Howard Omar Wilcox (February 20, 1905 – October 13, 1946) 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 ...

active during the 1930s. He was of no relation to fellow Indy driver and

1919 Indianapolis 500 The 7th Liberty 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 31, 1919. After a two-year hiatus due to World War I, the Indianapolis 500 returned to competition in 1919. Howdy Wilcox won, accompanied by riding ...

winner

Howdy Wilcox Howard Samuel Wilcox (June 24, 1889 – September 4, 1923) was an American racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. Biography He was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana on June 24, 1889. Wilcox won the 1919 Indianapolis 500 ...

. He assumed the name "Howdy Wilcox II" to differentiate himself from the former.

Biography

He was born on February 20, 1905, in

Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...

. After finishing second at the

1932 Indianapolis 500 The 20th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1932. Attrition was the story of the race, with 26 of the 40 cars dropping out due to crashes or mechanical failure. A record eight dif ...

in his rookie year, he was disqualified before the start of the race after qualifying in

1933 Indianapolis 500 The 21st International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1933. Louis Meyer defeated Wilbur Shaw by a time of 401.89 seconds (6.69 minutes). The average speed of the race was while Bill Cumm ...

because race officials learned of medical problems Wilcox was having due to

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ap ...

. Other drivers in the race attempted to get Wilcox reinstated, but his car ended up being driven by future three-time winner

Mauri Rose Maurice "Mauri" Rose (May 26, 1906 – January 1, 1981) was an American racecar driver. He started from the pole position driving a Maserati in the 1941 Indianapolis 500, but spark plug problems put him out of the race after sixty laps. He then ...

.Reed, Terry. Indy: The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500. Potomac Books 2005. page 31. . Following the race Wilcox sued the speedway for slander, claiming reports had labeled him epileptic rather than diabetic. The $50,000 suit was settled for $3000. He died on October 13, 1946, in

Converse, Indiana Converse is a town in Richland Township, Grant County and Jackson Township, Miami County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 1,265 at the 2010 census. History Converse was originally called Xenia, and under the latter name was la ...

. He had stepped onto the track to wave the

checkered flag Racing flags are traditionally used in auto racing and similar motorsports to indicate track condition and to communicate important messages to drivers. Typically, the starter, sometimes the grand marshal of a race, waves the flags atop a flag s ...

for Jimmy Wilburn and was hit by the car of Kenneth Wines who was following close behind.

Indianapolis 500 results

References

Indianapolis 500 drivers 1905 births 1946 deaths Racing drivers from Indianapolis Racing drivers who died while racing Sports deaths in Indiana {{US-autoracing-bio-stub