Nate,
Thanks!
Bryan Warmack and others saw Wayne's condition deteriorate almost each time we saw him. Wayne used to go to our shop and watch us build cars for hours, simply sitting and watching. We knew that it would not be too long before the cancer would eventually take him.
picture courtesy IndianaOpenWheel.com
The worse for me about this is that Wayne passed away before he could see the most glorious of the cars he crewed finished. And we finished it this week, we ran the engine for the first time two days ago. We will deliver the car to its display location at the end of the coming week, it will be at the Riverside International Automobile Museum in Riverside, California, next to 5 other Eagles already there, that includes the very first ever built in 1966.
It pains me as I really wanted Wayne to see it. Here is Wayne pushing the car to its pole-position starting spot at the 1972 Indy 500:
I am especially attached to this car and its history because I was honored to be the person charged of its paint scheme and decor by Dan Gurney, as well as that of most works Eagles from 1972 to 1999. I met Wayne in 1971 and always loved the guy. He was a straight shooter, no BS person and was race-smart, making quick decisions that often saved the day from others decisions. Here is another pic of Wayne pushing Elliott Forbes-Robinson's works Eagle F5000 to the grid at Mid-Ohio in 1974:
Later, Wayne had a bit of trouble drinking a bit too much, but he never, ever turned to be a derelict alcoholic and quit drinking before returning to California to retire. Wayne simply loved life and what it brought to him. I am so sorry, that I lost a true friend and a genuine good guy.
