Elmer George
American racing driver (1928–1976) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elmer Ray George[1] (July 15, 1928 – May 31, 1976)[2] was an American race car driver.
| Elmer George | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | Elmer Ray George July 5, 1928 Hockerville, Oklahoma, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | May 31, 1976 (aged 47) Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S. | ||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 58 races run over 11 years | |||||||
| Years active | 1954–1964 | ||||||
| Best finish | 10th – 1957 | ||||||
| First race | 1955 Golden State 100 (Sacramento) | ||||||
| Last race | 1963 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| First win | 1957 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Active years | 1955, 1957–1958 | ||||||
| Teams | Kuzma, Kurtis Kraft, Schroeder | ||||||
| Entries | 3 (1 start) | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 0 | ||||||
| Podiums | 0 | ||||||
| Career points | 0 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 0 | ||||||
| First entry | 1955 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| Last entry | 1958 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
Born in Hockerville, Oklahoma, George died in Terre Haute, Indiana. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1956–1963 seasons with 64 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1957, 1962, and 1963.[3]
He finished in the top ten 36 times, with one victory, in 1957 at Syracuse.
George was also the 1957 USAC Sprint Car Series champion.
On November 18, 1962, George suffered cuts and a left shoulder injury in a USAC Champ Car race held at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Having hit another car's bumper, George lost control of his HOW Special, hit the guard rail before the grandstand, slid and headed towards the stands where he broke through a chain-link fence, landing upside down. 22 spectators were injured as a result.[4]
Elmer George was married to Mari Hulman George, daughter of Tony Hulman, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.[5] Elmer and Mari had three daughters and one son, Tony George, founder of the Indy Racing League, and Ex-CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Elmer had two children from a previous marriage, Joseph F. George and Carolyn Coffey.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, George was the director of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.[3]
On May 3, 1976, Mari filed for divorce.[6] On the day of the 1976 Indianapolis 500 (May 30, 1976), Elmer George argued by telephone with Guy Trolinger, a horse trainer at the family farm near Terre Haute, and Mari's alleged boyfriend.[6] After the race, George drove to the farm, broke into the house and confronted Trolinger, then around 1:00 a.m., gunfire broke out, and George was shot and killed as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.[6][7] A grand jury ruled that Trolinger killed George in self-defense, as George was armed and also discharged his firearm during the confrontation, at which point the charges were dropped.[6][8]
He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2005.
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | INDY |
MIL |
LAN | DAR |
SPR | MIL | DUQ |
PIK |
SYR |
ISF DNQ |
SAC |
PHX |
LVG |
- | 0 |
| 1955 | INDY DNQ |
MIL | LAN | SPR | MIL |
DUQ |
PIK |
SYR | ISF | SAC 7 |
PHX DNQ |
37th | 60 | ||
| 1956 | INDY |
MIL 18 |
LAN 8 |
DAR 7 |
ATL 19 |
SPR DNQ |
MIL 20 |
DUQ 6 |
SYR 18 |
ISF 14 |
SAC 5 |
PHX 7 |
20th | 410 | |
| 1957 | INDY 33 |
LAN 17 |
MIL 7 |
DET 5 |
ATL 15 |
SPR 6 |
MIL 6 |
DUQ 4 |
SYR 1 |
ISF 6 |
TRE 21 |
SAC 10 |
PHX 16 |
10th | 830 |
| 1958 | TRE 12 |
INDY DNQ |
MIL 17 |
LAN 13 |
ATL 8 |
SPR 2 |
MIL DNQ |
DUQ DNS |
SYR 16 |
ISF 10 |
TRE DNQ |
SAC 17 |
PHX 8 |
19th | 300 |
| 1959 | DAY 6 |
TRE 6 |
INDY DNQ |
MIL DNQ |
LAN 5 |
SPR |
MIL |
DUQ |
SYR |
ISF |
TRE |
SAC |
PHX |
25th | 233 |
| 1960 | TRE | INDY | MIL |
LAN DNQ |
SPR 3 |
MIL |
DUQ 14 |
SYR 8 |
ISF DNQ |
TRE |
SAC 13 |
PHX 6 |
21st | 270 | |
| 1961 | TRE 8 |
INDY |
MIL 8 |
LAN 4 |
MIL DNQ |
SPR 8 |
DUQ 14 |
SYR 6 |
ISF 15 |
TRE |
SAC 6 |
PHX 9 |
13th | 470 | |
| 1962 | TRE DNQ |
INDY 17 |
MIL 18 |
LAN DNQ |
TRE DNQ |
SPR 10 |
MIL 17 |
LAN DNQ |
SYR 18 |
ISF 18 |
TRE |
SAC 3 |
PHX 16 |
18th | 229 |
| 1963 | TRE | INDY 30 |
MIL |
LAN | TRE | SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC DNQ |
PHX | - | 0 | |
| 1964 | PHX |
TRE |
INDY DNQ |
MIL |
LAN | TRE |
SPR | MIL |
DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX | - | 0 |
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. George participated in the 1957 Indianapolis 500, his only World Championship race. He finished 33rd and did not accumulate any championship points.
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