David Letterman takes 1963 Indy 500 winning car out for a spin
In 1963, Parnelli Jones took his only Indianapolis 500 victory in a controversial finish after his Watson roadster had been leaking oil in the closing laps.
Fifty-two years later, and the car is still experiencing problems, as the machine began overheating in the hands of David Letterman around the same speedway.
Maxim released a feature on Letterman on Monday, as the 68-year-old life-long motor racing fan got to take Jones’ Watson out for a spin.
Letterman has often been seen around the IndyCar circuit since his retirement. He is a co-owner of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team, which saw driver Graham Rahal in the heat of the championship hunt when the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series arrived in Sonoma for its season-finale. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon turned out to be the eventual champion, while Rahal had to settle for fourth.
Letterman, who hung his hat on a 33-year career as a late-night television host back in May, admitted he didn’t feel comfortable as he placed on a helmet and strapped into the Watson.
Powered by a four-cylinder Offenhauser engine, the Watson was riding on tires that were smaller than it was designed to run on, as Maxim reports that the original-size tires aren’t produced anymore.
Parnelli Jones seen leading a pack of cars during the 1963 Indianapolis 500.
Letterman nearly stalled the car once, but was able to get it running again and so he headed out for his four-lap run, simulating an Indianapolis 500 qualification attempt. However, as he came to complete the fourth lap, he made the hard left turn down pit road after seeing smoke beginning to emerge from the cockpit. Apparently the Watson didn’t like not being pushed to its full potential.
“I wish they had told me that when the thing sounds like it’s gonna choke out, that’s when you gotta lean on it. But I was so scared. I was timid as a kitty,” Letterman told Maxim.
Regarding the experience, Letterman added: “It was one of those things where, when you go to the Grand Canyon, you know, you’re driving and you’re driving and you’re driving, and you think, ‘How good can it be? How great can it really be?’
“And then you get to the Grand Canyon and it’s, 'Oh my God! It’s better than I thought.'”
Read the full report at Maxim.com
