Wilbur Shaw: Difference between revisions

Wilbur Shaw
Wilbur Shaw
	Shaw on the cover of El Gráfico magazine, 1940
Born	Warren Wilbur Shaw; October 31, 1902; Shelbyville, Indiana, U.S.
Died	October 30, 1954 (aged 51); Decatur, Indiana, U.S.
Championship titles
	AAA Championship Car (1937, 1939) ; Major victories ; Indianapolis 500 (1937, 1939, 1940)
Champ Car career
	38 races run over 15 years
Best finish	1st (1937, 1939)
First race	1927 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race	1941 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First win	1929 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
Last win	1940 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)

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Warren Wilbur Shaw (October 31, 1902 – October 30, 1954) was an American racing driver. The second three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (1937, 1939 and 1940), he is also remembered for serving as president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death in 1954.

Early life

Shaw was born in Shelbyville, Indiana on October 31, 1902.^[1]

Racing career

Shaw first participated in the 1927 Indianapolis 500. He eventually won the Indianapolis 500 race three times, in 1937, 1939, and 1940.^[2] Shaw was the second person to win the 500 three times, and the first to win it twice in a row.^[1] In 1939 and 1940, he won driving a Maserati 8CTF named the 'Boyle Special.'^[3] In the 1941 race, Shaw was injured when his car crashed; it was later discovered that a defective wheel had been placed on his car.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President

During World War II, Shaw was hired by the tire manufacturer Firestone Tire and Rubber Company to test a synthetic rubber automobile tire at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), which had been closed due to the war. He was dismayed at the dilapidated condition of the racetrack and quickly contacted then-owner Eddie Rickenbacker, the World War I flying ace and president and founder of Eastern Air Lines. When the United States entered World War II, ending racing at Indianapolis and elsewhere for the duration, Rickenbacker padlocked the gates, and the race course slowly begin to disintegrate.

During a meeting soon after the test, Rickenbacker informed Shaw that what was left of the track would be demolished and the land turned into a housing subdivision. Shaw sent out letters to the major car manufacturers trying to find a backer to buy the speedway. However, all indicated that should they buy the IMS they would turn it into a private testing facility for their own cars only.

Shaw then met Terre Haute businessman Tony Hulman who had inherited his family's business, Hulman & Company, a wholesale grocer and producer of coffee and baking powder, Clabber Girl.

A lifelong fan of automobile racing in general and the "500" in particular, Hulman listened with great interest to what Shaw had to say. Despite what Hulman saw amongst the weeds and deterioration when Shaw took him to Indianapolis, he purchased the Speedway from Rickenbacker in November 1945 for the sum of $750,000.^[2]

As a reward for his efforts to revive the Speedway, Shaw was appointed as its president, where he would have complete day-to-day control over the track. To this job, Shaw brought his extensive knowledge of the business of auto racing, something Hulman would admit that he himself didn't have, and Shaw's hard work only cemented the reputation of the "500" as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

It seemed as though Shaw and Hulman had a "Midas touch" at the Speedway. Hulman poured money into improvements, and Shaw delivered the world's greatest automobile race to enthusiastic crowds, which grew in number by the year. The Indianapolis "500" of the late Forties and early Fifties was a very special event through the work of Hulman and Shaw, although Hulman was always sure to point out that it was Wilbur putting it all together.

Death

Shaw was killed in an airplane crash near Decatur, Indiana, on October 30, 1954, one day before his fifty-second birthday. The pilot, Ray Grimes, and artist Ernest Roose were also killed.^[1]

Other work and legacy

Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for Popular Science magazine. As the automotive test evaluator, Shaw's articles were superior to those of his contemporaries in that they gave consistently accurate reports without relying on Popular Science's lead in the marketplace over competitors such as Mechanix Illustrated.

Shaw's highly regarded autobiography, "Gentlemen, Start your Engines," was published in 1955, and covers events through 1953.

As of 2024, he is the last Indiana native to win the Indianapolis 500.

Awards and honors

Shaw has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1963)^[2]
Automotive Hall of Fame (1987)^[4]
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1990)^[5]
International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1991)^[6]
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1991)^[7]

Shaw has been awarded the following honors:

Automotive Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Citation (1951)^[4]

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

Year	Car	Start	Qual	Rank	Finish	Laps	Led	Retired
1927	29	19	104.465	32	4	200	0	Running
1928	1	29	100.956	25	25	42	0	Timing gears
1930	3	25	106.135	5	24	54	0	Wrist pin
1932	3	22	114.326	5	17	157	27	Rear axle
1933	17	23	115.497	12	2	200	0	Running
1934	3	2	117.647	3	28	15	0	Lost oil
1935	14	20	116.854	7	2	200	5	Running
1936	3	9	117.503	4	7	200	51	Running
1937	6	2	122.791	4	1	200	131	Running
1938	1	7	120.987	13	2	200	0	Running
1939	2	3	128.977	4	1	200	51	Running
1940	1	2	127.065	2	1	200	136	Running
1941	2	3	127.836	3	18	151	107	Crash T1
Totals						2019	508

Starts	13
Poles	0
Front Row	5
Wins	3
Top 5	7
Top 10	8
Retired	5

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Wilbur Shaw Is Killed In Indiana Plane Crash". Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. October 31, 1954. Retrieved 2012-10-08. Shaw began racing on dirt tracks in his teens and made his first appearance at the Indianapolis track in 1927 He came in fourth in that first race. ...^{[permanent dead link]}
^ ^a ^b ^c "Wilbur Shaw". IMS Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
^ "Greatest 33 Profile: Wilbur Shaw - Indianapolis Motor Speedway". 2012-03-22. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
^ ^a ^b "» Wilbur Shaw | Automotive Hall of Fame". www.automotivehalloffame.org. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
^ "Wilbur Shaw". www.sprintcarhof.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
^ "Wilbur Shaw". International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
^ "Wilbur Shaw". www.mshf.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09.

External links

Wilbur Shaw - ChampCarStats.com
Wilbur Shaw at Find a Grave
Wilbur Shaw - Motorsport Memorial
Wilbur Shaw driver statistics at Racing-Reference

Preceded by Louis Meyer	Indianapolis 500 Winner 1937	Succeeded by Floyd Roberts
Preceded by Floyd Roberts	Indianapolis 500 Winner 1939-1940	Succeeded by Mauri Rose Floyd Davis

[obit-1] "Wilbur Shaw Is Killed In Indiana Plane Crash". Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. October 31, 1954. Retrieved 2012-10-08. Shaw began racing on dirt tracks in his teens and made his first appearance at the Indianapolis track in 1927 He came in fourth in that first race. ...^{[permanent dead link]}

[:0-2] "Wilbur Shaw". IMS Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-09.

[3] "Greatest 33 Profile: Wilbur Shaw - Indianapolis Motor Speedway". 2012-03-22. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2023-10-09.

[:1-4] "» Wilbur Shaw | Automotive Hall of Fame". www.automotivehalloffame.org. Retrieved 2023-10-09.

[5] "Wilbur Shaw". www.sprintcarhof.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09.

[6] "Wilbur Shaw". International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2023-10-09.

[7] "Wilbur Shaw". www.mshf.com. Retrieved 2023-10-09.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|American racing driver (1902–1954)}}
-{{Infobox person
+{{Infobox racing driver
-| name        = Warren Wilbur Shaw
-| image       = Wilbur Shaw (Estados Unidos). - El Gráfico 1092.jpg
+| name              = Wilbur Shaw
+| image             = Wilbur Shaw (Estados Unidos). - El Gráfico 1092.jpg
-| caption     = Shaw on a 1940 magazine cover ([[El Gráfico]])
+| caption           = Shaw on the cover of ''[[El Gráfico (Argentina)|El Gráfico]]'' magazine, 1940
+| birth_name        = Warren Wilbur Shaw
-| birth_date  = {{Birth date|1902|10|31}}
+| birth_date        = {{Birth date|1902|10|31}}
-| birth_place = [[Shelbyville, Indiana]]
+| birth_place       = [[Shelbyville, Indiana]], U.S.
-| death_date  = {{Death date and age|1954|10|30|1902|10|31}}
+| death_date        = {{Death date and age|1954|10|30|1902|10|31}}
-| death_place = [[Decatur, Indiana]]
+| death_place       = [[Decatur, Indiana]], U.S.
-}}
+| titles            = [[AAA Contest Board|AAA]] [[Championship Car]] ([[1937 AAA Championship Car season|1937]], [[1939 AAA Championship Car season|1939]]) <br/> '''Major victories''' <br/> [[Indianapolis 500]] ([[1937 Indianapolis 500|1937]], [[1939 Indianapolis 500|1939]], [[1940 Indianapolis 500|1940]])
-'''Warren Wilbur Shaw''' (October 31, 1902 – October 30, 1954) was an American [[racing driver]]. He was president of the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]] from 1945 until his death in 1954. Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for ''[[Popular Science]]'' magazine.<ref name=obit/>
+| module1 =
+  {{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
+  | Total_Champ_Races = 38
+  | Years_In_Champ    = 15
+  | Best_Champ_Pos    = 1st ([[1937 AAA Championship Car season|1937]], [[1939 AAA Championship Car season|1939]])
+  | First_Champ_Race  = [[1927 AAA Championship Car season|1927]] [[1927 Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis 500]] ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
+  | Last_Champ_Race   = [[1941 AAA Championship Car season|1941]] [[1941 Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis 500]] ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
+  | First_Champ_Win   = [[1929 AAA Championship Car season|1929]] Syracuse 100 ([[Syracuse Mile|Syracuse]])
+  | Last_Champ_Win    = [[1940 AAA Championship Car season|1940]] [[1940 Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis 500]] ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
+  | Champ_Wins        = 6
+  | Champ_Podiums     = 12
+  | Champ_Poles       = 1
+}}}}
+'''Warren Wilbur Shaw''' (October 31, 1902 – October 30, 1954) was an American [[racing driver]]. The second three-time winner of the [[Indianapolis 500]] (1937, 1939 and 1940), he is also remembered for serving as president of the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]] from 1945 until his death in 1954.
-==Biography==
-[[File:Indy500winningcar1939-1940.JPG|thumb|right|The car with which Wilbur Shaw won the Indianapolis 500 in both 1939 and 1940 with Maserati 8CTF 'Boyle Special'.]]
+== Early life ==
-He was born in [[Shelbyville, Indiana]] on October 31, 1902. He participated in the [[1927 Indianapolis 500]].<ref name=obit/>
+Shaw was born in [[Shelbyville, Indiana]] on October 31, 1902.<ref name=obit/>
-Wilbur Shaw won the [[Indianapolis 500]] race three times, in 1937, 1939 and 1940. Shaw was the second person to win the 500 three times, and the first to win it twice in a row.<ref name=obit/> In the 1941 race, Shaw was injured when his car crashed; it was later discovered that a defective wheel had been placed on his car.
+== Racing career ==
-During [[World War II]], Shaw was hired by the tire manufacturer [[Firestone Tire and Rubber Company]] to test a [[synthetic rubber]] automobile tire at the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]], which had been closed due to the war. He was dismayed at the dilapidated condition of the racetrack and quickly contacted then-owner [[Eddie Rickenbacker]], the [[World War I]] flying ace and president and founder of [[Eastern Air Lines]]. When the United States entered [[World War II]], ending racing at Indianapolis and elsewhere for the duration, Rickenbacker padlocked the gates and let the race course slowly begin to disintegrate.
+[[File:Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in 2017 - Racecars 31.jpg|thumb|left|Shaw's winning car from the 1939 and 1940 Indianapolis 500s]]
-During a meeting soon after the tire test, Rickenbacker informed Shaw that what was left of the track would be demolished and the land turned into a housing [[Subdivision (land)|subdivision]]. Shaw sent out letters to the major car manufacturers trying to find a backer to buy the speedway. However, all indicated that should they buy the IMS they would turn it into a private testing facility for their own cars only.
+Shaw first participated in the [[1927 Indianapolis 500]]. He eventually won the [[Indianapolis 500]] race three times, in 1937, 1939, and 1940.<ref name=":0" /> Shaw was the second person to win the 500 three times, and the first to win it twice in a row.<ref name=obit/> In 1939 and 1940, he won driving a [[Maserati 8CTF]] named the 'Boyle Special.'<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-03-22 |title=Greatest 33 Profile: Wilbur Shaw - Indianapolis Motor Speedway |url=http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/44289/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322131721/http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/44289/ |archive-date=2012-03-22 }}</ref> In the 1941 race, Shaw was injured when his car crashed; it was later discovered that a defective wheel had been placed on his car.
+== Indianapolis Motor Speedway President ==
+During [[World War II]], Shaw was hired by the tire manufacturer [[Firestone Tire and Rubber Company]] to test a [[synthetic rubber]] automobile tire at the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway]] (IMS), which had been closed due to the war. He was dismayed at the dilapidated condition of the racetrack and quickly contacted then-owner [[Eddie Rickenbacker]], the [[World War I]] flying ace and president and founder of [[Eastern Air Lines]]. When the United States entered [[World War II]], ending racing at Indianapolis and elsewhere for the duration, Rickenbacker padlocked the gates, and the race course slowly begin to disintegrate.
+During a meeting soon after the test, Rickenbacker informed Shaw that what was left of the track would be demolished and the land turned into a housing [[Subdivision (land)|subdivision]]. Shaw sent out letters to the major car manufacturers trying to find a backer to buy the speedway. However, all indicated that should they buy the IMS they would turn it into a private testing facility for their own cars only.
 Shaw then met [[Terre Haute, Indiana|Terre Haute]] businessman [[Tony Hulman]] who had inherited his family's business, [[Hulman & Company]], a wholesale grocer and producer of coffee and baking powder, [[Clabber Girl]].
-A lifelong fan of automobile racing in general and the "500" in particular, Hulman listened with great interest to what Shaw had to say. Despite what Hulman saw amongst the weeds and deterioration when Shaw took him to Indianapolis, he purchased the Speedway from Rickenbacker in November 1945 for the sum of $750,000.
+A lifelong fan of automobile racing in general and the "500" in particular, Hulman listened with great interest to what Shaw had to say. Despite what Hulman saw amongst the weeds and deterioration when Shaw took him to Indianapolis, he purchased the Speedway from Rickenbacker in November 1945 for the sum of $750,000.<ref name=":0" />
 As a reward for his efforts to revive the Speedway, Shaw was appointed as its president, where he would have complete day-to-day control over the track. To this job, Shaw brought his extensive knowledge of the business of auto racing, something Hulman would admit that he himself didn't have, and Shaw's hard work only cemented the reputation of the "500" as the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
@@ Line 29: / Line 50: @@
 It seemed as though Shaw and Hulman had a "Midas touch" at the Speedway. Hulman poured money into improvements, and Shaw delivered the world's greatest automobile race to enthusiastic crowds, which grew in number by the year. The Indianapolis "500" of the late Forties and early Fifties was a very special event through the work of Hulman and Shaw, although Hulman was always sure to point out that it was Wilbur putting it all together.
+== Death ==
-Shaw was killed in an airplane crash near [[Decatur, Indiana]], on October 30, 1954, one day before his fifty-second birthday. The pilot, Ray Grimes, and artist Ernest Roose were also killed.<ref name=obit>{{cite news |author=[[Associated Press]] |title=Wilbur Shaw Is Killed In Indiana Plane Crash  |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p7RhAAAAIBAJ&pg=3376,5189763&dq=wilbur+shaw&hl=en |quote=Shaw began racing on dirt tracks in his teens and made his first appearance at the Indianapolis track in 1927 He came in fourth in that first race. ... |newspaper=[[Palm Beach Post]] |date=October 31, 1954 |accessdate=2012-10-08 }}</ref>
+Shaw was killed in an airplane crash near [[Decatur, Indiana]], on October 30, 1954, one day before his fifty-second birthday. The pilot, Ray Grimes, and artist Ernest Roose were also killed.<ref name=obit>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Wilbur Shaw Is Killed In Indiana Plane Crash |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p7RhAAAAIBAJ&pg=3376,5189763&dq=wilbur+shaw&hl=en |quote=Shaw began racing on dirt tracks in his teens and made his first appearance at the Indianapolis track in 1927 He came in fourth in that first race. ... |newspaper=[[Palm Beach Post]] |date=October 31, 1954 |access-date=2012-10-08 }}{{Dead link|date=March 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
-==Legacy==
-As the automotive test evaluator, Shaw's articles were superior to those of his contemporaries in that they gave consistently accurate reports without relying on ''Popular Science'''s lead in the marketplace over competitors such as ''[[Mechanix Illustrated]]''.
+== Other work and legacy ==
+Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for ''[[Popular Science]]'' magazine. As the automotive test evaluator, Shaw's articles were superior to those of his contemporaries in that they gave consistently accurate reports without relying on ''Popular Science'''s lead in the marketplace over competitors such as ''[[Mechanix Illustrated]]''.
 Shaw's highly regarded autobiography, "Gentlemen, Start your Engines," was published in 1955, and covers events through 1953.
-==Indianapolis 500 results==
+As of 2024, he is the last Indiana native to win the Indianapolis 500.
+== Awards and honors ==
+Shaw has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
+* [[Auto Racing Hall of Fame]] (1963)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Wilbur Shaw |url=https://imsmuseum.org/fame_inductee/wilbur-shaw/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=IMS Museum |language=en-US}}</ref>
+* [[Automotive Hall of Fame]] (1987)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=» Wilbur Shaw {{!}} Automotive Hall of Fame |url=https://www.automotivehalloffame.org/honoree/wilbur-shaw/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.automotivehalloffame.org}}</ref>
+* [[National Sprint Car Hall of Fame]] (1990)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wilbur Shaw |url=https://www.sprintcarhof.com/helper_pages/FileGet.aspx?id=255 |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.sprintcarhof.com}}</ref>
+* [[International Motorsports Hall of Fame]] (1991)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wilbur Shaw |url=https://www.motorsportshalloffame.com/inductees/wilbur-shaw/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=International Motorsports Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref>
+* [[Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]] (1991)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wilbur Shaw |url=https://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/wilbur-shaw.html |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.mshf.com}}</ref>
+Shaw has been awarded the following honors:
+* [[Automotive Hall of Fame]] Distinguished Service Citation (1951)<ref name=":1" />
+== Motorsports career results ==
+=== Indianapolis 500 results ===
 {{col-begin|width=auto}}
 {{col-break}}
@@ Line 212: / Line 254: @@
 {{col-end}}
-==Awards==
+== References ==
-*Shaw was inducted into the [[Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum#Auto Racing Hall of Fame|Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame]] in 1963.
-*He was inducted into the [[International Motorsports Hall of Fame]] in 1991.
-*He was named to the [[National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum|National Sprint Car Hall of Fame]] in 1990.
-*Shaw was inducted in the [[Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]]<ref name=MSHoF>[http://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/wilbur-shaw.html Wilbur Shaw] at the [[Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]]</ref> in 1991.
-==References==
 {{Reflist}}
-==Further reading==
+== Further reading ==
-* Mittman, Dick (2004). [http://www.indy500.com/news/story.php?story_id=3734 Shaw's Blend Of Skill, Charisma Looms Large In Speedway History]. Retrieved September 17, 2005.
-*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120322131721/http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/history/44289/ The Greatest 33 Profile]
+* Mittman, Dick (2004). [http://www.indy500.com/news/story.php?story_id=3734 Shaw's Blend Of Skill, Charisma Looms Large In Speedway History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051016113930/http://www.indy500.com/news/story.php?story_id=3734 |date=2005-10-16 }}. Retrieved September 17, 2005.
-==External links==
+== External links ==
+* [http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/ShawWilbur.htm Wilbur Shaw - ChampCarStats.com]
 * {{Find a Grave|1999}}
+* [http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/LWFWIW/focusLWFWIW.php?db2=LWF&db=ct&n=28 Wilbur Shaw - Motorsport Memorial]
-* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724044601/http://www.thegreatest33.com/default.aspx#selecteddrivers?s=wilbur_shaw The Greatest 33]
+* {{Racing-Reference driver|Wilbur_Shaw}}
 {{S-start}}
-{{succession box|before=[[Louis Meyer]]|title=[[List of Indianapolis 500 winners|Indianapolis 500 Winner]]|years=[[1937 Indianapolis 500|1937]]|after=[[Floyd Roberts]]}}
+{{Succession box|before=[[Louis Meyer]]|title=[[List of Indianapolis 500 winners|Indianapolis 500 Winner]]|years=[[1937 Indianapolis 500|1937]]|after=[[Floyd Roberts]]}}
-{{succession box|before=[[Floyd Roberts]]|title=[[List of Indianapolis 500 winners|Indianapolis 500 Winner]]|years=[[1939 Indianapolis 500|1939]]-[[1940 Indianapolis 500|1940]]|after=[[Mauri Rose]]<br>[[Floyd Davis]]}}
+{{Succession box|before=[[Floyd Roberts]]|title=[[List of Indianapolis 500 winners|Indianapolis 500 Winner]]|years=[[1939 Indianapolis 500|1939]]-[[1940 Indianapolis 500|1940]]|after=[[Mauri Rose]]<br>[[Floyd Davis]]}}
 {{S-end}}
-{{Indy 500 winners}}
 {{American open-wheel car racing champions}}
+{{Indy 500 winners}}
 {{Authority control}}
@@ Line 241: / Line 283: @@
 [[Category:1954 deaths]]
 [[Category:People from Shelbyville, Indiana]]
+[[Category:Sportspeople from the Indianapolis metropolitan area]]
 [[Category:Champ Car champions]]
 [[Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers]]
@@ Line 246: / Line 289: @@
 [[Category:International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees]]
 [[Category:National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees]]
-[[Category:Executives of Indiana based companies]]
+[[Category:American business executives]]
-[[Category:Sportspeople from Indianapolis]]
+[[Category:Racing drivers from Indianapolis]]
-[[Category:Racing drivers from Indiana]]
 [[Category:AAA Championship Car drivers]]
+[[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1954]]
 [[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States]]
 [[Category:Accidental deaths in Indiana]]
 [[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]
+[[Category:Businesspeople from Indianapolis]]

v t e American open-wheel car racing champions
AAA (1905–1955)	1905: Barney Oldfield 1906–1915 1916: Dario Resta 1917–1919 1920: Gaston Chevrolet 1921: Tommy Milton 1922: Jimmy Murphy 1923: Eddie Hearne 1924: Jimmy Murphy (2) 1925: Pete DePaolo 1926: Harry Hartz 1927: Pete DePaolo (2) 1928: Louis Meyer 1929: Louis Meyer (2) 1930: Billy Arnold 1931: Louis Schneider 1932: Bob Carey 1933: Louis Meyer (3) 1934: Bill Cummings 1935: Kelly Petillo 1936: Mauri Rose 1937: Wilbur Shaw 1938: Floyd Roberts 1939: Wilbur Shaw (2) 1940: Rex Mays 1941: Rex Mays (2) 1942–1945 1946: Ted Horn 1947: Ted Horn (2) 1948: Ted Horn (3) 1949: Johnnie Parsons 1950: Henry Banks 1951: Tony Bettenhausen 1952: Chuck Stevenson 1953: Sam Hanks 1954: Jimmy Bryan 1955: Bob Sweikert
USAC (1956–1979)	1956: Jimmy Bryan (2) 1957: Jimmy Bryan (3) 1958: Tony Bettenhausen (2) 1959: Rodger Ward 1960: A. J. Foyt 1961: A. J. Foyt (2) 1962: Rodger Ward (2) 1963: A. J. Foyt (3) 1964: A. J. Foyt (4) 1965: Mario Andretti 1966: Mario Andretti (2) 1967: A. J. Foyt (5) 1968: Bobby Unser 1969: Mario Andretti (3) 1970: Al Unser 1971: Joe Leonard 1972: Joe Leonard (2) 1973: Roger McCluskey 1974: Bobby Unser (2) 1975: A. J. Foyt (6) 1976: Gordon Johncock 1977: Tom Sneva 1978: Tom Sneva (2) 1979: A. J. Foyt (7)
CART/CCWS (1979–2007)	1979: Rick Mears 1980: Johnny Rutherford 1981: Rick Mears (2) 1982: Rick Mears (3) 1983: Al Unser (2) 1984: Mario Andretti (4) 1985: Al Unser (3) 1986: Bobby Rahal 1987: Bobby Rahal (2) 1988: Danny Sullivan 1989: Emerson Fittipaldi 1990: Al Unser Jr. 1991: Michael Andretti 1992: Bobby Rahal (3) 1993: Nigel Mansell 1994: Al Unser Jr. (2) 1995: Jacques Villeneuve 1996: Jimmy Vasser 1997: Alex Zanardi 1998: Alex Zanardi (2) 1999: Juan Pablo Montoya 2000: Gil de Ferran 2001: Gil de Ferran (2) 2002: Cristiano da Matta 2003: Paul Tracy 2004: Sébastien Bourdais 2005: Sébastien Bourdais (2) 2006: Sébastien Bourdais (3) 2007: Sébastien Bourdais (4)
IRL / INDYCAR (1996–present)	1996: Buzz Calkins/Scott Sharp 1996–97: Tony Stewart 1998: Kenny Bräck 1999: Greg Ray 2000: Buddy Lazier 2001: Sam Hornish Jr. 2002: Sam Hornish Jr. (2) 2003: Scott Dixon 2004: Tony Kanaan 2005: Dan Wheldon 2006: Sam Hornish Jr. (3) 2007: Dario Franchitti 2008: Scott Dixon (2) 2009: Dario Franchitti (2) 2010: Dario Franchitti (3) 2011: Dario Franchitti (4) 2012: Ryan Hunter-Reay 2013: Scott Dixon (3) 2014: Will Power 2015: Scott Dixon (4) 2016: Simon Pagenaud 2017: Josef Newgarden 2018: Scott Dixon (5) 2019: Josef Newgarden (2) 2020: Scott Dixon (6) 2021: Álex Palou 2022: Will Power (2) 2023: Álex Palou (2)
Championship-winning Teams & Owners	Dean Van Lines Racing John Zink Racing Leader Card Racing George Bignotti Ansted-Thompson Racing A. J. Foyt Enterprises Andy Granatelli Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing Lindsey Hopkins Racing All American Racers Patrick Racing Team Penske Chaparral Cars Newman/Haas Racing Truesports Galles Racing Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Team Green Bradley Motorsports Chip Ganassi Racing Team Menard Hemelgarn Racing Panther Racing Player's Forsythe Racing Andretti Autosport