But to race fans in 1940, the duke was already a legend. The last year of intensive competition was 1953 with johnny thomson at the wheel of the sprint car. This brutish race car that enthralled racing fans from the late 1940s into the 1960s snarled at duke nalon in a 1949 crash. Duke nalon, henry banks, johnnie rogers and cowboy orourke at the eastern old timers auto racing club museum at flemington when the museum was located there. They remember the track records he set, the 500mile races he nearly won and the fiery crash that he miraculously survived. Nalon, or the iron duke, as he was called, was one tough driver, representative of the men and women who risked their lives in midget, sprint car and indy cars of the. He became the first three time winner, during those years he placed third twice and fourth in the indianapolis 500 races, giving him ten straight finishes in the top four. Duke nalon was a classic example of these drivers who built their careers on tiny dirt tracks across the united states. Dennis duke nalon march 2, 19 february 26, 2001 was an american midget car, sprint car, and indy 500 driver from chicago, illinois, united states racing career. I was wondering if marty or somebody else has a list of the 50greatest midget drivers. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. They remember how he tamed the powerful and legendary novis.
The full list of pace cars and their drivers is a fascinating retrospective of auto legends and celebrities, so as memorial day approaches enjoy this look back at indy 500 pace cars. New listing 1951 wire photo midget race car driver duke nalon poses for publicity portrait. Known as the iron duke, dennis nalon was born and raised in chicago and got involved in racing in the 1930s as a crewman for midget driver wally zale. Nalon was part of the chicago gang with tony bettenhausen. Automobiles, racing automobile racing drivers antique and classic cars. I introduced him to duke nalon iii and he drove the car too. Duke nalon racing legend indy car racing, racing, vintage. Dennis duke nalon even took the aaa eastern championship in 1941 behind the wheel. He won the pole position as the fastest qualifier in 1949 and 1951. Featured exhibit novi grooved piston special indianapolis. Duke nalon was part of the chicago gang when midget auto racing was popular throughout the country especially in the chicago area before world war ii.
Nalon, or the iron duke, as he was called, was one tough driver, representative of the men and women who risked their lives in midget, sprint car and indy cars of the day. A texas driver born james howard cox, howdy was competing in a 25mile feature race on september 27, 1937 at the fairgrounds speedway in. May 14, 2000 this brutish race car that enthralled racing fans from the late 1940s intothe 1960s snarled at duke nalon in a 1949 crash. Relief driver for chitwood in 1948, but shortly afterwards, he was killed in a race at his local track. Feb 14, 2012 the best driver and the fastest car didnt win the 1949 indianapolis race. Russo was part of midget racings chicago gang with emil andres, tony bettenhausen, duke nalon, cowboy orourke, jimmy snyder, and wally zale. Race car driver hans herrman seen beneath and behind his barrelrolling brm at the german grand prix, 1959 stirling moss was among first stars in its golden era racing against the likes of juan manuel fangio. Janet guthrie was the first woman to qualify and compete in the indianapolis 500. Dennis duke nalon, mike nazaruk, pat oconnor, barney oldfield. Particularly quick when qualifying at indianapolis, where he scored pole twice, he never won a aaa race, but scored six podiums in 34 starts and finished fifth in the championship in 1948. Click on the site to see duke nalon s career results at that track glossary. Click on the site to see duke nalon s career results at that track. Jan 12, 2005 page 1 of 3 50 greatest midget drivers.
May 09, 2000 this brutish race car that enthralled racing fans from the late 1940s into the 1960s snarled at duke nalon in a 1949 crash. Nalon would miss the next year of racing recovering but was back at the indianapolis motor speedway in 1951, when he finished 10th in the greatest spectacle in racing. In most years since 1911, the driver of the pace car at the start of the race has been an invited celebrity, a former racing driver, or notable figure in the automotive industry. Inspired by zale, he became a racing driver himself. He persuades her to marry him on the promise that he will quit after racing once in the indaanapolis 500, but he. Lv duke nalon in car 54 passes another car and goes into lead. Duke nalon takes victory lap get the latest car news.
Duke nalon is a racing driver who competes internationally for the united states. There was a general understanding that auto racing was a dangerous endeavor. This brutish race car that enthralled racing fans from the late 1940s intothe 1960s snarled at duke nalon in a 1949 crash. But the dangerous decade also claimed the lives of many famous drivers in their prime. The list of drivers who raced dreyer cars is staggering. Features vintage sprint car pic thread, 1965 and older. Features vintage sprint car pic thread, 1965 and older only. Indianapolis motor speedway deaths 1948 ralph hepburn. A rough, tough character, zale sold his midget to budding young racer. Jul 31, 2016 in an interview with veteran midget car, sprint car, and indy driver duke nalon at mark 08. Helmets goggles tow trucks further information on this record can be found at its source. Nalon, dennis, 192001 indianapolis motor speedway speedway, ind. I brought duke to my desk, grabbed a chair for him, turned on a tape recorder and spent the next hour amazed at every word he said.
The list of drivers who shouldve won the indianapolis 500 but didnt reads like a racing whos who ted horn, duke nalon, rex mays, jack mcgrath and michael. Duke nalon was part of the chicago gang when midget auto racing was popular throughout. That first generation of drivers showed up on race day in the fastest cars their teams could build. Most race fans remember duke nalon from his many indianapolis races. At the time of his death shackleford had been racing for twelve seasons, largely in sprint car racing, but also in. Pages in category racing drivers from illinois the following 103 pages are in this category, out of 103 total. When the car was sold in 1949, it had accumulated over 200 wins, two world records and ten driver owner titles. The indy 500mile race will take place may 30, 1951. Historically, the honor of supplying the pace car was, and continues to be, a coveted honor by the respective automobile manufacturers and a marketing showcase for the. Duke nalon full name dennis nalon nationality american born march 2, 19 hometown chicago, illinois died february 26, 2001 place of death indianapolis, indiana racing highlights. Further information on this record can be found at its source. Duke nalon, 87, who earned pole position at the indianapolis 500. They remember the track records he set, the 500mile races he nearly won and the fiery crash that he. Welch then assigned the cars to hepburn and duke nalon.
Johnny tracy, son of veteran race driver pop tracy, is working his way up on the racing circuit, but is urged by his sweetheart, marcy parker, to give up the track if he wants to marry her. Ironnerved dennis duke nalon and his 550horsepower novi mobil special, designed by bud winfield, should have won that race. I started to come up with a list who i thought would be considered great,but i know somebody else already has it. Nalon was a personable driver who was a popular ambassador for automobile racing. More than 300 of the worlds most exceptional vintage race cars will compete in 12 different sportscar vintage racing association svra classes on the 14turn. Eylard theodore ted horn 19101948 find a grave memorial. Nalon was a 16time veteran of the indianapolis 500 classic.
Nalon was of french ancestry and initially worked in a steel mill before becoming a mechanic for wally zale. Duke nalon imagine youre an indy racecar driver in 1983, a certifiable badass with a frontrow starting position. The rocket car attains the speed of 140 miles per hour. In 1981 duke was the driver of the buick pace car that was the first non turbo v6 that set the precedence for the 3800 that is in the gm line up of street cars of today.
Indy 500 legend delivered magical meeting for young reporter. In 1955, dreyers life returned full circle when he opened a. Shackleford lost control of his car and careered through a fence and down an embankment. Dennis duke nalon march 2, 19 february 26, 2001 was a midget car, sprint car, and indy 500 driver from chicago, illinois, united states. Russo won the first race held at the nutley velodrome in new jersey in 1938. Automobile racer duke nalon with a rocket powered car in. Russo won the first race held at the nutley velodrome in new jersey in 1938 russo was part of midget racings chicago gang with emil andres, tony bettenhausen, duke nalon, cowboy orourke, jimmy snyder. The race is remembered historically as a moment of firsts for the event. He triumphed in many feature races, and is considered by some race authorities to be one of the alltime great drivers. His last result is the 11th place for the indianapolis 500 gp 1953. He won the national championship title in 1946, 1947, and 1948.
Duke nalon, 87, who earned pole position at the indianapolis 500 in 1949 and 1951. Sam hanks, duke nalon, rex mays, eddie sachs, tommy hinnershitz, jackie holmes, lee wallard, jud larson, and mauri rose only scratch the surface of those talented wheelmen. Dennis duke nalon march 2, 19 february 26, 2001 was an american midget car, sprint car, and indy 500 driver from. Duke s grandson, by the same name, keeps up the racing tradition, as he races in sprint, dirt and midget cars. Dennis duke nalon, mike nazaruk, pat oconnor, barney oldfield, jimmy oskie, johnny parsons sr. In addition to being the fastest qualifier that year but not on the pole, duke started from the pole position with the same car in 1949 and 1951, but did not finish in either year.
He was an actor, known for roar of the crowd 1953 and formula 1 1950. Duke nalon takes victory lap get the latest car news, car. Dennis duke nalon march 2, 19 february 26, 2001 was an american midget car, sprint car, and indy 500 driver from chicago, illinois, united states. Duke nalon imagine youre an indy race car driver in 1983, a certifiable badass with a frontrow starting position. After a few practice laps on saturday, hepburn told welch he didnt feel that comfortable in the car and asked him to set the car up like the novi he drove in 1946. A few car histories from the 1932 aaa pacific coast owners championship roster. But duke edwards and i he was named after duke nalon hit it off pretty well and he asked if i would like to drive his car, i thought it would be cool to drive an offy so i said sure, i think woodard had to go out of the country for a couple years so duke didnt have a driver. Visit our patreon page to create your own alltime fantasy teams and see other bonus material. When walter galven needed a driver, zale convinced galven to allow nalon to race. View f1 statistics and a f1 career summary of duke nalon, including career stats, yearly summary, stats per grands prix and circuits, and more.
Brickyard vintage racing invitational the pedigree of the brickyard vintage racing invitational june 2021 at the indianapolis motor speedway is elite, for both machines and drivers. Aug 22, 2012 this pin was discovered by barbara ream. Profile for racing driver duke nalon from united states. Feb 26, 2001 dukes grandson, by the same name, keeps up the racing tradition, as he races in sprint, dirt and midget cars. Jan 17, 2008 but duke edwards and i he was named after duke nalon hit it off pretty well and he asked if i would like to drive his car, i thought it would be cool to drive an offy so i said sure, i think woodard had to go out of the country for a couple years so duke didnt have a driver.
Paul was inducted into the national sprint car hall of fame in 1996, and passed away in 2000. Nalon, dennis, 192001 miller, chet, 19021953 welch, llewellyn, 19011996 automobile racing drivers automobiles, racing indianapolis motor speedway speedway, ind. Dennis duke nalon was an american midget car, sprint car, and indy 500 driver from chicago, illinois, united states. He was a fixture at the track almost every year after that and drove the pace car in. Duke nalonon the pole 1949 indy indy car racing, racing. Hij behaalde in zijn hele indycarriere twee pole positions, maar in het formule 1kampioenschap scoorde hij geen punten. Driver duke nalon 1949 aaa champ car series results racing. With howard duff, helene stanley, dave willock, louise arthur. Duke nalon born 2 march 19 in chicago, died 26 february 2001 was an american racing driver who competed in the aaa national championship from 1935 to 1954. Rare rppc c50 driver duke nalon in midget race car ebay. For many decades through the middle years of the 20th century most of the top indy 500 drivers came from the ranks of midget and sprint car racers. Particularly quick when qualifying at indianapolis, where he scored pole twice, he never won a aaa race, but scored six podiums in 34 starts and finished fifth in the.