Art Cross

Arthur Francis Cross (January 24, 1918 – April 15, 2005) was an American racecar driver. He was the first recipient of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award in 1952.

Racing career Cross began racing midget cars in 1938. He served as a tank commander during the Second World War, and received a Purple Heart for his wounds during the Battle of the Bulge. He returned to midget cars after the war, and raced in one of Pappy Hough's "Little Iron Pigs."

Cross won the first Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award after a fifth-place finish in the 1952 Indianapolis 500. Cross used his share of $27,000 from the race to purchase a farm near LaPorte, Indiana.

Cross finished second in the 1953 Indianapolis 500 behind Bill Vukovich. Despite it being one of the hottest Indy 500s on record, Vukovich and Cross completed the entire race without relief. Driver Carl Scarborough died from the heat. Cross' car was the "Springfield Welding Special", which was owned by Bessie Lee Paoli, who was the only female owner at the time.

After retiring from racing, Cross turned his attention to running the farm in LaPorte, Indiana. He later became involved in a heavy equipment business and in construction. He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1992.

Indianapolis 500 results

Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Points 1952 Bowes Seal Fast / Ray Brady Kurtis Kraft 4000 Offenhauser L4 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER NED ITA 20th= 2 1953 Springfield Welding / Paoli Kurtis Kraft 4000 Offenhauser L4 ARG 500 NED BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA 10th 6 1954 Bardahl / Ed Walsh Kurtis Kraft 4000 Offenhauser L4 ARG 500 BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA ESP NC 0 1955 Bardahl / Ed Walsh Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500 BEL NED GBR ITA NC 0