Talk:Mark Donohue

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Untitled

Mark was much more famous for his sports car and oval track driving exploits in the US, this should be added. Pmeisel 02:33, 3 Jan 2005 (UTC)

Have done major editing job to Donohue's page

I've done a major revision/editing job on this page. I found a LOT of incorrect information which I tried to correct to the best of my knowledge. If anything is questionable or inaccurate, either change it or let me know what is right and I'll put it in there. Enjoy --- Androoos

Rick Mears qualifying date and race is incorrect. It did take eleven years to break Mark's closed course speed record, but 1975 +11 does not equal 1989. Rick Mears broke Donohue's record qualifying for the 1986 Michigan 500 at 223.401 mph. I remember it like it was yesterday as Mark Donohue was my childhood hero and that was the day when Rick Mears became my hero as well.

http://www.race-database.com/results/results.php?year=1986&race=9&series_id=4 —Preceding unsigned comment added by 216.39.170.132 (talk) 22:00, 11 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Too many headlines

There are too many headline sections on this page. There is no need for a new heading for every paragraph. Let's try merging some of these sections. --D-Day 22:39, 4 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Headlines

I agree there are too many headlines. Is there another way we can get it organized to remove the headlines from the list at the top but also keep the article organized? The many headlines are somewhat befitting of the man, owing to the many different types of cars and types of races he entered. 138.162.5.14 11:51, 22 February 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Agreed. The headlines are also confusing: "Tragedy Strikes in Europe" ought to be renamed "Death" or something to that effect, and headlines need to be merged, such as "Need for more speed" and others need merging. Richard n 14:05, 19 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Another legacy?

I seem to recall reading somewhere (no idea where, now) that after Mark's death the medical personnel at tracks became much more careful about checking for brain hemorrhages after even minor crashes. Can anyone verify this and/or know of cases where this increased vigilance has saved someone? Noel (talk) 03:27, 19 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I'm sure I've read something along similar lines, written by Nigel Roebuck. IIRC it was with reference to Nelson Piquet suffering concussion following a practice/qualifying accident at Imola during the turbo era, and The Prof flatly refusing to let Piquet start the race. Mr Larrington (talk) 20:53, 22 June 2014 (UTC)[reply]

"Captain Nice" vs. "Dark Monohue"

The reference in the lead paragraph to the nickname "Captain Nice" is uncited. However, I remember reading in Road & Track that he was called "Captain Nice" early on, but, toward the end of the Can-Am programme and going into Formula One, his general mood had changed somewhat and people had started calling him "Dark Monohue".

I will look for the article. I hope it's not in one of the magazines that the termites got to...

Sincerely, SamBlob (talk) 18:10, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

I have a ref for Captain Nice and added that. Don't have one for the other nickname. 72Dino (talk) 22:25, 8 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Found my source, a R&T article written by Sam Posey and printed in the June 1992 issue. Sincerely, SamBlob (talk) 06:04, 9 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified

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The second one works, but the first one doesn't, so I have replaced it with a different reference. DH85868993 (talk) 10:01, 28 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

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Calling Mark Donohue "Dark Monohue" is a clever pun, but it is a cheap shot

Referring to Mark Donohue as “Dark Monohue” is puzzling. The tone of the nickname suggests a disparaging connotation, and I have often wondered why it is mentioned so frequently.

I believe I have traced the original use of this nickname to an article in the June 1992 issue of Road & Track, written by Sam Posey, titled "Magnificent Obsession: A Personal Look at Mark Donohue—Talent and Tragedy." "Dark Monohue" is mentioned only once in the article, in this sentence:

"But despite the success, people close to him ceased calling him 'Captain Nice' and referred to him instead as 'Dark Monohue.'"

“Captain Nice” was a well-known nickname during his lifetime, while “Dark Monohue” emerged long after his death.

Posey did not elaborate on this nickname; he simply included it in the article. Later in the article, he discusses how overworked Mark was, suggesting that he may have been suffering from burnout and depression. Posey makes a clever pun with Mark’s name, but it feels like a cheap shot, especially considering the context.

If “Dark Monohue” was indeed used toward the end of Mark’s life, why is it not found in any posthumous books about him? While mentions of burnout do appear—for example, in Michael Argetsinger’s 2009 book, Mark Donohue: Technical Excellence at Speed, published 17 years after Posey’s article—“Dark Monohue” is not credibly referenced elsewhere. It seems to be used sporadically by social media users who mistakenly believe it to be a legitimate fact. I find it hard to accept that "Dark Monohue" is credible. There is credible evidence that Mark experienced extreme burnout and depression. These conditions are serious mental health issues, and they should not be trivialized by Sam Posey’s decision to use such a disparaging nickname.

I wish Posey could provide more background on why he chose to use this term. While it may catch a reader's attention in the article’s lead, it is not further explored. Unfortunately, given that Sam has been suffering from Parkinson's disease for 30 years—having been diagnosed at age 50 in 1990—he may no longer be able to clarify his decision.

If anyone has credible information regarding the use and explanation of “Dark Monohue,” I would be very interested to hear it

Considering the source for the nickname "Dark Monohue" has only a single source contained in the Road and Track magazine which appears to be only San Posey's opinion, which is suspect, and has no other reference, the disparaging "Dark Monohue" moniker is an unfortunate reference to Mark's mental illness and should be eliminated from the Mark Donohue Wikipedia page. Osomite 🐻 (hablemos) 02:38, 14 October 2024 (UTC)[reply]