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Mike Nazaruk

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American racing driver (1921–1955)
Mike Nazaruk
Born(1921-10-02)October 2, 1921
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedMay 1, 1955(1955-05-01) (aged 33)
Langhorne, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Champ Car career
36 races run over 5 years
Years active1950–1954
Best finish5th – 1951
First race1951 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race1954 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
First win1952 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 6 3
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1951–1954
TeamsTurner, Kurtis Kraft
Entries4 (3 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums1
Career points8
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1951 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1954 Indianapolis 500

Mike Nazaruk (October 2, 1921 Newark, New Jersey – May 1, 1955 Langhorne, Pennsylvania) was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. He was nicknamed "Iron Mike."

Nazaruk was of Ukrainian descent. Before racing, he worked as a florist's delivery driver and as an aircraft welder.

Nazaruk served as a U.S. Marine in the Battle of Guam and the Guadalcanal campaign in World War II. He promised himself that if he lived through the war he would become a race driver.

Midget car career

He raced after he returned home. He won the track championships at Staten Island, New York, and Rhinebeck, New York in 1947. He scored over twenty feature wins at Middletown, New York en route to winning the 1948 track championship.

Nazaruk was the 1949 American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) midget car champion. The series tours the East Coast of the United States.

Nazaruk joined the AAA in 1950. He won 14 national midget tour events, including the 1950 Night Before the 500, and the first midget car event at Terre Haute Action Track in 1953. He finished fifth in the 1954 National Midget car points.

Championship car career

The car Nazaruk drove to a second place finish in the 1951 Indianapolis 500 - later repainted to look as it did when Johnnie Parsons drove the vehicle to victory in the 1950 event

Nazaruk finished second in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1951. He competed in two more Indianapolis 500, including a fifth-place finish in 1954.

Nazaruk was killed in a sprint car race at Langhorne Speedway on May 1, 1955.

Career awards

Complete AAA Championship Car results

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points
1950 INDY
 MIL
 LAN
DNQ 		SPR
 MIL
 PIK SYR
 DET
 SPR
 SAC
 PHX
 BAY
 DAR
 - 0
1951 INDY
2 		MIL
8 		LAN
9 		DAR
8 		SPR
 MIL
16 		DUQ
 DUQ
 PIK SYR
18 		DET
3 		DNC
15 		SJS
16 		PHX
18 		BAY
15 		5th 1,143
1952 INDY
DNQ 		MIL
1 		RAL
19 		SPR
18 		MIL
16 		DET
17 		DUQ
DNQ 		PIK SYR
2 		DNC
12 		SJS
2 		PHX
18 		13th 530
1953 INDY
21 		MIL
11 		SPR
 DET
6 		SPR
DNQ 		MIL
16 		DUQ
13 		PIK
 SYR
2 		ISF
15 		SAC
14 		PHX
 24th 205
1954 INDY
5 		MIL
15 		LAN
13 		DAR
25 		SPR
9 		MIL
4 		DUQ
10 		PIK SYR
17 		ISF
DNQ 		SAC
 PHX
 LVG
 9th 810

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1951 83 7 132.183 27 2 200 0 Running
1953 83 23 135.706 26 21 146 0 Stalled
1954 73 14 139.589 5 5 200 0 Running
Totals 546 0
Starts 3
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 2
Top 10 2
Retired 1

World Championship career summary

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the Formula One World Championship of Drivers from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Mike Nazaruk participated in three World Championship races. He finished second once (formally "on the podium") and accumulated a total of 8 World Championship points.

References

  1. "Mike Nazaruk". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  2. ^ Biography Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
  3. Brown, Allen. "Mike Nazaruk". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
Records
Preceded byCecil Green
30 years, 242 days
(1950 Indianapolis 500) 		Youngest driver to score
points in Formula One
29 years, 239 days
(1951 Indianapolis 500) 		Succeeded byManny Ayulo
29 years, 221 days
(1951 Indianapolis 500)
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