List of IndyCar fatalities

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article lists the people who have been fatally injured in American Championship car racing during testing, practice, qualifying, or races since 1916, categorized into drivers, riding mechanics, and non-participants. The lists recognize "IndyCar" or "Champ Car" fatalities that have occurred in events making up the National Championship, which has been held by the following sanctioning bodies:

The National Championship, which was split from 1979 to 2007, has featured regular races, non-points paying (non-championship) rounds, competitions sanctioned by entities that did not stage the National Championship in the same year (such as the Automobile Club of America), and the AAA Big car meetings held in the 1946 season.

The most recent driver to be fatally injured in an IndyCar Series event was Justin Wilson at the 2015 ABC Supply 500.

Driver fatalities

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More information Driver, Date of incident ...
Driver Date of incident Sanction Track[note 1] Event Team/Owner Car/Entry Session
 Bob Burman (USA)[1] April 8, 1916 AAA Grand Boulevard (Corona) Corona Grand Prize[note 2] Peugeot Race
 Carl Limberg (USA)[2] May 13, 1916 AAA Sheepshead Bay Speedway Metropolitan Trophy Delage Race
 Jack Peacock (USA)[3] August 27, 1916 AAA Recreation Park (Kalamazoo) 100-mile race[note 2] Sunbeam Race[note 3]
 Lewis Jackson (USA)[4] November 18, 1916 AAA Santa Monica Road Race Course American Grand Prize Marmon Race
 Frank Galvin (USA)[5][note 4] December 2, 1916 AAA Uniontown Speedway Universal Trophy[note 2] Premier Race
 Gaston Chevrolet (USA)[7] November 25, 1920 AAA Beverly Hills Speedway 250-mile race Frontenac Race
 Eddie O'Donnell (USA)[7][note 5] Duesenberg
 Alton Soules (USA)[9] October 1, 1921 AAA Fresno Speedway San Joaquin Valley Classic Frontenac Race
 Roscoe Sarles (USA)[10] September 17, 1922 AAA Kansas City Speedway 300-mile race Cliff Durant Miller Race
 Howdy Wilcox (USA)[11] September 4, 1923 AAA Altoona Speedway 200-mile race Duesenberg Race
 Joe Boyer (USA)[12][note 6] September 1, 1924 AAA Altoona Speedway Fall Classic DuesenbergDuesenberg SC Race
 Jimmy Murphy (USA)[14] September 15, 1924 AAA New York State Fairgrounds 150-mile race Miller Race
 Ernie Ansterburg (USA)[15] October 16, 1924 AAA Charlotte Speedway 250-mile race Duesenberg Practice
 Fred Wells (USA)[16] April 22, 1925 Long Island Motor Parkway Private test Fred Wells Wells's Hornet Testing
 Ray Cariens (USA)[17][note 7] November 29, 1925 AAA Culver City Speedway 250-mile race T. W. Milton MillerMiller SC Race
 Herbert Jones (USA)[19][note 8] May 27, 1926 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Al Cotey MillerMiller SC "Elcar" Qualifying
 Jack Foley (UK)[21] July 4, 1926 AAA Rockingham Speedway Independence Day Sweepstakes Jack La Cain Duesenberg Qualifying
 Fred Comer (USA)[22] October 12, 1928 AAA Rockingham Speedway International Motor Classic Mike Boyle Miller FDMiller SC "Boyle Valve" Race
 Bill Spence (USA)[23] May 30, 1929 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 August Duesenberg DuesenbergDuesenberg SC Race
 Ray Keech (USA)[24] June 15, 1929 AAA Altoona Speedway 200-mile race M. A. Yagle MillerMiller SC "Simplex Piston Ring" Race
 Joe Caccia (USA)[25] May 26, 1931 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Alvin Jones Duesenberg "Jones & Maley" Practice
 Jimmy Gleason (USA)[26] September 12, 1931 AAA New York State Fairgrounds 100-mile race Denny Duesenberg Duesenberg Qualifying
 Milton Jones (USA)[27] May 27, 1932 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Milton Jones Miller Practice
 Bill Denver (USA)[28] May 28, 1933 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Ray Brady Brady – Studebaker "Brady & Nardi" Qualifying
 Mark Billman (USA)[29] May 30, 1933 James Kemp Buehrig-Duesenberg "Kemp-Mannix" Race
 Lester Spangler (USA)[29] Harry Hartz Miller
 Pete Kreis (USA)[30] May 25, 1934 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Harry Hartz Miller FDMiller "Miller-Hartz" Practice
 George Brayen (USA)[31] September 9, 1934 AAA New York State Fairgrounds 100-mile race George Simmons Oakland "Simmons" Race
 Johnny Hannon (USA)[32] May 21, 1935 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Leon Duray StevensMiller "Bowes Seal Fast" Practice
 Stubby Stubblefield (USA)[32] Phil Shafer Shafer – Buick "Victor Gasket" Qualifying
 Clay Weatherly (USA)[33] May 30, 1935 Leon Duray StevensMiller "Bowes Seal Fast" Race
 Al Gordon (USA)[34] January 26, 1936 AAA Ascot Speedway 125-mile race[note 2] Bill White WetterothOffenhauser Race
 Billy Winn (USA)[35] August 20, 1938 AAA Illinois State Fairgrounds 100-mile race[note 2] Lion Oil Schrader-Miller Race
 Floyd Roberts (USA)[36] May 30, 1939 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Lou Moore WetterothOffenhauser "Burd Piston Ring" Race
 George Bailey (USA)[37] May 7, 1940 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Gulf Oil Miller RE4DMiller SC "Gulf-Miller" Practice
 Lou Webb (USA)[38] September 2, 1940 AAA New York State Fairgrounds 100-mile race Joe Marks Marks – Offenhauser Race
 Mitchell Siemienski (USA)[39] June 22, 1941 AAA Langhorne Speedway 100-mile race[note 2] Herman Hoppe Hoppe – Riley Qualifying
 Joseph Hrycenko (USA)[40] April 14, 1946 AAA Williams Grove Speedway 10-lap Big car race Julius Furslew Furslew-Riley Heat race
 Bumpy Bumpus (USA)[41] June 16, 1946 AAA Flemington Fair Speedway Big car race Bumpy Bumpus Bagley – Hal DO "Burd Piston Ring" Heat race
 Bus Wilbert (USA)[42] August 11, 1946 AAA Funk's Speedway 20-lap Big car race Charles Engle Engle- Offenhauser Race
 George Robson (USA)[43] September 2, 1946 AAA Lakewood Park 100-mile race Cliff Bergere WetterothOffenhauser "Noc-Out Hose Clamp" Race
 George Barringer (USA)[43] Ervin Wolfe ShawOffenhauser "Wolfe-Tulsa"
 Al Putnam (USA)[44] September 15, 1946 AAA Indiana State Fairgrounds 100-mile race Richard Palmer StevensOffenhauser Qualifying
 Shorty Cantlon (USA)[45] May 30, 1947 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Lou Rassey Snowberger FDMiller "Auto Shippers" Race
 Ralph Hepburn (USA)[46] May 16, 1948 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Lou Welch Kurtis 2000Novi SC "Novi Grooved Piston" Practice
 Ted Horn (USA)[47] October 10, 1948 AAA DuQuoin State Fairgrounds 100-mile race Ted Horn Enterprises HornOffenhauser Race
 George Metzler (USA)[48][note 9] May 28, 1949 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Lee Glessner ShawOffenhauser Practice
 Bill Sheffler (USA)[50][note 10] June 19, 1949 AAA New Jersey State Fairgrounds 100-mile race Bill Sheffler BrommeOffenhauser Practice
 Rex Mays (USA)[52] November 6, 1949 AAA Del Mar Fairgrounds 100-mile race Ervin Wolfe Kurtis 2000Offenhauser Race
 Walt Brown (USA)[53] July 29, 1951 AAA Williams Grove Speedway Indianapolis Sweepstakes[note 2] Jack Robbins Wetteroth DOffenhauser Qualifying
 Johnny McDowell (USA)[54] June 8, 1952 AAA Wisconsin State Fair Park Rex Mays Classic Roger Wolcott Kurtis KraftOffenhauser Qualifying
 Joe James (USA)[55][note 11] November 2, 1952 AAA Santa Clara County Fairgrounds 100-mile race Bob Estes WatsonOffenhauser Race
 Chet Miller (USA)[57] May 15, 1953 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Jean Marcenac Kurtis FDNovi SC "Novi Governor" Practice
 Carl Scarborough (USA)[58][note 12] May 30, 1953 Lee Elkins Kurtis Kraft/Wetteroth DOffenhauser "McNamara" Race
 Bob Scott (USA)[59] July 5, 1954 AAA Darlington Raceway Independence Day Sweepstakes Ray Brady Kurtis 4000Offenhauser Race
 Manny Ayulo (USA)[60][note 13] May 16, 1955 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Peter Schmidt Kurtis 500COffenhauser Practice
 Bill Vukovich (USA)[62] May 30, 1955 Lindsey Hopkins Race
 Jack McGrath (USA)[63] November 6, 1955 AAA Arizona State Fairgrounds Bobby Ball Memorial Jack Hinkle Kurtis 4000Offenhauser Race
 Keith Andrews (USA)[64] May 15, 1957 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Giuseppe Farina Kurtis 500GOffenhauser Practice
 Pat O'Connor (USA)[65] May 30, 1958 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Chapman Root Kurtis 500GOffenhauser "Sumar" Race
 Art Bisch (USA)[66][note 14] July 4, 1958 USAC Lakewood Speedway 100-mile race Pete Salemi KuzmaOffenhauser "Central Excavating" Race
 Jimmy Reece (USA)[68] September 28, 1958 USAC Trenton Speedway 100-mile race George Bignotti Kurtis 500GOffenhauser "Bowes Seal Fast" Race
 Marshall Teague (USA)[69] February 11, 1959 USAC Daytona International Speedway Speed record attempt Chapman Root Kurtis 500DOffenhauser "Sumar Streamliner"[note 15] Testing
 George Amick (USA)[71] April 4, 1959 USAC Daytona International Speedway Daytona 100 George Bignotti EpperlyOffenhauser "Bowes Seal Fast" Race
 Dick Linder (USA)[72] April 19, 1959 USAC Trenton Speedway Race of Champions Jake Vargo Kurtis 4000DOffenhauser Race
 Jerry Unser (USA)[73][note 16] May 2, 1959 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 H. H. Johnson KuzmaOffenhauser "Helse" Practice
 Bob Cortner (USA)[75] May 19, 1959 Cornis Engineering Cornis – Offenhauser
 Van Johnson (USA)[76] July 19, 1959 USAC Williams Grove Speedway Indianapolis Sweepstakes[note 2] Jake Vargo Kurtis 4000DOffenhauser Race
 Ed Elisian (USA)[77] August 30, 1959 USAC Wisconsin State Fair Park 200-mile race Ernest Ruiz Christiansen – Offenhauser "Travelon Trailer" Race
 Jimmy Bryan (USA)[78] June 19, 1960 USAC Langhorne Speedway 100-mile race Leader Card WatsonOffenhauser Race
 Tony Bettenhausen (USA)[79] May 12, 1961 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Doug Stearly WatsonOffenhauser "Stearly Motor Freight" Practice
 Al Keller (USA)[80] November 19, 1961 USAC Arizona State Fairgrounds Bobby Ball Memorial Bruce Homeyer PhillipsOffenhauser "Konstant Hot" Race
 Hugh Randall (USA)[81] July 1, 1962 USAC Langhorne Speedway Langhorne 100 Jake Vargo Kurtis 4000DOffenhauser Race
 Eddie Sachs (USA)[82] May 30, 1964 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 DVS Halibrand ShrikeFord "American Red Ball" Race
 Dave MacDonald (USA)[82] Mickey Thompson Thompson 63Ford "Sears Allstate"
 Bill Horstmeyer (USA)[83] August 22, 1964 USAC Illinois State Fairgrounds Tony Bettenhausen Memorial Bill Horstmeyer KuzmaOffenhauser "M. A. H." Race
 Bobby Marshman (USA)[84][note 17] November 27, 1964 Phoenix International Raceway Tire test Lindsey Hopkins Lotus 29Ford "Pure Oil Firebird" Testing
 Chuck Rodee (USA)[86] May 14, 1966 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Leader Card WatsonOffenhauser "Wynn's" Qualifying
 Mike Spence (UK)[87] May 7, 1968 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 STP Lotus 56Pratt & Whitney Turbine "STP Oil Treatment" Practice
 Ronnie Duman (USA)[88] June 9, 1968 USAC Wisconsin State Fair Park Rex Mays Classic Pete Salemi Gerhardt – Offenhauser TC "Central Excavating" Race
 Jim Malloy (USA)[89][note 18] May 14, 1972 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Gerhardt Racing EagleOffenhauser TC "Thermo King" Practice
 Bob Criss (USA)[91] March 12, 1973 FasTrack International Speedway Private test Page Racing EagleOffenhauser TC Testing
 Art Pollard (USA)[92] May 12, 1973 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Bob Fletcher EagleOffenhauser TC "Cobre Firestone" Practice
 Swede Savage (USA)[93][note 19] May 30, 1973 Patrick Racing EagleOffenhauser TC "STP Oil Treatment" Race
 Gordon Smiley (USA)[95] May 15, 1982 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Bob Fletcher March 81CCosworth Qualifying
 Jim Hickman (USA)[96][note 20] July 31, 1982 CART Wisconsin State Fair Park Provimi Veal Tony Bettenhausen 200 Rattlesnake Racing March 81CCosworth Practice
 Jovy Marcelo (PHL)[98] May 15, 1992 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Euromotorsport Lola T91/00Cosworth DFS Practice
 Scott Brayton (USA)[99] May 17, 1996 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Team Menard Lola T95/00Menard V-6 Practice
 Jeff Krosnoff (USA)[100] July 14, 1996 CART Toronto street circuit Molson Indy Toronto Arciero-Wells Racing Reynard 96IToyota Race
 Gonzalo Rodríguez (URY)[101] September 11, 1999 CART Laguna Seca Raceway Honda Grand Prix of Monterey Team Penske Lola B99/00Mercedes Practice
 Greg Moore (CAN)[102] October 31, 1999 CART California Speedway Marlboro 500 Forsythe Racing Reynard 99IMercedes Race
 Tony Renna (USA)[103] October 22, 2003 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Firestone tire test Chip Ganassi Racing G-ForceToyota Testing
 Paul Dana (USA)[104] March 26, 2006 IRL Homestead–Miami Speedway Toyota Indy 300 Rahal Letterman Racing PanozHonda Practice
 Dan Wheldon (UK)[105] October 16, 2011 IndyCar Las Vegas Motor Speedway IZOD IndyCar World Championship Sam Schmidt Motorsports Dallara IR-05Honda Race[note 3]
 Justin Wilson (UK)[106][note 21] August 23, 2015 IndyCar Pocono Raceway ABC Supply 500 Andretti Autosport Dallara DW12Honda Race
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Breakdown

More information Track, Total ...
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Fatalities among riding mechanics

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indicates that the driver was killed in the same incident.

More information Mechanician, Driver ...
Mechanician Driver Date of incident Sanction Track[note 1] Event Team/Owner Car/Entry Session
 Erick Schrader (USA)[1]  Bob Burman (USA) April 8, 1916 AAA Grand Boulevard (Corona) Corona Grand Prize[note 2] Peugeot Race
 Roxie Pallotti (USA)[2]  Carl Limberg (USA) May 13, 1916 AAA Sheepshead Bay Speedway Metropolitan Trophy Delage Race
 Dan Colombo (USA)[108]  Aldo Franchi (USA) July 15, 1916 AAA Omaha Speedway 150-mile race PeugeotSunbeam "Peusun" Race
 Marion Arnold (USA)[3]  Andy Burt (USA) August 27, 1916 AAA Recreation Park (Kalamazoo) 100-mile race[note 2] Stutz Race
 Bert Shields (USA)[109][note 23]  Gil Andersen (USA) September 4, 1916 AAA Cincinnati Motor Speedway International Sweepstakes Stutz Race
 Ralph Hetlich (USA)[111][note 24]  Wilbur D'Alene (USA) October 14, 1916 AAA Speedway Park Grand American Auto Race CrawfordDuesenberg Race
 Charles Swartz (USA)[113]  Harry Horsman (USA)[note 25] November 10, 1916 AAA/ACA Santa Monica Road Race Course Harry Horsman Mercer Practice
 Gaston Weigle (FRA)[5]  Frank Galvin (USA) December 2, 1916 AAA Uniontown Speedway Universal Trophy[note 2] Premier Race
 Lyall Jolls (USA)[7]  Eddie O'Donnell (USA) November 25, 1920 AAA Beverly Hills Speedway 250-mile race Duesenberg Race
 Harry Barner (USA)[9]  Alton Soules (USA) October 1, 1921 AAA Fresno Speedway San Joaquin Valley Classic Frontenac Race
 Paul Marshall (USA)[115]  Cy Marshall (USA) May 30, 1930 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 George Henry Duesenberg Race
 William Berry (USA)[116]  Doc MacKenzie (USA) June 8, 1930 AAA Michigan State Fairgrounds 100-mile race Ambler Ambler – Buick Qualifying
 Clarence Grove (USA)[25]  Joe Caccia (USA) May 26, 1931 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Alvin Jones Duesenberg "Jones & Maley" Practice
 Harry Cox (USA)[117]  Bennie Benefiel (USA) May 25, 1932 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Alvin Jones Duesenberg "Jones & Maley" Qualifying
 Bob Hurst (USA)[28]  Bill Denver (USA) May 28, 1933 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Ray Brady ? – Studebaker "Brady & Nardi" Qualifying
 G. L. Jordan (USA)[29]  Lester Spangler (USA) May 30, 1933 Harry Hartz Miller Race
 Bob Hahn (USA)[30]  Pete Kreis (USA) May 25, 1934 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Harry Hartz Miller FDMiller "Miller-Hartz" Practice
 Leo Whitaker (USA)[32]  Stubby Stubblefield (USA) May 21, 1935 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Phil Shafer ? – Buick "Victor Gasket" Qualifying
 Spider Matlock (USA)[34][note 26]  Al Gordon (USA) January 26, 1936 AAA Ascot Speedway 125-mile race[note 2] Bill White WetterothOffenhauser Race
 Albert Opalko (USA)[119]  Frank McGurk (USA) May 28, 1937 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Murrell Belanger StevensMiller "Belanger-Miller" Qualifying
 Lawson Harris (USA)[120]  Babe Stapp (USA) September 20, 1939 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Firestone tire test Mike Boyle Miller FDMiller Testing
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Fatalities among non-participants

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Perspective

This section lists people who have been fatally injured in close connection to the racing taking place at an event while not occupying a race car including participants being on the sidelines.

More information Name, Date of incident ...
Name Date of incident Sanction Track[note 1] Event Session Role Course of events
 William Speer (USA) April 8, 1916 AAA Grand Boulevard (Corona) Corona Grand Prize[note 2] Race Police officer Due to tire damage, Bob Burman's racer skidded, turned over and dashed into a crowd of people, several of whom were injured. Burman, his mechanician Erick Schrader, and a police officer died.[1]
 Harold Edgington (USA) November 18, 1916 ACA Santa Monica Road Race Course American Grand Prize Race Spectator With his left front wheel buckling, Lewis Jackson missed a slight turn. His car slid along the roadside and struck several people, three of them fatally. Jackson died being pinned against a tree.[4]
 Leslie Jenkins (USA) Camera operator
 Lena Juratsch (USA) Street vendor
 Hughie Hughes (UK) December 2, 1916 AAA Uniontown Speedway Universal Trophy[note 2] Race Driver Frank Galvin lost control of his racer, smashed through the guard rail and slammed into the press stand, injuring several of its occupants and crushing to death Hughie Hughes, who had crashed out of the race himself and was standing by the press box. Gaston Weigle, Galvin's mechanician, was also killed. Galvin died two days later.[5]
 Bert Shoup (USA) May 30, 1923 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Race Spectator Tom Alley, who was relief driving for Earl Cooper, slid, rolled over and penetrated a fence, killing a 15-year-old spectator and hurting two other boys and himself.[121]
 Russ Hughes (USA) November 29, 1923 AAA Beverly Hills Speedway 250-mile race Pre-race Photographer Attempting a start before the race, Harry Hartz hit a photographer, a team owner, and a mechanic, killing the former two and severely injuring the latter.[122]
 George Wade (USA) Team owner
 Dan Shaw (USA) October 12, 1925 AAA Rockingham Speedway Autumn Classic Practice Mechanic The car driven by Vic Spooner veered into the pits where it fatally struck his mechanic before hitting the steel railing, being sent into the air, landing besides the track and catching fire. Spooner survived a concussion.[123]
 Wilbur Brink (USA) May 30, 1931 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Race Bystander Billy Arnold's racer lost a wheel, which cleared the retaining wall and killed an 11-year-old boy who was off the speedway's property.[124]
 Otto Rohde (USA) May 28, 1937 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Practice Pit attendant Overton Phillips lost control of his burning car, the gas tank of which had been pierced. Spinning into the pit area, it collided with another machine and inflicted fatal injuries on two attendants, one of whom died four days later, with three other people being hurt including Phillips.[119][125]
 George Warford (USA)
 Everett Spence (USA) May 30, 1938 AAA Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Race Spectator The tire and rim came off a wheel of the racer driven by Emil Andres, traveled through the air and fatally struck a spectator who was seated on a truck in the infield.[126]
 Sam Stovall (USA) April 14, 1946 AAA Williams Grove Speedway 30-lap Big car race Feature race Spectator A spectator who had been hit by a car while he was crossing the track near completion of the race died of his injuries two days later.[40][127]
 Peter Stupurak (USA) October 15, 1950 AAA California State Fairgrounds 100-mile race Race Spectator Tony Bettenhausen ran into and climbed up the rear of Walt Faulkner's racer, flipped over and smashed through a fence, hurting four spectators, one of whom died the next day.[128]
 Lawrence Syrell (USA) September 12, 1953 AAA New York State Fairgrounds 100-mile race Race Spectator Trying to thread his way through Jimmy Bryan's spinning car and the fence, Chuck Stevenson hopped the outside wall, killing one spectator and injuring another 14.[129]
 Clay Smith (USA) September 6, 1954 AAA DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Ted Horn Memorial Race Mechanic Rodger Ward lost a tire, locked wheels with Chuck Stevenson and spun into the pit area where he overturned, killing a mechanic and hurting eight other people.[130]
 William Craig (USA) May 30, 1960 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Race Spectator A makeshift 30-foot (9.1 m) scaffold, which had privately been erected in the infield, toppled from the flatbed truck it was attached to during the parade lap before the start of the race, when the people occupying the structure leaned forward to watch the field drive by. They either fell or jumped to the ground where other attendants were hit by tumbling bodies or debris. Two spectators were killed, 82 sustained injuries.[131][132]
 Fred Linder (USA)
 John Masariu (USA) May 30, 1961 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Race Safety worker After a fire on Eddie Johnson's racer had been put out, a fire truck which was retreating from the scene backed over and killed a safety worker who was clearing a path for the vehicle.[133]
 Ralph Heger (USA) August 20, 1966 USAC Illinois State Fairgrounds Tony Bettenhausen Memorial Qualifying Stage manager A scheduled performance by the Green Berets required a rope to be stretched from a platform mounted on the roof of the grandstand to the infield across the track. Shortly after a tow truck had tautened the rope, the structure came loose and plunged into the reviewing stand, crushing to death a stage manager. Two photographers who had occupied the platform fell to their deaths, 38 people were injured by debris.[134][135]
 Robert Lockwood (USA) Photographer
 Dale Mueller (USA)
 Red Stainton (USA) April 13, 1969 USAC Hanford Motor Speedway California 200 Race Mechanic Fuel leaking from Art Pollard's car was ignited during a pit stop, causing burns to two attendants, one of whom leapt back into the path of Mario Andretti's car and was struck. The mechanic died of his injuries two days later.[136][137]
 Armando Teran (USA) May 30, 1973 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Race Team member Rushing to the scene of Swede Savage's crash, a fire truck hit and killed a crewman for Graham McRae on pit lane.[93]
 Lyle Kurtenbach (USA) May 24, 1987 USAC Indianapolis Motor Speedway Indianapolis 500 Race Spectator A tire which had come off Tony Bettenhausen Jr.'s racer was catapulted into the stands by Roberto Guerrero's car and fatally struck a spectator in the head.[138]
 Jean Patrick Hein (CAN) September 2, 1990 CART Vancouver street circuit Molson Indy Vancouver Race Marshal Having pushed Ross Bentley's stalled racer out of a chicane area, three track workers rushed into the path of Willy T. Ribbs's car, which was coming around the corner. Two of them were hurt when colliding with the car's rear. The third sustained fatal injuries when he was hit and overrun by the left rear wheel.[139][140]
 Gary Avrin (CAN) July 14, 1996 CART Toronto street circuit Molson Indy Toronto Race Marshal After Jeff Krosnoff's racer had touched wheels with that of Stefan Johansson, it was catapulted into the air and fatally struck a track worker who was positioned behind the wall lining the track while on its way into the catch fence where it disintegrated on impact, the cockpit coming to a stop against the opposite wall. Krosnoff was killed, too. Another marshal was slightly hurt.[100]
 Kenneth Fox (USA) July 26, 1998 CART Michigan Speedway U.S. 500 Race Spectator On lap 175, Adrián Fernández slammed into the outside wall in turn four. His right front wheel was torn off and hurled over the fence into the stands, killing three spectators and injuring six others.[141]
 Sheryl Laster (USA)
 Michael Tautkus (USA)
 Barry Mobley (USA) May 1, 1999 IRL Lowe's Motor Speedway VisionAire 500K Race[note 3] Spectator On lap 59, Stan Wattles crashed into the outside wall in turn four, shearing off both right-side wheels. John Paul Jr.'s car hit one of them, propelling it over the fence into the stands. As a result, three spectators were killed and eight others, two of whom were children, sustained injuries. The race was abandoned before completing the necessary 104 laps to be official.[142][143]
 Jeffrey Patton (USA)
 Randy Pyatte (USA)
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See also

Notes

  1. The name of the track at the time of the fatal incident is displayed.
  2. Non-championship event
  3. The race was abandoned and voided after the fatal crash.
  4. Galvin died on December 4, 1916, two days after his crash.[6]
  5. O'Donnell died on November 26, 1920, the day after his crash.[8]
  6. Boyer died on September 2, 1924, the day after his crash.[13]
  7. Cariens died on December 1, 1925, two days after his crash.[18]
  8. Jones died on May 28, 1926, the day after his crash.[20]
  9. Metzler died on June 3, 1949, six days after his crash.[49]
  10. Sheffler died on June 28, 1949, nine days after his crash.[51]
  11. James died on November 5, 1952, three days after his crash.[56]
  12. Having stopped in the pits, Scarborough died of heat exhaustion a little later.[58]
  13. Ayulo died on May 17, 1955, the day after his crash.[61]
  14. Bisch died on July 6, 1958, two days after his crash.[67]
  15. The Formula Libre-classified car featured streamlined fenders over the wheels and a canopy enclosing the driver.[70]
  16. Unser died on May 17, 1959, fifteen days after his crash.[74]
  17. Marshman died on December 3, 1964, six days after his crash.[85]
  18. Malloy died on May 18, 1972, four days after his crash.[90]
  19. Savage died on July 2, 1973, thirty-three days after his crash.[94]
  20. Hickman died on August 1, 1982, the day after his crash.[97]
  21. Wilson died on August 24, 2015, the day after his crash.[107]
  22. The current, last, or best known name of the track is displayed.
  23. Shields died on September 30, 1916, twenty-six days after his crash.[110]
  24. Hetlich died on October 31, 1916, seventeen days after his accident.[112]
  25. Horsman, who had not been officially entered in the event and did not observe the starter's flag indicating the end of the practice session,[113] was released from hospital a week after his crash.[114]
  26. Matlock died on January 27, 1936, the day after his crash.[118]

References

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