Teddy Mayer
Encyclopedia
Edward Everett "Teddy" Mayer (September 8, 1935 – January 30, 2009) was an American motor racing entrepreneur who was successful in several categories of racing, including Formula One
and IndyCars
.
Mayer was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania
. While studying law at Cornell
, he became involved in the Rev-Em Formula Junior
team whose drivers included his brother Timmy
and Peter Revson
. After graduating in 1962 Mayer followed his brother and Revson to Europe
and joined Bruce McLaren
who was setting up his Formula One team. Despite the death of his brother in 1964, Mayer continued to be involved in motor sport and assumed control of the McLaren team after Bruce McLaren was killed in 1970.
For much of the 1970s McLaren enjoyed considerable success, with both Emerson Fittipaldi
and James Hunt
taking the drivers title. In addition to Formula One, McLaren also competed in USAC, CART
, and CanAm
racing under Mayer's management. The McLaren team won the Indianapolis 500 twice; a McLaren chassis entered by Roger Penske also won the 500.
Towards the end of the decade the team's Formula 1 results began to decline and title sponsor Marlboro engineered a merger with the Project 4 team run by Ron Dennis
. Mayer remained as joint managing-director until 1982, when he sold his shares and left the team he had helped to create.
Mayer continued to work in motor sport, firstly in CART
racing, running the Texaco Star team under the Mayer Motor Racing banner, and then in 1986 returning to Formula One as manager of Haas Lola
, a new team he co-founded with Carl Haas
and running 1980 World Champion, Alan Jones
. While the results were poor, the team showed great potential, until the acquisition of sponsor Beatrice
forced the team's withdrawal.
Following a year's retirement, Mayer then returned to CART racing, joining the Penske
team, as Vice-Chairman of Penske's motorsports operations, presiding over the teams' success in the 1990s.
He moved to a consultancy role with Penske, which he continued until 2007.
Mayer lived in England. He and wife Sarah (Sally) Bryant (divorced in 1993) had two children, Tim Mayer
(named after Teddy's brother), who is also in motorsports, and Anne. Both live in the United States.
Mayer died on January 30, 2009, of complications following his decade-long struggle with Parkinson's Disease
.
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
and IndyCars
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
.
Mayer was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. While studying law at Cornell
Cornell Law School
Cornell Law School, located in Ithaca, New York, is a graduate school of Cornell University and one of the five Ivy League law schools. The school confers three law degrees...
, he became involved in the Rev-Em Formula Junior
Formula Junior
Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI . The class was intended to provide an entry level class where you could use inexpensive mechanical components from ordinary automobiles...
team whose drivers included his brother Timmy
Timmy Mayer
Timothy Mayer , was a racecar driver from Dalton, Pennsylvania in the United States. He participated in one World Championship Formula One Grand Prix, on October 7, 1962. He retired with ignition failure and scored no championship points.Mayer's older brother Teddy was one of the founders of the...
and Peter Revson
Peter Revson
Peter Jeffrey Revson was an American race car driver who had successes in Formula One and the Indianapolis 500.-Background:Peter Revson was born in New York City, the son of Julie and Martin Revson....
. After graduating in 1962 Mayer followed his brother and Revson to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and joined Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren
Bruce Leslie McLaren , born in Auckland, New Zealand, was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor....
who was setting up his Formula One team. Despite the death of his brother in 1964, Mayer continued to be involved in motor sport and assumed control of the McLaren team after Bruce McLaren was killed in 1970.
For much of the 1970s McLaren enjoyed considerable success, with both Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi
Emerson Fittipaldi |São Paulo]], Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver who throughout a long and successful career won the Indianapolis 500 twice and championships in both Formula One and CART.-Early and personal life:...
and James Hunt
James Hunt
James Simon Wallis Hunt was a British racing driver from England who won the Formula One World Championship in . Hunt's often action packed exploits on track earned him the nickname "Hunt the Shunt." After retiring from driving, Hunt became a media commentator and businessman...
taking the drivers title. In addition to Formula One, McLaren also competed in USAC, CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
, and CanAm
CanAm
The Canadian-American Challenge Cup or Can-Am, was an SCCA/CASC sports car racing series from 1966 to 1986.-History:Can-Am started out as a race series for Group 7 sports racers with two races in Canada and four races in the United States of America . The series was initially sponsored by Johnson...
racing under Mayer's management. The McLaren team won the Indianapolis 500 twice; a McLaren chassis entered by Roger Penske also won the 500.
Towards the end of the decade the team's Formula 1 results began to decline and title sponsor Marlboro engineered a merger with the Project 4 team run by Ron Dennis
Ron Dennis
Ronald "Ron" Dennis CBE is the executive chairman of McLaren Automotive and McLaren Group, and is also a significant shareholder in both companies...
. Mayer remained as joint managing-director until 1982, when he sold his shares and left the team he had helped to create.
Mayer continued to work in motor sport, firstly in CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
racing, running the Texaco Star team under the Mayer Motor Racing banner, and then in 1986 returning to Formula One as manager of Haas Lola
Haas Lola
Team Haas Ltd. was an American Formula One team founded by Carl Haas and Teddy Mayer in 1984, which competed in the World Championship from to . The project was funded by Beatrice Foods and helped the team enter an agreement to use Ford engines for three seasons...
, a new team he co-founded with Carl Haas
Carl Haas
Carl A. Haas is an American auto racing impresario. He co-owned the Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing team in the IndyCar Series with the late Paul Newman and Mike Lanigan. He also owned Carl A...
and running 1980 World Champion, Alan Jones
Alan Jones (Formula 1)
Alan Stanley Jones MBE is an Australian former Formula One driver. He was the first driver to win a Formula One World Championship with the Williams team, becoming the 1980 World Drivers' Champion....
. While the results were poor, the team showed great potential, until the acquisition of sponsor Beatrice
Beatrice Foods
Beatrice Foods Company was a major American food processing company. In 1987, its smaller international food operations were sold to Reginald Lewis, a corporate attorney creating TLC Beatrice International, after which the majority of its domestic brands and assets were acquired by Kohlberg,...
forced the team's withdrawal.
Following a year's retirement, Mayer then returned to CART racing, joining the Penske
Penske Racing
Penske Racing is a racing team that competes in the IndyCar Series and NASCAR. They also previously competed in road racing, and Formula One. Penske Racing is a division of Penske Corporation, and is owned and chaired by Roger Penske...
team, as Vice-Chairman of Penske's motorsports operations, presiding over the teams' success in the 1990s.
He moved to a consultancy role with Penske, which he continued until 2007.
Mayer lived in England. He and wife Sarah (Sally) Bryant (divorced in 1993) had two children, Tim Mayer
Tim Mayer
Tim Mayer is the Chief Operating Officer of International Motor Sports Association and the American Le Mans Series , a Vice President of the ACCUS and the United States' alternate delegate to the FIA.-Early life:The son of American motor racing identity Teddy Mayer and Sarah Mayer , Mayer was...
(named after Teddy's brother), who is also in motorsports, and Anne. Both live in the United States.
Mayer died on January 30, 2009, of complications following his decade-long struggle with Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
.