Bob sweikert indy driver

Bob sweikert pat flaherty sam hanks jimmy bryan rodger ward jim rathmann a. Starting back in 14th, bob sweikert charged to the lead by lap 58 and led a total of 86 laps, including the last 41 in succession. Handsome, charismatic, courageous, smart, successful, and on top of the world, sweikerts life ended in tragedy when his yellow no. Sweikert was also the aaa 1955 big car racing champion and finished 6th in the 1956 indianapolis 500.

Jimmy bryan, art cross, pat oconnor, bob sweikert, andy linden, jack mcgrath and al herman. The driver in the car at the top of the ad is bob sweikert. Click on the year to see the standings for that year. Oconnor was second at 475 miles when a fuelline failure dropped him to eighth.

Zinks winning driver in 1955 was the popular bob sweikert, who also won the national championship that season. Presented below is a list of all the indy 500 winners. He owned his own twocar aaa sprint car operation and his sprint car teammate, jerry hoyt, was fatally injured on the oklahoma city half mile dirt on july 10 th as he chased his boss in the opening heat race. Vukovich during the 1955 indianapolis 500 unfairly cast a long, dark shadow over the career of the winner of that years race bob sweikert. Sweikert was a 5time veteran of the indianapolis 500, winning the classic in 1955, an event marred by the death of bill vukovich, sr.

Bob was raised through his early teen years with his older stepbrother, ed, who enlisted in the us navy, and then soon died in 1942, at the onset of world war ii. Tragedy follows tragedythe aftermath of bob sweikerts. The oklahoma based industrialist whose cars won the indianapolis 500 in 1955 with driver bob sweikert and 1956 with pat flaherty, died in his native tulsa on saturday less than one year after. Bob started racing just after world war two in roadsters, mainly to join in with his friends, which included elmer george and bob sweikert. Running with the tough cra circuit, veith banged wheels with drivers the likes of bob sweikert, elmer george and ed elisian. Among those joining the longtime indy car team owner are 1955 indianapolis 500 mile race winner bob sweikert, former indy car driver and tv commentator sam posey and successful nascar team owner richard childress.

Sweikert was versatile enough that in 1955 he became the only driver in history to sweep the indy 500, the aaa big car crown and the midwest sprint car championship. Robert charles sweikert may 20, 1926 june 17, 1956 was an american racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 indianapolis 500 and the 1955 national championship, as well as the 1955 midwest sprint car championship the only driver in history to sweep all three in a single season. Active drivers career stats nascar cup series xfinity series gander outdoor truck series pintys series ntt indycar series arca menards series. Despite his successes in 1955, bob sweikert did not escape personal tragedy in 1955. While operating a home video camera, reece captured 1955 indianapolis 500 winner bob sweikerts fatal accident at the salem in speedway on june. Florence henderson was one of us the quintessential florence henderson indianapolis 500 story doesnt originate from inside the indianapolis motor speedway on race day, from the 500 festival parade or the indy 500 fashion show that she attended for so many years. Zink special, indy winner 1955, bob sweikert scale model. The story began at ohare international airport in chicago. Da lubricant sponsored cars in the race from 195558, with a high finish of sixth in 1956 with driver bob sweikert. Profile for racing driver bob sweikert from united states. His win in the 500 was just one jewel in his triple crown season.

Although nicknamed the pink zink, the correct name for the color of the 1955 indianapolis 500winning kurtiskraft 500d was, according to car owner john s. He would loose his life in a crash soon afterwards. In 1955, the last year of triple a, you had five men destined to pull into victory lane at indy bob sweikert, pat flaherty, jimmy bryan, jim rathmann and rodger ward mixing it up with the likes of pat oconnor, jack mcgrath, tony bettenhausen, johnny thomson, duane carter, jimmy davies, jimmy reece, george amick, andy linden and twotime indy king bill vukovich. He had no plan to race fulltime until he began earning. Indy 500 winner bob sweikert won the restarted heat race, then turned his car over to another driver for the main event while he joined diane in the vigil at the hospital. Goodrich holbert porsche 935 porsche carrera miller lowenbrau jim hall a. Robert charles bob sweikert was an american racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 indianapolis 500 and the 1955. Bryan led at 200 miles, cross at 350 miles before their cars quit. Get the best deals on indy racing fan tickets when you shop the largest online selection at. The tragic death of bill vukovich during the 1955 indianapolis 500 unfairly cast a long, dark shadow over the career of the winner of that years race bob sweikert.

British driver jim clark drank the milk at the brickyard. Indy winner and american champion of 1955, he died in a crash at salem raceway. Reece was a 6 time veteran of the indianapolis 500, with top ten finishes in 1952, 1956 and 1958. The tragic death of bill vukovich overshadowed sweikerts 1955 triumph. As a result of this change, we have also made the unfortunate, but unavoidable decision to cancel race weekend concerts, including the snake pit presented by coors light, featuring martin garrix, galantis, rezz, steve aoki, and yellow claw. Browse through latest information on your favorite indycar drivers, including full biographies, latest news, highres photos and high quality videos. So here are all these ferraris and maseratis, and all the leading roadracing drivers of the world, and the race starts and sweikerts up there, passing these guys. He won the indianapolis 500 on a dark day that claimed a legend, captured three titles in one season, triumphed in what. The event was part of the 1955 aaa national championship trail and was race 3 of 7 in the 1955 world championship of drivers the race is notable to many as the race in which bill vukovich was killed in a crash while seemingly on his way to an unprecedented third consecutive indy 500.

Ganassi, sweikert, posey inducted into motorsports hall of. January 6, 1926 april 9, 2002, known professionally as pat flaherty, was an american racecar driver who won the indianapolis 500 in 1956. Bob sweikert the champ car and indy car online stats. His mother had married his stepfather, an electrician for the state of california, when bob was an infant. This success prompted jaguaraston martin racing to sign him as a replacement. Robert charles bob sweikert may 20, 1926 june 17, 1956 was an american racing driver, best known as the winner of the 1955 indianapolis 500 and the. Indy 500 bob sweikert an eerie photograph from a champion spark plug ad that aired in the march 12 issue of life magazine. Zinks winning driver in 1955 was the popular bob sweikert, who also won the national. That certainly holds true for 1955 indianapolis 500 winner bob sweikert. Despite being one of americas most talented drivers, sweikert is most often remembered for winning the 500 that vukovich should have, could have and would have won.

Sweikert returned to ims in 1956 and finished 6th in the indy 500, in what would be his last crack at the great race. There was a guy named jack ensley, who was a joke as a driver, but had a dtype jaguar, which he asked sweikert to phare with him. Indy was marked by tragedy as well in 1955, as twotime winner bill vukovich was killed in a multicar crash on lap 57. He finished sixth in the real car in the 1956 indianapolis 500 one year removed from his 1955 win. Sweikert was the only driver to ever win all three of these original triple crown events in the same year. Vuckovichs death casts cloud over sweikert win indystar published 12. Also included are the names of drivers who won national championships that. Heres how indycar aerodynamics have changed in the last. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. Before the onset of illhealth, veith went round america giving road safety talks. Porsche porsche 962 indianapolis 962 daytona 1987 sebring dyson 1988 swap shop 2nd place maserati 935 brumos 1986 ferrari mario andretti laguna seca weaver 1984 b. Served in the air force in world war 2 and then became a car salesman and mechanic in hayward, when he decided to enter his roadster. Humble ruby glimmered like precious gem among indianapolis 500 peers, fans slowtalking, fastdriving golf aficionado lloyd ruby was among the most beloved and respected veterans in the entire history of the indianapolis 500. Indy 500 snake pit presented by coors light the indianapolis 500 presented by gainbridge has been rescheduled for august 23 due to the covid19 pandemic.

Hoyt was the indy pole winner in 1955 and had married. See more ideas about indy cars, classic race cars and indie. He won the indianapolis 500 on a dark day that claimed a legend, captured three titles in one season, triumphed in what many say was the greatest dirt race ever and lost his life in the prime of his career. Indy racing isnt what it used to be drivers learned. Bob sweikert won not only the indianapolis 500 and the national championship in 1955, but the midwest sprint car title as well.

Forever to be remembered as the eternal hardluck driver from wichita falls, texas, it is generally felt, even by the other drivers, that ruby should have won the 500. New listing 1956 indianapolis 500 race ticket with bob sweikert pictured 1955 winner. After sweikert qualified for the 1955 indianapolis 500 race. Foyt watkins glen 1989 riverside mercedes carrera haywood al holbert foyt winner momo bell havoline built. In the 1950s, when they were at their most lethal, they were referred to by the drivers as the. Et march 30, 2016 1955 indianapolis 500 winner bob sweikert embraces his wife dolores after the race. Sweikert and the famous pink and white john zink special. Heres how indycar aerodynamics have changed in the last 100 years. Salem is similar to the tracks at winchester, indiana, and dayton, ohio. Click on the site to see bob sweikerts career results at that track glossary. Bob sweikerts speedway kuzma open wheel racing modeling.