About Bill Cummings
Lived 1906 – 1939 (aged 32). Bill Cummings was an American engineer and racing automobile driver.
William Clarence Cummings (November 11, 1906 – February 8, 1939), nicknamed "Wild Bill," was an American racing driver who is known for winning the 1934 Indianapolis 500.
Death
Cummings was driving a passenger automobile on State Road 29 in Indianapolis, when he crashed through a guard rail, overturned several times and plunged into Lick Creek. He was pulled from the water by passers-by while still alive, but died at Methodist Hospital two days later. National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (2020)
Motorsports career results
Indianapolis 500 results
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Bill Cummings's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Bill Cummings?
American racing driver (1906-1939)
When was Bill Cummings born?
Bill Cummings was born on 11 November 1906 in Indianapolis.
When did Bill Cummings die?
Bill Cummings died on 8 February 1939 in Oklahoma City.
What was Bill Cummings's occupation?
Bill Cummings was an engineer and racing automobile driver.
What nationality was Bill Cummings?
Bill Cummings was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Bill Cummings (racing driver)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bill Cummings. https://biography.guide/bill-cummings/
MLA: "Bill Cummings." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bill-cummings/.
Chicago: "Bill Cummings." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bill-cummings/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-23 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence
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