No Fenders - Formula 1, IndyCar and A Whole lot more..

RETRO: Gordon Johncock, Roadsters and the Vanishing 1960’s era Drivers

2026-11-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

Jim Rathmann’s No. 4 1960 Indianapolis 500 winning Ken-Paul Special Watson Offenhauser Roadster on display at the IMS Museum. (The Tomaso collection)

Who’s it gonna be, Gordon Johncock or Rick Mears? And Johncock takes it by a Nose!

Its old news now that Gordon Johncock died on Sept 28th at the age of 90. With numerous obituaries and tributes having already been written and posted, I’ll try going down a slightly different track.

As I’d agree with The Pit Window’s Mike Silve’s assessment for what one word would adequately describe Gordie’, being Gritty.

I’ll also agree that for Mwah, the 1973 Indianapolis 500 was it’s worst race of the modern era. With all of the tragedy and weather delays. Always flashing back to the reminder of Gordon Johncock and crew simply celebrating at a local Burger shop after visiting teammate Swede Savage in Hospital.

Ironically, during my Diecast mania Dazes, I purchased a 1:18 Carousel 1973 Gordon Johncock STP Eagle. Which sits in a closet with other unboxed Diescast models…

Two other nuggets I wasn’t aware of were that Johncock had won the 1976 USAC National Championship Trails title. Whilst ironically could have become the first Four-times Indy 500 winner if only “Lady-luck” hadn’t soured upon Him in 1966 and 1977!

Gordon Johncock - Champion of Life

Thanks to Mike Silver’s mention of reading on social media that only nine IndyCar drivers from the 1960’s remained, naturally made me curious who they were?

According to Keith Johnson on X: “With the death of Gordon Johncock, there are now only nine #Indy500 drivers still living who drove in the race in the decade of the 1960s: Mario Andretti, Larry Dickson, George Follmer, A.J. Foyt, (only driver from the 1950s) Mel Kenyon, Johnny Rutherford, George Snider, Jackie Stewart and Bruce Walkup.”

While the name Larry Dixon didn’t ring any bells for Mwah, Cornfuzing Him with Larry Rice.

Hands up! Who’s ever heard of Bruce Walkup? As I certainly never had before wanting to know who the nine remaining Indy 500 drivers from the 1960’s were? Although feel somewhat “Smug” recognizing seven names.

Bruce Walkup

Mike Silver also noted that with Gordie’s passing, there are now only three living Indianapolis 500 winners to have driven both front and rear engine machinery. With A.J. Foyt leading the way, followed by Mario Andretti and Lone Star Jr, aka Johnny Rutherford.

But those are just winners. As I spent a fair chunk ‘O time trying to learn what type of racecar George Snider drove upon his USAC National Championship Trail series debut in 1964. Where surely, He was driving a front engine Roadster in the Bobby Ball Memorial at Phoenix International Raceway that day? Learning indeed “Ziggy,” Snider’s nickname, was behind the wheel of a 1963 Watson D 5 Offenhauser. So there’s at least four Championship Car front engine drivers still alive…

Since I swear I once scribbled somewhere here upon No Fenders about a total of nine front engine USAC era champ Car drivers being alive

As the Roadster era of 1948-1964 marked the passing of the torch between Pre-War (WWII) racecars to the advent of the rear engine racing car. Arguably with the 1960 Indianapolis 500 duel between Jim Rathmann and Rodger Ward in identical Watson Offenhauser Roadsters being their zenith.

Not to mention arguably one of the greatest races ever, with some 20 passes for the lead between the two combatants. Only broken off by Ward’s needing to slow to prevent blowing his front tyre three laps from race’s end!

Another look at the Indy Roadster era

While my two favourite memories of Johncock are that epic duel against Rick Mears enroute to his second Indianapolis 500 win in 1982. And the Speedway honouring Gordie with a retro Baby Borg trophy on the 50th anniversary of his debutante Indy 500 win. Where the dress code for the 75-80 people gathered was Johncock flannel, in homage to his farm and Lumber-mill heritage…

Remembering Gordon Johncock: The unvarnished legend with a Heavy right foot

Photo C/O No Fenders Offical’ Photographer CARPETS’

Battle on The Bricks leaves me feeling Deflated

2026-11-04T09:34:00.000-08:00

And it’s got nothing to do with the long forgotten MSR Tyregate fiasco…

Full disclosure, obviously I scribbled this awhile ago, immediately after the race. In order to have something to post on No Fenders when I’d originally planned to procrastinate upon having thoust Confuzer’ in the shop for a tune-up…

Yet the joke’s on me once again, thanks Microsoft! Having pulled the proverbial plug upon Mwah Wayback on Thursday, September 24th, but I digress…

By Gummit’, where’s ‘Ol Forrest Gump when Yuhs need Him, Eh? As you’d have thought I would have been “Jazzed” up over tuning into a fall motor race, now that IndyCar’s gone into its ridiculous six months winter hibernation, Yawn!

This summer, when trying to listen online to le 24 Heurs du Mans, all three of my web browsers gave me serious alerts for Hackers possibly targeting my machine after having clicked on the RS2 radio feed via IMSA Radio, Say What! And since these warnings failed to go away, I had to scramble to learn another way to listen to IMSA Sports car races, Sigh!

My latest website is MyTuner Radio, which works fine, with the exception of the volume being constantly wonky all race long, Urgh! As the volume went up ‘n down repeatedly as I had to keep jacking up the volume to hear the muted tone of John Hindhaugh, whilst Ryan Marin was shouting at me! Not to mention pitlane reporter ArJuna’s interviews starting off loud and then diminishing – before returning to the booth had their sound level too loud, Oh Never Mind!

Thus, naturally this makes following a race annoying to say the least! And I don’t know if it’s a broadcast problema or my Spectrum internet provider’s?

It’s odd how Deflated I felt at race’s end. As I like both Jack Achey-Breaky’ Aitken and Laurin Heinrich equally. With these two protagonists vying for the Drivers title. Yet I find myself wanting Heinrich to win over Aitken for reasons unknown. Other than He seems to have had the better season, with three wins vs. Aitken’s two.

Yet Aitken’s been more consistent, winning at Detroit and Watkins glen. Along with a total of seven podiums; four runner-up and one third place finishes prior to Road Atlanta’s season finale. With his Road America contretemps with Porsche’s Kevin Estre netting an eighth-place result.

Heinrich, who’s raced in three different Porsche’s, has six podiums. Having won the first two events aboard the No. 7 Porsche Penske Motorsport entry. (Daytona-Sebring) And then securing the first customer Porsche win with JDC Miller Motorsport at Laguna Seca; one runner-up and two third place finishes. While a sixth and 11th at Long Beach and Detroit blot his copybook. Being 147 points behind Aitken entering Petit Le Mans.

As Heinrich needs a miracle to win the title, since basically if Aitken and Co. finish ninth or better at Road Atlanta, I believe He wins the championship.

Actually, Aitken effectively clinched the title by qualifying ahead of Heinrich at Road Atlanta…

Although I don’t want Penske to win every race, following Sebring, IMSA slapped the maximum allowable penalty of 45 kilos, approx. 100lbs of additional ballast to the 963 Panzerwagens, Youch! And the Porsche’s haven’t been able to win since.

While if I put my tin-foil hat on, it’s a bit disconcerting that the (AXR) Whelen Engineering Caddy’ with ties to IMSA’s owner NASCAR is leading the points battle…

Yes, I was happy that Sheldon van der Linde passed Earl Bamber for the lead with five minutes remaining, and scored BMW Team WRT’s debutante IMSA GTP victory! But I was hoping more for Heinrich to pass Bamber for second, which didn’t happen.

A similar feeling swept over Mwah for the outcome of the GTD Pro category. Yeah, I was happy that Dennis Olsen held off Nicky Catsburg for the win in the No. 64 “Darkhorse” Ford Mustang after Bangin’ doors with the Corvette. But I’d wanted the young lion Nikita Johnson on the fuel-save of his life to claim victory instead.

Reigning Indy NXT champion Johnson was trying to score Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s (RLLR) maiden GTD Pro win with its NO. 59 factory McLaren 720s on an audacious fuel strategy. With John Hindhaugh noting Johnson had come up just five seconds short! And if the last lap had been 1:18 vs. 1:23 – requiring another circuit round the Speedway, Johnson wouldn’t have needed to pit for a splash of fuel with one-lap remaining…

Yet IndyCar driver Christian Rasmussen proved it was possible to go exceedingly long on a tank of racing petrol. As the Dane’ stretched his No. 18 ERA Motorsport Oreaca’s fuel load, winning the LMP2 category for his third win on the Brickyard’s permanent road course.

Cannot recall hearing of such a rule before. But the dominant GT Daytona (GTD) class winners Windward Racing had to drop to the rear of the field after failing to return to the pitlane during the reconnaissance lap before the pits closed prior to race’s start.

Although Russell Ward drove towards the front. One could say this violation enabled the No. 96 Turner Motorsports BMW M4 Evo of Patrick Gallagher and Robby Foley to hang on for the win, barely ahead of Windwards’ No. 57 Mercedes at the stripe!

The win was Turner’s first in two-plus years, last winning at Road America in August, 2024.

And even though it was an entertaining race, I just didn’t feel any euphoria after a three hours cruise of the volume constantly going up-down-up like a raging sea with Gilligan at the tiller…

AUTOS: The long, forgotten Microstang

2026-11-02T15:51:00.000-08:00

Microsoft 2012 Mustang. (Image source: fordmuscle.com)

Where’s ‘Ol Wilson Pickett when Yuhs need Him? As Microsoft most definitely slowed Mustang sally down with its WINDOUGHS’ 8 operating system!

VIDEO: Mustang Sally

Why is it that every time I have to endure going thru the Nightmarish pains of upgrading either my Microsoft operating system or associated software, I immediately flashback to the long forgotten Microstang and that abomination known as WINDOUGHS’ 8!

Perhaps you’ll recall this marketing endeavour by Microsoft from nearly 15 years ago? Although I’m guessing you’ll have to be a Mustang Diehard like Mwah to do so…

West Coast customs builds a Microsoft Mustang

Unfortunately, I’m still trying to iron out the idiosyncrasies of MicroDollars’ Office 2021 software, primarily Outlook, sigh!

Since all I can think of is I had perfectly good, fully functioning Office 2016 software loaded on my upgraded Windows 11 machine, before Microsoft pulled their nasty, Money-Grubbin’ tactics upon Mwah!

And I made the mistake of upgrading to Office 2021! Which for Mwah is akin from going from a wonderfully sporty, svelte and fun to drive Dasun 280Z. to the bulbous, luxury liner bloated confines of a Datsun 280ZS, which lost all of its sleekness and performance!

Another relic from Microsoft’s Dustbin

With the most ironic bit being that the only actual Office 2021 software improvement being a functional speel checker that easily integrates with my JAWS screen reader. Since many will be quick to point out, I haven’t been speeling words correctly for decades…