1,000 Greatest Drivers: Peter Revson
A fitting name for a racer.
Yeah, I was a day late (maybe two depending on how long it takes me to write this intro), but that’s okay. Revson is fun to write about because the glamour of his lfie is arguably more interesting than his actual racing career is. Although I certainly loathed Cornell when I went there, I can’t say I don’t feel a tiny kinship to the only great driver who won there. Granted, most drivers don’t go to college and they probably shouldn’t, but it certainly makes him distinctive, as does his marriage to a beauty pageant winner, his status as heir of a cosmetic fortune, and his decision to turn down his family’s riches for the love of the game. Obviously, it was still like a Gilmore Girls scenario where someone of privilege gets to slum it while still having access to familial connections whenever necessary. I know when I went to Cornell I sure didn’t meet any children of race team owners. But then again, Revson was probably not autistic…
The St. Petersburg Craftsman Truck Series race went off better than I ever imagined it would and even Townsend Bell didn’t annoy me as much as he usually did on IndyCar broadcasts. I am now convinced after Layne Riggs drove from 28th to win and possibly had a tire going down from some of his late-race contact and nearly ran out of fuel that he belongs in the Cup Series full stop (although Corey Heim first please). I was really concerned about Dario Franchitti because there have been so many cases of drivers coming back to race after long absences and hurting themselves, and I was glad to see that didn’t happen. Colin Braun kind of impressed me too because RAM’s program looks really lousy. I’ve got to say I’m annoyed they interviewed Santino Ferrucci. I’ve been a reluctant defender of him only because I don’t think he should be kicked out of the series when he belongs there on talent just because people don’t like his politics (and if you think he’s the only IndyCar driver with those politics, you’ve got another think coming). But that doesn’t mean I want to see them promoting him either. Enjoy your twelfth-place finish tomorrow, bruh. The COTA Xfinity race wasn’t bad, but it didn’t hook me as much. So I guess Shane van Gisbergen’s actually not gonna win tomorrow, huh?
I’m glad to see Romain Grosjean back in IndyCar. I never thought he should have lost his ride in the first place when he came so close to winning, especially not to be replaced by Marcus Ericsson, who (Indy 500 win or not) is unquestionably worse. It really bothered me how the drivers seemed to be ganging up on Grosjean and wanting to freeze him out of the series, especially people like Graham Rahal. Is Grosjean an aggressive driver who drives over-the-top too much? Sure. Do people like Josef Newgarden and Rahal, who are just as aggressive themselves, have the right to call him out on this? No. I’m gonna really like this Grosjean/Hauger team and Hauger’s debut qualifying run was definitely electrifying and Robert Wickens-esque. I hope Callum Ilott and Linus Lundqvist get another shot someday.
I tried to join the auto racing statistical archive FORIX a couple days ago. I’ve thought about it on and off for years, but now I have money to seriously consider it. However, when I tried to sign up, I was directed to the Autosport site. When I clicked on the link to subscribe to Autosport Plus (on both Chrome and Firefox), I couldn’t find anywhere to input my information to sign up for an Autosport Plus or FORIX account. I know at least one of my subscribers or possibly more than one is subscribed to them, and I’m thinking at this point I probably should be. Do any of y’all know how I can possibly signup for this?
PETER REVSON………………………USA
Born: February 27, 1939
Died: March 22, 1974
Best year: 1971
Best drive: 1973 British Grand Prix
The last American-born F1 winner, Revson brought an aristocratic flair to a then more grassroots sport. The nephew of Revlon co-founders Charles and Joseph Revson, Peter’s father, Martin, also owned a 10% stake in the company, making the Revsons very wealthy. Peter attended prep schools and studied at Columbia, Cornell, and Hawaii before dropping out to race in 1960. At that point, his family cut off access to the family fortune, but he nonetheless made a powerful connection to Cornell classmate Timmy Mayer, the son of McLaren co-founder Teddy Mayer, which reaped dividends later.
After a relatively undistinguished Formula Junior stint, Revson made the ambitious jump to F1 in 1964, but he was rather out of his depth that year, and he moved back to America in 1966 to compete in sports cars. He earned two World Sportscar Championship class wins in 1966 and two Trans-Am wins in 1967. However, his big breakthrough came when three-time World Champion Jack Brabham hired him in IndyCar. After finishing fifth in the Indy 500, he won the second race of an IndyCar doubleheader at the Indianapolis Raceway Park road course, which was Brabham’s only IndyCar win. At the 1970 12 Hours of Sebring, Revson co-drove a Porsche with actor Steve McQueen, but Mario Andretti passed him for the win on the last lap. That year, he signed with McLaren for both Can-Am and IndyCar.
In 1971, he won the Can-Am title, earning five wins, as many as World Champions Denny Hulme and Jackie Stewart combined, in Stewart’s second championship season no less. He also won the pole for the Indy 500 and finished second. McLaren promoted him to F1 in 1972, and he made on-track passes to win both the 1973 British and Canadian Grands Prix, finishing fifth in points both seasons. However, McLaren signed defending World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi for 1974. Not wanting to be McLaren’s #3 driver, Revson signed with Shadow. While practicing for the South African Grand Prix, he suffered a suspension failure when a titanium bolt failed, sending him into an Armco barrier as his car caught fire. He did not survive.
In addition to being the last American-born winner, Revson is the only driver other than Dan Gurney to win in F1, IndyCar, Can-Am, and Trans-Am. He was very evenly matched with Hulme at McLaren, losing to him 6-5 in Can-Am and tying him 9-9 in F1, but admittedly, Hulme is the lowest-rated World Champion in my model, which is why Revson’s open wheel rating is negative. Revson is also notable for bringing a certain panache to racing. An inveterate playboy and lothario, he was engaged to Miss World and future Entertainment Tonight co-host Marjorie Wallace until she was stripped of her title for having an affair with pop star Tom Jones 15 days before Revson’s death. Revson may have contributed to F1’s shift from grassroots to “wine and cheese”, but his willingness to reject his family fortune to race made him more of the former in spirit.
Open wheel model: #517 of 931 (-.087)
Teammate head-to-heads: 12-14 (0-1 vs. Jim Clark, 0-1 vs. Mike Hailwood, 1-0 vs. Hans Herrmann, 0-1 vs. Jacky Ickx, 1-0 vs. Bruce Jacobi, 9-9 vs. Denny Hulme, 0-1 vs. Timmy Mayer, 1-1 vs. Mike Spence)
Year-by-year: 1966: C, 1967: C, 1969: C, 1970: C, 1971: E, 1972: C+, 1973: E