Pit Pass: Brabhams adding to their Indy 500 story

Curt Cavin | IndyStar

The attention the Unsers and Andrettis have received as first families of the Indianapolis 500 is well-deserved.

But in fairness to the 500’s history, the Brabhams deserve recognition, too, and they look to be on the road to receiving it from this generation of race fans.

Matthew Brabham’s No. 61 Chevrolet was unveiled Thursday at the Performance Racing Industry trade show at the Indiana Convention Center, and the rollout embraced history. His grandfather, Sir Jack, made his Indianapolis Motor Speedway debut in 1961.

If not for significant tire wear requiring lengthy stops in the ’61 race and his ’64 car taking fuel-tank damage in the fatal Eddie Sachs-Dave MacDonald crash, Brabham likely would have challenged for those two victories. Still, his influence on the sport and the event was far-reaching.

In ’61, Brabham led IMS' current rear-engine revolution with the T54 Cooper. The car, initially mocked by Indy traditionalists, was significantly lighter than the roadsters of the day, allowing it to be nimble enough to go anywhere the then-double world champion drove it. If the car's Climax engine hadn't been at a significant power disadvantage to the Offys, Brabham wouldn't have finished eight minutes off the pace in the car he helped design.

Brabham never won the 500 as a driver or a designer, but in a way he shares in Mario Andretti’s ’69 victory as that race-winning car was a descendent of the Brabham copies Clint Brawner made.

“Those (early) Brawner-Hawks, including the one Mario Andretti used as a rookie in ’65, were Brabham copies, but (Brabham) never squawked about it,” IMS historian Donald Davidson said Thursday. “The ’69 car certainly had Brabham bloodlines.”

From Brabham came son Geoff, a 10-time Indy starter.

Both Brabhams were understated — Davidson described Sir Jack as bashful, Geoff reserved — and they didn’t tout their accomplishments. Hence, they didn't attract the attention they deserved.

Geoff had a successful stint in CART in the 1980s, won the 24 Hours of LeMans in ’93 and yet was best known for his sports car prowess, winning four consecutive IMSA GTP titles. He also competed in the inaugural Brickyard 400. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2004.

At Indy, Geoff finished fifth as a rookie in ’81 and finished fourth in ’83 as a stand-in for the injured John Paul Jr.

In May, Geoff will watch his son, Matthew, compete in the 500 for the first time, and as a family of drivers they will earn three-generation status for only the third time in 500 history. The Vukoviches and Andrettis preceded them.

“My dad’s big disappointment was he couldn’t come (to Indy) more often due to the conflict with Monaco’s (Formula One race) and the difficulties, I suppose, of traveling in those days,” Geoff said of his father, who died a year ago May. “Having two (racing) operations going in two different countries wasn’t as easy as it would be now.

“But he always enjoyed coming here, and his big regret is not (finishing) better than he did. If the first year they wouldn’t have had trouble with the tires and changing wheels, he probably would have finished a lot higher up.”

That’s where the racing history of the Brabhams differs from the Unsers and the Andrettis. Three Unsers combine for nine likenesses on the Borg-Warner Trophy. Mario Andretti’s face is there, too, and Michael Andretti’s should be as no driver has led more laps in the 500 without going to victory lane. Michael led 431.

But the three families have Indy in common, and each has contributed significantly to the 500.

“To me, it’s been part of our family history,” Geoff said. “It’s the one race you come to where the hair stands up on your back and you give away a lot of your life to say you won it. My dream was to win the race but obviously it didn’t quite fall into place.”

Now it’s Matthew’s chance, in a KV Racing Technology car powered by Chevrolet, and that should be celebrated because Matthew appreciates the history of the 500 and his family's place in it. Before Thursday's car unveiling, he visited the IMS Hall of Fame Museum with his father, and they shared time with Davidson.

“He’s been dreaming of being in the race ever since he came to the United States and saw it for the first time,” Geoff said of his 21-year-old, Florida-born son. “Hopefully he can do what my dad and I failed to do.”

Etc.

A pair of Dale Coyne Racing announcements will come Friday: Conor Daly will be the team's full-season driver, Bryan Clauson will have a one-off ride in the 500. Clauson's ride is in tandem with Jonathan Byrd's Racing. … Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing confirmed Thursday that Steak 'n Shake will return as a sponsor for five races, including the 500. … Bankers Life Fieldhouse will host an indoor dirt midget and outlaw kart race Saturday evening. Tickets start at $20, and the list of drivers expected to participate includes Kyle Larson, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., J.J. Yeley, Dave Darland and Clauson. … Former F1 and IndyCar driver Derek Daly (Conor's father) will host a seminar for parents of young race car drivers at 8 a.m. Saturday in Room 240 of the Indiana Convention Center. There is no charge to attend.

Follow Star reporter Curt Cavin on Twitter: @curtcavin.