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Industry Mourns Loss Of Team Owner John Della Penna
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Racing industry veteran John Della Penna has passed away at the age of 68 following a battle with cancer.
Della Penna, originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, fielded cars in CART and the Indy Racing League (IRL). He began his career as a car owner in the Atlantic Series, fielding cars for drivers such as Jimmy Vasser, Richie Hearn, Scott Harrington and Memo Gidley.
After CART and IRL split in 1996, Della Penna fielded cars in both tours and even finished third in an Indianapolis 500 debut that year with Hearn at the wheel. Later that same year, Hearn scored a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with IRL.
Focusing on CART racing in 2000, his team drivers included Gidley and Norberto Fontana. Della Penna later shut down his Indy car program after that year.
Photo of Richie Hearn courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS)
Della Penna, originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, fielded cars in CART and the Indy Racing League (IRL). He began his career as a car owner in the Atlantic Series, fielding cars for drivers such as Jimmy Vasser, Richie Hearn, Scott Harrington and Memo Gidley.
After CART and IRL split in 1996, Della Penna fielded cars in both tours and even finished third in an Indianapolis 500 debut that year with Hearn at the wheel. Later that same year, Hearn scored a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with IRL.
Focusing on CART racing in 2000, his team drivers included Gidley and Norberto Fontana. Della Penna later shut down his Indy car program after that year.
Photo of Richie Hearn courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS)
