George Follmer
 | |
| Born |
January 27, 1934 Phoenix, Arizona |
|---|---|
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |
 American |
| Active years | 1973 |
| Teams | Shadow |
| Entries | 13 (12 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 1 |
| Career points | 5 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1973 South African Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1973 United States Grand Prix |
George Follmer (born January 27, 1934) is an American former auto racing driver, and one of the most successful road racers of the 1970s. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona. His family moved to California when he was just a baby.
Career
Follmer began his career running a Volkswagen Beetle in Gymkhana competition in parking lots in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California.
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. His best finish at the Indianapolis 500 was in 1971. He started 29th and finished in the 15th position driving the Grant King Racer's turbo Offy.
In 1973, Follmer competed in Formula One with Don Nichols' UOP Shadow team. He took part in his first Grand Prix, in South Africa, at the age of 39 years and 1 month - making him F1's oldest débutant since the 1950s, a distinction he still holds.[1] In 13 Championship races, his best results were a podium 3rd in Spain and 6th in South Africa, which gave him 13th in the Drivers' Championship with five points. He also competed in several non-Championship races.
Follmer also had success in other racing series. In 1965, he won the SCCA United States Road Racing Championship. Follmer won two races in the 1970 SCCA Continental Championship for Formula A cars, placing sixth in the standings. He won the Trans-Am championship in 1972, winning four races with an AMC Javelin, and 1976, driving a Porsche 934 Turbo.
In 1972, Follmer was the 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". He was vice-champion in 1973 driving for Rinzler and 1974 in a Shadow. He collected 6 wins and 13 podiums in the three-year spell. He is the only driver to win the Can-Am and Trans-Am championship in the same year.
Follmer competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup series in 1974, with appearances in 13 of 30 races. He collected three top 5 finishes and a pole position. In 1974 and 1975, he raced at the International Race of Champions, where he won a race.
In 1977 he returned to the revived Can-Am, resulting 6th in 1977 and 5th in 1978.
After his retirement, he came back to racing for the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans, obtaining a prestigious third place with a Porsche 956.
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.
Award
He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1999 in the sports car category.
2014 Saleen Mustang Limited Edition
| 2014 Saleen/Follmer Edition | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Production | 2014 |
| Assembly | Saleen (Corona, California, USA) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door 2+2 sports coupe |
| Platform | 5th Generation Mustang |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Saleen 5.0L Hi-Revving 495HP V8 |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 107.1 in (2,720 mm) |
| Length | 188.1 in (4,778 mm) |
| Width | 73.9 in (1,877 mm) |
| Height | 55.1 in (1,400 mm) (Coupe) |
| Curb weight | 3,631 lb (1,647 kg) |
On August 17, 2013 Saleen introduced a limited edition Saleen | George Follmer Edition Ford Mustang. Based on the #16 1969 Boss 302 Mustang racecar that he drove in the 1969 SCCA Trans-Am series, the 2014 Saleen/Follmer Edition was period corrent with its livery, naturally aspirated 495HP[2] 5.0L high revving engine, track tuned suspension, and 6-speed manual transmission. Production was limited to 250 units.[3]
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | UOP Shadow Racing Team | Shadow DN1 | Cosworth V8 | 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 |
13th | 5 |
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 |
References
- ↑ "The F1 FAQ". Atlas F1. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
- ↑ "Follmer Edition". saleen.com. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
- ↑ seyth miersma (17 August 2013). "2014 Saleen George Follmer Edition Mustang debuts at Laguna Seca". Autoblog. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
Further reading
- Madigan, Tom. Follmer: American Wheel Man. ejje Publishing. Follmer Book.com
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Follmer. |
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Peter Revson |
Can-Am Champion 1972 |
Succeeded by Mark Donohue |