George Follmer Biography: George Richard Follme is a retired American auto racing driver who was a prominent road racer in the 1970s. To know everything about him, read this biography till the end.
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George Follmer Biography
George Follmer Biography: George Follme was born on January 27, 1934, in Phoenix, Arizona, US. When he was a baby, his family moved to California. Follmer began his career driving a Volkswagen Beetle in Gymkhana competitions in parking lots in Southern California’s San Gabriel Valley.
Follmer raced in the USAC Championship Car series from 1967 to 1971 and 1974, making 25 career starts, including the 1969 and 1971 Indianapolis 500s. He finished in the top 10 11 times, winning once at Phoenix International Raceway in 1969. In 1971, he finished third in the Indianapolis 500. He started 29th and finished 15th driving the turbo Offy of Grant King Racer.
George Follmer Wiki
| Name | George Follmer |
| Date Of Birth | January 27, 1934 |
| Birth Place | Phoenix, Arizona, US |
| Age | 90 years old (as of 2024) |
| Height | N/A |
| Weight | N/A |
| Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
| Profession | Racing Driver |
| Net Worth | N/A |
| Car Collection | N/A |
Also Read: George Amick Biography, Wiki, Height, Weight, Racing Career & More
George Follmer Career
In 1973, Follmer competed in F1 with the UOP Shadow team of Don Nichols. He participated in his first Grand Prix in South Africa at the age of 39 years and one month, making him F1’s oldest debutant since the 1950s, a record he still maintains. In 13 Championship races, his best finishes were sixth in South Africa and third on the podium in Spain, which placed him thirteenth in the Drivers’ Championship with five points. He also participated in non-championship races.
Follmer was also successful in additional racing series. The SCCA United States Road Racing Championship was won by him in 1965. Follmer won two races in the 1970 Formula A SCCA Continental Championship and finished sixth overall. He won the Trans-Am championship in 1972 and 1976 while driving an AMC Javelin and a Porsche 934 Turbo.
The racing press dubbed Follmer “George Am” after he replaced the wounded Mark Donohue in Penske Racing’s Porsche 917/10 and won the Can-Am championship in 1972. He was the vice-champion in 1973 while racing for Rinzler and in 1974 while driving a Shadow. In three years, he amassed six victories and thirteen podium finishes. He is the only driver to have won both the Can-Am and Trans-Am titles in the same year.
In the NASCAR Winston Cup series in 1974, Follmer participated in 13 of 30 races. He achieved three finishes in the top five and a pole position. In 1974 and 1975, he participated in and won the International Race of Champions.
