Fast Masters


Fast Masters was a made-for-television auto racing series, broadcast on ESPN in 1993, featuring notable drivers over the age of 50, most of whom were retired from professional racing at the time. The Fast Masters series was a summer-long elimination competition, with identically-prepared, $750,000, TWR, Jaguar XJ220s racing on Bridgestone RE71 high-performance street tires. The races took place under-the-lights at Indianapolis Raceway Park, in conjunction with ESPN's Saturday Night Thunder. The cars carried the sponsorship of Havoline, and the series was officially sanctioned by USAC.
Close and intense racing ruled each night as championship winning veterans from Formula One, IndyCar, NASCAR, NHRA, Endurance racing and more, including some who were well into their 70s, fought hard for every position. The series quickly gained a reputation for unabashed hard driving, and multiple heavy crashes that severely damaged, or even totaled, multiple machines. Despite the many crashes, often resulting in costly repairs, no drivers suffered any serious injuries. Considerable attention was focused on the event, as many came out to witness the impressive and unprecedented lineup of legendary drivers.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser won the championship, claiming the $100,000 top prize.

Course and race details

The races took place at the 5/8 mile paved oval at Indianapolis Raceway Park. The course was modified to include a dog-leg chicane in place of oval turn one. The cars would go down the mainstretch, divert off the oval to the infield "road course" segment, consisting of consecutive 90-degree left-right-left corners. The cars would come back on to the oval in turn two, and complete the rest of the lap.
The program was scheduled for six weeks - five preliminary rounds culminating with the final round. The Fast Master races were held in between heats of the weekly Saturday night sprint car races. The original plan called for each round to have two ten-lap heats amongst ten drivers. The starting lineup for the first heat would be determined by a blind draw. The finishing order for the first heat was reverted to set the lineup for the second heat. The drivers were to earn points based on their finishing position in each heat:
Finishing position1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th
Points10987654321

The top two drivers based on points from each round would advance to the final championship round. In all heats, caution laps did not count. A $1,000 bonus was given to the driver who led the most laps each week.
The original plans had called for three heats per week. The first 10-lap heat would utilize the full oval track and the second 10-lap heat used the "road course" layout. The third heat was to be a 12-lap finale that included six laps on the oval and six laps on the "roval". However, those plans were scrapped during the very first weekend when multiple cars were wrecked in high-speed crashes on the oval. The resulting damage to the cars created costly repair work, and at least two machines were said to be totaled. On opening night, the third heat was cancelled outright due to lateness and damage incurred during the earlier heats.

Revised format

Starting in week 2 a retooled format was introduced, dropping the oval race and the points structure. Instead, each week would feature smaller fields and all racing was moved to the "roval" layout. Each round would consist of single-car time trials, one last-chance "Heat race," and a single "Feature" main event. The top four cars in single-car time trials automatically qualified for the Feature. The remaining four cars participated in the Heat race - with the winner of the Heat race advancing to the Feature.
The top two finishers in the Feature race would advance to the championship finals in August.

Participants

  • Bob Akin
  • Bobby Allison
  • Donnie Allison
  • Buddy Baker
  • Derek Bell
  • Gary Bettenhausen
  • Tom Bigelow
  • Bob Bondurant
  • Bob Christie
  • Larry Dickson
  • Guy Edwards
  • Vic Elford
  • Walker Evans
  • Gene Felton
  • George Follmer
  • Harry Gant
  • Charlie Glotzbach
  • Paul Goldsmith
  • Jerry Grant
*
  • Pete Hamilton
  • Eddie Hill
  • David Hobbs
  • Parnelli Jones
  • Mel Kenyon
  • Elmo Langley
  • Fred Lorenzen
  • Ed McCulloch
  • Jim McElreath
  • Hershel McGriff
  • Paul Newman
  • Marvin Panch
  • Benny Parsons
  • David Pearson
  • Henri Pescarolo
  • Tom Pistone
  • Lennie Pond
  • Jim Rathmann
  • Brian Redman
  • Jody Ridley
  • Lloyd Ruby
  • Johnny Rutherford
  • Troy Ruttman
  • Dick Simon
  • Bill Simpson
  • George Snider
  • Dick Trickle
  • Bobby Unser
  • Rodger Ward
  • Bob Wollek
  • Buck Baker

    Race results

Round 1: Saturday June 19

The first preliminary round was held Saturday June 19. The nine drivers conducted a blind draw for the starting positions, with Bob Akin drawing the pole. A tenth driver, Gary Bettenhausen, withdrew after hitting the wall during practice on Friday afternoon. In the interest of safety and cost-savings, a rule had been put in place that stated that any driver who had wall contact of any kind during practice, was prohibited from racing on Saturday night. The race marked the return of Bobby Allison to a race car, exactly five years to the day he suffered his career-ending injuries at Pocono.
The first heat consisted of ten laps on the oval, starting double-file. At the start, polesitter Bob Akin missed a shift, and precariously shuffled to the back of the pack. Ed McCulloch took the lead from Fred Lorenzen down the backstretch, and led the first lap. The first of many crashes that would happen during Fast Masters came as the cars were completing the second lap. Jim McElreath tried to go three-wide coming out of turn four, but lost control, collecting Dick Trickle. On lap 3, Troy Ruttman attempted a diving move passing two cars in turn three, however, he spun and crashed. McColluch led wire-to-wire, and took the first heat.
The second heat lined up with only six cars. McElreath, Trickle, and Ruttman all were out due to crashes during the first heat. Dick Greer lined up on the pole. The modified "road course" layout was used, and the race was scheduled for 10 laps. Going into the road course dog-leg for the first time, Greer led, but Jerry Grant locked up the brakes and ran into the back of Bobby Allison. Both cars spun out, and Grant was out with damage to the front end.
The race became a three-way battle between Greer, Akin, and McCullcoch. Bobby Allison was charging in fourth. With three laps to go, Greer suddenly spun out in turn one, handing the lead to Akin. On the restart, Akin held the lead, but drag racer McCulloch shocked the establishment by taking the lead with two laps to go and sweeping both heats for the night. Ed McCulloch was the winner in points for the night with 20 total. Bob Akin also advanced to the finals.

Round 2: Saturday June 26

A retooled format was introduced starting with the second week of competition. After major crashes in the first week, the heat on the oval track was dropped. The racing moved exclusively to the modified "road course," the number of participants for the week was reduced to eight, and the points system was scrapped. Instead of a blind draw to set the lineup, time trials were held, and the field would line up in single-file to take the green flag. The top four qualifiers were locked-in, and automatically advanced to the eight-lap "Feature" event. A last-chance, five-lap, "Heat Race" was held between the other four drivers, with the winner alone advancing to the Feature.
During time trials, Harry Gant was the fastest qualifier, turning in a lap of 33.33 seconds. Brian Redman, Donnie Allison, and Pete Hamilton also qualified for the Feature. Gant won a $1,000 bonus for winning the pole.
In the Heat Race, pole-sitter Elmo Langley took the lead going into turn one. Langley drove side-by-side with David Hobbs for two laps, and Benny Parsons was close behind in third. Hobbs took the lead going into turn one on lap 3, and held off Parsons at the finish line to win the heat and advance to the "Feature" event.
During the 8-lap Feature, David Hobbs jumped the start passing two cars before the start/finish line, and officials waved off the green flag. On the ensuing start, Harry Gant took the lead into turn one, but missed a shift in the dog-leg, and fell to 3rd. Brian Redman slipped by to take the lead going down the backstretch. On lap 2, Gant missed the turn into the dog-leg, slid sideways, and dropped out. Redman pulled out to a large lead, with Hamilton second, and Hobbs third at the white flag. On the final lap, Hamilton overshot his braking point, and spun out in turn 1. Hobbs slipped by to take second place as Redman won the Feature.
Redman and Hobbs advanced to the Finals.

Round 3: Saturday July 10

The third preliminary round was held Saturday July 10. Parnelli Jones won the pole position with a time of 33.443 seconds. Eddie Hill won the Heat race and advanced to the feature. Jones led all 8 laps of the feature to claim the victory. Hill finished second in the feature and advanced to the finals along with Jones.
Hershel McGriff blew through the turn one chicane when he attempted to pass Jones, but he rebounded for a third place finish. On the final lap, Bob Bondurant and Lloyd Ruby were battling for second when they made contact, and dropped to 4th and 5th, respectively.

Round 4: Saturday July 17

The fourth preliminary round was held Saturday July 17. Practice scheduled for Friday was rained out. As a result, a makeup practice session was held on Saturday morning. The fastest times were recorded in case rain returned and qualifying were to be rained out. George Follmer had a time of 33.308 seconds to place himself provisionally on the pole. On Saturday evening, the threat of rain went away, and time trials were held as scheduled. George Follmer won the pole position. David Pearson, Paul Newman, and Walker Evans each qualified for feature.
Derek Bell started from the pole for the Heat race, and Jody Ridley started second. At the start, Ridley locked up the brakes and missed the entrance into turn one. He was able to continue, but lost several seconds and wound up finishing last. Bell led all five laps and advanced to the feature. Goldsmith and Rathmann ran close together in 2nd–3rd, but were no match for Bell.
In the Feature, Bell switched from the #9 car to the #4 car. George Follmer took the lead at the start and led wire-to-wire. With Follmer and David Pearson pulling away, Newman settled into third. On lap 5, however, Newman hit a bump and spun going into turn one. He tried to turn the car around, but wound up stuck in the muddy infield. Follmer and Pearson finished 1st–2nd and advanced to the finals.