Robert John Swanson (August 20, 1912 – June 13, 1940) was an American

racecar driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various sorts were organis ...

. Swanson won the first Turkey Night Grand Prix midget-car race in 1934. At the

1939 Indianapolis 500 The 27th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1939. The race was won by the number two car of Wilbur Shaw, who started in the third position, driving a Maserati 8CTF. The race was notable ...

, he was involved in the accident that killed defending champion

Floyd Roberts Floyd Marion Roberts (February 12, 1900 - May 30, 1939) was a Championship Car racing driver from Jamestown, North Dakota. He won the 1938 Indianapolis 500 with a then-record speed of . He led for 92 laps. The following year, 1939, driving the sam ...

. Thrown out of his car when Roberts hit him, Swanson lay unconscious on the track as the car overturned and caught fire. His lucky escape proved to be only a temporary reprieve, as Swanson was killed a year later while attempting to qualify for a midget car race. In a 2006 interview, motorsports reporter

Chris Economaki Christopher Constantine Economaki (October 15, 1920 – September 28, 2012) was an American motorsports commentator, pit road reporter, and journalist. Economaki was given the title "The Dean of American Motorsports Journalism."

called him 'the best racing driver he ever saw'. Swanson was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

Indianapolis 500 results

References

External links

* 1912 births 1940 deaths Sportspeople from Minneapolis Racing drivers from Minneapolis Indianapolis 500 drivers AAA Championship Car drivers Racing drivers who died while racing Sports deaths in Ohio {{US-autoracing-bio-stub