Thanks for this upload. Shades of Mike Hawthorn or Mike Hailwood. Public roads are life's lottery. At least on the track you're all going in the same direction, most of the time. RIP.
Robin these weekly pieces are great! My grandfather started going to Indy in the early 50's and didn't miss but maybe one race till his death in 95. We have the same seats in the top of turn 4 that he had and carry on the family tradition every May making the trip from TX to IN. My first trip was in 1987 at age 7 and I've been hooked ever since.. I just love the history and listening to the stories of these old school bad ass wheel men! You should do a weekly hour or two long podcast on open wheel racing.. You could have old timers like AJ, Mario, Unser bros, etc, as well as current drivers and up and coming stars. Your story telling and no sugar coat approach is the best! Keep it up Sir!
Mosely was always one of my favorites. I remember when he got killed. If I remember, he was in a van and either ran off the road or he was killed in an off road accident. The saddest part to me was he seemed like he was always just a half a step from being one of the guys to beat. Always was the over achiever. He was the guy you would've loved to see in a Penske or Pat Patrick ride.
Great piece Robin, thanks! My dad and older brother once saw Mike hit the wall in a sprint car and my father was sure that Mike was gone. He even turned my brother's head away as Mosley's car had not stopped flipping until it was right in front of them. This happened at a pavement track. I believe it was at the old Dayton Speedway? My favorite memory of him was when he took Gurney's 79 eagle from the middle of the pack at Indy and finishing a very competitive 3rd. That car was so beautiful. Gurney's 78 chassis with Bobby Unser had been a bit a dud and Unser had gone off to greener pastures with Penske. Mosley had qualified the 79 car at just over 186 which placed him 12th on the grid and well off from Mears 194 pole average. He was a raging bull during the race and had unlapped himself towards the end and then I believe, set the fastest lap of the race at over 193. Clearly, Mosley, Chief Mechanic Wayne Leary, and Gurney were sorting that car as the race went if not for the whole month of may. To this day I wonder whether Gurney and Mosley, prior to Indy, really knew what they had with that particular eagle? The chassis itself was not really mentioned in the Speedway's Gurney eagle museum dedication.
Half the fun of racing (well, in some era's, more than half) is the back story, the color. Miller does a great job of bringing this to life. I remember all these names from watching as a kid, but the sanitized broadcast didn't really do the guys justice. Thanks.
Dan Gurney passing away, 2018, is such a big deal! He was the "man"... If you wanted to be the "man", you had to beat the "man". Thanks for all you do Robin Miller... And Dave D. too...
Hat's off to Robin miller for dedicating & sharing his knowledge & life to Auto Racing, Sadly, In a generation now where open wheel racing is dying sport, Thanks Robin for keeping the memory alive, As a kid growing up in Indy in the 60's! Before the Pacers or the Colt's came to town! These race drivers like Mose were my Hero's! There is NOTHING like the prelude the festivities & build up before the start of that Race! The Indy 500,
IF THEY TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF RACING LIKE THEY SHOULD THE COUNTRY OPEN WHEEL RACING WILL COME BACK, RACING DYING BECAUSE THE COUNTRY'S DYING, WE BETTER WAKE UP BEFORE ITS TO LATE!
Broke my heart when he was killed in a auto accident Robin. Don't forget, the Pepsi Challenger was a Chevy Stock Block car my friend ! And one damn fast one at that ! Speaking of Chevy's, brings to mind Roger Rager's '78 Wildcat with a Carpenter School bus Stock Block Car Sponsored by Bob Pond, and the Advance Machine Company. The Advance Clean Sweep #66 ! Put it in the show 10th. quick remember !
That’s actually My grandpa, the teenager that was in the van is my dad! Probably think I’m lying but I’m not. My dad is now a handyman and we live in florida
Western Speedway 1964 or 65 first night in a midget, could have been the heat race and in an instant he was on the back stretch then gone! As the other cars passed I could see a huge hole in a billboard, and I remember it today as if it was just yesterday, a fan just behind me said, "That guy will never make a driver." Every time he started the 500 I would recall that declaration.
In 1972 I was 12 years old and was sitting inside of Turn 4 in the Terrace Extension and saw him crash. A piece of his car (a wheel hub or something) flew up into the stand and hit me in the left shin. The Yellow Shirts came up to get me and took me to the old field hospital for treatment, where I saw them wheel Mike out on a gurney to the awaiting helicopter for transport down to Methodist Hospital.
I grew up in Indy. Was at the race every year back in the 70's. Worked for UPI in turn four. In my opinion Mosley was fast. But a crasher. Whether it was bad luck or not. He crashed alot. And what eventually killed him? A street car crash. No disrespect meant. Just my opinion.
Great story and fantastic presentation. I was born and raised in the Indy area and have been a Indy fan all of my life. Thanks for everything you do.
Thanks for this upload. Shades of Mike Hawthorn or Mike Hailwood. Public roads are life's lottery. At least on the track you're all going in the same direction, most of the time. RIP.
Robin these weekly pieces are great! My grandfather started going to Indy in the early 50's and didn't miss but maybe one race till his death in 95. We have the same seats in the top of turn 4 that he had and carry on the family tradition every May making the trip from TX to IN. My first trip was in 1987 at age 7 and I've been hooked ever since.. I just love the history and listening to the stories of these old school bad ass wheel men! You should do a weekly hour or two long podcast on open wheel racing.. You could have old timers like AJ, Mario, Unser bros, etc, as well as current drivers and up and coming stars. Your story telling and no sugar coat approach is the best! Keep it up Sir!
Mosely was always one of my favorites. I remember when he got killed. If I remember, he was in a van and either ran off the road or he was killed in an off road accident. The saddest part to me was he seemed like he was always just a half a step from being one of the guys to beat. Always was the over achiever. He was the guy you would've loved to see in a Penske or Pat Patrick ride.
Great piece Robin, thanks! My dad and older brother once saw Mike hit the wall in a sprint car and my father was sure that Mike was gone. He even turned my brother's head away as Mosley's car had not stopped flipping until it was right in front of them. This happened at a pavement track. I believe it was at the old Dayton Speedway? My favorite memory of him was when he took Gurney's 79 eagle from the middle of the pack at Indy and finishing a very competitive 3rd. That car was so beautiful. Gurney's 78 chassis with Bobby Unser had been a bit a dud and Unser had gone off to greener pastures with Penske. Mosley had qualified the 79 car at just over 186 which placed him 12th on the grid and well off from Mears 194 pole average. He was a raging bull during the race and had unlapped himself towards the end and then I believe, set the fastest lap of the race at over 193. Clearly, Mosley, Chief Mechanic Wayne Leary, and Gurney were sorting that car as the race went if not for the whole month of may. To this day I wonder whether Gurney and Mosley, prior to Indy, really knew what they had with that particular eagle? The chassis itself was not really mentioned in the Speedway's Gurney eagle museum dedication.
Thanks for remembering Mike Mosley
Robin. Nice piece!
Half the fun of racing (well, in some era's, more than half) is the back story, the color. Miller does a great job of bringing this to life. I remember all these names from watching as a kid, but the sanitized broadcast didn't really do the guys justice. Thanks.
Dan Gurney passing away, 2018, is such a big deal! He was the "man"... If you wanted to be the "man", you had to beat the "man".
Thanks for all you do Robin Miller...
And Dave D. too...
mike Mosley was one of my favorites growing up. He finished 3rd at the indy 500 in 1979
Great driver, damn right he was.i was sitting at the exit to turn 4 when he hit the wall.
May he Rest In Peace 🙏🏁
Hat's off to Robin miller for dedicating & sharing his knowledge & life to Auto Racing, Sadly, In a generation now where open wheel racing is dying sport, Thanks Robin for keeping the memory alive, As a kid growing up in Indy in the 60's! Before the Pacers or the Colt's came to town! These race drivers like Mose were my Hero's! There is NOTHING like the prelude the festivities & build up before the start of that Race! The Indy 500,
IF THEY TAKE THE POLITICS OUT OF RACING LIKE THEY SHOULD THE COUNTRY OPEN WHEEL RACING WILL COME BACK, RACING DYING BECAUSE THE COUNTRY'S DYING, WE BETTER WAKE UP BEFORE ITS TO LATE!
Broke my heart when he was killed in a auto accident Robin.
Don't forget,
the Pepsi Challenger was a Chevy Stock Block car my friend !
And one damn fast one at that !
Speaking of Chevy's, brings to mind
Roger Rager's '78 Wildcat with a Carpenter School bus Stock Block Car Sponsored by Bob Pond, and the Advance Machine Company.
The Advance Clean Sweep #66 !
Put it in the show 10th. quick remember !
That’s actually My grandpa, the teenager that was in the van is my dad! Probably think I’m lying but I’m not. My dad is now a handyman and we live in florida
Western Speedway 1964 or 65 first night in a midget, could have been the heat race and in an instant he was on the back stretch then gone! As the other cars passed I could see a huge hole in a billboard, and I remember it today as if it was just yesterday, a fan just behind me said, "That guy will never make a driver." Every time he started the 500 I would recall that declaration.
Sure do miss you Mr.Miller. You were the best IMO.
Great video. Thanks
Was the 68 Eagle in the same vein as the Infamous "Skateboard" of that period?
In 1972 I was 12 years old and was sitting inside of Turn 4 in the Terrace Extension and saw him crash. A piece of his car (a wheel hub or something) flew up into the stand and hit me in the left shin. The Yellow Shirts came up to get me and took me to the old field hospital for treatment, where I saw them wheel Mike out on a gurney to the awaiting helicopter for transport down to Methodist Hospital.
Mike deserved better recognition.
His car in 1972 was the same car Bobby Unser won the race in 1968
Mosley had the pole locked up in 1983 at 205+ but Teo Fabi came out of nowhere and knocked him off.It turned out be his last race.
I grew up in Indy. Was at the race every year back in the 70's. Worked for UPI in turn four. In my opinion Mosley was fast. But a crasher. Whether it was bad luck or not. He crashed alot. And what eventually killed him? A street car crash. No disrespect meant. Just my opinion.
great racer,great man.
Mike Mosely and Danny Ongais: Both had great potential, but everytime it was looking good they always CRASHED!!!😥😥😥
IF IT AIN'T OPEN wheel IT AIN'T RACING!
If Mike Mosley had not died, he would’ve continued racing for at least two or three years.