Does anyone know the address to which condolences can be sent?
I saw that race on Italian TV-can still remember the joy and emotion of the broadcaster (Poltronieri?) when Clay won-couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.... Wouldn't be surprised in Clay had a residence in Southern Florida...
Maybe I am remembering wrong, but at the time of the accident I remember thinking that was the worst possible place, on any circuit at the time, to have no brakes. I also believe it was evident at the time that he sheared of one side of his car's wheels with one side of the stalled car's wheels to get rid of some of the energy. I think I remember Gurney and Bernie showing up shortly at the scene too. Ironically, even though Regazonni wasn't in a Ferrari at the time, it was the corner where one of the greatest Ferrari drivers of all showed his transcendent car control skills to many for the first time. Long Beach is where Villeneuve lead his first Grand Prix, and when he would exit the corner his left rear tire, with the car under opposite lock, would occasionally kiss the concrete barrier. Queen's hairpin; where a great Ferrai driver awoke the uninitiated to his powerful skills, and another great Ferrari driver's carreer was ended.
The Ensign may have been a car from an underfinanced team, but Clay had it up into 4th place at the time of the accident! On a track like Long Beach, that took a fair amount of driving talent......
Clay, you'll always be in our hearts... A last tribute. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Clay was laid to rest in Ticino, Switzerland today. Jackie Stewart, Niki Lauda and some of his former Ferrari mechanics were at the funeral. An autopsy excluded heart attack btw. Eye witnesses saw his Voyager already out of control as he was passing. Technical failure hasn't been excluded at the moment and the cause for the accident remains a mistery.
Gianclaudio "Clay" Regazzoni was remembered in a recent issue of Cavallino. I was interested in the fact he drove, while a paraplegic. I understand several Ferraris such as his F40, a 250 GT, and a 365 GB/4, of which the latter two were at some historic races, were fitted with hand controls. I and a few friends participate in a yearly car show at a resort we belong. Many show up with some great works of art, custom and modified heavily. One individual, who is a paraplegic also, builds some of the most amazing American vintage cars I've ever seen. The fact he drives them via hand controls is always a thrill for us: quite gifted in my mind as the controls he states are his own design. I, bring my cars to the show and the paralyzed entrant always finds time to come over and look over the Italian metal, albeit, getting a little redundant every year. Does anyone, have pics of Clay Regazzoni's modified cars to show the controls, some of which are mentioned above, that can be posted so I may show our fellow car enthusiast? I don’t know if my friend already knows of him. I would like at our next July's car event to show him such similar controls, in a Ferrari. thanks rik
I was at that race too but I didn't see the crash. Clay was then and now one of my favorite drivers. He will certainly be missed by the entire F-1 community and his many fans, myself included.
Our chatter Tiger Racing knew him, and used similar controls in her Ferrari Challenge car.........I'd touch base with her, for details..... Alan
Here's Napolis with Nanni Galli, Clay Regazzoni and Gerard Larrousse at the 2005 Targa Florio. We all had a great time in Sicily! COPYRIGHT MARCEL MASSINI Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks Tex. Much appreciated Very nice pic: I read, in that Cavallino, he was an instructor for others in his same situation. There was mention he was a on some Italian Racing Radio broadcast, too. Mr. Massini, have you noticed any of the interior controls he used? s/ rik
My dark 15 minutes of fame - When I was in my early 20's, I worked for a trade association which had a convention in Atlanta. We had an evening function at the Governor's Mansion and I was taking pictures with a camera that was getting low on batteries. A man approached me, identified himself as the Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, and asked if I wouldn't mind going with him to the next room to take a few photos for him since there was no photographer available. As it turned out, he and the Governor were hosting a dinner for all the drivers of the International Race of Champions. There I was with my camera, focusing in on Clay Regazzoni standing (before his accident) next to Mario Andretti, the Allison brothers, the Unser brothers, Darryl Waltrip, Richard Petty, and the others (F1, Indy, Nascar,etc) - all looking at me. My camera batteries were shot, and I was very apologetic for my flash not working and having to ask for at least 3 unsuccessful poses. I did get one slightly dark picture, and if I can find where I put it, I'll post it here.
Clay Regazzoni was driving school instructor for handicapped people. All his cars (Daytona, SWB, F40, etc.) had been equipped with a special additional steering wheel (fixed on top of the normal steering wheel) so that he could accelerate etc with his hands. Here is a photo I took in September 1985 with Clay behind his much loved 250 GT SWB #2731 GT in Modena. He had received this important competition Berlinetta from Swiss collector Albert Obrist, when Clay traded his 1971 Formula One Ferrari 312 B2 #008 to Obrist. That happened in May 1985. In 1992 Clay sold the 250 GT SWB Berlinetta #2731 GT to Dr. Marco Pelizziari of Italy. COPYRIGHT MARCEL MASSINI Image Unavailable, Please Login
To Sonoma Rik: I took these three photos on the 15th September 1983 in Modena. They show Clay with his green 365 GTB/4 Daytona Berlinetta S/N 12575. In the third photo, the man on the right with the yellow shirt, glasses and drink in hand is Giulio Borsari, Clay's longtime friend and for many years chief mechanic of Scuderia Ferrari. The lady in blue jeans belongs to the Regazzoni family and the man behind the wheelchair, in blue shirt, is Luciano Rizzoli, famous engine magician in Bologna (with Sauro Mingarelli) and also a deep friend of Clay. You can also see the hand controls on top of the steering wheel of the Daytona. Please feel free to forward these photographs to the handicapped people you mentioned and give them my very best regards. Thank you. Marcel Massini Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Marcel Massini: Thank you. That is much of what I was hoping to show him. I will login using my id so he can view. I'll post his personal devices and cars in another section. Clay sounds like, from all here, a very up-beat person, who went on to live life, and not be lost in a problem. Rik
just realized, that the Regazzoni thread is reborn. my pic of the hand controls in his Daytona and Clay driving. pics are from Targa Florio 2005 Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Its possible there may be some here http://www.amazon.com/Regga-Extraordinary-Lives-Clay-Regazzoni/dp/1844254798/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233839412&sr=8-1 Perhaps a UK reader can confirm since the book was out here last year
Boudewijn - you made a nice portrait of me and Clay Regazzoni - thank you. he was a really nice guy. one evening at the targa florio i met him sitting alone in front of the hotel. we had a talk about his daytona and he signed my little yellow book, where i write down all chassisnumbers. interesting and a thing to remember.
jim told me, he was amazed how Galli drove his 0846. these guys know how to handle the cars from their "great years".
