Duane Carter
Duane Carter (May 5, 1913 – March 7, 1993) was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars.[2] Carter was born in Fresno, California, and he died in Indianapolis, Indiana. His son Pancho raced in Indy cars, along with Johnny Parsons (who he helped raise[3]).
Born | Fresno, California | May 5, 1913
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Died | March 7, 1993 79)[1] Indianapolis, Indiana | (aged
Formula One World Championship career | |
Nationality | |
Active years | 1950–1955, 1959–1960 |
Teams | Kurtis Kraft, Kuzma, Lesovsky, Stevens, Deidt |
Entries | 8 |
Championships | 0 |
Wins | 0 |
Podiums | 1 |
Career points | 6.5 |
Pole positions | 0 |
Fastest laps | 0 |
First entry | 1950 Indianapolis 500 |
Last entry | 1960 Indianapolis 500 |
Racing career
Midget cars
Carter started racing midgets at the 1/5 mile dirt track in the west side of Fresno while attending Fresno State University. He was one of six drivers who went to Western Springs Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand in 1937. He was a consistent winner on the Nutley board track in 1939 while future journalist Chris Economaki was his unofficial crew chief. He won the 1940 Detroit VFW Motor Speedway title, the 1942 championship at Sportsman Park in Cleveland. He captured a 500 lap victory in his midget car at the 1947 Los Angeles Coliseum Motordome after Danny Oakes was initially declared the winner.[2]
Sprint cars
He moved up to the sprint cars, and won the 1950 Midwest division.[2]
Indy Cars
He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1948-1955, 1959–1960, and 1963 seasons with 47 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in each season. He finished in the top ten 23 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1953 at Phoenix. In his last race, at the Indy 500, he drove the innovative John Crosthwaite designed Harvey Aluminium Special ‘roller skate car’ with the then pioneering low profile, wide racing tyres and a stock Chevrolet engine. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
USAC director
He retired from competition in 1956 to take the Competition Director position for USAC. He returned to competition in 1959 after Henry Banks took over the position.[2]
Career awards
- Carter was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame in 1967.[9]
- He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1991.
- He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1989.[2]
Indianapolis 500 results
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* shared drive with Sam Hanks
** shared drive with Troy Ruttman
- Carter drove over 4,300 miles (6,900 km) at Indianapolis without leading a lap. This currently ranks 4th on the all-time list.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | WDC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1950 | Murrell Belanger | Stevens | Offenhauser L4 | GBR | MON | 500 12 |
SUI | BEL | FRA | ITA | NC | 0 | |||
1951 | Mobiloil / Rotary Engineering | Deidt Tuffanelli Derrico | Offenhauser L4 | SUI | 500 8 |
BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA | ESP | NC | 0 | ||
1952 | Belanger Motors | Lesovsky | Offenhauser L4 | SUI | 500 4 |
BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | NED | ITA | 15th | 3 | ||
1953 | Bardahl / Ed Walsh | Kurtis Kraft 4000 | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | 500 3 † |
NED | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA | 13th= | 2 | |
1954 | Automobile Shippers / Casaroll | Kurtis Kraft 500A | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | 500 4 * |
BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA | ESP | 23rd= | 1.5 | |
1955 | J.C. Agajanian | Kuzma Indy Roadster | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 11 |
BEL | NED | GBR | ITA | NC | 0 | |||
1959 | Smokey Yunick | Kurtis Kraft 500H | Offenhauser L4 | MON | 500 7 |
NED | FRA | GBR | GER | POR | ITA | USA | NC | 0 | |
1960 | Thompson / Ensley & Murphy | Kuzma Indy Roadster | Offenhauser L4 | ARG | MON | 500 12 |
NED | BEL | FRA | GBR | POR | ITA | USA | NC | 0 |
- † Indicates shared drive with Sam Hanks after retiring his own car.
- * Indicates shared drive with Troy Ruttman. Carter's own car finished 15th after being taken over by Marshall Teague, Jimmy Jackson and Tony Bettenhausen.
References
- "Duane Carter; Race Car Driver, 79". The New York Times. 9 March 1993. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
- Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- Biography for Johnny Parsons at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- Road & Track magazine June 1963
- Motor Trend magazine June 1963
- Car & Driver magazine June 1963
- Car and Driver magazine August 1963
- Indianapolis 500 Mile Race USAC Yearbook 1963. Floyd Clymer
- "Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home". Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame | Home. Archived from the original on 2017-07-31. Retrieved 2017-02-02.