Happy Birthday!

[Vic Mackey]

May 1:

Ray Keech (b. 1900)

Keech's Indy Car career was brief but certainly eventful. His only full season came in 1928. He won three of the seven races that year (Detroit, Rockingham and Syracuse) and finished 2nd in points. Along with that, he set a new land world speed record of 207.55 mph that April. He would reach even greater heights in 1929, winning the Indy 500 in only his second try. His story doesn't go much longer though. A little over two weeks later he was killed in an Indy Car race on the Altoona boards. Here's Keech aboard his Indy winner:

http://www.taurtoisemotorsports.com/twenties/twenties%20pix/1929%20indy%20500-%20ray%20keech%20(miller)%201st.jpg

Jan Heylen (32)

A former Formula Ford Festival winner, Heylen made an unusual jump to Champ Car in 2006, coming from the Renault Eurocup series. He spent a season and a half in the series, capped off by a 2nd place run at Assen. A brief return attempt at Indy Lights didn't take off despite a 2nd place finish in his one start, and he's now racing in the Pirelli World Challenge this year. Here he is in that 2nd place run:

http://www.thegrid.co.uk/assen%20Cha...ars/Heylen.jpg

Juan Caceres (28)

Caceres came from seemingly nowhere to appear every so briefly on the Indy Car scene. After spending a few years in minor European formula series he became the 2nd Uruguayan driver to race in Indy Car, making one start for Dale Coyne in 2006. He finished 15th at Road America, and then disappeared. Here he is getting a little help from the safety team that day:

http://www.deepthrottle.com/Photo/ro...aceres_off.jpg

Earl Howe (b. 1884)

Earl Howe isn't his actual name, but it's a whole lot quicker to say than 5th Earl Howe, Edward Richard Francis Assheton, Viscount Curzon. A member of the British parliament, Howe didn't take up racing until the age of 44, but he took to it quickly. Just three years after his debut he won the 1931 24 Hours of Le Mans aboard an Alfa Romeo. He won several other sports car races in the 1930s as well. His lone Indy Car appearance came at the Vanderbilt Cup in 1936. He started all the way back in 41st, but drove through the field to a 13th place finish. Here he is preparing to take to the track there:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/vc...dited-2-21.jpg

Kevin Whitesides (48)

Whitesides spent some time racing Super Vees before moving to the American Indycar Series, where he finished as championship runner-up during the inaugural 1988 season. He showed up at Indianapolis in 1989, but was unable to complete his rookie test due to mechanical issues. He went back to AIS afterward, with no further Indy Car attempts. Here's a promo picture from his Indy attempt:

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/1...sides895nb.jpg

Albert Romine (b. 1890)

Another obscure early Indy entrant, there isn't much out there on Romine. Romine was a local driver who entered in 1912, but failed to make the field in his Continental. No photo available.

[11rowsof3]

Love this thread! Great work!

[Deutsch]

Love this thread! Great work!

+1

I'm really enjoying reading this thread (almost) every day! Great work Vic!

[Vic Mackey]

May 2:

Buzz Calkins (41)

Calkins had spent three winless seasons in Indy Lights before moving up in 1996. He got his name in the record books for winning the very first IRL race at Orlando, and went on to be co-champ that year (how did they not have a tiebreaker system?). Race #1 wound up being the high point. He stayed on through 2001, but never really came close to taking another win. Here he is touring the Orlando track with a friend, and looking so thrilled to be doing it:

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2010/0517...uzzcts_576.jpg

Tony Adamowicz (71)

Adamowicz was an accomplished road racer, winning the Trans-Am under 2 liter class title in 1968 and the F5000 championship in 1969. He came to Indy in 1970 and was running fast enough to make the field, but an inadvertent yellow light came on during his run and ruined a lap when he slowed. He wound up being knocked out of the field as a result. He also failed to qualify in 1971. He returned to sports cars, winning three IMSA GT titles in the early 80s. Here he pulls out of the pit lane at Indy in 1970:

http://www.a2zracer.com/img315.jpg

Jean de Marguenat (b. 1893)

de Marguenat was a French count who took up sports car racing in the 1920s. He made three starts in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923-25, coming home 7th in his final try. His one Indy Car appearance was something completely different, entering a Bugatti on the board track at Atlantic City. He suffered engine troubles however and was unable to qualify. After his driving days the count went on to become a movie director. Here he is at Le Mans in 1925:

http://www.lemans-history.com/imagens/1925/23lm25a.jpg

Alessandro Cagno (b. 1883)

Cagno began his racing career back in 1902, and achieved success in hill climbs. In 1906 he became the winner of the first ever Targa Florio, a grueling sports car race in the Sicilian mountains. He later worked for Fiat, as their chief tester for both cars and planes. His lone Indy Car entry involved Fiat, as he was entered to drive one on the Cincinnati boards in 1917, but the car never appeared. Here's a head shot of Cagno:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/im..._1-292x230.jpg

Ben Lawwell (b. 1888)

Lawwell was a local racer who took part when the Indy Cars made their first visit to the Columbus Driving Park in 1912. He came home 5th aboard a Westcott in his only Indy Car start. No photo available.

[Danicafan]

And my birthday is today as well....I drove an indycar at IMS in 2008..

[Vic Mackey]

May 3:

Ed Pimm (56)

Slow day today, as Pimm is our only birthday boy. He was a Super Vee veteran who took the series title in 1983 and made the move up to CART the next year. 1985 was easily the best of his three full seasons, highlighted by 5th and 3rd place finishes at MIS. He only made a couple of starts in 1987-88 while dabbling in NASCAR those years as well. He's one of the more unlikely names you'll find on the list of drivers who have raced in both the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500. Here he is at Milwaukee in 1986:

http://www.carsandracingstuff.com/li...p/pimmed01.jpg

[Vic Mackey]

May 4:

Hurley Haywood (64)

Haywood has been one of the top endurance racers ever, with five Daytona wins, three at Le Mans and two at Sebring. He's also got a Trans-Am and two IMSA GT titles to his credit. He also made a few Indy Car appearance, with five starts in the early 1980s. A 10th in his last race, at Phoenix in 1982, was his best. Here he is prior to his first start, the 1980 Indianapolis 500:

http://www.imscdn.com/gallery/500/in...ywood-9924.jpg

Luiz Garcia, Jr. (41)

Garcia had a pair of inconsistent Indy Lights seasons, though he did pull off one win from pole at Cleveland in 1998. He made the move up with a partial season in 1999 before running the whole year in 2000 and two races in 2001. The fact that he never qualified better than 22nd in 31 starts pretty much tells you everything you need to know. Here he is at Elkhart Lake in 2000:

http://mwphoto.smugmug.com/Cars/CART...27_53NqS-L.jpg

Randy Tolsma (46)

Tolsma came out of the USAC ranks to take a crack at Indy in 1996. He wasn't able to find the necessary speed however, and missed the show. He entered the Loudon race later that summer but withdrew, and that was it for his Indy Car career. He went NASCAR truck racing afterward, and picked up a pair of wins there before leaving the series in 2002. Here he is having a bit of an issue at Indy:

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...BXMMCaSarMezaw

Dickie Reese (87)

Reese was a star on the California midget scene. The BCRA was the circuit where he did the most damage, eventually being inducted into the series Hall of Fame. He came to Indy in 1956 to drive a Kurtis-Offy, but was unable to make the field. It was his only Indy Car attempt. Here he is poising behind the wheel of one of his old rides, now restored:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a...3&d=1236905228

Floyd O'Neal (b. 1900)

Tennessee's Floyd O'Neal came up on the dirt tracks of the Southeast and Midwest in the late 1920s. He had one attempt at Indy in 1935, but didn't qualify. Here's his entry:

http://winfield.50megs.com/Cowley/ph...ydO%27Neal.jpg

Harry Falt (b. 1895)

Not much out there on Harry Falt's career. His only Indy Car run was a DNQ at Indy in 1933. No photo available.

[Vic Mackey]

May 5:

Art Pollard (b. 1927)

Pollard was a champion supermodified racer in the Northwest in the late 50s and early 60s before making his Indy Car debut in 1965. He found Victory Circle in an unusual way for the first time in 1969. Eliminated in a first lap accident at Milwaukee, he took over the car of teammate Greg Weld after the red flag, running all but the first lap in the car and taking it to victory. He won in a more conventional way later that year at Dover, in what would be the only Indy Car win by a Plymouth engine. Pollard would be killed in practice at Indy in 1973. Here he is racing at Riverside in 1968:

http://www.tamsoldracecarsite.net/MartinHill09006.jpg

Duane Carter (b. 1913)

Father of Pancho Carter, Duane had a lengthy Indy Car career of his own, first appearing in 1947 and making his last try in 1964. His career was a bit inconsistent, but he did put together some nice races, headed by a 2nd place finish at Phoenix in 1953. He never won a national championship event, but he did win a non-points race held in Arlington, TX at the start of the 1950 season. Here he is at Indy in 1953, leading Bill Vukovich:

http://www.vukovichaccident.com/i612b.jpg

Glover Ruckstell (b. 1891)

While he spent more time as the team manager for the Mercer team, he also was a pretty good driver for them in the mid 1910s. In 13 Indy Car starts he finished in the top five over half the time, and has one win to his credit, on the Tacoma boards in 1915. Here he stands by his ride for the 1916 United States Grand Prize at Santa Monica; a broken valve would end his day:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...pcD9gwQmsbvnJg

Ronney Householder (b. 1908)

Householder was a midget star, taking back-to-back Turkey Night Grand Prix wins in 1936 and 1937. He also made his Indy 500 debut that year. He made three career Indy Car starts, the 1937 and 1938 Indy 500s and the 1937 Vanderbilt Cup, and started in 10th place for each one. He still holds a qualifying record at Indianapolis today. He was the fastest qualifier for the 1938 race, one of the years where qualifying runs lasted 10 laps instead of four, and has the fastest 10 lap run in track history. Here he is that year:

http://dlstatic.speedtv.com/imageser...kground=000000

George Mason (b. 1890)

Mason and his family had a very close tie to Duesenberg, having hired Fred Duesenberg to design cars for the Mason Motor Car Company. That relationship continued on the track, where George drove Duesenbergs, including in a handful of Indy Car races in the mid 1910s. He finished 2nd in his debut on the roads of Milwaukee, albeit in a three car race, and that would be his best finish. For a long time he had the distinction of being the only driver to ever race car #13 at Indianapolis, which he did in 1914. Here's that car:

http://ims.cdn.racersites.com/prod/p...94476/FULL.jpg

Jim Hillyer (65)

Hillyer was a Formula Ford racer who also had a background in stock cars and drag racing. He entered the 1984 Indianapolis 500, but his entry was declined due to lack of experience. He made no further Indy Car attempts. No photo available.

[Vic Mackey]

May 6:

Mike Borkowski (37)

Borkowski's first big appearance on the racing scene came in 1997, when he broke Tommy Kendall's 11 race win streak in Trans-Am and ended Kendall's hopes of a perfect season in the next-to-last race. He won the final race that year as well. In Indy Cars he has the odd distinction of starting a race without ever recording an official race start. His lone start came in the Charlotte race that was abandoned after a wheel went into the stands. He failed to qualify at Indy, and that was it for his Indy Car career. After a brief NASCAR detour he went back to sports cars, and was last seen at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2010. Here he is in the 1997 St. Petersburg Trans-Am race:

http://forums.themustangsource.com/g..._borkowski.jpg

Rene Dreyfus (b. 1905)

Though always relegated to privateer efforts, Dreyfus was still successful going against the large factory Grand Prix teams of the 1930s. His greatest win came in the 1930 GP of Monaco, and he won several smaller GP events as well during the decade. He came to Indianapolis in 1940, and though he didn't qualify he still saw extensive race action in relief of teammate Rene Le Begue. Here's the car they shared, restored and competing in a vintage race:

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...ti-8CTF_13.jpg

Andrea Chiesa (48)

Chiesa came through F3 and four seasons of F3000 (with one win) before moving to the Fondmetal F1 team in 1992. The car was terrible, and he missed most the races he entered with the team. He showed up in Surfers Paradise for the CART season opener in 1993, and it went about as well. He lasted all of two laps before electrical problems knocked him out of the race, giving him a 26th place finish in his only Indy Car race. He then moved on to GT and touring cars, where he spent well over a decade. Here he is failing to qualify the Fondmetal at Monaco in 1992:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Fondmetal.jpg

Buddy Marr (b. 1896)

A test driver by profession, Marr attempted four Indy Car races in 1927-28, including Indy both years, without ever making a start. He actually had qualified for the 1928 500, but the car (driven by Chet Miller) was wrecked after qualifying and couldn't start. He did eventually get in the 500 field as a car owner during the '30s. Marr lived to be 99 years old. Here he is in 1933, chatting with his driver Chet Miller:

http://www.imscdn.com/gallery/indyca...ller_35500.jpg

Walter Christie (b. 1865)

Christie is better known for his work with tanks than racing cars. He developed the suspension system used by quite a few European WWII era tanks. Long before his tanks designs though, he was a racer, competing in events such as the Vanderbilt Cup and French GP. His driving career ended after an accident in 1907. He appears on this list due to his entry at the Morris Park track in the Bronx during the 1905 AAA National Circuit Championship. He wound up not starting that race. Here's Christie at the Vanderbilt Cup in 1906:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/vc...r_edited-1.jpg

[Vic Mackey]

May 7:

Billy Roe (55)

Roe seemed to come out of nowhere when he first showed up in 1997 at nearly 40 years old, but he had made a handful of Atlantic start during the first half of the 90s as well as a couple of Indy Lights starts. He was that oddest of creatures, a Formula Atlantic oval specialist, as all but one of his starts came on an oval. He bounced around the IRL until 2002, with a 12th at Nashville in 2001 his best result. Here he rolls down the pit lane at Indy in 1997:

http://www.theautochannel.com/callahan/photos/roe02.jpg

Dave Steele (38)

Steele was plucked from the USAC ranks to make three IRL starts in 1998, though he didn't finish any of them. His Indy 500 hopes ended with a practice crash in 1999, and that was it for his Indy Car career. He's had greater success in USAC after his Indy adventure, with prestigious wins such as the Turkey Night and Copper World, and Silver Crown championships in 2004 and 2005. Here he is at Ft. Worth in 1998:

http://www.pantherracing.com/photos/...teele00001.jpg

Bud Rose (b. 1914)

Rose was a leading sprint car racer on the west coast in the 1940s and 1950s. Twice he came to Indianapolis (1946 and 1950) but did not qualify on either occasion. He does have a few National Championship starts though, as he's known to have run at least three sprint car races in 1946, when they counted for the title. Here he is in something different, racing a hardtop at Gardena, CA (that's fellow Indy Car driver Andy Linden following in the dark car):

http://www.fototime.com/%7B8566554D-...jalops_01c.jpg

[sf-indy-fan]

Get Billy in a Lotus for Indy!

[Vic Mackey]

I'm heading out on vacation, and since I doubt I'll be spending much of my first trip to Vegas playing around online, I'm going to post the next week's worth of birthdays ahead of time.

May 8:

Gaston Mazzacane (37)

After three largely unsuccessful seasons in F3000, Mazzacane made his F1 debut with Minardi in 2000. Between that season and a brief stint with Prost the next year, he wasn't able to score any points and fell from the F1 scene. He resurfaced as a mid-season replacement at Dale Coyne racing in 2004. He did manage to get a 6th at Toronto, but was mostly uncompetitive before being replace with two races to go. Here he is at Vancouver, where a pace lap incident knocked him out before he even started:

http://cdn-2.motorsport.com/static/i...16812/s1_1.jpg

John Hollansworth (81)

Father of the late 90s IRL driver, the senior Hollansworth came up through sprints and midgets on the western short tracks. He purchased an old front engined car in 1966 and attempted nine Indy Car races, making the field for three. A 10th in his debut at Phoenix would be his best. Here's his ride that season:

http://www.hotrodhotline.com/feature.../JH__038AA.jpg

Gene Bergin (b. 1932)

Bergin was one of the Northeast's top modified racers in a career that spanned nearly 30 years. He was adept on both the dirt and pavement, and was part of the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame's inaugural class in recognition of his skills. He made two NASCAR Cup level starts in 1956, and a dozen years later made his only Indy Car appearances. He entered four races in 1968, with one start. A blown engine knocked him out early at Trenton, leaving him 18th. Here he is behind the wheel of a sprint car:

http://www.racingthroughtime.com/ima...-98-Sprint.jpg

[Vic Mackey]

May 9:

Jim Hickman (b. 1943)

Hickman came from Super Vees up to Indy Cars in 1982. He started impressively with back-to-back 7th place finishes, the second of which earned him Rookie of the Year honors at Indianapolis. He missed the race at Milwaukee the next week, crashing out in practice and foreshadowing what was to come. When the series went back to Milwaukee that August, he again crashed in practice, this time dying as a result. Here he sits in the car, contemplating the next run:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/...c53f84ae37.jpg

Homer Ormsby (b. 1890)

Ormsby was a part of a racing family, racing on the dirt tracks along with his brother Ralph in the 1920s. Homer did get one shot to race at Indy, relieving Jack Curtner during the 1922 race. That's his only Indy Car appearance. No photo available.

[Glenn]

Have fun in Vegas!

[Vic Mackey]

May 10:

Helio Castroneves (37)

Pretty sure we're all familiar with this guy. Here he is on the way to his first Indy win in 2001:

http://media.caranddriver.com/images...s-original.jpg

George Barringer (b. 1906)

Barringer first started racing sprint cars in the 1920s, both as a driver and and owner, occasionally putting other drivers in his car. He made his first appearance in an Indy Car in 1932, and would keep racing in the series until 1946. A solid competitor, he would score a pair of 2nd place finishes (Springfield 1935 and Milwaukee 1939) as his best results. In 1941 he was one of the unlucky drivers who was forced to miss the Indy 500 when his car was destroyed in the garage fire. In 1946 he was killed in the same wreck as George Robson during the Indy Car race at Lakewood Speedway in Atlanta. Here's his rear engined Indy ride at 1941, before it burned to the ground:

http://www.imscdn.com/gallery/500/in..._Barringer.jpg

Sonny Helms (b. 1927)

Born in Iowa, Helms raced sprint cars throughout the region, racing in IMCA and USAC events in the 1950s and 1960s. 1963 saw him get his break in Indy Cars, as he made two dirt track appearances. He finished 13th in his debut at the Hoosier Hundred, and took 12th late that season in Phoenix. Those were his only starts, as he was killed in a supermodified the next year. Here's Helms in his Indy Car debut, he's the one on the far inside:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/a...0&d=1238511324

[Vic Mackey]

Have fun in Vegas!

Thanks, looking forward to it! We're going for a friend's 40th birthday, and we've been planning it since before his 39th, so I'm ready for it to get here already.

[Glenn]

Thanks, looking forward to it! We're going for a friend's 40th birthday, and we've been planning it since before his 39th, so I'm ready for it to get here already.

I go to Vegas a couple times a year since it's only 5 hours away by car. It's a blast. Enjoy and try not to lose all of your money.

[Vic Mackey]

May 11:

Dave Lewis (b. 1881)

Dave Lewis might be the most forgotten driver to ever win five Indy Car races. Lewis raced Indy Cars from 1911-1927, with most of his success coming later on as the board tracks came into the sport. All five of his wins came on board tracks, though he did pick up a 2nd place finish on the bricks in 1925. Things didn't end well for Lewis. He accidentally started a forest fire around his cabin in 1928, and shot himself in a panic. Here he poses prior to Indy in 1925:

http://indycar.cdn.racersites.com/pr...16624/FULL.jpg

Fred Roberts (b. 1893)

Roberts was a Midwestern dirt tracker and mechanic who made two appearances at Indy. He served as relief driver for a pair of 500 winners, just not during their winning drives. He relieved Billy Arnold in 1929 and Peter DePaolo in 1930. No photo available.

[Vic Mackey]

It's a pretty obscure lot for this day, so I'm afraid it will be short on details

May 12:

Walt May (b. 1904)

May had a relatively short career, spending five years racing sprint cars in California. He made one trip to Indianapolis in 1930, failing to qualify. He was killed in a race in San Jose the next summer. Here's a shot of May:

http://image2.findagrave.com/photos/...3310473040.jpg

Milton Mabe (b. 1918)

Mabe was a Colorado driver who raced at Pikes Peak three times during its first stint on the Indy Car calendar. He finished 14th in both his first appearance in 1949 and his last in 1952. No photo available.

Henry Turgeon (b. 1895)

Turgeon was a Pawtucket native who spent most of his time running at the local tracks. He did come west once to Indy in 1929, but failed to qualify. His lone Indy Car start came at Langhorne, an 11th place finish in 1930. No photo available.

Mervin Headley (b. 1896)

Headley was an amateur racer who took one crack at the big time, failing to qualify at Indy in 1921. And yet again, no photo available.

[Vic Mackey]

May 13:

Howard Gill (b. 1883)

Gill first got in auto racing shortly after the turn of last century. He took part in what is generally regarded as the first Indy Car race on the roads of Portland in 1909, recording a 4th place finish. That was his only Indy Car start. He would later go on to race balloons and then airplanes. That's how he would meet his end, as he died in a collision during an air race in 1912. Here's a headshot of Gill:

http://lincolnbeachey.com/gill01.jpg

Tom Cosman (b. 1908)

Cosman was born in Pennsylvania, but moved to California prior to his racing career. He appeared at Indy in 1937, but failed to qualify and retired soon after to focus on business. No photo available.

[Vic Mackey]

May 14:

Stephan Gregoire (43)

Gregoire came from complete obscurity to make the field at Indy in 1993. It wouldn't be until 1996 that he became a full time driver, staying in the IRL until into 2001, with one last one-off start at Indy five years later. He came within a quarter of a second of winning at Pikes Peak in 1997, but never made it to Victory Lane. Here he is at Indy in 1998:

http://www.theautochannel.com/callah...1/gregoi01.jpg

Max Dudley (76)

Dudley was better known for his Trans-Am exploits, but he also joined the Indy Car trail from 1968-1971 as a driver/owner. He never ran particularly quick (he never finished on the lead lap in 29 starts), but he did score a 6th place finish at the Castle Rock road course in Colorado in 1969. After a couple of years away he made one final start at Trenton in 1974. Here he is that weekend:

http://www.thevintageracer.com/trenton/014.jpg

Norm Hall (b. 1926)

Hall was a midget and sprint car driver who had a pretty tough introduction to the big cars. From 1958 to 1963 he entered 13 Indy Car races, and failed to qualify for 12 of them. Things finally clicked in 1964, when he made 12 starts, highlighted by a pair of 5ths at Trenton, and finished 8th in points. Even so, the four starts he made the next year would be his last. Here he is at Indy in 1961, where he squeaked into the field and drove to a 10th place finish:

http://ims.cdn.racersites.com/prod/p...90909/FULL.jpg

Denny Hickey (b. 1889)

Hickey was a pretty good dirt track racer out of Pennsylvania. I guess that means he mistimed his Indy Car career, since all but one of his starts came on board tracks, and none on dirt. He made 18 starts from 1917-1919, and put together a few nice runs, including a pair of 3rds at Uniontown, PA in 1919. Here he is at the Sheepshead Bay track in New York that year, driving the #21:

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...ryTQvBRgLXzJcw

Ninian Sanderson (b. 1925)

A car dealer from Glasgow, Scotland, Sanderson was at his best in a sports car. He claimed the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans aboard a Jaguar, and finished runner up the next year. 1957 was the year of his only Indy Car experience as well. He and tow other Jaguar drivers went straight from Le Mans to Monza to contest the Race of Two Worlds against the Indy Cars. The Jags jumped to the front on the start as they had the advantage of actual gearboxes, but were quickly outclassed once the Indy Cars got up to speed and finished laps behind. Here's a very early shot of Sanderson in an F3 race in 1952:

http://www.500race.org/Men/Ninian%20...s%20280652.jpg

[Vic Mackey]

May 15:

Ted Chamberlain (b. 1901)

Chamberlain is our only birthday today. He's a little mysterious, first appearing as a relief driver at Indy in 1930. He would pop up once a year or so without actually making a field until he made his lone Indy Car start in the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup. He finished 29th. After fading from view, at least in major competitions, he resurfaced in NASCAR during the 1950s. Here he flashes around a corner at the Vanderbilt Cup; it's not the best picture of him, but it's all I've got:

http://www.vanderbiltcupraces.com/vc...2_edited-2.jpg

[Vic Mackey]

May 16:

Luigi Villoresi (b. 1909)

Pre-WWII Grand Prix star... biggest win was 1948 British GP... lone Indy Car race was 1946 Indy 500, finishing 7th... here he is that race:

http://www.christies.com/lotfinderim...1/d889121x.jpg

Stevie Reeves (45)

Back-to-back USAC midget champ in 1992 and 1993... spent next five years in BGN... finished 10 in IRL debut at Charlotte 1998... returned for three races in 2000... here he is in that 2000 season:

http://www.loganracing.com/images/reeves.jpg

J. C. Carbonell (42)

Longtime veteran of various South American F3 series... protege of Eliseo Salazar, the only other Chilean Indy Car driver... made one start at Las Vegas in 1996, finishing 19th... finally won Chilean F3 title for first time in 2010... here he is in a 2005 F3 event:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3195/2...205ec686_z.jpg

Curly Boyd (b. 1925)

Raced sprint cars and midgets from 1950-1967... first appeared in an Indy Car in 1954, with 3 DNQs... did not return until a DNQ in 1963... finally made lone start in 1964, finishing 17th at Langhorne... here he is in a sprint car at Winchester in 1967:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/imaging-...367407/jpeg/BG

T. E. Russell (b. 1918)

Denver area driver who competed in sprint car races throughout Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska... both Indy Car starts came at Pikes Peak, with a best of 15th in 1954... here he poses at the wheel of his Indy Car:

http://winfield.50megs.com/Oakley/Nash/62_Dark.jpg

Steve Smith (b. 1896)

Three time Indy 500 entrant... did not appear in 1925, failed to qualify in 1927 and 1929... no other info on this obscure driver... no photo available

[Vic Mackey]

May 17:

Mel Kenealy (b. 1903)

It's another one birthday day, with Mel Kenealy our only birthday boy. Kenealy came up racing sprint cars on the west coast, winning the track championship at Legion Ascot in 1929. He made it to Indy Car in 1930, though oddly for a dirt track champ he didn't run the dirt races that year, running Indy and the four board tracks. His best finish came in his final start, a 6th at Altoona. He then returned to California and more sprint car racing. Here he is at Indy in 1930:

http://image1.findagrave.com/photos/...0083881630.jpg

[Vic Mackey]

May 18:

Simon Pagenaud (28)

Doubt he needs much of an intro. Here he is coming oh-so-close to that first win in Long Beach:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ViOTGm4blX...%2B-%2BWEB.jpg

Donnie Beechler (51)

A veteran midget/sprint/Silver Crown racer, Beechler made the move up in 1998 and spent four seasons in the big cars. A pair of 3rd (Phoenix 2000 and Kansas 2001) were the highlights. He's still active in short track racing today. Here he is at Texas in 2001, where he finished 6th:

http://cdn-1.motorsport.com/static/i...75141/s1_1.jpg

Earl Cooper (b. 1886)

Cooper is one of Indy Car's all time greats, though he's largely forgotten now as his success came nearly a century ago. He won 21 times in a career that spanned 1911-1927, and was named champion for the 1913, 1915 and 1917 seasons. He had a nice run in 1913. He started six races that year, and after finishing 2nd in his first race he won the rest of his starts. He had another similar streak in 1915, where he finished 1st or 2nd in eight of his final nine races. Here he is on his way to victory in the prestigious Santa Monica Road Race in 1913:

http://www.hopublishing.com/images/e...oper-stutz.jpg

Frank Sanborn (77)

A Pikes Peak racer, Sanborn was won the race up the mountain four times in the stock car division. He competed twice in an Indy Car, finishing 14th in 1956 and 9th in 1957, two years when the race was not a National Championship event. Here he races to the peak in 1956:

http://autoracingmemories.com/forums...pictureid=4992

[Vic Mackey]

May 19:

Dario Franchitti (39)

Pretty sure we all know this guy. Here he celebrates Indy win #2:

http://newsroom.lincolnelectric.com/...hitti_high.JPG

Christian Werner (b. 1892)

Werner was a Mercedes factory driver and one of their starts during the 1920s. His biggest wins include the 1924 Targa Florio and the 1928 German GP at the Nurburgring. Mercedes brought him to Indy in 1923, where he finished 11th in his only start. Here he is on his way to the Targa Florio win:

http://www.classicdriver.com/upload/...5/img02pop.jpg

Johnny Coogan (63)

Not to be confused with "that damn Coogan: Johnny Coogan was a USAC sprint car/Silver Crown driver in the early 1980s. He made one Gold Crown dirt start in 1981, finishing 7th at Springfield. Here he is in the Silver Crown race at Williams Grove that year (this was not one of the Gold Crown events):

http://www.thevintageracer.com/usac81/wl013.jpg

[HunterG]

Happy Birthday Dario Franchitti!

[Vic Mackey]

May 20:

Tony Stewart (41)

No intro needed here. Here he is in 1997:

http://www.andesign.us/Assets/Driver...997%20Web.jpeg

Bob Sweikert (b. 1926)

First appearing in 1950, Sweikert was progressively building up a nice Indy Car career prior to really blowing up in 1955. He took the Indy 500 that year and another race that fall at Syracuse, going on to claim the 1955 National Championship. He didn't get much of a chance to defend that title though, as he was killed in a sprint car at Salem the next June. Here he is at Indy in 1955:

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/1...551600x397.jpg

Jovy Marcelo (b. 1965)

The lone Indy Car driver from the Philippines, Marcelo got there by beating Jimmy Vasser to the 1991 Toyota Atlantic title. Vasser had six wins to Marcelo's two, but Marcelo used consistent top finishes (10 top fives in 13 starts) to take the championship. He made three Indy Car starts in 1992, with a best of 14th in Australia, before being killed in practice at Indy. Here he is at speed earlier that month:

http://www.motorracingblog.nl/wp-con...233&w=510&zc=1

Lee Drollinger (b. 1927)

Drollinger started in the IMCA sprint car ranks before moving on to USAC. He raced Indy Cars in 1959 and 1960. He DNQed more often that he made the field, but did make six starts, with a best of 10th in the 1960 Hoosier Hundred. He transitioned into USAC's stock car category afterward. Here's a headshot of Drollinger:

http://www.statsf1.com/pilotes/photos/drolling.gif

Mel Stringer (b.1876)

Stringer was a successful road race back in the 1910s, setting a number of speed records. He made three Indy Car starts between 1914 and 1917, with a 5th on the boards of Omaha in 1916 his best result. No photo available.

[Vic Mackey]

May 21:

Danny Ongais (70)

The Flyin' Hawaiian certainly had a varied career. Prior to his Indy Car days he was a champion drag racer, good enough to be named to the NHRA's 50 Greatest list. After a couple of false starts in 1968 and 1971, he finally got his Indy Car career under way in 1976. By 1978 he was a front runner, winning eight poles and five races that season, though difficulty finishing races left him just 8th in points. He also made four F1 starts in that time, picking up a 7th in Canada in a Penske. His career dropped off quickly though, and he never won again. He came back after a nine year absence to replace Scott Brayton at Indy in 1996, and made his last start at Orlando the following year. Here he is at Brands Hatch in 1978:

http://www.motorsportretro.com/wp-co...nny-Ongais.jpg

Tom Alley (b. 1889)

Alley was a race winning riding mechanic who worked his way into the driver's seat and became a winner there, too. His first Indy Car appearance as a driver came in a relief effort in the 1913 Indy 500, with his first start the next year. He picked up a pair of wins in an Indy Car career that lasted through 1925. His last actual start came in a non-points race at Syracuse in 1922, which he also won. Here he is prior to his first start, at Sioux City in 1914:

http://theoldmotor.com/wp-content/up.../Tom-Alley.jpg

Wally Stokes (b. 1913)

Stokes was a champion short track racer in the time immediately following WWII. He got his Indy Car shot in 1949. He missed the field at Indy, but did make his debut three months later at Springfield, finishing 13th. That would be his last race. He was killed the next day while traveling from Springfield to a midget race. Here's a shot of Stokes at a race in Greenville, IN:

http://www.mattsrepair.com/theoldmot...Greenville.jpg

Bud Sennett (b. 1912)

Sennett was a top sprint car and stock car racer in California during the late 40s and early 50s. He picked up a ride in a Maserati for Indy in 1951, but wrecked the car during qualifying. It would be his only Indy Car attempt. Here he is in the 1950 Carrera Panamericana, a race race traveling the entire length of Mexico over the course of five days; he finished 5th:

http://www.racingsportscars.com/wm/m...i=&mode=Car440

Norske Larson (b. 1894)

Larson was a successful sprint car racer throughout the north central states in the 1920s. He brought a Duesenberg to Indy in 1931, but failed to qualify in what would be his only Indy Car attempt. He was killed later that year at his hometown track in St. Paul, MN. No photo available.

Max McVey (b. 1891)

McVey was a mechanic who dabbled in some minor racing in Indiana. He entered the 1919 Indy 500, but withdrew. He never entered another top level race. No photo available.

[Vic Mackey]

May 22:

Bobby Johns (78)

Johns had a lengthy career in NASCAR, racing in the Cup level from 1956 to 1969 and picking up a pair of wins along the way. He had the 1960 Daytona 500 won until a freak gust of wind shattered his rear window and sent him spinning with less than two laps left, dropping him to 2nd. His time in Indy Cars didn't go nearly as well. In 11 attempts, scattered between 1964-1971 but mostly at Indy, he failed to qualify nine times. He did make the most of his two starts though, finishing 7th at Indy in 1965 and 10th in 1969. Here he is in one of the oddest designs to ever grace the Speedway, the Smokey Yunick sidecar that he crashed in qualifying in 1964:

http://www.imscdn.com/gallery/500/in...64-1557-19.jpg

Gus Schrader (b. 1895)

Schrader was a legendary sprint car racer, dominating the IMCA circuit across the Midwest in the 1930s. When the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame opened in 1990, he was a member of its inaugural class. He made just one appearance in an Indy Car, at Indianapolis in 1932. He crashed out early and finished 39th. Schrader was killed in a sprint car race in Louisiana in 1941. Here he is at Indy:

http://ims.cdn.racersites.com/prod/p...94004/FULL.jpg

Joe Barzda (b. 1915)

A sprint and midget competitor, Barzda's first crack at Indy Cars went poorly, as he failed to qualify for all seven races he entered from 1951-53. He fared much better upon his return in 1958, picking up 4th place finishes at Springfield and Trenton during his eight starts that year. The next year he was involved in Van Johnson's fatal crash at the non-points Williams Grove race, and retired as a result. Here he gets some help from a push truck at a sprint car race in Allentown, PA:

http://www.coastal181.com/2009_Bits/bradley-8.jpg

Mel Cornett (b. 1936)

Cornett came out of the Badger midget ranks and progressed along to USAC. He put his name in the books as the last driver to win a USAC sprint car race with an Offy engine at Terre Haute in 1973. He had a pair of Indy Car starts, both at Milwaukee, finishing 21st in 1974 and 16th in 1975. Here he is at Reading, PA in 1973:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2778/4...df4_z.jpg?zz=1

Art Hartsfeld (b. 1909)

Hartsfeld was a national motorcycle champ in 1928 before moving on to four wheels, racing midgets around the Detroit area. His best years in a car wound up sandwiching WWII. He entered a pair of Indy Car races, failing to qualify at Indianapolis in 1948 and Springfield in 1950. Here he poses in a midget at Detroit in 1948:

http://alblixtracinghistory.typepad...._detroit_2.jpg