Tom Bigelow

Summary

Thomas Allan Bigelow[1] (born October 31, 1939, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin) is a former driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.

Tom Bigelow
NationalityUnited States American
BornThomas Allan Bigelow
(1939-10-31) October 31, 1939 (age 84)
Elkhorn, Wisconsin, U.S.
Champ Car career
110 races run over 18 years
Years active1968–1985
Best finish3rd – 1979 (USAC), 1981–82 (USAC)
First race1968 Ted Horn Memorial (DuQuoin)
Last race1985 Domino's Pizza 500 (Pocono)
Wins Podiums Poles
0 5 2
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish121st (1986)
First race1986 Atlanta Journal 500 (Atlanta)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0

Racing career edit

Midget car racing edit

He began his racing career at the Badger Midget Racing Association at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.[2] His first attempt at the National Championship was in 1967, and he finished eighteenth. He had 1968 midget wins at Hales Corners Speedway in Hales Corners, Wisconsin, and at the Sycamore, Illinois, track. He won the first Astro Grand Prix in the Houston Astrodome in 1969.[2][3] His come back in Midgets started in 1981 driving for Sandy Racing.

In 1984, he was National USAC Midget Champion. For two years in a row (1982 and 1983), he was USAC Spreedrome champion.

USAC/CART edit

 
Bigelow's 1981 Indycar (or replica) in a vintage car race

He raced in USAC and CART in 17 seasons (1968–1983 and 1985), with 104 combined career starts, and started in the Indianapolis 500 every year during 1974 to 1982. He finished in the top ten 39 times, with his best finish in second position in 1978 at Texas World Speedway and Milwaukee.[3]

Bigelow started in nine straight Indianapolis 500 races between 1974 and 1982, his best finish was sixth in 1977.[3]

Sprint car edit

Bigelow was the 1978 USAC Sprint Car Series Champion.[3] He became the leader in USAC Sprint car single season wins with 14.[2] Bigelow won 52 USAC Sprint Car races in his career.[3]

Return to midget cars edit

He returned to his roots won the 1984 USAC National Midget Series Champion. He finished fourth, third, and ninth in the following three season. He also won the 1982 USAC Midwest Regional midget car title. His car (number 16) was owned by Carl Sandy, husband of Carol Sandy and father of Duane, Mathew, and Troy Sandy.

NASCAR edit

Bigelow made a single NASCAR start at the 1986 Atlanta Journal 500 at the Atlanta International Raceway, and he finished 40th with engine problems.[4]

Career awards edit

Retirement edit

Starting in 2009, Bigelow was a color announcer for Fox Sports Network for Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series television coverage.[3]

Motorsports career results edit

American open-wheel racing edit

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

USAC Championship Car edit

USAC Championship Car results
Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Pos. Pts
1968 Carl Gehlhausen Kurtis 4000D Offy 252 ci HAN LVS PHX TRE INDY MIL MOS MOS LAN PPR CDR NAZ IRP IRP LAN LAN MTR MTR ISF MIL DSF
6
INF
DNQ
TRE SAC
14
MCH HAN PHX RSD 43rd 80
1969 Carl Gehlhausen Huffaker 66 Chevrolet 320 ci V8 PHX HAN INDY MIL LAN
DNQ
PPR CDR TRE
18
IRP
21
IRP
17
MIL DOV
DNQ
TRE
DNS
SAC SIR SIR PHX RSD 43rd 110
Kurtis 4000D Offy 252 ci NAZ
7
ISF
DNQ
DSF
8
INF
DNQ
BRN BRN
1970 Carl Gehlhausen Huffaker 66 Chevrolet 320 ci V8 PHX SON TRE INDY
DNQ
MIL
DNQ
LAN
17
CDR MCH IRP
DNQ
MIL
13
ONT TRE
17
PHX
DNQ
36th 200
Kurtis 4000D Offy 252 ci ISF
7
DSF
7
INF
DNQ
SED
6
SAC
17
1971 Carl Gehlhausen Huffaker 66 Chevrolet 320 ci V8 RAF
21
RAF
22
PHX TRE INDY MIL POC MCH MIL ONT TRE PHX NC 0
1972 Ray W Smith Eagle 68 Chevrolet 320 ci V8 PHX TRE INDY
DNQ
MIL 31st 120
Carl Gehlhausen Gerhardt Offy 159 ci t MCH
21
POC
DNS
MIL
7
ONT TRE
13
PHX
1973 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 72 Offy 159 ci t TWS TRE TRE INDY
DNQ
POC
32
ONT
7
ONT ONT
11
MCH MCH TRE TWS PHX 25th 160
Carl Gehlhausen Kingfish 72 MIL
14
Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 73 MCH
15
MIL
1974 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 72 Offy 159 ci t ONT
9
ONT ONT
10
PHX TRE 24th 240
Vollstedt 73 INDY
12
MIL POC
19
MCH
22
MIL MCH TRE TRE
Lodestar Lola Lola T332 Chevrolet 5.0 V8 PHX
23
1975 Vollstedt Enterprises Vollstedt 73 Offy 159 ci t ONT ONT
11
ONT
16
PHX TRE INDY
18
MIL
12
POC
21
MCH
16
27th 115
Vollstedt 72/75 MIL
9
MCH TRE PHX
19
1976 Leader Card Racers Eagle 74 Offy 159 ci t PHX
20
TRE
17
MIL
11
POC
29
MCH
12
TWS
7
TRE
21
MIL
7
ONT
5
MCH
9
TWS
14
PHX
18
13th 820
Eagle 72 INDY
14
1977 Leader Card Racers Eagle 74 Offy 159 ci t ONT
4
PHX
4
TWS
12
TRE
15
MOS
8
MIL
4
PHX
19
9th 1370
Watson 77 INDY
6
MIL
7
POC
29
MCH
11
TWS
10
ONT
28
MCH
15
1978 AMI Racing Wildcat Mk 2 DGS 158 ci t PHX
15
ONT
7
TWS
12
TRE
8
INDY
21
POC
15
MCH
8
ATL TWS MIL
10
ONT MCH
4
TRE SIL BRH PHX
18
16th 764
Leader Card Racers Eagle 74 Offy 159 ci t MOS
14
Watson 77 MIL
6
1979 AMI Racing Lola T500B Cosworth DFX V8t ONT
6
TWS
12
INDY
14
MIL
3
POC
8
TWS
2
MIL
2
3rd 1305
1980 AMI Racing Lola T500B Cosworth DFX V8t ONT INDY
8
MIL POC MDO 12th 250
1981-82 Gohr Racing Penske PC-7 Chevrolet 355 ci V8 INDY
20
POC
3
3rd 1280
Info not available ISF
12
DSF
2
INF
5
HBK Racing Eagle 81 Chevrolet 355 ci V8 INDY
18
1982-83 Info not available ISF DSF
25
NAZ NC 0
HBK Racing Eagle 81 Chevrolet 355 ci V8 INDY
DNQ
1983-84 Info not available DSF
17
33rd 8
Scott Cole March 81C Cosworth DFX V8t INDY
DNQ
Source:[5]

PPG Indy Car World Series edit

PPG Indy Car World Series results
Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos. Pts Ref
1979 AMI Racing Lola T500B Cosworth DFX V8t PHX ATL ATL INDY
14
TRE TRE MCH MCH WGL TRE ONT MCH ATL PHX NC 0 [6]
1980 AMI Racing Lola T500B Cosworth DFX V8t ONT INDY
8
MIL POC MDO MCH WGL MIL
14
ONT MCH MEX PHX 26th 260 [7]
1981 Gohr Racing Penske PC-7 Chevrolet 355 ci V8 PHX MIL
9
ATL ATL MCH
5
RIV MIL
24
MCH
9
WGL MEX PHX
11
12th 60 [8]
1982 HBK Racing Eagle 81 Chevrolet 355 ci V8 PHX ATL MIL
18
CLE
DNQ
MCH
5
MIL
22
POC
25
RIV ROA MCH
20
PHX 20th 32 [9]
1983 HBK Racing Eagle 81 Chevrolet 355 ci V8 ATL INDY
DNQ
MIL
15
CLE
DNQ
MCH
29
ROA POC RIV MDO MCH NC 0 [10]
Jet Engineering Eagle 82 CPL
DNQ
LAG
17
PHX
DNQ
1984 Scott Cole March 81C Cosworth DFX V8t LBH PHX INDY
DNQ
NA - [11]
Dale Coyne Racing Eagle 82 Chevrolet 355 ci V8 MIL
DNQ
POR MEA CLE MCH ROA POC MDO SAN MCH PHX LAG CPL
1985 Leader Card Racers March 85C Cosworth DFX V8t LBH INDY
DNQ
MIL
18
POR MEA CLE MCH
26
ROA POC
23
MDO SAN MCH LAG PHX MIA 47th 0 [12]
1988 Dayton-Walther March 86C Cosworth DFX V8t PHX LBH INDY
DNQ
MIL POR CLE TOR MEA MCH POC MDO ROA NAZ LAG MIA NA - [13]
1989 Burns Racing March 86C Cosworth DFX V8t PHX LBH INDY
DNQ
MIL DET POR CLE MEA TOR MCH POC MDO ROA NAZ LAG NA - [14]
Source:[5]
Indianapolis 500 edit
Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
1970 Huffaker Chevrolet DNQ Carl Gehlhausen
1972 Eagle Chevrolet DNQ Ray W Smith
1973 Vollstedt Offenhauser DNQ Vollstedt Enterprises
1974 Vollstedt Offenhauser 23 12 Vollstedt Enterprises
1975 Vollstedt Offenhauser 33 18 Vollstedt Enterprises
1976 Eagle Offenhauser 32 14 Leader Card Racers
1977 Eagle Offenhauser 22 6 Thermo King
1978 Wildcat DGS 18 21 AMI Racing
1979 Lola Cosworth 30 14 AMI Racing
1980 Lola Cosworth 31 8 AMI Racing
1981 Penske Chevrolet 14 20 Gohr Racing
1982 Eagle Chevrolet 31 18 HBK Racing
1983 Eagle Chevrolet DNQ HBK Racing
1984 March Cosworth DNQ Scott Cole
1985 March Cosworth DNQ Leader Card Racers
1988 March Cosworth DNQ Dayton-Walther
1989 March Cosworth DNQ Burns Racing

NASCAR edit

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series edit

NASCAR Winston Cup Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 NWCC Pts Ref
1986 Ball Motorsports 99 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL
40
RSD 121st 43 [15]

ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series edit

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 ABSC Pts Ref
1985 Info not available ATL DAY ATL TAL ATL SSP IRP CSP FRS IRP OEF ISF DSF
22
TOL 74th - [16]
1986 Bigelow Racing 96 Dodge ATL DAY ATL TAL
37
SIR SSP FRS KIL CSP TAL BLN ISF DSF TOL MCS ATL NA 0 [17]
1987 60 Pontiac DAY ATL TAL DEL ACS TOL ROC POC FRS KIL TAL FRS ISF
32
INF
15
DSF
15
SLM ATL 46th - [18]
1988 DAY ATL TAL
38
FRS PCS ROC POC WIN KIL ACS SLM
26
POC TAL DEL FRS ISF
22
DSF
40
SLM
4
ATL 32nd - [19]
1989 DAY
DNQ
TAL
DNQ
DEL FRS ISF
29
TOL DSF
28
SLM
25
ATL 34th - [20]
Chevy ATL
17
KIL TAL FRS POC KIL HAG POC
1990 Pontiac DAY ATL KIL TAL FRS POC KIL TOL HAG
10
POC
13
TAL MCH
27
ISF
27
TOL DSF
30
WIN
26
DEL ATL
34
24th - [21]
1991 DAY ATL KIL TAL TOL FRS POC MCH KIL FRS DEL POC TAL HPT MCH ISF TOL DSF
23
TWS ATL 103rd - [22]
1992 DAY FIF TWS TAL TOL KIL POC MCH FRS KIL NSH DEL POC HPT FRS ISF
27
TOL DSF
12
TWS SLM
17
ATL 60th - [23]
1993 DAY FIF TWS TAL KIL CMS FRS TOL POC MCH FRS POC KIL ISF
36
DSF
21
TOL SLM
25
WIN
20
ATL 40th - [24]
1994 8 DAY TAL FIF LVL KIL TOL FRS MCH DMS POC POC KIL FRS INF
20
I70 ISF WIN
21
ATL 44th 350 [25]
01 Chevy DSF
27
TOL SLM
1995 Bigelow Racing 8 Pontiac DAY ATL TAL FIF KIL FRS MCH I80 MCS FRS POC POC KIL FRS SBS LVL ISF
23
SLM
23
55th 565 [26]
Chevy DSF
6
WIN
19
ATL
1996 Pontiac DAY ATL SLM TAL FIF LVL CLT CLT KIL FRS POC MCH FRS TOL POC MCH INF
7
SBS ISF
18
DSF
11
KIL SLM WIN
23
CLT ATL 54th - [27]
1997 Chevy DAY
DNQ
ATL SLM CLT CLT POC MCH
33
SBS TOL KIL FRS MIN POC MCH 95th - [28]
Pontiac DSF
15
GTW SLM WIN CLT TAL ISF ATL
1998 Chevy DAY
DNQ
ATL SLM CLT MEM MCH POC SBS TOL PPR POC KIL FRS ISF ATL DSF SLM TEX WIN CLT TAL ATL NA - [29]

References edit

  1. ^ "Tom Bigelow". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  2. ^ a b c Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b c d e f Tunnicliff, Greg (July 2, 2012). "Must See Racing announcer, Tom Bigelow, likes keeping busy". Flint Journal. Retrieved May 28, 2015.
  4. ^ NASCAR statistics at racing-reference.info
  5. ^ a b "Champcar complete – Tom Bigelow". OldRacingCars. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
  6. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1979 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  7. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1980 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  8. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1981 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  9. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1982 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  10. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1983 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  11. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1984 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  12. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1985 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  13. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1988 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  14. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1989 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  15. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1986 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  16. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1985 ARCA Talladega SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  17. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1986 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  18. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1987 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  19. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1988 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  20. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1989 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  21. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1990 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  22. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1991 ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  23. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1992 ARCA SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  24. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1993 ARCA Hooters SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  25. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1994 ARCA Hooters SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  26. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1995 ARCA Hooters SuperCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  27. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1996 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  28. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1997 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
  29. ^ "Tom Bigelow – 1998 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved February 13, 2019.