The DN9 was introduced at the
1978 Long Beach Grand Prix for first driver
Hans-Joachim Stuck's use, although he did not start the race. Second driver
Clay Regazzoni got the new car for the race after (
Monaco). Hawaiian driver
Danny Ongais was also entered twice, by
Interscope Racing, but failed pre-qualifying on both occasions. A disappointing 1978 meant using drivers of a lower caliber for 1979, with rookie drivers
Elio de Angelis and
Jan Lammers scoring only once, with de Angelis' surprise fourth place in the car's last race at the rainy
1979 United States Grand Prix. Interscope Racing, the privateer who had twice entered a DN9 in 1978, was the team fielding de Angelis, Shadow's
de facto first driver. The choice of Dutchman Lammers was tied to the Shadows team's main sponsor, the Dutch
Samson shag tobacco company. ==Complete Formula One World Championship results==