Talk:List of IndyCar fatalities

Improper article name
The article says "This is a list compiling drivers who have been fatally injured in American Championship Car Racing, since 1982. The list recognizes "Indy car" or "Champ car" fatalities under the following sanctioning bodies:    * Championship Auto Racing Teams (1979-2008)    * Indy Racing League (1996-present)".

The naming of this article is improper because it sounds to imply that this is the list for deaths in Champ Car World Series (2004-2008). This article should be properly renamed or split into two articles (one for CART/CCWS and one for IndyCar). Besides, the timeframes do not match: first the article first says 1982 and then it shows 1979-. Also, Indy Racing League should probably replaced by IndyCar since the two are not synonyms and the first includes the second plus another minor category.

ICE77 (talk) 18:43, 17 October 2011 (UTC)

Comments

 * The list could be incomplete. Especially test run fatalities, and riding mechanics and non-participants who died of their injuries at a later time may be missing.


 * Possible fatality:


 * Joe Unser is a driver death if his fatal wreck is to be classified as a test crash rather than a road accident.


 * {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"

! Driver ! Date of incident ! Sanction ! Track ! Event ! Team/Owner ! Car/Entry ! Session
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Joe Unser (USA)
 * February 20, 1930
 * US 85, south of Littleton, Colorado
 * Private test
 * Coleman
 * Coleman FD – Miller
 * Testing
 * }
 * Testing
 * }


 * Have the Championship/Indy cars used in the AAA National Championship been distinguishable from other vehicle types such as stock cars from the beginning? If not, maybe only deaths having occurred when distinct Championship/Indy cars were used should be listed, considering the title of the article.


 * 1905 could be added as another year in which the AAA sanctioned the National Championship but that season only featured contests of ten miles at most and there were no deaths anyway.


 * While the AAA did not hold a National Championship from 1909 to 1915 and from 1917 to 1919, retrospectively created championships for those periods have been recognized as genuine for decades. Deaths that have occurred in events selected to be part of those "championships" are listed below:


 * Driver fatalities
 * {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"

! Driver ! Date of incident ! Sanction ! Track ! Event ! Team/Owner ! Car/Entry ! Session
 * align="left"| 🇨🇦 William Bourque (CAN)
 * August 19, 1909
 * AAA
 * Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Prest-O-Lite Trophy
 * Knox
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Ralph Ireland (USA)
 * August 21, 1911
 * rowspan=2|AAA
 * rowspan=2|Elgin Road Race Course
 * Staver-Chicago
 * Practice
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Dave Buck (USA)
 * August 26, 1911
 * Elgin National Trophy
 * Pope-Hartford
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Jay McNay (USA)
 * November 20, 1911
 * AAA/ACA
 * Savannah-Effingham Raceway
 * Case
 * Practice
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 David Bruce-Brown (USA)
 * October 1, 1912
 * AAA/ACA
 * Wauwatosa Road Race Course
 * Fiat
 * Practice
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Harry Knight (USA)
 * July 4, 1913
 * AAA
 * Columbus Driving Park
 * 200-mile race
 * Kinnear "Rovan"
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Spencer Wishart (USA)
 * August 22, 1914
 * AAA
 * Elgin Road Race Course
 * Elgin National Trophy
 * Mercer
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Jack Callaghan (USA)
 * February 7, 1915
 * AAA
 * Ascot Park
 * 100-mile race
 * Duesenberg
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 C. C. Cox (USA)
 * July 3, 1915
 * AAA
 * Sioux City Speedway
 * 300-mile race
 * Duesenberg "Ogren"
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Billy Carlson (USA)
 * July 4, 1915
 * AAA
 * Tacoma Speedway
 * Montamarathon Trophy
 * Maxwell
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Joe Cooper (USA)
 * August 7, 1915
 * AAA
 * Des Moines Speedway
 * 300-mile race
 * Sebring Six
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Harry Grant (USA)
 * September 27, 1915
 * AAA
 * Sheepshead Bay Speedway
 * Astor Cup
 * Maxwell
 * Practice
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Walter Melcher (USA)
 * March 15, 1919
 * AAA
 * Santa Monica Road Race Course
 * 250-mile race
 * Hudson
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Arthur Thurman (USA)
 * rowspan=2|May 31, 1919
 * rowspan=2|AAA
 * rowspan=2|Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * rowspan=2|Indianapolis 500
 * Arthur Thurman
 * Duesenberg
 * rowspan=2|Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Louis LeCocq (USA)
 * Roscoe Sarles
 * Duesenberg "Roamer"
 * }
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Harry Grant (USA)
 * September 27, 1915
 * AAA
 * Sheepshead Bay Speedway
 * Astor Cup
 * Maxwell
 * Practice
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Walter Melcher (USA)
 * March 15, 1919
 * AAA
 * Santa Monica Road Race Course
 * 250-mile race
 * Hudson
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Arthur Thurman (USA)
 * rowspan=2|May 31, 1919
 * rowspan=2|AAA
 * rowspan=2|Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * rowspan=2|Indianapolis 500
 * Arthur Thurman
 * Duesenberg
 * rowspan=2|Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Louis LeCocq (USA)
 * Roscoe Sarles
 * Duesenberg "Roamer"
 * }
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Louis LeCocq (USA)
 * Roscoe Sarles
 * Duesenberg "Roamer"
 * }
 * }


 * If Tom Kincade, Harry Martin , and Albert Johnson died in test runs being conducted in preparation for Championship/Indy car racing, their entries could be added to the list above.


 * {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"

! Driver ! Date of incident ! Sanction ! Track ! Event ! Team/Owner ! Car/Entry ! Session
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Tom Kincade (USA)
 * July 6, 1910
 * Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Private test
 * National
 * Testing
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Harry Martin (USA)
 * June 26, 1913
 * Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Private test
 * Stutz
 * Testing
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Albert Johnson (USA)
 * October 4, 1915
 * Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Private test
 * Packard
 * Testing
 * }
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Albert Johnson (USA)
 * October 4, 1915
 * Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Private test
 * Packard
 * Testing
 * }
 * Testing
 * }


 * Fatalities among riding mechanics
 * ✝ indicates that the driver was killed in the same incident.


 * {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"

! Mechanician ! Driver ! Date of incident ! Sanction ! Track ! Event ! Team/Owner ! Car/Entry ! Session
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Harry Holcomb (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇨🇦 William Bourque (CAN) ✝
 * August 19, 1909
 * rowspan=2|AAA
 * rowspan=2|Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Prest-O-Lite Trophy
 * Knox
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Claude Kellum (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Charlie Merz (USA)
 * August 21, 1909
 * Wheeler-Schebler Trophy
 * National
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 James Bates (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Herbert Lytle (USA)
 * September 29, 1909
 * AAA
 * Riverhead Road Race Course
 * 10-lap race
 * Apperson
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Milton Bacon (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Harold Stone (USA)
 * rowspan=2|October 1, 1910
 * rowspan=2|AAA
 * rowspan=2|Long Island Motor Parkway
 * rowspan=2|Vanderbilt Cup
 * Columbia
 * rowspan=2|Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Charles Miller (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Louis Chevrolet (USA)
 * Marquette-Buick
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Sam Dickson (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Arthur Greiner (USA)
 * May 30, 1911
 * AAA
 * Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Indianapolis 500
 * Amplex
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Sam Jacobs (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Dave Buck (USA) ✝
 * August 26, 1911
 * AAA
 * Elgin Road Race Course
 * Elgin National Trophy
 * Pope-Hartford
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Henry Maxwell (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Jay McNay (USA) ✝
 * November 20, 1911
 * AAA/ACA
 * Savannah-Effingham Raceway
 * Case
 * Practice
 * align="left"| 🇮🇹 Tony Scudellari (ITA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 David Bruce-Brown (USA) ✝
 * October 1, 1912
 * AAA/ACA
 * Wauwatosa Road Race Course
 * Fiat
 * Practice
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Milton Michaelis (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Harry Knight (USA) ✝
 * July 4, 1913
 * AAA
 * Columbus Driving Park
 * 200-mile race
 * Kinnear "Rovan"
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Jack Jenter (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Spencer Wishart (USA) ✝
 * August 22, 1914
 * AAA
 * Elgin Road Race Course
 * Elgin National Trophy
 * Mercer
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇩🇪 Fritz Walker (GER)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Jack Gable (USA)
 * October 22, 1914
 * AAA
 * Galesburg District Fairgrounds
 * 100-mile race
 * Burman – Wisconsin
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Paul Franzen (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Billy Carlson (USA) ✝
 * July 4, 1915
 * AAA
 * Tacoma Speedway
 * Montamarathon Trophy
 * Maxwell
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Maurice Keeler (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Billy Chandler (USA)
 * August 7, 1915
 * AAA
 * Des Moines Speedway
 * 300-mile race
 * Duesenberg
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Robert Bandini (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Louis LeCocq (USA) ✝
 * May 31, 1919
 * AAA
 * Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Indianapolis 500
 * Roscoe Sarles
 * Duesenberg "Roamer"
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Emilio Jandelli (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Ray Howard (USA)
 * July 3, 1919
 * AAA
 * Sheepshead Bay Speedway
 * Independence Auto Derby
 * Peugeot
 * Practice
 * }
 * Maxwell
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Maurice Keeler (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Billy Chandler (USA)
 * August 7, 1915
 * AAA
 * Des Moines Speedway
 * 300-mile race
 * Duesenberg
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Robert Bandini (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Louis LeCocq (USA) ✝
 * May 31, 1919
 * AAA
 * Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * Indianapolis 500
 * Roscoe Sarles
 * Duesenberg "Roamer"
 * Race
 * align="left"| 🇺🇸 Emilio Jandelli (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Ray Howard (USA)
 * July 3, 1919
 * AAA
 * Sheepshead Bay Speedway
 * Independence Auto Derby
 * Peugeot
 * Practice
 * }
 * Independence Auto Derby
 * Peugeot
 * Practice
 * }
 * }


 * Fatalities among non-participants
 * This section lists people who have been fatally injured in close connection to the racing taking place at an event while not occupying a race car including participants being on the sidelines.


 * {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%"

! Name ! Date of incident ! Sanction ! Track ! Event ! Session ! Role ! Course of events
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Omar Jolliffe (USA)
 * rowspan=2|August 21, 1909
 * rowspan=2|AAA
 * rowspan=2|Indianapolis Motor Speedway
 * rowspan=2|Wheeler-Schebler Trophy
 * rowspan=2|Race
 * rowspan=2|Spectator
 * rowspan=2|When the right front tire blew out, Charlie Merz lost control of his car, which broke through the outer fence, crashed into a crowd and rolled over. Claude Kellum, his mechanician, was thrown out and died along with two spectators.  Others were injured.
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 James West (USA)
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Arthur Otis (USA)
 * August 31, 1909
 * ACA
 * Merrimack Valley Course
 * Practice
 * Passer-by
 * A passer-by who had entered the foggy race track was struck and killed by Joe Matson's racer.
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Peter McKittrick (USA)
 * October 23, 1909
 * AAA
 * Portola Road Race Circuit
 * Portola Road Race
 * Race
 * Spectator
 * Howard Hall was rounding a turn when a tire flew off his car and knocked down a spectator, who suffered a brain injury and remained in a semiconscious state until his death on December 14, 1909.
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Lewis Smith (USA)
 * February 16, 1914
 * AAA/ACA
 * Santa Monica Road Race Course
 * Practice
 * Spectator
 * With its steering knuckle braking, the racer driven by Dave Lewis skidded on a turn, crashed into a crowd and overturned, killing a spectator and hurting Lewis and four others.
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Robert Pollock (USA)
 * July 1, 1914
 * AAA
 * Tacoma Speedway
 * Practice
 * Spectator
 * Having entered the track and walking along its rim, a spectator was hit and killed by the onrushing S. F. Brock, whose car somersaulted before tumbling into an embankment.
 * }
 * nowrap| 🇺🇸 Robert Pollock (USA)
 * July 1, 1914
 * AAA
 * Tacoma Speedway
 * Practice
 * Spectator
 * Having entered the track and walking along its rim, a spectator was hit and killed by the onrushing S. F. Brock, whose car somersaulted before tumbling into an embankment.
 * }
 * }


 * If Brock was specifically practicing for the InterCity 100-mile race, which was not part of the (retrospectively created) 1914 championship trail , Pollock's entry would have to be removed.


 * Notes


 * References


 * If it is possible to identify all Championship/Indy car events held in years in which no National Championship was staged, a list of fatalities that have occurred in those events could be made. The same goes for the deaths during Championship/Indy car meetings which were held in championship years but not as part of the National Championship trail (not even as non-championship rounds) if such meetings exist.


 * In case a fatal crash has occurred in practice for an event consisting of at least two independent races, the race the driver was practicing for has not been specified with the race(s) in which the driver was entered being uncertain. In such cases, the "Event" column has been left blank.


 * If a fatal crash has occurred on a warm-up lap leading to a qualifying attempt, the "Session" column shows the fatality to have happened during "Qualifying." The following entries seem to fall into that category (there may be more):


 * Jack Foley:


 * Harry Cox: "The men [...] were making a practice spin preparing to try to qualify for the 500-mile race ..." ; "The two were warming up the entry of Alvin R. Jones preparing for the fifth day's qualifying trials ..."


 * Bill Denver/Bob Hurst: /; "Denver had made one circuit of the track, preparatory to trying to qualify the car."


 * Al Putnam: ; "Putnam [...] was making his third warm-up circuit ..."


 * Walt Brown: "Brown was preparing to take a time trial [...] at the time of the accident."


 * Chuck Rodee:


 * Gordon Smiley: ; "... warming up to qualify ..."; "We were set to take the green (starting flag for qualifying) on that lap ..."


 * Other sites do not agree with Wikipedia or each other about the nationalities of the following racers:


 * 🇨🇦 William Bourque: 🇺🇸 🇨🇦


 * 🇫🇷 Gaston Chevrolet: 🇺🇸 🇫🇷


 * Jack Foley: 🇺🇸


 * Emilio Jandelli: 🇺🇸 🇮🇹


 * Hughie Hughes: 🇺🇸


 * Links to/summaries of alternative versions of the way accidents have transpired could be added for the sake of balance.


 * Non-championship events could be highlighted by colored cell backgrounds, replacing the footnotes used for that purpose.

--Fluidfellow (talk)