Kevin Cogan
John Kevin Cogan | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 31, 1956 United States |
| Occupation | Racing driver (retired) |
| Years active | 1980–1993 |
| Known for | Formula One driver in 1980 and 1981; IndyCar racing career; 1982 Indianapolis 500 controversy |
John Kevin Cogan (born March 31, 1956) is a retired American race car driver who participated in Formula One during the 1980 and 1981 seasons. While driving for RAM at the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, he was unable to qualify, a result that repeated when competing with Tyrrell at the 1981 United States Grand Prix West. In 1982, he shifted his focus to Indy cars, though his progress was hindered by multiple accidents.
Racing career
Cogan made his Indycar debut at the 1981 Indianapolis 500, piloting the No. 32 Sugaripe Prunes Phoenix PR-01-Cosworth DFX for Jerry O'Connell Racing in the USAC Gold Crown Championship. Starting from 12th on the grid, he completed 197 laps and secured a fourth-place finish but was edged out for the Rookie of the Year Award by Josele Garza. Following this, he competed in the rival CART/PPG World Series with O'Connell, achieving a runner-up position in his first race at the Gould Rex Mays Classic after qualifying seventh, which placed him fifth in the points standings at that time. He participated in four additional events that season, with his top result being at the Los Angeles Times 500 held at Riverside, ultimately concluding the year 23rd in overall points.
In the 1982 campaign, Cogan joined Team Penske, driving car No. 4 Norton Spirit Penske PC-10-Cosworth DFX. At the opening event, the Kraco Car Stereos 150 at Phoenix International Raceway, he qualified and finished in third place. His season showed variability but featured a second-place finish behind teammate Rick Mears at the Domino's Pizza Pocono 500. Cogan earned two pole positions during the year: one at the Budweiser Cleveland 500 and another at the AirCal 500 in Riverside. He ended the season sixth in points while Mears secured the championship title. Following this season, Penske decided to release Cogan from their lineup.
1982 Indianapolis 500 controversy
During qualifying for the Indianapolis 500, Cogan established a new one-lap track record of , as well as a record-setting four-lap average of , surpassed only by teammate Mears.
Starting from the middle position on the front row alongside pole-sitter Mears and A. J. Foyt, Cogan abruptly veered right at the race start, making contact with Foyt’s vehicle and colliding with Mario Andretti. This incident set off a chain reaction that damaged cars driven by Dale Whittington and Roger Mears, with Bobby Rahal also reporting rear-end contact. The race was immediately halted with a red flag.
The crash resulted in four cars being taken out of competition, including those of Cogan and Andretti. Foyt’s team managed to repair his car for the restart. Both Andretti and Foyt openly criticized Cogan; Andretti dismissed Cogan’s explanations with a shove and labeled him inexperienced for someone starting on the front row, adding that the Penske car was "too good for him." Foyt described the episode plainly as "a stupid deal" and placed direct blame on Cogan.
Conversely, other drivers such as Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, and Bobby Unser partially attributed fault to polesitter Mears due to his slow pace leading up to the accident. Johncock, who eventually won the race, observed that Andretti had jumped the start and suggested that proper alignment might have prevented Cogan’s spin.
By the conclusion of the USAC Gold Crown season, Cogan ranked 47th in points because he competed in the 1981 race without holding a USAC Class I license, rendering him ineligible to earn points despite finishing fourth.
Aftermath
Following the incident, Cogan rapidly lost support, encountering a form of "blacklisting" from both the media and fans. During the season's most significant race, he nearly collided with renowned drivers Foyt and Andretti, which intensified the rivalry between Team Penske and Patrick Racing. Although Penske backed Cogan, there was no official confirmation or denial regarding a broken CV joint as the accident's cause. This controversy had a profound effect on Cogan’s professional trajectory.
Throughout 1982, Cogan failed to secure any victories and was probably succeeded by Al Unser in the 1983 season. The exact reason for the crash remains uncertain, with theories including locked rear brakes or a damaged CV joint. Remarks made by ABC-TV’s Sam Posey contributed to speculation that Cogan might have been responsible.
1983–1993
In 1983, Cogan competed for Bignotti-Cotter Racing, piloting the No. 6 Master Mechanic/Caesar's Palace March 83C-Cosworth DFX. He finished 15th in the CART championship and 6th in USAC standings. At the end of that year, team co-owner George Bignotti retired, and Cogan was not retained for the following season.
During 1984, Cogan divided his efforts between Curb Racing’s Ligier LC02-Cosworth DFX and All American Racers’ Eagle 84SB-Pontiac V8. After parting ways with Ligier and Curb, he qualified for the Indianapolis 500, setting a stock block engine speed record before retiring due to mechanical issues. Later that year, while driving for Forsythe Racing in the No. 33 Skoal Bandit March 84C-Cosworth DFX, he sustained severe foot injuries in a crash that ended his season and resulted in a 24th place finish in points.
In 1985, representing Kraco Racing in the No. 18 March 85C-Cosworth DFX, Cogan narrowly qualified for the Indianapolis 500 and finished 11th. He achieved a fourth-place finish at Detroit and fifth at Portland, concluding the year 14th in overall points.
The 1986 season saw Cogan driving Patrick Racing’s No. 7 7-Eleven March 86C-Cosworth DFX. He earned his first IndyCar victory at Phoenix and briefly held the lead in the CART championship standings. At the Indianapolis 500, a late caution affected his advantage, leading to a second-place finish. Despite early promise, seven retirements during the season dropped him to sixth in the final rankings.
Continuing with Patrick Racing in 1987, behind the wheel of the No. 7 Marlboro March 87C-Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V8, Cogan struggled throughout the year. His best result was fifth place, and he ended up 16th in points.
In 1988, driving for Machinists Union Racing’s No. 11 Schaefer Beer/Playboy March 88C-Cosworth DFX, he began strongly with a third-place finish at Long Beach but missed four events due to an injury sustained at Toronto, finishing 13th overall.
Remaining with Machinists Union Racing in 1989, Cogan ended the season ranked 14th in points, with his best finish being eighth at Laguna Seca. A significant crash at the Indianapolis 500 caused his car to split apart; fortunately, he emerged without injury.
During 1990, Cogan participated only in two races: Indianapolis for Vince Granatelli Racing (No. 11 Tuneup Masters Penske PC18-Buick V6), where he placed ninth; and Michigan for Stoops Racing (No.17 Conseco Lola T9000-Cosworth DFS), finishing twentieth. He concluded the season ranked 23rd in points.
In 1991, competing for Team Menard at Indianapolis (No. 9 Glidden/Menards Lola T9100-Buick V6), qualifying was delayed by rain but he secured sixteenth on the grid. A crash on lap 25 caused serious injuries—including fractures to his right femur, forearm, and shoulder—that ended his season and impacted his performance in subsequent years.
By 1993, Cogan raced part-time with Galles-Kraco Racing (No.11 Conseco Lola T9300-Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V8), starting four events including the Indianapolis 500 where he led four laps and finished fourteenth; his next best result was thirteenth at Cleveland. He did not earn championship points that year and retired afterward.
Among Cogan’s career achievements are two sixth-place finishes in CART (1982 and 1986) along with his single victory at Phoenix in 1986.
Personal life
Following his retirement from IndyCar, Cogan chose to step away from the racing world, expressing that his passion for the sport ended after the tragic passing of Scott Brayton in 1996. He redirected his efforts toward establishing a real estate enterprise located in the Palos Verdes estates area of Los Angeles. Cogan opted not to engage in interviews for the 2009 Indianapolis Motor Speedway centennial and also declined involvement in the 2011 Indianapolis 500 centennial celebrations. During a seldom-seen interview in 2015, he revealed ongoing discomfort stemming from injuries sustained during his racing career, affecting his foot, shoulder, and forearm, along with difficulties related to balance.
In 1988, ESPN noted that Cogan was married to Tracy and had a son; however, they divorced in 2004. The 2015 interview additionally disclosed that he fathered two more children—a daughter and a son—after retiring from racing.
SCCA National Championship Runoffs
| Year | Circuit | Vehicle | Engine | Category | Result | Grid | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Road Atlanta | Ralt RT1 | Ford | Formula B | 1st | 1st | Finished |
Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Final Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Ralt American Ltd. | PIR1 | TRE1 | MOS | MIL1 | TEX | MIL2 3rd |
OMS1 | OMS2 | TRE2 | PIR2 1st |
11th | 340 |
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
| Year | Team | Car Model | Engine Type | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | World Championship Position (WDC) | Points Scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | RAM / Rainbow Jeans Racing | Williams FW07B | Cosworth V8 | BRA | RSA | USW | BEL | MON | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| CAN Did Not Qualify | USA | | NC | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| 1981 | Tyrrell Racing | Tyrrell 010 | Cosworth V8 | USW Did Not Qualify | BRA | ARG | SMR | BEL | MON | ESP | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | CAN | CPL | NC | 0 |
CART
| Year | Team Name | Car Number | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Race 5 | Race 6 | Race 7 | Race 8 | Race 9 | Race 10 | Race 11 | Race 12 | Race 13 | Race 14 | Race 15 | Race 16 | Race 17 | Overall Ranking | Points Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Jerry O'Connell Racing | 32 | PHX | MIL 2nd |
ATL1 16th |
ATL2 | MIS 28th |
RIV 11th |
MIL2 23rd |
MIS2 | WGL | MEX | PHX2 | 23rd | 23 | ||||||
| 1982 | Team Penske | 4 | PHX 3rd |
ATL 18th |
MIL 5th |
'CLE' '10th' |
'MIS' '14th' |
'MIL2' '5th' |
'POC' '2nd' |
'RIV' '10th' |
'ROA' '25th' |
'MIS2' '22nd' |
'PHX2' '4th' |
colspan=6| | style="background:#CFEAFF;"|'6th' | style="background:#CFEAFF;"|'136' | |||||
| Year | Team | Car Number(s) | Final Standing | Points Accumulated |
|---|
Indianapolis 500
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Starting Position | Finishing Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Phoenix PR-01 | Cosworth DFX | 12 | 4 | Jerry O'Connell Racing |
| 1982 | Penske PC-10 | Cosworth DFX | 2 | 30 | Team Penske |
| 1983 | March 83C | Cosworth DFX | 22 | 5 | Bignotti-Cotter Racing |
| 1984 | Eagle 84SB | Pontiac V8 | 27 | 20 | Curb-All American Racers |
| 1985 | March 85C | Cosworth DFX | 32 | 11 | Kraco Racing |
| 1986 | March 86C | Cosworth DFX | 6 | 2 | Patrick Racing |
| 1987 | March 87C | Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V8 265A | 24 | 31 | Patrick Racing |
| 1988 | March 88C | Cosworth DFX | 13 | 11 | Machinist Union Racing |
| 1989 | March 88C | Cosworth DFX | 27 | 32 | Machinist Union Racing |
| 1990 | Penske PC-18 | Buick V6 | 15 | 9 | Vince Granatelli Racing |
| 1991 | Lola T91/00 | Buick V6 | 16 | 29 | Team Menard |
| 1993 | Lola T93/00 | Ilmor-Chevrolet Indy V8 265A | 14 | 14 | Galles-Kraco Racing |
24 Hours of Le Mans
|- ! Year ! Team ! Co-Drivers ! Vehicle ! Category ! Laps Completed ! Overall Position ! Class Position | |- |1988 |Tom Walkinshaw Racing (Silk Cut Jaguar) |Derek Daly, Larry Perkins |Jaguar XJR-9 LM |C1 |383 |4th overall |4th in class | }