broadcast team, Mark was mentioned as he was the first driver of Penske Racing
to have won a NASCAR race at the Riverside 500 in the AMC Matador. It was nice
seeing Roger remembering where he started and mentioning Marks name. Sometimes I
think Roger only thinks of the present and future of his racing empire. I may be
wrong but theres been many instances that he has given me that impression.
Speaking of books, I am reading the un authorized version of the
Penske Racing book, written by Alan Hummel. Alan has done a great job with the
different years throughout the years of Penske. Racing. It has alot of great
pictures by some of the photographs I have on the website. You can purchase the
book for $40.00 which includes postage in the US at
www.PenskeRacing40years.com, and ask Alan to autograph a book for you. You may
also purchase a book thru Amazon.com, Speedgear.com and Paul Z at Motorsport.com
if you would like. Let them know Paul with Unfair Advantage Racing sent you
there way.
Rick and Jacques Dresang with the UEMSI Motorwerks
continue to keep the 72 Eagle that Mark drove for Penske Racing in the 73 Indy
500 among other races during the same season. They also have aquired a 1972
International Hauler which was designed and engineered by Mark Donohue and was
always refered to as the "Blue Hilton" to haul the Penske Racing race
cars. It has been a huge undertaking but is being completed as we speak. We are
now looking for pictures of it, especially front views for acuracy as they paint
it. It will have the livery of the day when they ran the 73 Can Am series with
the 917/30KL. We are also looking for the guys who drove the Blue Hilton thru
the years. If you know anyone who drove the Blue Hilton we would sure like to
know of you? We already found Woody, Chuck Cantwell, Earl, and Chuck Sprague to
name a few. Any help would be appreciated, and look forward to hearing
from anyone about it.
Also...The UEMSI Motorwerks squad ventured to the Makray Memorial
Country Club in Barrington, Illinois on September 16, 2007 to participate in the
Barrington Concours d'Elegance "Legends and Legacies" with their
historic 1972 All-American Racers Eagle #7225. The event helped raise funds for
three area beneficiaries, including the Hospice of Northeastern Illinois, Cowboy
Dreams of Illinois, and the Barrington Hills Conservation Trust.
The Eagle was positioned at the front gates next to Don Devine's
fabulous 1972 McLaren M20; which was famously raced by Peter Revson in 1972,
David Hobbs in 1973, and Scooter Patrick in 1974. The McLaren won the final race
of the original Can-Am series on August 25, 1974 at Road America with Patrick
driving.
At the end of the concours awards ceremony, the UMW team presented a
special award, The Mark, in memory of Mark Donohue. The award will be presented
at every event that Eagle #7225 is shown at. In the book "The Unfair
Advantage," Mark Donohue gave Eagle #7225 the chapter title of "The
Last Development Job Left Unfinished." The Penske team held on to Eagle
#7225 until after Mark passed away, creating the aura that there was unfinished
business left in the car.
The car's unfinished business is no longer to find every last
increment of speed on the track. In the hands of UMW, its purpose has evolved to
serve as a preserved element of racing history and to help charitable causes in
their quest to help better serve the world. The Mark is given to a person that
has shown dedication, focus, and contribution in efforts to better serve either
the preservation of history or a charity.
The first recipients of The Mark award were Dee Beaubien of the
Hospice of Northeastern Illinois, Mary Bradford-White of the Barrington Hills
Conservation Trust and Ginger Spitzer of Cowboy Dreams of Illinois for their
part in piecing together the inaugural Barrington Concours D'Elegance, which was
a glowing success.
Thanks to Jacques Dresang for allowing me to use his press release to
tell you of what has been going on with Mark's car. An update to this story of "The
Mark" was given to David Hobbs for all his charitable work in the rcaing
community. More to follow.
I have had some shirts printed up
and just havent had the time to put them online yet. They are blue with small
pictures of the 69 Lola T70, 71 McLaren M16, the 71 Javelin, 68 McLaren M6A, the
68 Camaro, and the Porsche 917/30. It has Mark Donohue written on the front with
Champion Legend and Gentleman underneath in smaller letters with a Unfair
Advantage Racing logo on the botton. I think they are sharp. They can be bought
thru PayPal, for $25.00 which includes shipping to anywhere in the US. My
PayPal account to get a shirt is PPowell6@msn.com. Let me know what size you
need when ordering them for quick delivery. The sizes I have available are from
Small to X-Large. I have also been listing them in EBay, just put Mark Donohue
in your search and find them in there.
We do have a few Mark
Donohue reunion posters available which is shown below. They are 22x34 and very
good quality. There were only 300 printed and only have a few left. They are
numbered, and will never be reproduced. I do accept PayPal, under the name of
PPowell6@msn.com. Email me for more details if your interested in one.
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