Jim Hurtubise

James Ernest Hurtubise (December 5, 1932 – January 6, 1989) was an American racing driver who competed in Championship Cars, sprint cars and stock cars. Hurtubise enjoyed much success in sprint cars, champ dirt cars, and stock cars, and was the winner of the 1966 Atlanta 500; however, he never achieved the success at the Indianapolis 500 which his rookie qualifying run promised, when he out qualified pole-sitter Eddie Sachs by three mph, nearly breaking the 150-mph mark.

"Herk" was a fan favorite throughout much of his career because of his fun-loving attitude and his hard driving style.

Championship Car career

Hurtubise raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1959–1968 and 1970–1974 seasons, with 97 career starts. He finished in the top-ten 38 times, with four victories, in 1959 at Sacramento, 1960 at Langhorne, and 1961 and 1962 at Springfield. In 1964, after suffering serious burns in an accident during the Rex Mays Classic at the Milwaukee Mile, doctors asked Hurtubise how he wanted his hands shaped permanently. Hurtubise told them to pin his hands so he could hold a beer can, knowing that if he "could hold a beer can, (he) could hold a steering wheel." Hurtubise would later be awarded the Ralph DePalma award for overcoming his injuries to return to racing.

Hurtubise ran in ten Indianapolis 500 races between 1960 and 1974. His best finish was a thirteenth in 1962. Hurtubise was named the 1960 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.

In 1965, Hurtubise qualified using a Novi engine, the last year that engine would be used in the race, having been considered obsolete several years before. The engine failed on the first lap, and he finished last.

In 1966, Hurtubise entered a rear-engine car, which was taking over from the front-engine roadsters as the standard for the race, and finished 17th.

The Mallard After failing to qualify in 1967, in 1968, Hurtubise ran the last front-engine car to date in the race. He and his brother Pete designed and built the new roadster in their garage, naming it the "Mallard". He claimed the car was lighter than previous roadsters, which would allow it to be competitive with the other rear-engine cars.

From 1969 through 1971, Hurtubise would continue to attempt to qualify with the roadster, but failed to make the field, which was now fully rear-engine cars.

Hurtubise attempted numerous Indianapolis 500s in his self-built MallardIn 1972, Hurtubise had qualified a rear-engine car thirteenth. However on "bump day", he put the roadster, sponsored by Miller Beer in line to make a qualification attempt shortly before the closing deadline of 6:00 pm. The time expired before it was his turn to qualify. He then removed the engine cover to reveal that the car had no engine, but five chilled cases of his sponsor's product, which he shared with the other pit crews and race officials

From 1973 through 1975, Hurtubise attempted to qualify rear-engine cars, missing the field in 1973 and 1975, while qualifying 28th in 1974, finishing the race 28th after blowing the engine on lap 31. This would be the last year he would successfully qualify for the race.

For the 1976 and 1977 races, Hurtubise was back with his front-engine Mallard roadster, but was not quick enough to make the field. In 1978, he returned, once again attempting to qualify the Mallard, but Tom Binford, the chief steward, refused to allow him a qualifying attempt, stating the car had not showed it was capable of race speed during practice. He then sat in entrant Bob Harkey’s car for ten minutes refusing to move. After finally leaving the car he ran onto the track where he was tackled and apprehended by the police.

In subsequent years, Hurtubise continued to attempt to get the Mallard into the field, with his final attempt in 1981. This was the final attempt for any front-engine car in the race, thirteen years after the last time a car of that type had qualified for the race, and seventeen years since the last time one had won.

In 1972, Hurtubise drove the Mallard in an IndyCar race at Michigan in 1972, qualifying 26th (last) and finishing 23rd. He drove the same car a year earlier at the Pocono 500, qualifying 33rd (last) and finishing thirtieth. This would be the last time a front-engine car would ever run in an IndyCar race.

NASCAR career

In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR Cup career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would enter 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.

World Championship career summary The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Hurtubise participated in one World Championship race, finishing eighteenth and receiving no points.

Personal life

Hurtubise was from the Buffalo suburb of North Tonawanda, New York. Hurtubise died January 6, 1989, after suffering a heart attack near his home in Port Arthur, Texas. He was 56 years old. He is interred at Crown Hill Cemetery in the Community Mausoleumat the coordinates in Indianapolis.

Awards and honors

Hurtubise was inducted into the FOAR SCORE (Friends of Auto Racing Seeking Cooperation of Racing Enthusiasts) Club in its inaugural class in 1985 and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993. Hurtubise was the 1998 pioneer selection for the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame, and was named to the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.

Racing record Complete USAC Championship Car results Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19202122232425262728 Pos Points 1959 DAY TRE INDY MIL LAN SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF16 TRE7 PHXDNQ SAC1 21st 260 1960 TRE17 INDY18 MIL11 LAN1 SPR10 MIL26 DUQ13 SYR15 ISF12 TRE13 SAC14 PHX2 16th 420 1961 TRE2 INDY22 MIL5 LAN8 MIL7 SPR1 DUQ18 SYR3 ISF18 TRE2 SAC14 PHXDNS 6th 939 1962 TRE6 INDY13 MIL3 LAN3 TRE5 SPR1 MIL21 LAN2 SYR4 ISF8 TRE9 SAC4 PHX5 6th 1,340 1963 TRE3 INDY22 MIL19 LAN3 TRE4 SPR17 MIL8 DUQ8 ISF10 TRE24 SAC11 PHX 9th 660 1964 PHX16 TRE INDY14 MIL14 LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX 25th 160 1965 PHX TRE INDY33 MIL LAN PPR TRE IRP ATL LAN MIL ISF MIL DSF INF TRE SAC PHX 14th 743 1966 PHX13 TRE INDY17 MIL LAN ATL PIP IRP LAN SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX-0 1967 PHX TRE INDYDNQ MIL16 LAN15 PIP MOS8 MOS9 IRP11 LAN13 MTR17 MTR7 SPR5 MIL19 DUQ ISFDNQ TRE SAC HAN PHX RIV18 23rd 280 1968 HAN LVG PHX TRE INDY30 MIL MOS MOS LAN PIP CDR NAZ IRP IRP LAN LAN MTR MTR SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC MCH HAN PHX RIV-0 1969 PHX HAN INDYDNQ MIL LAN PIP CDR NAZ TRE IRP IRP MIL SPR DOV DUQ ISF BRN BRN TRE SAC KEN KEN PHX RIV-0 1970 PHX SON TRE INDYDNQ MIL LAN CDR MCH IRP SPR MIL ONT32 DUQ ISF SED TRE SAC PHX-0 1971 RAF RAF PHX TRE INDYDNQ MIL POC30 MCH MIL ONTDNQ TRE PHX-0 1972 PHX12 TRE21 INDY23 MILDNQ MCH23 POCDNQ MIL ONT TRE PHX 41st 15 1973 TWS TRE TRE INDYDNQ MIL POC23 MCH MIL ONT ONT ONTDNQ MCH MCH TRE TWS PHX-0 1974 ONT ONT ONTDNQ PHX TRE INDY25 MIL POC24 MCH MIL MCH TRE TRE PHX-0 1975 ONT ONT ONT PHX TRE INDYDNQ MIL POC MCH MIL MCH TRE PHX-0 1976 PHX TRE INDYDNQ MIL POC MCH TWS TRE MIL ONT MCH TWS PHX-0 1977 ONT PHX TWS TRE INDYDNQ MILPOC MOS MCH TWS MIL ONT MCH PHX-0 1978 PHX ONT TWS TRE INDYDNQ MOS MIL POC MCH ATL TWS MIL ONT MCH TRE SIL BRH PHX-0 1979 ONT TWS INDYDNQ MIL POC TWS MIL-0 1980 ONT INDYDNQ MIL POC MOH-0 1981-82 INDYDNQ POC ILL DUQ ISF INDY-0

Complete PPG Indy Car Series results

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts 1979 Hurtubise Racing PHX ATL ATL INDYDNQ TRE TRE MCH MCH WGL TRE ONT MCH ATL PHX-0 1980 Hurtubise Racing ONT INDY MIL POC MOH MCH WGL MIL ONT MCH MEX PHX-0

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish 1960 Christensen Offy 23rd 18th 1961 Epperly Offy 3rd 22nd 1962 Watson Offy 29th 13th 1963 Kurtis Kraft Novi 2nd 22nd 1964 Hurtubise Offy 11th 14th 1965 Kurtis Kraft Novi 23rd 33rd 1966 Gerhardt Offy 22nd 17th 1967 Mallard Offy Failed to Qualify 1968 Mallard Offy 30th 30th 1969 Mallard Offy Failed to Qualify 1970 Mallard Offy Failed to Qualify 1971 Mallard Offy Qualifying Crash 1972 Coyote Foyt 13th 23rd 1973 Lola Offy Failed to Qualify 1974 McLaren M16 Offy 28th 25th 1975 Eagle Offy Failed to Qualify 1976 Mallard Offy Failed to Qualify 1977 Mallard Offy Failed to Qualify 1978 Mallard Offy Failed to Qualify 1979 Mallard Offy Failed to Qualify 1980 Mallard Offy Failed to Qualify 1981 King Offy Failed to Qualify