Wiki English 2024
EnglishJapaneseVietnamese

Troy Ruttman

Troy Lynn Ruttman (March 11, 1930 – May 19, 1997) was an American racing driver. He is best known for winning the 1952 Indianapolis 500 - at the age of 22 years and 80 days, Ruttman remains the youngest ever winner of the event. Competing since the age of 15, he had a remarkably successful early career, winning several regional and AAA-sanctioned championships.

Troy Ruttman
Ruttman, circa 1951
BornTroy Lynn Ruttman
(1930-03-11)March 11, 1930
Mooreland, Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedMay 19, 1997(1997-05-19) (aged 67)
Lake Havasu City, Arizona, U.S.
Championship titles
AAA Midwest Big Car (1951)
Major victories
Indianapolis 500 (1952)
Champ Car career
49 races run over 15 years
Best finish2nd (1952)
First race1949 Arlington 100 (Arlington)
Last race1964 Trenton 150 (Trenton)
First win1952 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last win1952 Raleigh 200 (Raleigh)
WinsPodiumsPoles
262
NASCAR Cup Series career
7 races run over 3 years
Best finish49th (1962)
First race1962 Atlanta 500 (Atlanta)
Last race1964 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside)
WinsTop tensPoles
050
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityUnited States American
Active years1950 – 1958, 1960
TeamsLesovsky, Kurtis Kraft, Kuzma, Watson, Maserati
Entries12 (8 starts)
Championships0
Wins1
Podiums1
Career points9.5
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1950 Indianapolis 500
First win1952 Indianapolis 500
Last win1952 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1960 Indianapolis 500

Driving career edit

Early career edit

In 1945, at age 15, Ruttman entered his family's car into a roadster race held in San Bernardino, California, winning the event.[1] He won 19 of the 21 events staged there that season.[1] By 1947 he was the California Roadster Association (CRA) roadster champion.[1] 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.[1]

Sprint car career edit

In May 1949, Ruttman left California for the AAA Sprint and Championship car circuits of the Midwest. He won three AAA Sprint Car championships over the next three and a half seasons.[1] He competed in 51 midget races, winning 16 and placing in the top three 28 times.[1]

Championship car career edit

Ruttman's winning car from the 1952 Indianapolis 500

Ruttman 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 during 1949–1952, 1954, 1956–1957, and 1960–1964. His best championship finish was as runner-up to Chuck Stevenson for the 1952 National Championship.

His victory in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 made him the youngest winner of the event.[2]

An injury during a sprint car crash in August 1952 sidelined Ruttman for one and a half racing seasons. Ruttman returned in 1954 on a greatly reduced schedule, never attaining the same level of success. He had not been diligent during his recovery, gaining weight, and spending time partying - a competitor remarked that Ruttman was a case of "too much, too young."[3]

Stock car career edit

Ruttman won the 1956 USAC Short Track Stock Car division title. Ruttman also competed in seven races in the NASCAR Grand National Series from 1962 to 1964, finishing in the top ten five times. His best finish was third in the 1963 race at Riverside International Raceway, running behind Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt.[4]

World Drivers' Championship career edit

The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship points and participation in addition to those which they received towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.

Ruttman participated in seven World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He was also the first of a small number of USAC/Indianapolis drivers to start an FIA-sanctioned World Drivers' Championship event during the 1950-1960 period - competing for Scuderia Centro Sud in the 1958 French Grand Prix. During his World Drivers' Championship career, Ruttman won once, and he accumulated 9.5 World Drivers' Championship points.

Ruttman's victory in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 earned him the distinction of being the youngest driver to win a round of the World Drivers' Championship, an honor he held until Fernando Alonso won the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Retirement and death edit

After concluding his racing career at the age of 34, Ruttman relocated to Plymouth, Michigan, operating a motorcycle and snowmobile dealership.[3]

Ruttman died as a result of lung cancer on May 19, 1997, at Lake Havasu City, Arizona, just a month before the long planned "Troy Ruttman Day" in his hometown of Mooreland, Oklahoma.[3]

Awards and honors edit

Ruttman has been inducted into the following halls of fame:


Motorsports career results edit

AAA/USAC Championship Car results edit

Year123456789101112131415PosPoints
1949ARL
8		INDY
12		MIL
18		TRE
SPR
MIL
DUQ
PIKNYS
DET
SPR
LAN
SAC
3		DMR
12		21st250
1950INDY
15		MIL
17		LAN
10		SPR
DNQ		MIL
13		PIKSYR
14		DET
11		SPR
SAC
12		PHX
17		BAY
15		DAR
18		41st46
1951INDY
23		MIL
LAN
DAR
SPR
6		MIL
DUQ
DUQ
PIKSYR
DET
DNC
SJS
15		PHX
BAY
39th80
1952INDY
1		MIL
DNQ		RAL
1		SPR
12		MIL
DET
DUQ
PIKSYR
DNC
SJS
PHX
2nd1,410
1953INDY
Wth		MIL
SPRDETSPRMILDUQPIKSYRISFSACPHX-0
1954INDY
4		MIL
7		LAN
DAR
15		SPR
MIL
DUQ
PIKSYR
ISF
SAC
PHX
LVG
15th447
1955INDY
DNQ		MILLANSPRMILDUQPIKSYRISFSACPHX
-0
1956INDY
31		MIL
20		LANDAR
DNS		ATLSPRMILDUQSYRISFSACPHX-0
1957INDY
31		LANMIL
10		DETATLSPRMIL
25		DUQSYRISFTRESACPHX36th30
1958TREINDY
DNQ		MILLANATLSPRMILDUQSYRISFTRESAC
14		PHX
DNP		-0
1960TREINDY
20		MIL
DNQ		LAN
SPRMILDUQSYRISFTRESACPHX-0
1961TRE
3		INDY
20		MIL
16		LANMILSPRDUQSYRISFTRESACPHX23rd140
1962TREINDY
18		MIL
DNQ		LANTRESPRMIL
13		LANSYR
3		ISF
DNQ		TRE
13		SAC
6		PHX
7		15th280
1963TRE
5		INDY
12		MIL
DNQ		LANTRE
5		SPRMIL
14		DUQISFTRE
3		SACPHX11th580
1964PHX
TREINDY
18		MIL
4		LANTRE
8		SPRMIL
Wth		DUQISFTRESACPHX26th160

Indianapolis 500 results edit

FIA World Drivers' Championship results edit

(key)

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011WDCPoints
1950Bowes Racing Inc.LesovskyOffenhauser Straight-4GBR
MON
500
15		SUI
BEL
FRA
ITA
NC0
1951Christopher J.C. AgajanianKurtis Kraft 2000Offenhauser Straight-4SUI
500
Ret		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
ITA
ESP
NC0
1952Christopher J.C. AgajanianKuzmaOffenhauser Straight-4SUI
500
1		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
NED
ITA
7th8
1953Travelon TrailerKurtis Kraft 500BOffenhauser Straight-4ARG
500
DNQ		NED
BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
SUI
ITA
NC0
1954Eugene A CasarollKurtis Kraft 500AOffenhauser Straight-4ARG
500
4†		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
SUI
ITA
ESP
23rd=1.5
1955Novi RacingKurtis KraftNovi Straight-8sARG
MON
500
DNQ		BEL
NED
GBR
ITA
NC0
1956John ZinkKurtis Kraft 500COffenhauser Straight-4ARG
MON
500
Ret		BEL
FRA
GBR
GER
ITA
NC0
1957John ZinkWatsonOffenhauser Straight-4ARG
MON
500
Ret		FRA
GBR
GER
PES
ITA
NC0
1958Christopher J.C. AgajanianKuzmaOffenhauser Straight-4ARG
MON
NED
500
DNQ		BEL
NC0
Scuderia Centro SudMaserati 250FMaserati Straight-6FRA
10		GBR
GER
DNS		POR
ITA
MOR
1960John ZinkWatsonOffenhauser Straight-4ARG
MON
500
Ret		NED
BEL
FRA
GBR
POR
ITA
USA
NC0
  • † = Shared drive

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Biography Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
  2. ^ "22-year-old Ruttman is youngest Indy 500 winner". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  3. ^ a b c "MotorCities - Remembering the Great Legacy of Race Car Driver Troy Ruttman | 2018 | Story of the Week". www.motorcities.org. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
  4. ^ NASCAR statistics at racing-reference.info
  5. ^ "Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame - Ruttman, Troy 1982 *". www.mmshof.org. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  6. ^ "Troy Ruttman". IMS Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  7. ^ "Troy Ruttman". www.sprintcarhof.com. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  8. ^ "Hall of Fame – West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame". Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  9. ^ "StockcarReunion.com". www.stockcarreunion.com. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  10. ^ "Troy Ruttman". www.mshf.com. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  11. ^ "TROY RUTTMAN - USAC HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2018 - USAC Racing". usacracing.com. Retrieved 2023-10-07.

External links edit

Awards
Preceded by Indianapolis 500 Winner
1952		Succeeded by
Records
Preceded by Youngest driver to start
a Formula One race
20 years, 80 days
(1950 Indianapolis 500)		Succeeded by
Preceded by Youngest Grand Prix
race winner
22 years, 80 days
(1952 Indianapolis 500)		Succeeded by
Preceded by 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 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)
Retrieved from "https:https://www.how.com.vn/wiki/index.php?lang=en&q=Troy_Ruttman&oldid=1214123885"
🔥 Top keywords: Akademia e Shkencave e RPS te ShqiperiseAlexandria Ocasio-CortezBilderberg GroupCristiano RonaldoDong XiaowanMinecraftOperation GladioPrimal cutRiot FestStrictly Come Dancing (series 7)Main PageSpecial:SearchMichael Mosley (broadcaster)Carlos AlcarazAlexander ZverevWikipedia:Featured picturesChirag PaswanHit Man (2023 film)Union Council of Ministers2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup2024 Indian general election2024 European Parliament electionCleopatraKinjarapu Ram Mohan NaiduDeaths in 2024Glen PowellProject 2025Nirmala SitharamanPawan KalyanBad Boys: Ride or DieICC Men's T20 World CupAdria ArjonaNarendra ModiIga ŚwiątekRamoji RaoS. JaishankarAlan HansenJack NicklausList of prime ministers of India.xxxYouTubeRam Vilas PaswanUFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. ImavovSabrina CarpenterUEFA Euro 2024The Acolyte (TV series)Barry KeoghanChristopher ReeveAnnpurna Devi