Troy Ruttman
Troy Ruttman (born March 11, 1930 – May 19, 1997) was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman, Jerry Ruttman, and Jimmie Ruttman.
| Troy Ruttman | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | March 11, 1930 Mooreland, Oklahoma | ||||||
| Died | May 19, 1997 (aged 67) | ||||||
| Cause of death | Lung cancer | ||||||
| Awards | inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1993) inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2005) | ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 7 races run over 3 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 49th (1962) | ||||||
| First race | 1962 Atlanta 500 (Atlanta) | ||||||
| Last race | 1964 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside) | ||||||
| |||||||
| Formula One World Championship career | |||||||
| Nationality |  American | ||||||
| Active years | 1950–1958, 1960 | ||||||
| Teams | Kurtis Kraft, Watson, Lesovsky, Kuzma, Maserati | ||||||
| Entries | 12 (8 starts) | ||||||
| Championships | 0 | ||||||
| Wins | 1 | ||||||
| Podiums | 1 | ||||||
| Career points | 9.5 | ||||||
| Pole positions | 0 | ||||||
| Fastest laps | 0 | ||||||
| First entry | 1950 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| First win | 1952 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| Last win | 1952 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| Last entry | 1960 Indianapolis 500 | ||||||
| Statistics current as of December 29, 2006. | |||||||
Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, at the age of 22 years and 80 days. As of 2020, he is the youngest winner of the race.[1]
From 1950–1960, the Indianapolis 500 also counted toward the World Drivers' Championship (now synonymous with Formula One), although most of the racers did not compete in the other races in the Championship. Ruttman was the first Indianapolis 500 winner to participate in a Formula One event beyond Indy[2] and his 1952 Indy 500 win earned him the distinction of being the youngest driver to win a round of the World Championship, an honor he held until Fernando Alonso won the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Racing career
Ruttman entered his family car in a roadster race in San Bernardino, California in 1945 at age 15, and won the race.[3] He won 19 of the 21 events staged there that season.[3] By 1947 he was the California Roadster Association (CRA) roadster champion.[3] He also won his first five midget car races that season. In 1948 he repeated as the CRA roadster champion, United Racing Association Blue Circuit (Offy) championship, and 23 midget car events.[3]
Sprint car career
In May 1949 Ruttman left California for the AAA Sprint and Championship car circuits of the Midwest. We won three AAA Sprint Car championships over the next three and a half seasons.[3] He competed in 51 midget races, winning 16 and placing in the top three 28 times.[3]
He was injured from a sprint car crash in August 1952, which sidelined Ruttman for one and a half racing seasons.[3] Ruttman returned in 1954 on a greatly reduced schedule.
Championship car career
He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1949–1952, 1954, 1956–1957 and 1960–1964 seasons with 58 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1949–1952, 1954, 1956–1957, and 1960–1964. He finished in the top ten 26 times, with 5 victories and finished runner-up to Chuck Stevenson for the 1952 National Championship.
Stock car career
Ruttman won the 1956 USAC Short Track Stock Car division title. Ruttman also competed in 7 races in the NASCAR Grand National Series from 1962–1964, finishing in the top ten 5 times. His best finish was third at the 1963 race at Riverside International Raceway behind Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt.[4]
World Championship career summary
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960, and drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Troy Ruttman participated in nine World Championship races, seven times at Indy plus the 1958 French and German Grands Prix. His 1952 Indianapolis 500 win was his only win and podium finish, and he earned a total of 9.5 championship points.
Career awards
- He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993.
- Ruttman was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America[5] in 2005.
- He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.[3]
- Ruttman was inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in its first class in 2002.[6]
- Inducted into the Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame in May 1992.
Death
Ruttman died of lung cancer May 19, 1997 at Lake Havasu City, Arizona just a month before the long planned "Troy Ruttman Day" in his hometown of Mooreland, Oklahoma. He is survived by Clara, his wife of the home. 5 children, Toddy Marie, Troy jr, Roxanne, Mary Joyce & Jennifer Lynn Ruttman. Troy Jr predeceased him in 1969.
Complete AAA/USAC Championship Car results
Indianapolis 500 results
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
- † = Shared drive
References
- "22-year-old Ruttman is youngest Indy 500 winner". April 2017.
- "Troy Ruttman, 67, Youngest Winner of Indy 500". New York Times. 1997-05-21. Retrieved 2017-10-14.
- Biography Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
- NASCAR statistics at racing-reference.info
- Troy Ruttman at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
- Biography at West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame, 2002, Retrieved November 7, 2007
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Lee Wallard |
Indianapolis 500 Winner 1952 |
Succeeded by Bill Vukovich |
| Records | ||
| Preceded by José Froilán González 27 years, 228 days (1950 Monaco GP) |
Youngest driver to start a Formula One race 20 years, 80 days (1950 Indianapolis 500) |
Succeeded by Ricardo Rodríguez 19 years, 208 days (1961 Italian GP) |
| Preceded by José Froilán González 28 years, 282 days (1951 British GP) |
Youngest Grand Prix race winner 22 years, 80 days (1952 Indianapolis 500) |
Succeeded by Fernando Alonso 22 years, 26 days (2003 Hungarian GP) |
| Preceded by José Froilán González 28 years, 269 days (1951 French GP) |
Youngest driver to score a podium position in Formula One 22 years, 80 days (1952 Indianapolis 500) |
Succeeded by Bruce McLaren 21 years, 322 days (1959 British GP) |
| Preceded by Bobby Ball 25 years, 276 days (1951 Indianapolis 500) |
Youngest driver to score points in Formula One 22 years, 80 days (1952 Indianapolis 500) |
Succeeded by Bruce McLaren 21 years, 253 days (1959 Monaco GP) |