Jerry Karl

Jerry Karl (April 29, 1941, Jamaica, Queens, New York - February 16, 2008, Baltimore, Maryland), was an American driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series.

Biography Starting out in midget car racing and sprint car racing, Karl made his Champ Car debut in 1969 and qualified for his first Indy 500 in 1973 driving an Eagle chassis powered by a twin-turbo Chevrolet V8 engine fielded by legendary car owner Smokey Yunick. He raced for another team in 1974, but returned to drive for Yunick in 1974 and finished 13th at Indy.

In 1980, Karl entered the CART series and began modifying his own McLaren chassis that he dubbed the McLaren-Karl. In the final race of the 1980 season at Phoenix International Raceway, Karl and his chassis ran at the front of the field in second place until engine trouble dropped him back to 9th.

Indianapolis 500 results Year Chassis Engine Start Finish 1970 Gerhardt Chevrolet Failed to Qualify 1971 Gerhardt Chevrolet Failed to Qualify 1972 Gerhardt Offy Failed to Qualify 1973 Eagle Chevrolet 28th 26th 1974 Eagle Offy 19th 19th 1975 Eagle Chevrolet 20th 13th 1976 Eagle Offy Failed to Qualify 1977 Vollstedt Offy Failed to Qualify 1978 McLaren Offy 28th 14th 1979 McLaren Offy Failed to Qualify 1980 McLaren Chevrolet 28th 21st 1981 McLaren Chevrolet 31st 15th 1982 Purcell Chevrolet Failed to Qualify 1983 Wildcat Cosworth Failed to Qualify 1984 Penske Cosworth Practice Crash 1985 March Cosworth Failed to Qualify