Pat Flaherty (racing driver)

Summary

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

Pat Flaherty
BornGeorge Francis Flaherty
(1926-01-06)January 6, 1926
Glendale, California, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 2002(2002-04-09) (aged 76)
Oxnard, California, U.S.
Championship titles
Major victories
Indianapolis 500 (1956)
Champ Car career
18 races run over 9 years
Best finish2nd (1956)
First race1950 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race1963 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
First win1955 Milwaukee 250 (Milwaukee)
Last win1956 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

Driving career edit

Championship car career edit

 
Flaherty's winning car from the 1956 Indianapolis 500

Flaherty drove in the AAA and USAC 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 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.

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 edit

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 edit

Flaherty has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

Motorsports career results edit

AAA/USAC Championship Car results edit

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 edit

* Shared drive with Jim Rathmann

References edit

  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 edit

  • Pat Flaherty - ChampCarStats.com
  • Pat Flaherty at Find a Grave
  • Pat Flaherty driver statistics at Racing-Reference
Preceded by Indianapolis 500 Winner
1956
Succeeded by