Tommy milton land speed racing history greg wapling. Retired in 1927 to become an engineer with packard. Milton was the first driver to win the indianapolis 500 race twice. In those days, a mechanic rode in the car during the race, and murphy rode with some of the eras top drivers, including tommy milton, eddie richenbacker, ralph depalma and harry hartz. Most we have are very sharp and the flaws repaired. Driver tommy milton was then at the top of his game and came here with a powerful twinengine dusenberg to try for the coveted world land speed record. Milton was a gifted driver with a mechanical mind who modified a number of cars he raced. Historical 1925 photograph race car driver tommy milton.
At his suggestion, the tradition of giving the race winner the pace car began that year. They recruited the services of race car driver, tommy milton. Paul, minnesota died july 10, 1962 place of death mount clemens, michigan racing highlights. Driving for the duesenberg team, murphy scored the first allamerican win in grand prix racing, a feat that would not be duplicated until dan gurney won the 1967. Milton hired upandcoming driver jimmy murphy to help prepare the car while milton competed in a race in havana, cuba. Murphys career as a professional driver started in 1915, when he was hired as a mechanic on the racing circuit.
He began his career in racing in 1914, competing on dirt tracks through the midwest and was competing nationwide in the daytona circuit by 1917. Jimmy murphy was a hero in american motor racing during the early 1920s the golden age of the sport in the united states. April 8, 1920 veteran racing driver tommy milton brought a twinengine double duesey, duesenberg to daytona beach in an attempt to break the world land speed record held, at that time, by ralph depalma. I have to say i was shocked when i read last weeks list of the sports greatest drivers. Oneeyed tommy and gentle jimmy motor sport magazine. The story of tommy milton and jimmy murphy is one of friendship gone awry. I have listed the drivers from the scrapbook by the year they parrished. Motorsports hall of fame of america tommy milton, historic, class of 1998 of all the successful american racing drivers in the first three decades of.
That ill health sadly led to him committing suicide in 1962. April 8, 1920 veteran racing driver tommy milton brought. Paul, minnesota, milton began his career in racing in 1914, competing on dirt tracks in the midwestern united states. The tale of tommy milton and jimmy murphy gordon kirby. He was notable for having only one functional eye, a disability that would have disqualified him from competing in modern motorsports. At the age of i7, he joined a barnstorming exhibition team driving a mercer, but the ambitious milton soon tired of the fixed results of the races in which. He was twice us champion, he won the most famous race of all, the indianapolis 500 miles, and he became the first american driver to win a european grand prix. His chief rival, ralph depalma, had raised the record to 149 m. He was notable for having only one functional eye, a disability that would have disqualified him from competing in. Please let me know if you know of a better way to create this page or if i have misidentified anyone. Paul native, has been called the greatest race driver of the first half of the 20th century.
Pace car driver tommy milton the first twotime race winner who had since retired from racing suggested that the race winner should take home the. Tommy milton was the first twotime winner of the indianapolis 500. Click on the site to see tommy milton s career results at that track glossary. Tommy milton was a great driver that raced from 1914 thru to retirement in 1927 after his last indianapolis 500, a race which he won twice in. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. American racecar driver tommy milton sits behind the wheel of his duesenberg racecar before attempting to set a land speed record on the hardpacked sand at daytona beach, florida, in 1920. Driver tommy milton indianapolis motor speedway may 1921 indianapolis, indiana. Paul minnesota, on november 14, 1893, he was best known as the first twotime winner of the indianapolis 500 in 1921 and 1923. Click on the year to see the standings for that year.
Click on the race number to see the complete results for that race. Milton suffered from serious vision defects, yet, amongst other things. He had earlier shown promise as an automobile engineer and worked as a builder and tuner of racing cars. Driver tommy milton 1924 aaa champ car series results. American racecar driver tommy milton sits behind the wheel. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Tommy milton in his race car at the daytona beach road course in 1920, courtesy of the florida photographic collection. After winning the elgin national road race, held in elgin, illinois on 23 august 1919, duesenberg race car driver tommy milton began to focus on one of his top goals.
At the 1936 race, tommy milton returned to the indianapolis motor speedway to drive the packard 120 pace car. Of all the successful american racing drivers in the first three decades of this century, there is one who stands almost alone for his level of achievementtom milton. Milton suffered from serious vision defects, yet, amongst other things, won indianapolis twice, in 1921 and 1923 and was twice national champion. The original was a 1930 miller indy car driven by wilbur show, who raced it at west coast tracks, including at speed trials on the dry lakes.
Tommy milton, world champion speed racer, today piloted an american car to the finish line first in the ninth renewal of the national racing classic the 500mile dash around the indianapolis speedway. Tommy milton s early ambition to become a racing driver, because he simply memorised the standardised eyesight test cards of the day. Tommy milton tommy milton was the first driver to win the indianapolis 500 twice. Veteran racing driver tommy milton brought a twinengine double duesey, duesenberg to daytona beach in an attempt to break the world land speed record held, at that time, by ralph depalma. Later became chief steward at indianapolis and worked in realestate until illhealth forced his retirement in 1957. Tommy milton november 14, 1893 july 10, 1962 was an american race car driver best known as the first twotime winner of the indianapolis 500. This reprint photograph shows tommy milton, winner of the 1921 indy 500, at the wheel of his frontenac race car before the start of the race in 1921. Four spots ahead of corum 1923 indianapolis 500 was the race s first twotime winner tommy milton in his white and red trimmed hcs special. The story of tommy milton and jimmy murphy is one of friendship gone awry and ultimate tragedy. The greatest display of skill, nerve, and daring kc.
Tommy milton milton indianapolis motor speedway museum. Click on the site to see tommy miltons career results. Some of the days are the day of the paper not necessarily the day the race driver died. But as proof that there is nothing new under the racing sun, they fell out in a manner that predated the late ayrton senna and alain prost by nearly 65 years. Chevrolet brothers photo library race cars 19241935. The initials hcs in this case stood for automotive pioneer harold clayton stutz and the hcs motor car company with its fourstory reinforced concrete factory building located at 1402 north capitol avenue in indianapolis.
Tommy milton tommy miltons early ambition to become a racing driver, because he simply memorised the standardised eyesight test cards of the day. You can click on the link to see a slideshow, per say, of the newspaper clippings. Milton, tommy historic 1998 inductees hall of fame. Year, age, races, win, t5, t10, pole, laps, led, earnings, rank, avst, avfn, raf, llf, dnq, wd. Driver tommy milton won the race at an incredible average speed of 107 mph. During his 11year racing career, pacemaker driver tommy milton won 20 aaa championship races, and along with his two indianapolis 500mile race victories in 1921 and 1923, he also finished in top ten three times in just eight starts at the indianapolis motor speedway. Tommy milton racing career profile driver database. Miller created some of the more advanced designs and engineering marvels of the early 1900s. Tommy milton, historic, class of 1998 of all the successful american racing drivers in the first three decades of this century, there is one who stands almost alone for his level of achievementtom milton.
Pages in category racing drivers who committed suicide the following 12 pages are in this category, out of 12 total. His first major victory came in the fall of 1917 at providence, rhode island, in a 100mile event. Of all the successful american racing drivers in the first three decades of this century, there is one who stands almost. In short order, milton became the man to beat when duesenberg developed their straighteight racing engine. Driver tommy milton with art chevrolet indianapolis motor speedway may 1925 indianapolis, indiana. Tommy milton first twotime winner of the indianapolis 500. Tommy milton nationality american born november 14, 1893 hometown st. Chevrolet brothers photo library race cars 19211923. Paul, minnesota died july 10, 1962 place of death mount clemens, michigan. Milton joined the duesenberg team and worked his way into the top driver role. Missing from the list were three of americas greatest racers of alltime tommy milton, jimmy murphy and frank lockhart giants of american national championship racing during the great boardtrack era of the roaring 20s. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. Duesenbergmilton land speed record car old machine press. In 1949 milton was appointed chief steward for the indianapolis.
The race was postponed one day due to rain, but on september 17, 1922, all of the preparations came to fruition. To everyone except milton s surprise, murphy won that february 14, 1920 race. While working at shell oil, filmmaker bill mason, produced a series about the early days of motor racing. After being fired, the young standout would begin his driving career on. Through the influence of duesenbergs number one driver, tommy milton, murphy was given a factory car to drive in the inaugural race at the beverly hills speedway, a superfast, 1. Driver tommy milton 1921 aaa champ car series results racing. Thomas milton november 14, 1893 july 10, 1962 was an american race car driver best known as the first twotime winner of the indianapolis 500. This film picks up after wwi with an early look at racing at the. Profile for racing driver tommy milton from united states. Milton won five races and set several closedcourse speed records.