Robert R. Burman (April 23, 1884 – April 8, 1916) was an American race car driver, he was an open-wheel pioneer, setting numerous speed records in the early 1900s. He participated in many historic races and was one of the drivers to compete in the first edition of the Indianapolis 500 in 1911.

Biography

Burman was born in Imlay City, Michigan on April 23, 1884. While working as a road tester for Jackson Automobile Co. in 1906, he got the opportunity to enter in several races, in which he performed well. In 1908, William C. Durant the founder of General Motors brought Burman and the Chevrolet brothers on as drivers for the newly formed

Buick Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...

racing team. Burman won the

Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race The Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race was an automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in each of the two years prior to the first Indianapolis 500. The trophy was sponsored by the Prest-O-Lite Company, a manufacturer of automotive lighting s ...

in his Buick in 1909, the precursor to the Indy 500. He finished first in the 1909 Vesper Club Trophy Race driving for the

team and fourth in the 1909 Lowell Trophy Race. In 1910 Burman won the Remy Brassard Trophy 2 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 1911, Burman won the first four events at the New Orleans Mardi Gras Races with his Buick 60 Special. Racing for racing promoter

Ernest Moross Ernest "Ernie" Moross (1873 or 1874 – April 4, 1949)Obituary
''Billboard'', April 16, 1949. p. 62.

, Burman set a land speed record at an average of 141.732 mph over a 1km distance in his 200-horsepower Blitzen Benz racecar on the sands of

Daytona Beach Daytona Beach, or simply Daytona, is a coastal resort-city in east-central Florida. Located on the eastern edge of Volusia County, Florida, Volusia County near the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic coastline, its population was 72,647 ...

on 23 April 1911, his land speed record was however not officially recognized by the AIACR in Paris. He competed at the first ever 1911 Indianapolis 500 in a Benz, before the race he made exhibition runs in the Blitzen Benz on the

Indianapolis Motor Speedway The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United St ...

and set speed records at the quarter mile, half mile, kilometer and mile distances. He was crowned speed king before the start of the race. He competed at the 1912 Indianapolis 500 where he crashed his Cutting car after 157 laps in the second turn. Burman started the 1913 Indianapolis 500 as the favorite, and led 41 laps early, but his car caught fire on lap 55, he was able to repair his

Keeton The Keeton was a brass era automobile built in Detroit, Michigan from 1912 to 1914 by the Keeton Motor Car Company. History Designed by Forrest M. Keeton when he was associated with the Croxton-Keeton Motor Car Company, the Keeton was called ...

and continue for a while, but eventually didn't finish the race. In 1914 he won the Kalamazoo Race, and in 1915 he won both the Oklahoma Southern Sweepstakes Road Race and the Burlington Race in his Peugeot L76. He finished sixth in the 1915 Indianapolis 500.

Death

On 8 April 1916, Bob Burman was killed during the Corona road race when one of his rear tires exploded and his open-cockpit Peugeot car rolled over, along with his riding mechanic Erick Schrader and a policeman on duty. Three spectators were also killed, and five others were seriously injured. His death caused his friends Barney Oldfield and Harry Arminius Miller to join forces to build a race car that incorporated a roll cage inside a streamlined driver's compartment that completely enclosed the driver. It was called the Golden Submarine.

Awards

He was inducted in the

National Sprint Car Hall of Fame The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a Hall of Fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members. The museum is located in Knoxville, Iowa, the ho ...

in 2011.

Indianapolis 500 results

Images

File:Burman,_Disbrow,_Tower,_Grinnon_at_Indianapolis_1911.jpg, Bob Burman, Louis Disbrow,

Jack Tower Elmer Vernon Jack Tower (1886-1950) was an American racecar driver and riding mechanic from Flint, Michigan. Tower was the fastest qualifier at the 1913 Indianapolis 500, but started from the back row as the grid was determined by a blind draw. To ...

, and

Joe Grennon Joe or JOE may refer to: Arts Film and television * ''Joe'' (1970 film), starring Peter Boyle * ''Joe'' (2013 film), starring Nicolas Cage * ''Joe'' (TV series), a British TV series airing from 1966 to 1971 * ''Joe'', a 2002 Canadian animated ...

at the 1911 Indianapolis 500 File:Bob Burman Cutting racecar after accident in 1912 Indy 500.jpg, Burman's crashed Cutting racer, built by the Clark-Carter Automobile Company at the 1912 Indianapolis 500 Image:Burman2.jpg, Bob Burman's

racer finished 11th place at Indianapolis in 1913 Image:Burman3.jpg, Bob Burman's Keeton racer photo taken by George L Mooney in 1913 File:Burman and his "Benz" LOC 2162737993.jpg, Race car driver Bob Burman and his Blitzen Benz, 1911 File:Louis Chevrolet in Buick Bug 1910.jpg, Chevrolet in Buick 60 special, as part of the Buick racing team in 1910

References

External links

* 1884 births 1916 deaths People from Imlay City, Michigan Sportspeople from Metro Detroit Racing drivers from Michigan Indianapolis 500 drivers AAA Championship Car drivers Racing drivers who died while racing Sports deaths in California National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees {{US-autoracing-bio-stub