Biography:Tom Bagley

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Tom Bagley in 2013

Tom Bagley (born December 3, 1939, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), is a former driver in the USAC, CART Championship Car, IMSA, Formula Atlantic, and Trans-Am Series. He raced Indycars in the 1978-1980 and 1983 seasons, with 42 combined career starts, including the 1978-1980 Indianapolis 500,[1] finishing in the top ten 23 times, with a best finish, three times, of 4th position. He was USAC Rookie of the Year in 1978, and did not finish worse than 11th in points during his three full-time seasons. He did not begin wheel-to-wheel racing until age 31, after earning a master's degree in Physics from Pennsylvania State University.[2] While in college, Bagley became interested in fuel mileage competitions and then autocross, rising to the attention of Bill Scott, operator of the racing school at Summit Point Motorsports Park. Scott lent Bagley a Formula Ford car to begin his career. Bagley and Janet Guthrie were the only physicists to compete in Indycar in the 1970s. Bagley rose to fame driving Formula Super Vee cars, winning the SCCA championship in 1976, and was USAC co-champion in 1977. Bagley owned and maintained his own race cars in this part of his career. He next joined the Indycar ranks with sponsorship from Kent Oil, driving for Longhorn Racing and Patrick Racing. After retiring from racing full-time, Bagley worked as a physicist for longtime series sponsor PPG Industries, developing new methods for creating powder paints. From 2004 to 2020 he worked at Autobahn Country Club as the Director of Racing Instruction, responsible for designing the safety features at the track and overseeing the instruction, licensing, and racing activities.[3] Bagley still competes in club and endurance races in his Spec Miata and vintage events including the Indy Legends Charity Pro–Am race on occasion. Bagley was described by the SVRA in 2019 as a "driver who accomplished much with limited resources" and "the driver to beat in Formula Super Vee" [4]

Racing record

SCCA National Championship Runoffs

Year Track Car Engine Class Finish Start Status
1972 Road Atlanta Royale Volkswagen Formula Super Vee 20 4 Retired
1973 Road Atlanta Royale Volkswagen Formula Super Vee 6 5 Running

Formula Super Vee

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rank Points
1976 Zinc Z11 VW Brabham DAY
1
POC
NLG
1
MOS
18
WG1
25
MDO
2
BRN
1
ROA
1
WG2
1
1st 115

Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Points
1977 Tom Bagley TRE
1
MIL
5
MOS
1
PIR
17
1 500
1978 PIR1
3
TRE1 MOS MIL1 TEX MIL2 OMS1 OMS2 TRE2 PIR2 19th 140

Complete USAC Championship Car results

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Pos Points
1978 PHX
8
ONT
17
TXS
10
TRE
12
INDY
27
MOS
17
MIL
7
POC
26
MIC
12
ATL
6
TXS
16
MIL
DNS
ONT
4
MIC
6
TRE
12
SIL
13
BRH
14
PHX
14
11th 1.188
1979 Longhorn Racing Penske Cosworth PHX
8
ATL
8
ATL
7
INDY
9
TRT
8
TRT
4
MIC
6
MIC
6
WGL
6
TRT
7
ONT
32
MIC
5
ATL PHX
9
8th 1.208
1980 Patrick Racing Penske
Wildcat
ONT
5
INDY
28
MIL
23
POC
29
MDO
DNS
MIC
8
WGL
6
MIL
4
ONT
15
MIC
8
MXS
18
PHX
16
11th 794
1983 ATL INDY MIL CLE
DNQ
MIC ROA POC
34
RIV MDO MIC CPL LAG PHX 60th 0

Indy 500 results

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish
1978 Watson Offy 14th 27th
1979 Penske Cosworth 15th 9th
1980 Wildcat Cosworth 13th 28th
1981 Lola Cosworth Failed to Qualify

References

External links

Preceded by
Eddie Miller
US Formula Super Vee
Champion

1976
Succeeded by
Bob Lazier
Preceded by
none
USAC Mini-Indy Series
Champion

1977
Succeeded by
Bill Alsup
Preceded by
Danny Ongais
USAC Rookie of the Year
1978
Succeeded by
Howdy Holmes