Jens, pronounced Yens, was Bills sons name, amazing what cocktail hour stirs to the top....
Jens, pronounced Yens, was Bills sons name, amazing what cocktail hour stirs to the top....
I watched Jerry from 1968 through 1976, before getting out of racing. His accomplishments speak for themselves. Anyone who claims he bought his success does not know what they're talking about. A few nuggets:
-For 1969, he ran amateur races in a Lola T-160 in ASR. He was very successful, including a June Sprints win. He rented George Eaton's McLaren M-12 for the runoffs at Daytona, which he won. The bigger story is that he decided to tackle the F5000 Continental Championship in a McLaren M10A. He was very fast, and held his own at the front of the field, including a pole at Continental Divide. He never entered that car in an amateur event. To give you an idea, first 4 qualifying positions at Road America 1969:
1) Peter Gethin, the European champion.
2) John Cannon
3) Jerry Hansen
4) David Hobbs
Also, I was on the track with him in Ice racing about 6 times. His car control was stunning. He appears in the mirror in his Saab Sonnet, just flying, and all crossed up. As he reaches your back bumper, the car straightens out, and he blazes by.
Say what you will, the guy could drive, and deserves the HOF.
I didn't know Jerry, never met him, but I certainly know of his accomplishments. I have heard--disproportionately maybe--of his negative traits. A prominent racer/instructor/media figure from years past used to twist his face in rage at the mere mention of his name. "An evil man, and EEEVIL man!" he would exclaim.
That said, I think about the Pro Football HoF's strict policy of not allowing the off-field life of candidates to change perception. Using that criteria, Jerry absolutely should be in the HoF. He has to be getting up there in age now, I hope there is reconciliation between him and the club where he displayed his brilliance before it's too late.
BTW his last pro Trans-Am win was at Road Atlanta in the early '80s, against a slew of legendary heavy hitters.
Dale V.
Lake Effect Motorsports
FM
Spartan VP-2/Mazda
I stand unconvinced that a good message for kids is "It doesn't matter what you do to succeed, so long as you succeed."
Does this mean a Hero off the track who's a backmarker on track should get in? No, of course not... but folks like John Paul, Randy Lanier, and the Whittingtons certainly shouldn't be in, either.
Hall of Fames are Honors reserved for the Honorable.
I know who you're referring to, CD, I rallied him to help Jerry get in and his reply was, "Jerry shouldn't be in any Hall of Fame, he should be in prison." This only one of many outraged replies I've been told over the decades, which I refused to believe until being the brunt of similar actions.
Nice to see you here, I knew you in the '70s as well. Think "Cen-Div reporter-photographer-sign painter kid." Probably have a pic of your T440 somewhere, unscanned like most of them. Still in touch with many of your comrades from those Grand days.
I want you all to know I'm not here because of this thread or any online mission. I found it quite by accident the day I first posted on it, well after signing on to potentially buy a car for sale here. This is also the first time I have publicly bashed anyone in this manner, and it has been incredibly difficult not to tell the whole story to a level truly deserved by the instigator. That will be told in my book.
If there's one regret I have, it may well be not being as tireless in keeping Jerry out as I was in getting him in. What a fool I was, his actions went from incomprehensible to inhuman, and it almost cost my wife her life.
Nobody would want Jerry honored if knowing what many of us do. Sincere apologies if this offends anyone, PM me if you wish.
Last edited by E1pix; 05.23.19 at 3:51 PM.
Apologies from me, too, was referring to you as "CD."
Probably wrong, thankfully it only happens a couple times per decade.
Is Jerry Hansen sharing living quarters with Scott Tucker account of his business practices?
As current Chairman of the HOF selection committee for last year and ongoing till my terms up I havn't seen the politics of old in the current process. My committee selects five from a list of ten names submitted by the membership to the nominating committee and two from five names submitted by the legacy committee (for people important to the Club that may not be known well by the current membership.)
If it seems that many names are from the SCCA 'officialdom' its probably that they get nominated by people that are currently serving the Club and to be quite frank Racers dont write letters on things like this so it always gets weighted a bit that way.
A wise person told me that the HOF is not a "super" Wolf Barnato award - the highest award for services to the SCCA. It has to reflect something special that contributed to the SCCA programme. Take some time to look at the names in the HOF - you might not know all of them but they all contributed above and beyond.
Probably regret posting this but...............................................
General info -
https://racer.com/2018/12/05/scca-se...ame-inductees/
Gents:
Jerry Hansen is 87, and I suggest this needs to happen now while he can enjoy the laurels of his accomplishments. Is there any interest out there in support of a superb competitor, an SCCA facilitator, and a fine gentleman.
V/r
Iverson
For those not familiar with Scott Tucker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_..._(businessman)
Dave Weitzenhof
Garey Guzman
FF #4 (Former Cal Club member, current Atlanta Region member)
https://redroadracing.com/ (includes Zink and Citation Registry)
https://www.thekentlives.com/ (includes information on the FF Kent engine, chassis and history)
Moderators:
Throw me a bone, and expunge this thread. Please.
V/r
Iverson
Garey Guzman
FF #4 (Former Cal Club member, current Atlanta Region member)
https://redroadracing.com/ (includes Zink and Citation Registry)
https://www.thekentlives.com/ (includes information on the FF Kent engine, chassis and history)
I respect your perspective Rick, but you need to do the exact same for us.
And there’s a whole trail of broken bank accounts comprising “us” — and you’d get it if one of us.
I don’t see anyone rallying OJ, either. The only difference is my wife is a survivor, and in Simpson’s case there were only two victims.
My vote is to leave this thread stand. Truth does not constitute Libel.
Once we think we’ve mastered something, it’s over
https://ericwunrow.photoshelter.com/index
I intended to not post about this again after 2019, and again when you dredged this back up, and again until your latest replies today.
Maybe you missed my comments, or your version of “heroic” is different. I can’t guess between your words.
I’d hope candid comments from fellow ApexSpeed posters might supercede admiration of a total stranger with cool cars. “Fine gentlemen” don’t take advantage of newly-disabled women with scams, nor to dozens of “friends,” least not in my world, and then ditch them as soon as the con worked.
Have you read your own thread? Claiming “I didn’t know” on your own 13-year thread is questionable at best, Sorry.
He was my lifetime Hero from 1968 to 2006, and a “friend” for nearly all of that — so this is not just about a bad deal from some whiner on the web. Getting old doesn’t make one more deserving of an honor, being wiser and making good on one’s horrible deeds does.
Why would you request support here instead of just doing it yourself over the last 13 years? Nominate him if you want to.
Disappointing, Rick. Can you please stop now?
Last edited by E1pix; 05.15.24 at 12:23 AM.
Once we think we’ve mastered something, it’s over
https://ericwunrow.photoshelter.com/index
OK, Jerry used to show up with multiple cars and kicked ass in many RunOffs with only an open trailer(s) and a one man crew. Compare that to the Tucker-Mobile. Jerry had talent and Tucker had more money. Jerry used to do ice racing for fun. Did Tucker do anything for fun?
Jerry started making his money in junior high salvaging scrap and, despite his speech impediment, became an entrepreneur. He never screwed me but maybe I am not smart enough to play the game.
None of this takes away from his absolute support of SCCA racing or his talent as a driver.
He deserves recognition!
M
Surely this thread has run its course, and then some. Cannot a moderator lock it now?
John Nesbitt
ex-Swift DB-1
There are currently 3 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 3 guests)