Elmer George

Elmer Ray George (July 15, 1928 – May 31, 1976)[1] was an American race car driver.

Elmer George
Born(1928-07-15)July 15, 1928
Hockerville, Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedMay 31, 1976(1976-05-31) (aged 47)
Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality American
Active years1955, 1957–1958
TeamsKuzma, Kurtis Kraft, Schroeder
Entries3 (1 start)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1955 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1958 Indianapolis 500

Born in Hockerville, Oklahoma, George died in Terre Haute, Indiana. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1956–1963 seasons with 64 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1957, 1962, and 1963.[2]

He finished in the top ten 36 times, with one victory, in 1957 at Syracuse.

George was also the 1957 USAC Sprint Car Series champion.

Complete AAA/USAC Championship Car results
Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Points
1954 INDY
 MIL
 LAN DAR
 SPR
 MIL
 DUQ
 PIK
 SYR
 ISF
DNQ		 SAC
 PHX
 LVG
 - 0
1955 INDY
DNQ		 MIL LAN SPR MIL
 DUQ
 PIK
 SYR ISF SAC
7		 PHX
DNQ		 37th 60
1956 INDY
 MIL
18		 LAN
8		 DAR
7		 ATL
19		 SPR
DNQ		 MIL
20		 DUQ
6		 SYR
18		 ISF
14		 SAC
5		 PHX
7		 20th 410
1957 INDY
33		 LAN
17		 MIL
7		 DET
5		 ATL
15		 SPR
6		 MIL
6		 DUQ
4		 SYR
1		 ISF
6		 TRE
21		 SAC
10		 PHX
16		 10th 830
1958 TRE
12		 INDY
DNQ		 MIL
17		 LAN
13		 ATL
8		 SPR
2		 MIL
DNQ		 DUQ
DNS		 SYR
16		 ISF
10		 TRE
DNQ		 SAC
17		 PHX
8		 19th 300
1959 DAY
6		 TRE
6		 INDY
DNQ		 MIL
DNQ		 LAN
5		 SPR
 MIL
 DUQ
 SYR
 ISF
 TRE
 SAC
 PHX
 25th 233
1960 TRE INDY MIL
 LAN
DNQ		 SPR
3		 MIL
 DUQ
14		 SYR
8		 ISF
DNQ		 TRE
 SAC
13		 PHX
6		 21st 270
1961 TRE
8		 INDY
 MIL
8		 LAN
4		 MIL
DNQ		 SPR
8		 DUQ
14		 SYR
6		 ISF
15		 TRE
 SAC
6		 PHX
9		 13th 470
1962 TRE
DNQ		 INDY
17		 MIL
18		 LAN
DNQ		 TRE
DNQ		 SPR
10		 MIL
17		 LAN
DNQ		 SYR
18		 ISF
18		 TRE
 SAC
3		 PHX
16		 18th 229
1963 TRE INDY
30		 MIL
 LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC
DNQ		 PHX - 0
1964 PHX
 TRE
 INDY
DNQ		 MIL
 LAN TRE
 SPR MIL
 DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX - 0

Indianapolis 500 results

World Championship career summary

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. George participated in the 1957 Indianapolis 500, his only World Championship race. He finished 33rd and did not accumulate any championship points.

1962 Bobby Ball Memorial race

On November 18, 1962, George suffered cuts and a left shoulder injury in a USAC Champ Car race held at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Having hit another car's bumper, George lost control of his HOW Special, hit the guard rail before the grandstand, slid and headed towards the stands where he broke through a chain-link fence, landing upside down. 22 spectators were injured as a result.[3]

Personal

Elmer George was married to Mari Hulman George, daughter of Tony Hulman, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.[4] Elmer and Mari had three daughters and one son, Tony George, founder of the Indy Racing League, and Ex-CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Elmer had two children from a previous marriage, Joseph F. George and Carolyn Coffey.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, George was the director of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.[5]

On May 3, 1976, Mari filed for divorce.[6] On the day of the 1976 Indianapolis 500 (May 30, 1976), Elmer George argued by telephone with Guy Trolinger, a horse trainer at the family farm near Terre Haute, and Mari's alleged boyfriend.[6] After the race, George drove to the farm, broke into the house and confronted Trolinger, then around 1:00 a.m., gunfire broke out, and George was shot and killed as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.[6][7] A grand jury ruled that Trolinger killed George in self-defense at which charges were dropped.[6][8]

Award

He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2005.

gollark: Indeed. Much easier.
gollark: I don't actually know.
gollark: How many synapses do humans have again?
gollark: Well, my brain can probably fit in less than a yottabyte.
gollark: For example: a 3D printer will let you make random plastic parts cheaply, *but* it needs microprocessors to work, and silicon fabs are literally the most capital intensive industry.

References
  1. "Elmer George". Chicane F1. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  2. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 2, 2012. WFNI.
  3. "Race car hits crowd, hurts 23". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press. November 19, 1962.
  4. "Husband drives wife's racing car". Milwaukee Sentinel. June 6, 1957.
  5. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 2, 2012. WFNI.
  6. Oreovicz, John (2011-05-16). "Indy at 100: Fatalities mar the '70s". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  7. "Ind. horse trainer held in love triangle shooting". Nashua Telegraph. United Press International. June 1, 1976.
  8. "Trollinger [Trolinger] cleared in George death". Wilmington Morning Star. United Press International. June 5, 1976.
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