Sam Posey

Former F1 driver


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Caption =
Name = Sam Posey
Nationality = flagicon|USA American
Years = F1|1971-F1|1972
Teams = Surtees inc. non-works
Races = 2
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 0
Points = 0
Poles = 0
Fastest laps = 0
First race = 1971 United States Grand Prix
First win =
Last win =
Last race = 1972 United States Grand Prix

Sam Posey (born May 26, 1944, New York City, New Yorkcite web |url=http://www.oldracingcars.com/bydriver/watn.asp?letter=P |title= The World Championship drivers - Where are they now? |accessdate=2007-07-29 |last=Jenkins |first=Richard |publisher=OldRacingCars.com] ) is a retired American racecar driver and sports broadcast journalist.

Sam Posey started as an amateur sports car racer, and graduated to the Can Am and Trans Am. In 1969, he won the Lime Rock Trans-Am in a factory Ford Mustang. In 1970, Posey was the driver for Ray Caldwell's factory-backed Autodynamics Dodge Challenger in Trans-Am, racing against Parnelli Jones, Dan Gurney, Mark Donohue and Jim Hall in what most racing historians regard as the greatest season of professional road racing in US history. Posey also raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1969 and 1972-1974 seasons, with 13 career starts, including the 1972 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 8 times, with his best finish in 3rd position in 1969 at the Kent road course.

As an endurance racer, Posey appeared at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 10 times (1966, 1969-1973, and 1975-1978) and finished in the top 10 five times. His best finish was 3rd position during the 1971 competition in which he drove the Ferrari 512M. He also won the 1975 12 Hours of Sebring, teaming with three other drivers.

He participated in two Formula One world championship events, the 1971 and 1972 United States Grand Prix, retiring from the first and finishing 12th in the second, thus not scoring any championship points. He drove Surtees cars on both occasions, but only the first was a works-entered car.

He also competed in a single NASCAR Grand National (predecessor to Nextel Cup) event, the first race of the 1970 series, held on the Riverside International Raceway road race course in Riverside, California.

Posey went on to become an auto racing commentator for ABC Sports. While commentating the 1986 Indianapolis 500, as there was a yellow flag out near the end of the race, Posey used a two way radio to ask an impromptu question to race leader Kevin Cogan. Posey was asking Cogan about his thoughts about leading the Indianapolis 500 at this stage. Cogan politely replied to Posey that he was "busy now", but would talk to him later. Posey understood the circumstances and told the audience if that was him, "I wouldn't want to talk to me either".

In 1989 Posey was brought in as part of the ABC Sports broadcast team covering the 1989 Tour de France. Many people were surprised by Posey's knowledge and genuine enthusiasm for the sport. ABC would bring him back as the lead anchor for the 1990 and 1991 races.

Posey would then move to Speedvision (now known as SPEED Channel). He currently does essay work for Outdoor Life Network's coverage of the Tour de France serving as the "Race Historian", and writes for Road & Track magazine.

Posey is also the author of "Playing With Trains," a book on model railroading published by Random House, and "The Mudge Pond Express", an autobiography which centers around his personal racing career and love of the sport.

Noted CART journalist Robin Miller was known for poking fun of Posey, once going so far as to say that Posey "talked much better than he ever drove."- Champ Car Magazine, October/November 1999.

An accomplished artist and painter, Posey was once interviewed by motorsports artist, Beacham Owen for an article on CanAm racing for the "Daily News of Los Angeles" in Southern California. Posey was driving a Chevy powered Lola CanAm car for Dana Chevrolet at the time. Posey now suffers from Parkinson's Disease, which has attenuated his activities in recent years.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

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References