Jim Hurtubise
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Jim Hurtubise (born December 5, 1932 - died January 6, 1989) was a American race car driver who raced in USAC Champ Cars (including the Indianapolis 500), as well as sprint cars and stock cars (USAC and NASCAR). He was from North Tonawanda, New York. Despite his limited success, he was a fan favorite throughout much of his career as many characterized him as an "old style" race car driver.
Hurtubise raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1959-1968 and 1970-1974 seasons, with 97 career starts. He finished in the top ten 38 times, with 4 victories, in 1959 at Sacremento, 1960 at Langhorne, and 1961 and 1962 at Springfield. In 1963, after suffering serious burns in an accident during the Rex Mays Classic, in Milwaukee, Hurtubise was asked by doctors how he wanted his hands shaped permanently. "Just make 'em so I can hold a steering wheel," he replied.
Hurtubise died January 6, 1989 after suffering a heart attack near his home in Port Arthur, Tex. He was 56 years old.
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[edit] Indianapolis 500
Hurtubise ran in ten Indianapolis 500 races between 1960 and 1974. His best finish was a 13th in 1962. In the 1968 race, he ran the last (to date) front engined car. He attempted to qualify a front engined car for the Indy 500 every year from 1975 to 1981 but failed to do so in each of those years. In one of those years, on "bump day", he put his Miller Beer sponsored car in line to make a qualification attempt shortly before the closing deadline. The time expired before it was his turn to qualify. He then removed the engine cover to reveal that the car had no engine, but a cooler filled with his sponsor's product which he shared with the other pit crews and race officials.
[edit] Indy 500 results
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Christain | Offy | 23rd | 18th |
| 1961 | Epperly | Offy | 3rd | 22nd |
| 1962 | Trevis | Offy | 29th | 13th |
| 1963 | Kurtis Kraft | Novi | 2nd | 22nd |
| 1964 | Hurtubise | Offy | 11th | 14th |
| 1965 | Kurtis Kraft | Novi | 23rd | 33rd |
| 1966 | Kurtis Kraft | Offy | 22nd | 17th |
| 1967 | Mallard | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1968 | Mallard | Offy | 30th | 30th |
| 1969 | Mallard | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1970 | Mallard | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1971 | Mallard | Offy | Qualifying Crash | |
| 1972 | Coyote | Foyt | 13th | 23rd |
| 1973 | Lola | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1974 | Lola | Offy | 28th | 25th |
| 1975 | Eagle | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1976 | Mallard | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1977 | Mallard | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1978 | Mallard | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1979 | Mallard | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1980 | Mallard | Offy | Failed to Qualify | |
| 1981 | King | Offy | Failed to Qualify |
[edit] NASCAR Career
| Birthplace: | North Tonawanda, New York | |
| Born: | December 5, 1932 | |
| Died: | January 9, 1989 | |
| Cause of Death: | Heart attack | |
| Awards: | National Sprint Car Hall of Fame 1993 Inductee | |
| NASCAR Cup statistics | ||
| 36 races run over 13 years. | ||
| Best Cup Position: | 46th - 1968 (Grand National) | |
| First Race: | 1957 Ascot Stadium race | |
| Last Race: | 1977 Delaware 500 (Dover) | |
| First Win: | 1966 Atlanta 500 (Atlanta) | |
| Last Win: | 1966 Atlanta 500 (Atlanta) | |
| Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
| 1 | 11 | 0 |
In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.
[edit] Award
He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993.
