1992 Senna Penske Test

[TedN]

Apparently Senna was attempting to get more $$$'s out of Ron Dennis at the time & informed him he was going to check out the CART scene...the other theory as well, both he & Fittipaldi were close friends & Emmo had always promised Senna a chance to drive his CART Penske race car.

The fact both were sponsered by Marlboro didn't hinder matters either!

At the end of the day, Senna, although he was very interested in racing CART, the thought of racing at super speedways was not to his liking: the thought of racing with a possibility of hitting a wall at 220+ mph was not wise in his mind.

Memorable pics below.

Pic-1 (www.exleyphoto.com/images/gallery-sports/marlboroteam.JPG)
Pic-2 (www.gazetadrenalina.hpg.ig.com.br/Idolos/Senna/Penske.jpg)
Pic-3 (w1.859.telia.com/~u85900964/AtlasBB/92senna-phoenix-PC21-500.jpg)
Pic-4 (www.exleyphoto.com/images/gallery-sports/2001/senna-1.jpg)
Pic-5 (www.exleyphoto.com/images/gallery-sports/2001/senna-3.JPG)

[Ratattack]

Thanks for the pics, Ted. With his birthday being only a few weeks back, his memory was on alot of minds that day. I am glad he raced F1. And left Pimpske thinking..

[nissan gtp]

thanks for the pics TedN ! I hadn't seen #3 before... very cool

as to the test. I think Ayrton was having fun, but was using this as a way to get more $ out of Ron Dennis.

Just think, in the early 90's, champ car was so sucessful that Senna did this, Ferrari actually build a Champ Car, and the Nige came over and won the championship (he was F1 AND Champ Car world champion at the same time, only time it's ever been done)

then FTG came in and "fixed" things.

FTG

[SteveH]

I don't think I've ever seen anything that defines the 'good old days' as much as this. Senna, Fittipaldi, Tracy and Mears all together. That was about as good as it got.

Thanks for posting the pictures. They're keepers, for sure.

[cart7]

Thanks for posting the pix links Ted. :thumbup:

Makes you realize how far down the scale Champcars have gone since those pictures were taken and that other league was formed. :(

[Jag_Warrior]

thanks for the pics TedN ! I hadn't seen #3 before... very cool

as to the test. I think Ayrton was having fun, but was using this as a way to get more $ out of Ron Dennis.

Just think, in the early 90's, champ car was so sucessful that Senna did this, Ferrari actually build a Champ Car, and the Nige came over and won the championship (he was F1 AND Champ Car world champion at the same time, only time it's ever been done)

then FTG came in and "fixed" things.

FTG

Exactly what I was thinking. If you ever hear an IRLista yapping about how CART IndyCar needed fixing, pull up these pics, or pics of Mansell and Andretti (the real one) with Newman-Haas.

Georgie Boy fixed Indy so well that a hack like Kyle Petty refused to even allow his picture to be taken sitting in an IRL car. He was going to try out an IRL car for *****es & giggles. But when he heard there'd be cameras there, he bowed out. :p

Any series that could bring in the Kings of Racing DID NOT NEED TO BE FIXED!!!

[DaveL]

I wonder if Senna would have passed his Indy rookie test :gomer:

[RTKar]

I don't think I've ever seen anything that defines the 'good old days' as much as this. Senna, Fittipaldi, Tracy and Mears all together. That was about as good as it got.

Thanks for posting the pictures. They're keepers, for sure.

Something I don't foresee ever happening again are the likes of Mansell and Piquet running Indy...or Rindt,Clark,Stewart,Hill,Hulme, Brabham...etc...nor someone the likes of Senna even contemplating it.

[FRANKY]

Pic #1 my favorite. A young Paul Tracy.

[SID]

Just one more reason to say... FTG!!!!

p.s As I recall, Paul dusted Senna in most (if not all) of the track configurations. How much Senna put into it, well, who knows.

[Railbird]

The way I remember it was mainly a bluff to leverage his deal with maybe a little exploration for the future thrown into the deal. Which if nothing else proves that at that point in time CART was seen as a viable option to those at the pinnacle of the sport.

I always hoped I would get to see Senna race one day.

[DaveL]

I always hoped I would get to see Senna race one day.

Not me. Senna would have been another Brazilian road racer Mainstream American Race Fans (aka MARFs) couldn't relate to getting the ride at the expense of an American like Buddy Lazier.

Hey 'Bird, remember those posts? :gomer:

[stymie]

SpeedTV will be airing on F1 decade the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix on May 1st, one time airing.

[Railbird]

Hey 'Bird, remember those posts?

Oh yeah

the sad part is that I don't have to remember too far back to recall that mentality. What the attractions to Ray, Sharp and the Lazier brothers are is well beyond me.

Americans?

I don't give a flip if these wankers grew up next door to me, the bottom line is they are no talent rich kids who couldn't cut it elsewhere.

[Mike Kellner]

"SpeedTV will be airing on F1 decade the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix on May 1st, one time airing.


I'll pass. The important part is burned into my memory anyway.

I can't help but wonder how much more interesting the last ten years of F1 would have been if he was still around.

[pinniped]

Hey 'Bird, remember those posts?

Oh yeah

the sad part is that I don't have to remember too far back to recall that mentality. What the attractions to Ray, Sharp and the Lazier brothers are is well beyond me.

Americans?

I don't give a flip if these wankers grew up next door to me, the bottom line is they are no talent rich kids who couldn't cut it elsewhere.

Right on. I remember coming close to getting banned at 7g for saying this a couple of years ago. (among other things ;)

[FTG]

I remember Parker talking about the test on 7G.

Must've been very cool to have been there.

[Joe in LA]

Don't forget the sponsor promotion angle on this as well. Penske and McLaren were both Marlboro teams at the time.

[scanman]

Makes you realize how far down the scale Champcars have gone since those pictures were taken and that other league was formed. :(
Maybe in your mind, and some "Gernallistsas" but not mine...;)
Champcars will always be #1....thats my agenda... :thumbup:

[scanman]

Oh yah, lookit that young Paul Tracy, Eh.... :D