All three brothers were heavily involved in the IMSA drug-smuggling scandal in the 1980's, which also involved Randy Lanier and John Paul Jr. All bar Dale went to prison, with Don serving a year's sentence and Bill, the main person involved of the siblings, for five years. During a racing career that began with marijuana-smuggling money and later ran . In 1982, Bill, Don and Dale Whittington, who had little oval experience, entered the Indianapolis 500, becoming the only three brothers to qualify for the same race at Indy. Whittington delivered the racing car to the Foundation in the early 1980s and sought its return in 2004. 5-Time Indianapolis 500 Starter Bill Whittington Dies in ... Former Colorado Resort Owner, Race Car Driver Sentenced To ... Don seemed to be the more complete racer; Patrick hired him to drive the #20 when Gordy suddenly retired in May 1985 (but who knows, maybe a Whittington paper bag appeared and Don told Pat to keep his sponsors in place). Talk of Gasoline Alley and Trackside in May - TrackForum Indy 500 Despite having little oval experience, Whittington entered the 1982 Indianapolis 500, joining his brothers Bill and Don to become the only trio of siblings to qualify for the same race at Indy. Five-Time Indianapolis 500 Starter B. Whittington Dies at 71 All it took was $20,000 for each driver, which was a lot more money back then than it is now (closer to $100,000 . Includes the crash and interviews of Mario Andretti, AJ Foyt and Kevin Cooogan. On race day, as the. Whittington's first four starts at Indianapolis, from 1980 through 1983, came with his family-owned team. Bill and Don won the Le Mans 24 Hours together with Klaus Ludwig in 1979. Any IndyCar plans the Whittingtons held for 1986 would also be canceled, as their indictments for smuggling and tax evasion came prior to the season opener in April. USAC Gold Crown Series race number 4 of 4. The same year Lanier was named Rookie of the Year at the Indy 500, Bill Whittington and his brother Don Whittington were indicted in federal court on charges of conspiracy to import marijuana, tax. The Foundation refused to return the car because it says the car was a donation in kind from Whittington and his brother. He was 71. Bill Whittington has been sentenced to 18 months in. According to his obituary, Whittington moved to Pagosa Springs in 1992. Don Whittington finished sixth that year. They were sentenced to prison in 1987 after pleading guilty for their roles in a large-scale marijuana smuggling operation and Bill. A few months before Lanier's Indy 500 debut, Bill Whittington and his brother Don were indicted in federal court on charges of conspiracy to import marijuana, tax fraud and income tax evasion . Discussion in 'Aviation Mishaps' started by FlyingElvii, Apr 26, 2021. It may not be true, but it seemed to me that Don cultivated a more low-key image and Bill was on record in various instances as being a lout. Bill Whittington, on of the trio of brothers who are the only brothers to qualify in the same Indy 500, died in a plane crash earlier. Today the pair is starring in an only-in-South Florida tale of intrigue, crime, and the CIA that arcs from the Indy 500 to Guantánamo Bay, with a cameo by Latin television star María Celeste Arrarás. He was 71 years old. Whittington Brothers Racing. Former IMSA and IndyCar racer Bill Whittington was killed on Friday when an airplane he was piloting crashed in the Arizona desert. Brother of Don and Dale. Bill Whittington, 1949-2021. The Feds seized the Whittington brother's three Indy cars and a Porsche 935 and sold them at auction in 1989. 200 laps on a 2.500 mile paved track (500.0 miles) Time of race: 3:05:03. In racing circles, the 1982 race is largely considered one of the best 500s in . He was 82. Don and Bill Whittington raced in every Indy 500 from 1980 to 1985, mostly in cars they owned. For those interested in the podcasts of The Talk of Gasoline Alley, I thought a summary list of the topics discussed would be appropriate here (D) = Dave from Marion (P) = Paul in Racine (J) = Jerry from Delphi 2011 Episode Guide of The Talk of Gasoline Alley Mon 5/2 - Ted Horn, "Rookies" in 1911 {(as opposed to those who drove in IMS events in 1909-10), Bobby Johns, Cliff Durant, Jud Phillips . His obituary highlights that Whittington, along with his two brothers, are the only three brothers to start the Indianapolis 500, with that occurring in 1982. . Bill Whittington, who started five times in the Indianapolis 500, died in a private plane crash. It's subtle but the faster sections are reflected through the intensity of the calls and things tend to get calmer when the car is going through some of the slower sections. Bill Whittington's best finish was 14th in 1985. Bill Whittington Merlin crash in Arizona 23/04/21. He never finished in the top 10, but qualified sixth aboard a family-entered March-Cosworth 81C in 1982. That was the year all three brothers qualified at Indy, an unprecedented and since unequalled feat in the history of the world-famous race. Click on the Site to see Don Whittington's career results at that track.. Glossary. Whittington, along with brothers Don and Dale are the only three brothers to qualify for the same Indianapolis 500. thereby leaving Don Whittington as the sole shareholder and purported owner of the car. Whittington's first four starts at Indianapolis, from 1980 through 1983, came with his family-owned team. A few months before Lanier's Indy 500 debut, Bill Whittington and his brother Don were indicted in federal court on charges of conspiracy to import marijuana, tax fraud and income tax evasion . Infamous Indy Car Racer, Reno Air Racer Bill Whittington Killed In Metro III Crash in Winslow, AZ. Former IMSA and IndyCar racer Bill Whittington, 71, was killed when a plane he was piloting crashed in the Arizona desert, according to multiple reports. In addition to the 1979 Le Mans, Don Whittington also raced on the NASCAR circuit in the early 1980s and - along with Bill Whittington and a third brother, Dale - raced in the Indianapolis 500 . Bill Whittington (born 11 Sep 1949 Lubbock, Texas; died 23 Apr 2021 Winslow, Arizona). April 26, 2021 | By Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The start of the 1982 Indy 500. He was 71 years old. Bill Whittington, winner of the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans, has died after a reported plane crash at the age of 71. 1982 Indianapolis 500 - (141 min) The 66th running of the Indianapolis 500 is widely considered one of the best 500's in history, although it was marred by the. Lanier with his '86 Indy 500 car. Sunday, May 29, 1983 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, IN. Lanier made the rounds of the paddock at Daytona and instantly bonded with the other South Florida guys who were by then a regular part of the IMSA scene: Whittington brothers, Preston Henn, and Marty Hinze. In 2004, Whittington's daughters purchased The Springs Resort and Spa. But his best career result came in his final start, in 1985, when he placed 14th . On race day, he found himself caught up in the infamous Kevin Cogan crash. Photo Credit Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Five-Time Indianapolis 500 Starter B. Whittington Dies at 71. Lanier's first contact with IMSA racing happened at the 1981 season finale at Daytona, where he co-drove with Dale Whittington in a 935. The men pleaded guilty and agreed to forfeit $7 million. A third brother, Dale Whittington, raced with Bill and Don in the 1982 race. He was 71. His best result came in his final start, in 1985, when he placed . The good times wouldn't last. A third brother, Dale Whittington, raced with Bill and Don in the 1982 race. From Racer.com: The tumultuous life of Bill Whittington came to a fiery end Friday afternoon in a private airplane crash outside Winslow, Ariz.Whittington, 71, and another passenger perished but details were still sketchy on Sunday as local officials and the National Transportation Safety Board have yet to officially confirm his death. Don Whittington finished sixth that year. Whittington claimed that he loaned rather than donated the car to the Foundation, and thus is entitled to have it returned. The car's navigator yells, "Forty, left five minus over crest opens over 40, tightens four plus, into triple caution right four . I bought the three Indy cars and if I recall, Kevin Jeanette of Gunnar Racing had . 10th (2003, 2004) 5. Five-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bill Whittington died in a private plane crash April 23 in Arizona. Records with respect to Road Atlanta or distribution of its assets no longer exist. The race is also remembered for a controversial crash at the start triggered by. Bill Whittington, one half of the controversial Whittington Brothers racing organization, passed away last month. The Foundation refused to return the car because it says the car was a donation in kind from Whittington and his brother. In 1986, Don Whittington pleaded guilty to money laundering charges in association with his brother Bill's guilty plea to income tax evasion and conspiracy to smuggle marijuana into the United States from Colombia. His brother was hit with 15 years. Name every driver who has actually started the Indianapolis 500 at least once since 1946. . It's a motion seat so every bump, dip and crest in the stage is transferred through the seat and into my body. He was 71. The tumultuous life of Bill Whittington came to a fiery end Friday afternoon in a private airplane crash outside Winslow, Ariz. Whittington, 71, and another passenger perished but details were still sketchy on Sunday as local officials and the National Transportation Safety Board have yet to officially confirm his . With more widespread sponsorships giving . Bill Whittington (born 11 Sep 1949 Lubbock, Texas; died 23 Apr 2021 Winslow, Arizona). faster than it was last year. He was 71 years old. Don got 18 months in federal prison. Whittington's first four starts at Indianapolis, from 1980 through 1983, came with his family-owned team. Earlier in his life, Whittington was an accomplished race car driver, winning the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside brother Don and German driver Klaus Ludwig, according to Autoweek. Using an illegal drug empire to fund their racing, that they were actually pretty decent at. fatal crash of Gordon Smiley during time trials. Here's how they used one of America's favourite racing tracks to … Bill Whittington's best finish was 14th in 1985. I wear my crash helmet and sit in the D-Box chair. The average qualifying speed of the 33 cars in the Indianapolis 500 this Sunday - 197.740 miles an hour - is 6.496 m.p.h. Whittington Brothers Smuggled Drugs to Fund Motorsport Ambition and Le Mans Win. Rick Mears finished second by a margin of 0.16 seconds, the closest finish in Indy 500 history to that point.. A strange crash of a Merlin III in the US has killed Bill Whittington and a friend. All things related to the NTT IndyCar Series — the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States . I only learned about the nefarious hi-jinx of the Whittington brothers upon penning the story Ganassi drives Indy, in which Dale was a fellow rookie driver and apparently another "One Hit Wonder," as Dale would make only one dubious start at Indianapolis in 1982, when the Whittington Brothers made history by being the only trio of brothers . Whittington would eventually serve a fifteen years sentence and forfeit $7 million in assets for smuggling marijuana into the United States. The Whittington saga is one of the. View career statistics for Don Whittington Tweet Whittington's brother Don finished fourth, after a race‐long battle with John . (IMS Release) Five-time Indianapolis 500 starterBill Whittington died in a private plane crash April 23 in Arizona. The 66th Indianapolis 500 was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Sunday, May 30, 1982. There's that saying: If you remember the 80s, you weren't there. Average speed: 162.117 mph. Whittington's five starts in the Indy 500 came between 1979 and 1985. A rally car is flying down a rough and rutted stage road at 100 mph. 9. . Bill was released early from prison, in 1990. 1983 CART Results Click on the Race Number to see the complete results for that race. But Lanier's freedom was short lived. All three brothers were heavily involved in the IMSA drug-smuggling scandal in the 1980's, which also involved Randy Lanier and John Paul Jr. All bar Dale went to prison, with Don serving a year's sentence and Bill, the main person involved of the siblings, for five years. That 2011 incident hints at the volatile, mysterious world of Don Whittington and his brother, Bill. Five-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bill Whittington died in a private plane crash April 23 in Arizona. Five-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bill Whittington died in a private plane crash April 23 in Arizona. He was 71. Whittington is the only three brothers along with brothers Don and Dale to qualify for the same Indianapolis 500. Coldwater, Michigan . Sadly, those fans who are in their early forties and older are the only ones that may remember this memorable time in Indy Car racing. That 2011 incident hints at the volatile, mysterious world of Don Whittington and his brother, Bill. Lanier would go on to finish 10 th in the 1986 Indy 500, earning 1986 Indianapolis Rookie of the Year. Whittington's first four starts at Indianapolis, from 1980 through 1983, came with his family-owned team. The rest, such as brothers Rick and Roger Mears came from non-traditional routes such as off-road racing. Los Angeles, California. The Texas-born driver won the French endurance classic in a Kremer-built Porsche 935 K3 alongside brother . The Whittington empire came crashing down in 1986 when federal authorities indicted Bill and Don on money laundering, tax evasion and drug smuggling charges. I bought the three Indy cars and if I recall, Kevin Jeanette of Gunnar Racing had . At the beginning of his life, Whittington was an accomplished racing driver who, according to Autoweek, won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1979 together with brother Don and German driver Klaus Ludwig. Indianapolis 500-Mile Race Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5 Mile Paved Oval 200 Laps/500 Miles May 29, 1982 Today the pair is starring in an only-in- South Florida tale of intrigue, crime, and the CIA that arcs from the Indy 500 to Guantánamo Bay , with a cameo by Latin television star María Celeste Arrarás. Bill, Don and Dale Whittington were also the only trio of brothers to ever qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Whittington's first four starts at Indianapolis, from 1980 through 1983, came . But for the Whittingtons it was all just business. Whittington's first four starts at Indianapolis, from 1980 through 1983, came with his family-owned team. He was 71. April 26, 2021 | By Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A Legend Died Friday: Indy Racer/Reno Air Race Winner Bill Whittington Dies in Arizona Plane Crash Had the opportunity to meet him a few times through the years, let's just say he lived a "Colorful" life. Don Whittington received an 18-month prison sentence. 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