A rare 1980s Team Penske Indycar, specifically the Penske PC-16 raced during the 1987 CART World Series, is currently available for bidding through Donington Auctions. This auction is part of the sale of the late Alan Hamilton’s extensive collection, including race cars, memorabilia, and automotive parts.
The Challenging 1987 Season for Team Penske
The 1987 season proved difficult for Team Penske, highlighted by their decision to abandon the Penske PC-16 chassis during the Indianapolis 500 due to performance issues. The team switched to the older March 86C chassis after struggling to reach competitive speeds in early practice sessions. A notable event that season was when rookie driver Danny Ongais crashed the #25 PC-16 prior to Pole Day, forcing him out with a concussion and leading to veteran Al Unser stepping in as his replacement.
Al Unser’s Victory in an Unexpected Chassis
By the time Al Unser took over the #25 car, all three Penske entries had transitioned to the March 86C chassis. Unser famously won the Indy 500 in this chassis, which had originally been displayed as a show car in a hotel at the start of the event. Although Team Penske soon replaced the PC-16 with the highly successful PC-17 for the 1988 season, the PC-16 was not completely retired in 1987.
Continued Use of PC-16 in Road and Street Races
Chassis number 004 of the PC-16 made several race appearances after Indy, driven by Rick Mears in four road and street circuit events: Portland, Meadowlands, Cleveland’s Burke Lakefront Airport, and the Toronto street circuit. Mears achieved the car’s best finish of the season with third place at Portland. This Toronto event marked the final race for the PC-16, though it served as Mears’ backup vehicle for the Michigan and Pocono 500-mile races later that year.
The Car’s Journey After Racing and Its Restoration
Following its retirement from active competition, PC-16/004 was owned by sponsor Pennzoil before being sold to Penrite for display purposes. When the car arrived in Australia, it lacked an engine, but a genuine Chevrolet Indy V8/A engine was later sent from Penske. The car was repainted in the classic Marlboro Penske livery before entering storage until Alan Hamilton acquired it around 2016 or 2017.
Hamilton undertook a thorough restoration, commissioning VDS Engines in the United States to build a new Chevy Indy V8/A engine that is now installed in the car. This restoration helped preserve an important piece of Penske and Indycar history.
Auction Details and Expected Interest
The Hamilton collection auctions are set to conclude on Saturday, February 14, with the Penske PC-16 listed early in the sale as Lot 2. Given the car’s rarity, historical significance, and restored condition, it is expected to attract considerable attention from collectors and racing enthusiasts worldwide.
