Charles Moran

Charles J. Moran Jr. (May 27, 1906 – June 7, 1978) was an American racing driver and official.

Early life

Moran was born in New York City, son of Charles Moran, a naval historian, and Martha Adams.

Moran attended St. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island, and Princeton University before graduating from Columbia University. He was the first American to race at Le Mans in 1929, in a DuPont, with co-driver Alfredo Jose Miranda; he raced the same car at Indianapolis in 1930 with George Reed in the mechanics seat.

In 1932, Moran gave up racing, joined DuPont Motors as an engineer, and then moved to a related enterprise, the brokerage firm of Francis I. DuPont, where he became managing partner in the 1950s. In 1949 he resumed racing, this time in sports cars (Bugatti, MGs, Cunninghams, AC Bristol, Lotus, Ferrari) in SCCA events and again at Le Mans, with his Ferrari 212 (1951, finishing 16th, 1952 DNF) and with his Cunningham C4Rx coupe, co-driver John Gordon Bennett (1953, finishing 10th).

Moran became Secretary of the Sports Car Club of America in 1952-3 and President in 1954-5.

Moran chaired the Board of Trustees at St. George's School 1958-62.

Personal life

In February 1936, he married Josephine D. Taylor, daughter of David H. Taylor of 875 Park Avenue in New York City. Together, they had two children:

Charles Moran III (b. 1936), who served in the O.S.S.in England and France in 1944-5. David Taylor Moran (b. 1940).

He later married Hesteranne Primrose Butz; they had 3 children:

Martha Adams Moran (b. 1962) Amedee Depau Moran (b. 1963) Helen Moran. Charles Moran Jr.

Moran died on June 7, 1978, in Teasdale, Utah.

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Driver Car Class Laps 1929 Du Pont Motor Co. Alfredo Miranda Jr. Du Pont Model G Speedster 8.0 20 DNF DNF 1951 Charles Moran Jr Franco Cornacchia Ferrari 212 Export Spyder S 3.0 227 16th 7th 1952 Charles Moran Jr. Franco Cornacchia Ferrari 212 MM S 3.0 DNF (12hr) 1953 Briggs Cunningham John Gordon Bennet Cunningham C-4RK S 8.0 269 10th 3rd