Penske PC-6
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The Penske PC-6 is a USAC and
CART A cart or dray (Australia and New Zealand) is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by draught animals such as horses, donkeys, mules and oxen, or even smaller animals such as goats or large dogs. A handcart ...
open-wheel race car An open-wheel car is a car with the wheels outside the car's main body, and usually having only one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have their wheels below the body or inside fend ...
, designed by British designer Geoff Ferris at
Penske Racing Team Penske (formerly Penske Racing) is an American professional auto racing organization, competing in the IndyCar Series, NASCAR Cup Series, IMSA SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship. Debuting at the 1966 24 Hours of Da ...
, which was constructed for competition in the 1978 season. It won the
1979 Indianapolis 500 The 63rd 500 Mile International Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, on Sunday May 27, 1979. Brothers Al Unser, Al and Bobby Unser combined to lead 174 of the 200 laps, but Al dropped out around the midpo ...
, being driven by
Rick Mears Richard Ravon Mears (born December 3, 1951) is an American former race car driver. He is one of four men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times (1979, 1984, 1988, 1991) and is the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six (197 ...
.


Background

The Penske PC-6 was introduced to racing in 1978 at the 62nd Indianapolis 500, driven by Tom Sneva, Rick Mears, Mario Andretti, and Larry Dickson. It would place 2nd, later going on to achieve 1st place at the 1979 Indy 500 with Rick Mears behind the wheel, cementing his Gould Charge #9 livery as one of the most famed on the PC-6. Other drivers would later try out the car, like Dennis Firestone, albeit without much success. From this point on not much is known about the PC-6. It may not have raced at all until more recent recreational races.


Notable Achievements

Tom Sneva made history in his Penske PC-6 qualifying at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a motor racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400, and and formerly the home of the U ...
in 1978, setting a record four-lap average speed of over 200 miles per hour that became- and still is- a famous milestone of automotive racing. While laps crossing 200 miles per hour had been achieved at the speedway, none had been done on a hot track, though many had tried. Sneva also set the record for the first official lap crossing 200 miles per hour at the Indy 500 just one year prior, albeit in a
McLaren M24 The McLaren M24 was a race car designed and built by McLaren between 1977 and 1979 for Indy car racing. M24 was also the last-ever McLaren IndyCar car to date before McLaren decided to withdraw from Championship Auto Racing Teams, CART IndyCar ...
owned by
Roger Penske Roger Searle Penske (born February 20, 1937), also known as "the Captain", is an American auto racing team owner, businessman, and former professional driver. Penske is the owner of Team Penske, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IndyCar, and ...
.


Photo Gallery


References

{{Penske Racing cars Racing cars American Championship racing cars