Brief Granatelli History on Hemmings

[Commander Eddie]

Just published on the web on Hemmings.

https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hcc/2014/12/Andy-Granatelli/3744821.html?refer=hccweekly

[Chris Pile]

Who could forget Andy?

[Gunslinger]

Thanks for posting that. Andy was one of a kind...an outsized character in a sport full of outsized characters.

When I was a kid, all the guys (it seems, anyway), had STP decals plastered on our lunch boxes, book covers and whatever else we could. Andy was a master promoter as well as a fine, intuitive engineer. I still remember the commercial with the sumo wrestler dipping a screwdriver into a container of STP and not being able to keep it from slipping from his grasp. That was effective advertising.

[lark63]

His book, Mister 500, is a great read, I have read. Several times

[SilverHawkDan]

This bring up a sad moment for me. Three months before he passed away I had arranged for my dad and Andy to have lunch together at Andy's favorite restaurant in Montecito. I also arranged for a drag race in the parking lot of the two of them on their battery powered scooters. Both were bought from the same shop and were maintained by them Sadly my dad developed a blood clot and that postponed the lunch. The week before he died I was trying to reach him to set a date for the lunch. Then I got a call with the bad news. One can only wonder what that lunch meeting would have been like and most of all who would have won the scooter race. RIP Andy. I know heaven has some cars flying STP stickers now.
Dan

[jpepper]

In 1969 I had just spun a bearing in my R2 at the dragstrip. Rather than just repair it I took a chance and called Paxton products wondering if any R3 items were left. In a few minutes I was talking to brother Joe. He treated me like any other adult, not an 18 year old punk kid. That conversation lead me to buying B-110. I got it running a few weeks before entering the Army. While in the Army we corresponded several times. In 1993 after breaking 200 at Bonneville Ron Hall contacted Andy's office. Andy called back a few days later and they talked for about an hour. I have always respected that family. They were true car guys first.

[SScopelli]

Interesting that they mentioned he was on the Johnny Carson show several times. I remember Granatelli let Carson drive the turbine Indy car a few laps. Carson turned some good lap times.

Funny to think, how maybe those few extra laps, if not driven for publicity would have gotten Parnelli Jones to the finish line.