Apr 23, 2011 i was 12 years old when i shook hands with the littleknown 60s racing legend jim hurtubise. It was designed by jim hurtubise, the chassis was welded by bill henderson, the body was formed by paul cozard and the engine was prepared by don shepard. He began his career in the usac championship car series in 1959. He finished in the top ten 38 times, with 4 victories, in 1959 and 196062. Click on the year to see the standings for that year. Learn about jims life, his birthday, zodiac sign, and real facts here. Hurtubise, driving one of nelsons 1965 plymouth entries, won the 250mile late model stock car event before an enthusiastic crowd of 21,350, most of who were rooting for the come backing new yorker. Jim mcelreath racing career profile driver database. The driver competed in the race 10 times between 1960 and 1974, and his best finish was th. Jim hurtubise, milwaukee 1964 his car being towed home after the crash and fire. News, features and commentary from the leading us motorsport magazine, with coverage of indycar, nascar, sportscars and other road racing. Another name on that list is jim hurtubise, the mercurial, goodnatured indy 500 star that got his start driving sprint cars in california during the 1950s. Action track honors the memory of the driver who scored five consecutive usac sprint car victories at the storied track between 1960 and 1962 while also looking to see if another driver can add to his record total of usac sprint car wins.
Jim hurtubise runs on the track, stops qualifying racing. Windom also became the first to win backtoback hurtubise classic races since hewitt in 19901991. Donald davidson remembers indy 500 driver and character jim hurtubise. The driver competed in the race 10 times between 1960 and 1974, and his best finish was th in 1962. Driver jim hurtubise 1962 usac champ car series results. Jim hurtubise classic kicks off busy stretch run for usac.
He drove in the usac championship series in the 195968 and 197074 seasons, with 97 career starts. Jim hurtubise classic on deck at terre haute sprint car. Usac was renowned for being tough on new drivers from rival sanctioning bodies like imca, but it was a surprise when after hot laps for the hoosier hundred officials deemed it necessary to stage fivelap test runs for hurtubise and five other newcomers. Jim hurtubise beat the best sprint car drivers of the california racing association then the best in imca before taking on the greatest drivers in the world. Hurtubise, driving one of nelsons 1965 plymouth entries, won the 250mile late model stock car event before an enthusiastic. It was the 52nd lap of a 100lap race on the milwaukee mile. The plymouth team of ownerdriver norm nelson left and teammate jim hurtubise will be the top challenger to dodge ace don white in sundays 150 miler which opens state fairs speed week. Hurtubise was best in sprint and dirt cars though, achieving. Fridays race honors the most successful usac sprint car driver in those early years at the wabash valley fairgrounds halfmile, jim hurtubise, who won fivestraight between 1960 and 1962. Jim hurtubise the champ car and indy car online stats. Herk, a 1993 inductee into the national sprint car hall of fame, first had an event in his name at the terre haute action track in 1990, less than a.
Aug 30, 2015 jim hurtubise born 05 dec 1932 north tonawanda, new york. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. The car was reasonably fast at first, but hurtubise managed to qualify it. Sep 10, 2019 fridays race honors the most successful usac sprint car driver in those early years at the wabash valley fairgrounds halfmile, jim hurtubise, who won fivestraight between 1960 and 1962. Hurtubise, a 1993 inductee into the national sprint car hall of fame, first had an event in his name at the terre haute action track in 1990, less than a year following his passing, a race won by jack hewitt. He was born in the year of the monkey, which means. James hurtubise december 5, 1932 january 6, 1989 was an american race car driver who raced in usac champ cars including the indianapolis 500, as well as sprint cars and stock cars usac and nascar. Ward, foyt and hurtubise, running 123, so close together that they might have been in a single car, came roaring out of the northwest. Jim hurtubise and andy granatelli with the novi, one of just five frontengine cars that qualified starting 10th on the grid.
Jun 09, 2015 like the picture of me standing in the mallard. I encountered him following the rex mays indy car classic, in. Apr 28, 2016 jim hurtubise is hardly an indianapolis 500 legend. The windombaldwin connection has now netted four usac sprint car feature wins at terre haute dating to 2011. Jim hurtubise may be best remembered as a tough charger who raced u. I encountered him following the rex mays indy car classic, in the pits at the milwaukee mile, and for. In those years jim raced sideways on dirt as well as wheel to wheel competition with racing legends on ultra high speed paved ovals. This fridays jim hurtubise classic amsoil usac national sprint race at the terre haute ind. It was the last time a frontengine car qualified for the indianapolis 500. Jim hurtubise classic set for this friday night terre. He wasted several years at indy driving the hopeless novi, and in. September 19, 1965 sunday was a banner day for jim hurtubise, for norm nelson, and for plymouths in general at state fair park.
That summer bill france invited hurtubise to run his mallard at daytona intl speedway. The rise of jim hurtubise johnny thomson was on a roll in 1959. Jim hurtubise net worth, facts, bio, age, personal life. On the second lap the poorly handling car hit the inside wall and burst into flames. Jim hurtubise net worth, biography, age, height, dating, wiki. Jim hurtubise andy granatelli with novi 1965 indy indy jim hurtubise and the novi, one of just five frontengine cars that qualified. Jim hurtubise classic set for this friday night terre haute. Fan favorite who raced in the indianapolis 500 ten times. Race car driver jim mcelreath, whose 23year usac and indy car career included 15 starts in the indianapolis 500, died thursday at his home.
Jim hurtubise born 05 dec 1932 north tonawanda, new york. Race car driver jim hurtubise were born on monday, in a leap year, birthstone is turquoise, the seaon was fall in the chinese year of monkey, it is 234 days until. Jim hurtubise nascar results, statistics and car numbers. A popular driver, jim started racing in supermodified stock cars before, during and after a spell serving in the us coast guard. Hurtubise enjoyed a lot of success in sprint cars, champ dirt cars, and stock cars but never achieved the success at the indy 500 that his rookie qualifying run promised when he out qualified pole sitter eddie sachs by three mph, nearly breaking the 150 mph mark. When the racing drivers most feared enemy, fire, was claiming. North tonawanda native jim hurtubise, undoubtedly the most distinguished race car driver in western new york history, died friday in port arthur, texas, after suffering a heart attack.
Herk was drinking a long neck bottle of esslinger beer. Hurtubise dropped out of the race with another blown engine. Born in north tonawanda, new york, he was a race car driver who raced in formulas, sprint cars and stock cars. I took the bottle and had him autograph it, and i still have it in my office. He was the 1960 indianapolis 500 rookie of the year. Click on the site to see jim hurtubises career results at that track glossary. Jim hurtubise indy race car nose, i met him in daytona. Burned terribly at milwaukee in 1964, doctors gave him little chance of surviving, let alone coming back to winning major auto races. Not only was jim hurtubise a gifted car builder, an innovator chevy engines, a ballstothewall race car driver, he was also a truly nice man.
This estate fresh find features a set of six original photos in secession showing a late 1950s or early 1960s champ car in a spin out and crash which leaves the car upside down on the track. Hed won the pole at indianapolis while setting a onelap record. Jim hurtubise december 5, 1932 january 6, 1989 was an american race car driver who raced in usac champ cars including the indianapolis 500, as well as sprint cars and stock cars usac and nascar. Donald davidson remembers indy 500 driver and character. A winning racer in the late he was named sports illustrateds 1961 sports car club of america driver of the year this day in motorsport history. I know this is about jim hurtubise indy car career, and vaguely remember the crash that burned him, but i do remember seeing him at state fair park in west allis, wis. Jim hurtubise race results in the nascar grand national series.
Those that even know the name of jim hurtubise, think of him as some clown in the late seventies that was always giving a halfhearted effort to qualify a frontengine roadster for the indianapolis 500. The late model stocks will also race 200 miles on thursday, august 18. He earned the money being a professional race car driver. Sep 20, 2001 hurtubise may have 1967 hurtubise mallard offy. Robin millers toughest drivers series on jim hurtubise. In his personal protest against cars he felt masked true driver skill, hurtubise continued to enter a roadster at indianapolis, known as the. In late 1966, fan favorite jim hurtubise surprised many when he announced he would build a frontengine car for the 1967 indianapolis 500. I was 12 years old when i shook hands with the littleknown 60s racing legend jim hurtubise. His storied career spanned decades when racing was in its formative years and safety was sometimes just an afterthought. Click on the site to see jim hurtubises career results at that track. Windom strikes again for 2nd straight jim hurtubise. Jim hurtubise racing career profile driver database.
Hurtubise enjoyed a lot of success in sprint cars, champ dirt cars, and stock cars but never. When hurtubise rolled out to qualify, the crowd rose to its feet and cheered until he was in the field. Sep 09, 2019 fridays race honors the most successful usac sprint car driver in those early years at the wabash valley fairgrounds halfmile, jim hurtubise, who won fivestraight between 1960 and 1962. Jim hurtubise was a sagittarius and was born in the silent generation.
If its may at indy, then jim hurtubise cant be too far away. James hurtubise december 5, 1932 january 6, 1989 was an american race car driver who raced in usac champ cars including the indianapolis 500. Jim hurtubise and the mallardoffy macs motor city garage. Jim hurtubise is a popular race car driver from new york. Retired from racing in 1980 and moved to texas where he operated a hunting lodge. Click on the race name to see the results of that race. Not only was jim hurtubise a gifted car builder, an innovator chevy engines, a ballstothewall race car driver, he was also a truly. A celebration of classic motorsport oh this looks perfect for a pinewood derby 1965, indy. Vintage 1950s photographs jim hurtubise champ car driver. Jim hurtubise is hardly an indianapolis 500 legend. Hall of fame inductees national sprint car hall of fame.
Herk was a fan favorite throughout much of his career because of his funlovin. As the offy roadster era at indianapolis drew to a close, there were three young lions on the usac trail. The plymouth team of owner driver norm nelson left and teammate jim hurtubise will be the top challenger to dodge ace don white in sundays 150 miler which opens state fairs speed week. Sep, 2019 jim hurtubise won fivestraight races between 1960 and 1962. James hurtubise was an american race car driver who raced in usac champ cars, as well as sprint cars and stock cars. The victory also allowed windom to join jack hewitt as just the second driver to win the hurtubise classic three times.
Auto racing world will miss funloving driver jim hurtubise. Indy car racingindy cars500 cars indianapolis motor speedwayold race carsvintage race carcar and drivermy dream. Jim hurtubise won fivestraight races between 1960 and 1962. May 18, 2017 race car driver jim mcelreath, whose 23year usac and indy car career included 15 starts in the indianapolis 500, died thursday at his home in arlington, officials at texas motor speedway announced. When he won his first national championship race in only four tries, he was promptly named hercules by the sports writers.
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