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Pat O'Connor (racing Driver)
Patrick James O'Connor (October 9, 1928 – May 30, 1958) was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a 15-car pileup, after sustaining a fatal head injury after rolling his car and catching fire on the first lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500. Champ Car O'Connor competed in 36 races in his champ car career. He took his first win in 1956 at Darlington Raceway. In 1957, he won the pole position for the Indianapolis 500 and he finished eighth. Later in the year, he won at Trenton Speedway. He was on the cover of ''Sports Illustrated'' in May 1958 (one week before the race), adding to the legend of the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx. Death For the 1958 Indianapolis 500, Dick Rathmann and Ed Elisian started the race on the front row, with Jimmy Reece on the outside of the front row. Elisian spun in turn 3 of the first lap and collided with Rathmann's car, sending them both into the wall, and starting a 15-car pileup. According to A. J. Foyt, O'Connor's car hit Reece's c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
North Vernon, Indiana
North Vernon is a city in Jennings County, Indiana, Jennings County, Indiana, United States. The population was 6,608 as of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. History North Vernon was originally called Tripton, and is sometimes referred to as “The Gem of the Midwest”, under that name, it was platted in 1854. Annadale (North Vernon, Indiana), Annadale, North Vernon Downtown Historic District, State Street Historic District (North Vernon, Indiana), State Street Historic District, and Walnut Street Historic District (North Vernon, Indiana), Walnut Street Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Geography According to the 2010 census, North Vernon has a total area of , of which (or 99.85%) is land and (or 0.15%) is water. Climate The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and typically cold mid-west winters. Demographics 2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 6,728 people, 2,656 households, and 1,667 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Auto Racing
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-racing disciplines. Auto racing has existed since the invention of the automobile. Races of various types were organized, with the first recorded as early as 1867. Many of the earliest events were effectively Classic trials, reliability trials, aimed at proving these new machines were a practical mode of transport, but soon became an important way for automobile makers to demonstrate their machines. By the 1930s, specialist racing cars had developed. There are now numerous different categories, each with different rules and regulations. History The first prearranged match race of two self-powered road vehicles over a prescribed route occurred at 4:30 A.M. on August 30, 1867, between Ashton-under-Lyne and Old Trafford, England, a di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
United States Auto Club
The United States Auto Club (USAC) is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the List of USAC Championship Car seasons, United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500. USAC serves as the sport governing body, sanctioning body for a number of racing series, including the Silver Crown Series, National Sprint Cars, National Midgets, Speed2 Midget Series, .25 Midget Series, Stadium Super Trucks, and GT World Challenge America. Seven-time USAC champion Levi Jones is USAC's Competition Director. History When the American Automobile Association (AAA) withdrew from auto racing after the 1955 season, citing the 1955 Le Mans disaster, Le Mans disaster and the death of Bill Vukovich at 1955 Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis as contributing factors, both the Sports Car Club of America, SCCA and NASCAR were mentioned as its potential successor. Ultimately, USAC was formed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
FloRacing
FloSports is an Over-the-top media service, over-the-top subscription sports broadcaster and streaming service. The company is based in Austin, Texas, United States, and was founded in 2006. FloSports streams live sporting events to audiences around the world. History Launch FloSports was founded in 2006 by Martin Floreani, Mark Floreani (collegiate athletes) and Madhu Venkatesan based in Austin, Texas. Martin designed the website's prototype with the aim of covering collegiate sports with the same detail that ESPN gives to the NFL and NBA. The brothers raised U.S. $10,000 in seed money from John Rainbolt and started covering wrestling and track events. Co-founder Mark captured the service's first original broadcast, Ryan Hall (runner), Ryan Hall's U.S half-marathon record, from the back of a pickup truck using a handheld camera. Lo-fi footage, engine noise digital interference and fog impacted the quality of the broadcast. However, having the only footage of Hall's record-brea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe James (racing Driver)
Joseph David James () was an American racecar driver. He was born in Saucier, Mississippi and died during a Champ Car race at San Jose Speedway. Award He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1997. Legacy Salem Speedway honored him along with Pat O'Connor with an annual title event. The 2020 event was part of the USAC Silvercrown series. Indy 500 results World Championship career summary 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 ... was part of the FIA World Championship schedule from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Joe James participated in 2 World Championship races but scored no World Championship points. References 1925 bir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Salem Speedway
Salem Speedway is a long paved oval racetrack in Washington Township, Washington County, near Salem, Indiana, United States, approximately south of Indianapolis. The track has 33° degrees of banking in the corners. Major auto racing series that run at Salem are ARCA and USAC. History It opened in 1947; two drivers were killed on the first lap of the first race. The track received major storm damage in 1981 and it was not used until 1987. A thunderstorm had ripped the roof off the grandstands and fences were damaged. Don Gettelfinger Sr. bought the track in 1987 and he replaced the fence with concrete. The track closed in May 1995 when he declared bankruptcy. Owen and Beverly Thompson bought the track and reopened it in 1996 after adding a new building, redoing the grandstand seating to a new capacity of 6000 people, and renovating the pits. Thompson sold the track to Bill Kniesly in 2020. Former driver Nick Bohanon bought the racetrack in December 2022. Appearance of Tour ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Sprint Car Hall Of Fame & Museum
The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a hall of fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members. The museum is located in Knoxville, Iowa, the home of the Knoxville Nationals at Knoxville Raceway. The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated in the state of Iowa on April 25, 1986, for the sole purpose of preserving the history of the sport of sprint car racing and honoring its greatest achievers. The $1.7-million facility, located on the Marion County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, officially opened on January 4, 1992. The first floor of the four-story structure features the Donald Lamberti National Sprint Car Museum, a museum store and the administrative offices. The museum currently has twenty-five (25) restored ‘big cars’, supermodifieds and sprint cars on loan. The exhibit space also contains displays ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Bryan
James Ernest "Jimmy" Bryan (January 28, 1926 – June 19, 1960) was an American Auto racing, racing driver. Well-known for his habit of racing with an unlit cigar, Bryan was a three-time List of American open-wheel racing national champions, National Champion, and won the Indianapolis 500 in 1958 Indianapolis 500, 1958. In Europe he is well-known for winning the 1957 Race of Two Worlds. Early life Bryan was born on January 28, 1926, in Phoenix, Arizona, to Reginald Louis, a baker, and Pauline (née Wainwright). Driving career Championship car career Bryan drove in the American Automobile Association, AAA and United States Automobile Club, USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1952–1960 seasons with 72 starts, including each year's Indianapolis 500 race. He finished in the top ten 54 times, with 23 victories. Bryan won the 1958 Indianapolis 500 and the 1954 AAA and 1956 and 1957 USAC American Championship Car Racing, National Championship. During his 1957 cha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Indianapolis Star
} ''The Indianapolis Star'' (also known as ''IndyStar'') is a morning daily newspaper that began publishing on June 6, 1903, in Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It has been the only major daily paper in the city since 1999, when the ''Indianapolis News'' ceased publication. It won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2021 and the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting twice, in 1975 and 1991. It is currently owned by Gannett. History ''The Indianapolis Star'' was founded on June 6, 1903, by Muncie, Indiana, Muncie industrialist George F. McCulloch as competition to two other Indianapolis dailies, the ''Indianapolis Journal'' and the ''Indianapolis Sentinel''. It acquired the ''Journal'' a year and two days later, and bought the ''Sentinel'' in 1906. Daniel G. Reid purchased the ''Star'' in 1904 and hired John Shaffer as publisher, later replacing him. In the ensuing court proceedings, Shaffer emerged as the majority owner of the paper in 1911 and s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ed Elisian
Edward Gulbeng Eliseian (December9, 1926August30, 1959), commonly known as Ed Elisian, was an American racecar driver, mainly competing in the National Championship. He died in a crash at the Milwaukee Mile. In the 1955 Indianapolis 500, he stopped his car in a futile attempt to help Bill Vukovich when Vukovich's car crashed and burned during the race. He is one of only two drivers in Indy 500 history to stop a non-damaged car to help another driver, the other being Gary Bettenhausen in 1971. He received a sportsmanship award for his efforts, as well as the wrath of the car owner. In June 1956, Elisian was engaging in a wheel-to-wheel duel with Bob Sweikert, who had won the race in which Vukovich was killed, in a Sprint car race at Salem Speedway when Sweikert made contact with the rail, overleapt it and rolled over outside of the track, suffering fatal skull injuries. Elisian was exonerated as no collision had taken place. In the 1958 Indianapolis 500, Dick Rathmann and El ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Rathmann
James Merwin "Dick" Rathmann (January 6, 1926February 1, 2000) was an American racing driver. Rathmann and his younger brother swapped names while teenagers. He was an 18-year-old going by the name of Jim Rathmann, when his brother wanted to start racing. To help him enter races, he traded I.D.s with him, and assumed the identity of " Dick Rathmann." The name change stuck for life in public circles. He drove in the AAA Championship Car series in the 1949 and 1950 seasons with 4 starts, including the 1950 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten once, in 6th position at Milwaukee in 1950. In 1951, he moved to NASCAR, where he was a very successful Grand National driver through 1955. In 1956, he returned to the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1956–1964 seasons with an additional 41 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1956 and 1958–1964. He finished in the top ten 21 more times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1959 at Daytona. Rathmann ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx
The ''Sports Illustrated'' cover jinx is an urban legend that states that individuals or teams who appear on the cover of the ''Sports Illustrated'' magazine will subsequently be jinxed. Explanations A common explanation for the perceived effect is that athletes are generally featured on the cover after an exceptionally good performance, which might be an outlier compared to their usual level of performance. Therefore, their future performance is likely to display regression toward the mean and be less impressive by comparison. This decline in performance would then be misperceived as being related to, or even possibly caused by, the appearance on the magazine cover. Most athletes that seemed to suffer the jinx most typically suffered because of an injury to their body, or some other bad luck following their appearance. One prime candidate for this explanation is Eddie Mathews who suffered a broken hand while the team's nine game winning streak came to a close following the cover ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
