George Francis "Pat" Flaherty (January 6, 1926 – April 9, 2002) was an American
racing driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...
who won the
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...
in
1956
Events
January
* January 1 – The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Anglo-Egyptian Condominium ends in Sudan after 57 years.
* January 8 – Operation Auca: Five U.S. evangelical Christian Missionary, missionaries, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, E ...
.
Driving career
Early career
Flaherty began racing track roadsters in 1946, and in 1948 relocated to the Midwest to compete in
Andy Granatelli's
Hurricane Hot Rod Association.
Championship car career

Flaherty drove in the
AAA and
USAC Championship Car
American open-wheel car racing, generally and commonly known as Indy car racing, is a category of professional automobile racing in the United States. As of 2025, the top-level American open-wheel racing championship is sanctioned by IndyCar a ...
series, racing in the 1950, 1953–1956, 1958–1959, and 1963 seasons with 19 starts, including the
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly shortened to Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indian ...
races in 1950, 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1959. He finished in the top ten 9 times, with victories in 1955 and 1956 at Milwaukee as well as the
1956 Indianapolis 500
The 40th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 30, 1956. The event was part of the 1956 USAC National Championship Trail and was also race 3 of 8 in the 1956 World Championship of Dri ...
. Born in
Glendale, California
Glendale is a city located primarily in the Verdugo Mountains region, with a small portion in the San Fernando Valley, of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is located about north of downtown Los Angeles.
As of 2024, Glendale ha ...
, Flaherty died in
Oxnard, California
Oxnard () is a city in Ventura County in the U.S. state of California, United States. On California's Central Coast (California), Central Coast, it is the most populous city in Ventura County and the List of largest California cities by populati ...
.
World Drivers' Championship career
The
AAA/
USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the
FIA World Drivers' Championship
Formula One, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of open-wheeled auto racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body. The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which a ...
from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship points and participation in addition to those which they received towards the
AAA/
USAC National Championship
A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or competition, contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the be ...
.
Flaherty participated in five World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He started on
the pole once, won once, and accumulated eight World Drivers' Championship points.
Injury and later life
After winning the
1956 Indianapolis 500
The 40th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 30, 1956. The event was part of the 1956 USAC National Championship Trail and was also race 3 of 8 in the 1956 World Championship of Dri ...
, Flaherty was severely injured in a race car crash less than three months later, which prevented him from racing at the 1957 500. Flaherty successfully raced pigeons for over twenty years after he retired from auto racing. He also built and publicised a portable go-kart track where he would race against all-comers.
Awards and honors
Flaherty has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
*
Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2006)
Motorsports career results
AAA/USAC Championship Car results
Indianapolis 500 results
* Shared drive with
Jim Rathmann Jim Rathmann may refer to:
* Jim Rathmann (racing driver), (1928–2011), American racing driver
{{Hndis, Rathmann, Jim ...
References
External links
Pat Flaherty - ChampCarStats.com*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Flaherty, Pat
1926 births
2002 deaths
Indianapolis 500 drivers
Indianapolis 500 polesitters
Indianapolis 500 winners
Sportspeople from Glendale, California
Racing drivers from California
AAA Championship Car drivers
20th-century American sportsmen
Formula One race winners
USAC Stock Car drivers