Pat Flaherty (racing driver)

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Pat Flaherty
Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee
)
Wins Podiums Poles
3 4 1
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
First race1951 Motor City 250 (Detroit)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1950, 19531956, 1959
TeamsKurtis Kraft, Watson
Entries7 (5 starts)
Championships0
Wins1
Podiums1
Career points8
Pole positions1
Fastest laps0
First entry1950 Indianapolis 500
First win1956 Indianapolis 500
Last win1956 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1959 Indianapolis 500

George Francis "Pat" Flaherty (January 6, 1926 – April 9, 2002) was an American racing driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1956.[1]

Driving career

Championship car career

Flaherty's winning car from the 1956 Indianapolis 500

Flaherty drove in the

Championship Car series, racing in the 1950, 1953–1956, 1958–1959, and 1963 seasons with 19 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1950, 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1959. He finished in the top ten 9 times, with victories in 1955 and 1956 at Milwaukee as well as the 1956 Indianapolis 500. Born in Glendale, California, Flaherty died in Oxnard, California. [2]

World Drivers' Championship career

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.

Flaherty participated in five World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He started on the pole once, won once, and accumulated eight World Drivers' Championship points.

Injury and later life

After winning the 1956 Indianapolis 500, Flaherty was severely injured in a race car crash less than three months later,[3] which prevented him from racing at the 1957 500. Flaherty successfully raced pigeons for over twenty years after he retired from auto racing.[4] He also built and publicised a portable go-kart track where he would race against all-comers.[2]

Awards and honors

Flaherty has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

  • Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2006)[5]

Motorsports career results

AAA/USAC Championship Car results

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Points
1949 ARL INDY
DNQ
MIL
TRE SPR
MIL
DUQ PIK
SYR
DET
SPR
LAN SAC
DMR
- 0
1950 INDY
10
MIL

LAN SPR
MIL
PIK
SYR
DET SPR SAC
PHX
BAY
DAR 33rd 103.5
1953 INDY
22
MIL

SPR
DET
SPR
MIL

DUQ
PIK
SYR

ISF
SAC
PHX

- 0
1954 INDY
DNS
MIL

LAN DAR
SPR
MIL

12
DUQ
DNQ
PIK
SYR

ISF
DNQ
SAC
PHX

LVG

51st 20
1955 INDY
10
MIL

3
LAN
SPR
MIL

1
DUQ
PIK
SYR

ISF
DNQ
SAC
PHX

8th 790
1956 INDY
1
MIL

1
LAN
14
DAR
5
ATL
5
SPR
18
MIL

DUQ
SYR

ISF
SAC
PHX

2nd 1,500
1958 TRE INDY
DNQ
MIL
LAN ATL SPR
MIL

16
DUQ
SYR
ISF TRE SAC
PHX

- 0
1959 DAY
9
TRE
17
INDY
19
MIL

19
LAN
SPR
MIL

DUQ
SYR

ISF
TRE
SAC
PHX

43rd 40
1963 TRE INDY
MIL

21
LAN TRE
DNQ
SPR
MIL
DUQ ISF TRE
DNQ
SAC
PHX
- 0

Indianapolis 500 results

* Shared drive with

Jim Rathmann

References

  1. ^ Cyprus Riots, 1956/05/31 (1956). Universal Newsreel. 1956. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Brown, Allen. "Pat Flaherty". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  3. ^ "The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  4. ^ Among the toasts made at the wedding reception Saturday..., chicagotribune.com; accessed May 13, 2014.
  5. ^ "Pat Flaherty". IMS Museum. Retrieved 2023-10-08.

External links

Preceded by Indianapolis 500 Winner
1956
Succeeded by