George Follmer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| George Follmer | |
|---|---|
 |
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Nationality  American |
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| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Active years | 1973 |
| Teams | Shadow |
| Races | 13 (12 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podium finishes | 1 |
| Career points | 5 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First race | 1973 South African Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1973 United States Grand Prix |
George Follmer (born January 27, 1934) is a retired American race car driver, and one of the most successful road racers of the 1970s. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona.
Follmer raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1967-1971 and 1974 seasons, with 25 career starts, including the 1969-1971 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his one victory in 1969 at Phoenix International Raceway.
In 1973, Follmer moved to Formula One. He participated in 13 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on March 3, 1973. He achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 5 championship points. He also competed in several non-Championship races. The following year he competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup series, with appearances in 13 of 30 races.
Follmer also had success in other racing series. In 1965, he won the SCCA Road Racing Championship. He won the Trans-Am championship in both 1972 and 1976 and was the 1972 Can-Am champion, substituting for the injured Mark Donohue in Penske Racing's Porsche 917/10, causing the racing press to dub Follmer "George Am".
Though long-retired from professional motorsports competition, Follmer still competes in vintage races, often driving the very same cars in which he competed during his heyday.
[edit] Award
He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1999 in the sports car category.
[edit] Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Team | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Shadow | ARG |
BRA |
RSA 6 |
ESP 3 |
BEL Ret |
MON DNS |
SWE 14 |
FRA Ret |
GBR Ret |
NED 10 |
GER Ret |
AUT Ret |
ITA 10 |
CAN 17 |
USA 14 |
Shadow | 13th | 5 |
[edit] Indy 500 results
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | Cheetah | Ford | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1969 | Cheetah | Ford | 27th | 27th |
| 1970 | Brawner-Hawk | Ford | 21st | 31st |
| 1971 | King | Offy | 29th | 15th |
| 1975 | Eagle | Offy | Failed to Qualify |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Peter Revson |
Can-Am Champion 1972 |
Succeeded by Mark Donohue |
