Resurrecting Joe Leonard's 1972 title-winner


Sorting everything out required three months and the assistance of Parnelli, Capels, and other original crew members such as Larry "Smokey" Alleman. Jimmy Dilamarter found an original set of 'suitcase decals' for the car that had been in storage since 1972. Capels verified that Joe's car was the only one of the three to utilize a unique Mallory ignition, and the modifications done to accommodate the ignition were present on the tub Jones owned, which added to the list of compelling identification evidence.
As the car came together, Jones was able to share his progress with none other than Leonard himself, who resided in an assisted living center near the Intuitive Surgical offices in Sunnyvale, California. Leonard frequently asked, "How's my car coming?", and Jones was delighted to provide updates. At one point he arranged a conference call between himself, Leonard and Capels.
"As a lifelong fan, I just marveled at being able to sit in on that conversation," Jones says. "I know Joe really appreciated what John and I were doing. It really is a tribute to his outstanding career. I owe a debt of gratitude to Steve Gregory, a lifelong friend of Joe's, who introduced us. I'm just sorry Joe passed away before we completely finished the project."
Jones also has a residence in Stevensville, Michigan, a village just north of the Indiana state line. There, he has a 12,000 square foot car restoration and maintenance shop he calls his man cave. Nearby Gingerman Raceway and access to a local airport runway provide excellent facilities to sort out gremlins. The clutch proved particularly problematic, and an oiling issue forced them to go through two turbochargers.

Jones confesses to being "obsessive compulsive" about mechanical detail, but insists that's a good thing whether he is working with race cars or surgical robots. In both cases, lives depend on the job being done properly.
"The car is put together as good as ever," Capels insists. "If you put a young Joe Leonard in the car today, he could push it. He could be fast, safe and thrilled."
Indeed, with an 1100 horsepower turbocharged Offenhauser behind them, the drivers of today's Indianapolis 500 would undoubtedly be respectful. Jones' decision to make the Brickyard Invitational the coming-out party for the car was partly good timing, but more importantly, he just wanted to drive the car – especially at the Speedway.
"I remember the first time I drove it," he says. "I looked upward and said, 'God, don't let me screw this up."
Anyone who saw the car at the Brickyard Invitational will have no doubt that Jones and Capels did not screw up what turned out as an immaculate, fully-functional restoration. Jones wants to share what they have done with the world, and has already entered the machine in next year's famous Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. He is also looking to the Monterey Motorsports Reunion and the eventual aspiration of driving up the famous hill during the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
"I want to keep the story of these cars and Joe Leonard's and Johnny Capels' accomplishments alive and in front of people," Jones says. "These cars and the people who developed them overcame so much. They delivered great accomplishments racing people should remember."