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1963 Indianapolis 500
The 47th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Thursday, May 30, 1963. Rufus Parnelli Jones took his only Indy 500 win. This win was controversial because his car (nicknamed "Calhoun") spewed oil from a cracked overflow tank for many laps, which allegedly caused at least one driver to spin and crash. USAC officials put off black-flagging Jones after car owner J. C. Agajanian ran down pit lane and convinced them that the oil leak was below the level of a known crack and would not leak any further. Lotus owner Colin Chapman, whose English-built, rear-engined Lotus-Ford finished second in the hands of Scotsman Jim Clark, accused USAC officials of being biased in favor of the American driver and car. The non-black flagging of Jones remains controversial. Many, including Chapman and writer Brock Yates, believed that officials would have black flagged Jones if an American driver and car had been in second place instea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Auto Club
The United States Auto Club (USAC) is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the List of USAC Championship Car seasons, United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500. USAC serves as the sport governing body, sanctioning body for a number of racing series, including the Silver Crown Series, National Sprint Cars, National Midgets, Speed2 Midget Series, .25 Midget Series, Stadium Super Trucks, and GT World Challenge America. Seven-time USAC champion Levi Jones is USAC's Competition Director. History When the American Automobile Association (AAA) withdrew from auto racing after the 1955 season, citing the 1955 Le Mans disaster, Le Mans disaster and the death of Bill Vukovich at 1955 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis as contributing factors, both the Sports Car Club of America, SCCA and NASCAR were mentioned as its potential successor. Ultimately, USAC was formed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brock Yates
Brock Yates (October 21, 1933 – October 5, 2016) was a prominent American journalist, TV commentator, TV reporter, screenwriter, and author. He was the longtime executive editor at ''Car and Driver'' magazine—and contributed to ''The Washington Post'', ''Playboy'', ''The American Spectator'', ''Boating'', ''Vintage Motorsports'', as well as other publications. With a journalism career spanning six decades, his work was highlighted by often irreverent and incisive industry critiques—including a 1968 analysis in Car and Driver titled The Gross Pointe Myopians'' on which he expanded for his 1983 book, ''The Decline and Fall of the American Automotive Industry.'' Yates was widely known for co-conceiving and then executing the first non-stop, cross-country Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, widely known as ''The Cannonball Run,'' in 1971—which subsequently gave rise to his screenwriting career. He co-wrote the 1980 film, ''Smokey and the Bandit II.'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aston Martin
Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings PLC () is a British manufacturer of Luxury car, luxury sports cars and grand tourers. Its predecessor was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford. Headed from 1947 by David Brown (entrepreneur), David Brown, it became associated with expensive grand tourer, grand touring cars in the 1950s and 1960s, and with the fictional character James Bond following his use of a Aston Martin DB5, DB5 model in the 1964 film ''Goldfinger (film), Goldfinger''. Their grand tourers and sports cars are regarded as a British cultural icon. Aston Martin has held a Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom), royal warrant as purveyor of motorcars to Charles III (as Prince of Wales and later as King) since 1982, and has over 160 car dealerships in 53 countries, making it a global automobile brand. The company is traded on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. In 2003 it received the Queen's Awards for Enterprise, Que ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pedro Rodríguez (racing Driver)
Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega (18 January 1940 – 11 July 1971) was a Mexican racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Rodríguez won two Formula One Grands Prix across nine seasons. In endurance racing, Rodríguez won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in with Ford, and was a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona with Porsche. Born and raised in Mexico City, Rodríguez was the older brother of racing driver Ricardo Rodríguez, who became the first Mexican driver to compete in Formula One in 1961. Both brothers started racing at an early age, first on motorbikes and then moving to cars. Following his brother's death in a racing accident in 1962, Pedro briefly considered retiring from racing, but decided to carry on. In sportscar racing his first major win was with his brother in the 1961 Paris 1000km, driving a Ferrari 250 GT. He began his Formula One career in 1963, won the 1967 South African Grand Prix in a Cooper and the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix in a BRM. He w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Masten Gregory
Masten Gregory (February 29, 1932 − November 8, 1985) was an American racing driver, who competed in Formula One from to . Nicknamed "the Kansas City Flash", Gregory won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in with NART. Gregory participated in 43 Formula One Grands Prix, predominantly with privateer teams; he also competed in numerous non-championship races, winning the 1962 Kanonloppet with BRP. Gregory was also successful in sportscar racing, entering 16 editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans between and , winning in alongside Jochen Rindt, driving the Ferrari 250LM. Career Known as the "Kansas City Flash", Masten Gregory was born in Kansas City, Missouri, as the youngest of three children; his elder brother was Riddelle L. Gregory Jr., also a race car driver, and his elder sister Nancy Lee Gregory married, as her second husband, the Anglo-American fashion designer Charles James. An heir to an insurance company fortune, Gregory was well known for his youngish looks and thick eyeg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Duane Carter
Duane Claude Carter (May 5, 1913 – March 7, 1993) was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars.Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Carter was born in , and he died in . His son Pancho raced in Indy cars, along with Johnny Parsons (w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Goldsmith
Paul Edward Goldsmith (October 2, 1925 – September 6, 2024) was an American racing driver. During his career he raced A.M.A. Grand National Championship, motorcycles, Stock car racing, stock cars, and American open-wheel car racing, Indianapolis cars, achieving success in each discipline. Goldsmith won the USAC Stock Car national championship in 1961 and 1962, driving a Pontiac (automobile), Pontiac for Ray Nichels. Earlier in his career, he was a successful motorcycle racer within the American Motorcyclist Association, AMA circuit, capturing the Daytona 200 for Harley-Davidson in 1953. In 1958, driving a Pontiac for Smokey Yunick, Goldsmith won the final NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR stock car race on the Daytona Beach and Road Course, Daytona Beach road course. At the time of his death Goldsmith was the oldest living former driver to have competed in the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA List of Formula One World Drivers' Champions, World Drivers' Championship, as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eddie Sachs
Edward Julius Sachs Jr, (May 28, 1927 – May 30, 1964) was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the "Clown Prince of Auto Racing". He coined the phrase "If you can't win, be spectacular". Early life Sachs was born May 28, 1927, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. Professional racing career His career included eight USAC Championship Trail wins, 25 top-five finishes in 65 career AAA and USAC starts, including the 1958 USAC Midwest Sprint Car Championship. He was an eight time starter of the Indianapolis 500, 1957–64, winning the pole position in 1960 and 1961, with his best finish being second in 1961. Leading the race with only three laps to go, he saw his right rear tire begin to delaminate and pitted to replace it, handing victory to A. J. Foyt. Sachs never regretted his decision not to gamble on the tire, saying, "I'd sooner finish second than be dead". Death at Indianapolis At the 1964 Indianapolis 500 on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney (April 13, 1931 – January 14, 2018) was an American racing driver, engineer and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of motorsport, Gurney won four List of Formula One Grand Prix winners, Formula One Grands Prix across 11 seasons. In endurance racing (motorsport), endurance racing, Gurney won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in with Ford Performance, Ford, as well as the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1959 12 Hours of Sebring, 1959 with Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari. Born in Long Island, Gurney was the son of bass-baritone John Gurney (bass-baritone), John R. Gurney and born into a family of engineering, engineers. Interested by Hot rod#History, California hot rod culture, Gurney built his first car aged 19 and became an amateur drag racer. After serving in the United States Army as an artillery mechanic during the Korean War, Gurney entered the 1957 Riverside International Raceway, R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jack Turner (racing Driver)
Jack Turner (February 12, 1920 Seattle, Washington – September 12, 2004 Renton, Washington) was an American racecar driver. He was nicknamed "Cactus Jack." He served in the South Pacific during the Second World War. Midget car career Turner became the first two-time AAA National Midget champion when he won the 1954 and 1955 championships. Turner scored no wins in 1954 despite competing at the entire circuit, and won the championship on consistent high finishes.Biography at the He won six features in 1955. He also had 14 National [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rodger Ward
Rodger Morris Ward (January 10, 1921 – July 5, 2004) was an American racing driver best known for his open-wheel career. He is generally regarded as one of the finest drivers of his generation, and is best known for winning two National Championships, and two Indianapolis 500s, both in 1959 and 1962. He also won the AAA National Stock Car Championship in 1951. Early life Ward was born in Beloit, Kansas, the son of Ralph and Geneva (née Banta) Ward. By 1930, the family had moved to California. He died in Anaheim, California. Ward's father owned an auto wrecking business in Los Angeles. Rodger was 14 years old when he built a Ford hot rod. He was a P-38 Lightning fighter pilot in World War II. He enjoyed flying so much he thought of making it his career. He began to fly B-17 Flying Fortress and was so good he was retained as an instructor. After the war he was stationed in Wichita Falls, Texas when a quarter mile dirt track was built. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Don Branson
Donald L. Branson (June 2, 1920 – November 12, 1966) was an American racecar driver. Career Born in Rantoul, Illinois, Branson drove in the USAC Championship Car series and also in sprint cars, racing champ cars in the 1956–1966 seasons with 128 starts, including the 1959–1966 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 85 times, with 7 victories. Branson was also the 1959 and 1964 USAC Sprint Car Series Champion. He was killed in 1966 in a crash at a sprint car race at Ascot Park in Gardena, California, which also claimed the life of fellow driver Dick Atkins. The fatal wreck occurred with only a few races left in the season for the USAC series. Awards He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1994 and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame The National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is an American Hall of Fame and museum for midget cars. The Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and can b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
