Bruce McLaren ... Born ... He was a race-car designer, driver, engineer and inventor. His name lives on in Team McLaren which has been one of the most successful in Formula One championship history, with McLaren cars and drivers winning a total of 19 world championships. McLaren cars totally dominated CanAm sports car racing with 56 wins, a considerable number of them with him behind the wheel, between 1967 and 1972 (and five constructors’ championships), and have won three Indianapolis 500 races, as well as 24 Hours of Le Mans and 12 Hours of Sebring.
Bill Vukovich won the AAA sanctioned Detroit 100 on the 1 Mile Dirt Oval Michigan State Fairgrounds, Detroit, MI. Paul Russo was second followed by Chuck Stevenson, Jack McGrath and Neal Carter.
Tommy Hinnershitz won the AAA Eastern Sprint Car race at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds, Essex Junction, VT.
Allen Heath won the 100 lap AAA Midget race at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds (1.0d) , DuQuoin, IL.
Johnny Kay won the AAA Midget race at the Freeport Speedway, Freeport,NY.
Chuck Stevenson won the 200 Mile AAA Indy Car race on the 1 mile dirt oval at the Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, WI. Manny Ayulo was second followed by Paul Russo, Jack McGrath and Don Freeland.
Wally Campbell won the AAA Sprint Car race at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, St. Paul, MN.
Bobby Grim won the IMCA Sprint Car race at the Iowa State Fair Speedway, Des Moines, IA.
Len Duncan won the (night) ARDC Midget race at the Danbury Fairgrounds, Danbury,CT. Dutch Schaefer was second followed by Tony Bonadies, Bobby Boone and Jiggs Peters.
Len Duncan won the (afternoon) ARDC Midget race at the Flemington Fair Speedway, Flemington,NJ. Dutch Schaefer was second followed by Roger Bailey, Bobby Marshman and Joggs Peters.
Ed Elisian ... Died ... Ed was an American racing driver, mainly competing in the National Championship. He died in a crash at the Milwaukee Mile. n 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 the only driver in Indy 500 history to stop a non-damaged car to help another driver. He received a sportsmanship award for his efforts, as well as the wrath of the car owner. In the 1958 Indianapolis 500, Dick Rathmann and 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 collected Rathmann, sending them both into the wall, and starting a 15-car pileup. According to AJ Foyt, Pat O'Connor's car hit Reece's car, sailed fifty feet in the air, landed upside down, and burst into flames. Although medical officials said that O'Connor was probably killed instantly from a fractured skull, he was incinerated in the accident, in full view of fans and drivers. Widely blamed for the accident, Elisian was suspended by USAC for the accident (reinstated a few days later), and was shunned by the racing community. Rumors spread that Elisian tried to lead the first lap in order to pay gambling debts owed to a syndicate. In June, 1958, Elisian was involved in a multi-car sprint car crash at New Bremen Speedway in Saint Marys, Ohio, which claimed the life of Jim Davis. While absolved of blame in the incident, Elisian's unpopularity with drivers deepened. In August 1959, Elisian entered the USAC Indy car 200 mile race at the "Milwaukee Mile," known in those days as Wisconsin State Fair Park. Driving a metallic green Watson-style roadster owned by Ernie Ruiz, he crashed on lap 29 when he spun in oil from AJ Foyt's engine. The car hit the wall, rupturing the fuel cell, and rolled over. Some sixty gallons of fuel caught fire, and took over 9 minutes to extinguish. Allegedly, the other drivers failed to slow down in order to prevent fire fighters' effort to extinguish the flames, but the red flag was not displayed until the fire was well underway. Elisian burned to death in the flames.
Rodger Ward won the 200 Mile USAC Indy Car race on the 1 mile paved oval at the Milwaukee Mile, West Allis, WI. Johnny Thomson was second followed by Don Freeland, Jim Rathmann and Johnny Boyd.
Jiggs Peters won the 250 mile USAC/ARDC Midget race at the Trenton International Speedway, Trenton,NJ.
Harold Leep won the IMCA Sprint Car race at the Iowa State Fair Speedway, Des Moines,IA.
A.J. Shepherd won the IMCA Sprint Car race at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds (1/2d), St. Paul, MN.
Hal Rettberg won the URC Sprint Car race over Eddie Gallione, Al Chamberlain, Beau Clerke and Dave Humphrey at the Delaware State Fairgrounds, Harrington,DE.
Pete Folse won the IMCA Sprint Car race over Harold Leep, Johnny White, Buzz Rose and Bobby Hogle at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds (1/2d), St. Paul, MN.
Leroy Felty won the Modified race at the Susquehanna Speedway, Selinsgrove, PA. Milford Wales was second followed by Johnny Crawford, Les Ruhl and Ed Zirkle.
Tommie Elliott won the Sportsman Modified race over Joe Kelly, Wally Dallenback and Freddy Harbach at the Old Bridge Speedway, Old Bridge, NJ.
Bobby Abel won the 25-lap Modified race over Ray Tilley, Johnny Roberts, Clem Lamaster and Rick Schfelym at the Hagerstown Raceway, Hagerstown, MD.
Pat Patterson won two 25-lap Sportsman features at the Accord Speedway, Accord, NY.
Ken Meahl won the Sportsman feature at the Utica-Rome Auto Speedway, Vernon, NY. Jerry Humiston was second followed by Bob Zeigler, Rd Flemke, Lou Lazzaro and Jerry Cook.
Dick Hutcherson won the100 mile IMCA Late Model race at the Missouri State Fairgrounds, Sedalia, MO.
Dick Tobias won the URC Sprint Car race at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds, Essex Junction,VT. Earl Halaquist finished second followed by Dick Mealy, Tom Price and Bob Shaw.
Kenny Weld won the Super Sprint Car race over Irvin King, Buddy Cochran, Rick Schmelyun and Ed Zirkle at the Lincoln Speedway, Hanover,PA.
Elmer Ruby won the Super Sprint Car race over Johnny Grum, Donnie Varner, Leroy Felty and Barry Camp at the Port Royal Speedway, Port Royal,PA.
Ray Tilley won the Super Sprint Car race over Bobbie Adamson, Jim Sheaffer, Sonny Duncan and Mitch Smith at the Selinsgrove Speedway, Selinsgrove,PA.
Johnny Coy won the ARDC Midget race at the Flemington Fair Speedway, Flemington,NJ. (Afternoon Fair Show)
Johnny Coy won the ARDC Midget race at the Wall Township Speedway, Belmar,NJ. (Night race)
Rich Vogler won the 100 Mile Ted Horn Memorial USAC Indy Car race on the 1 mile dirt oval at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds, DuQuoin, Illinois. Tom Bigelow was second followed by George Snider, Jack Hewitt and Bill Tyler.
ONE DAY
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