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 ...

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

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

, 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