Elmer Ray George[1] (July 15, 1928 – May 31, 1976)[2] was an American race car driver.

Elmer George
BornElmer Ray George
(1928-07-05)July 5, 1928
Hockerville, Oklahoma, U.S.
DiedMay 31, 1976(1976-05-31) (aged 47)
Terre Haute, Indiana, U.S.
Champ Car career
58 races run over 11 years
Years active1954–1964
Best finish10th – 1957
First race1955 Golden State 100 (Sacramento)
Last race1963 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First win1957 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 4 1
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1955, 19571958
TeamsKuzma, Kurtis Kraft, Schroeder
Entries3 (1 start)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1955 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1958 Indianapolis 500

Born in Hockerville, Oklahoma, George died in Terre Haute, Indiana. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1956–1963 seasons with 64 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1957, 1962, and 1963.[3]

He finished in the top ten 36 times, with one victory, in 1957 at Syracuse.

George was also the 1957 USAC Sprint Car Series champion.

On November 18, 1962, George suffered cuts and a left shoulder injury in a USAC Champ Car race held at the Arizona State Fairgrounds. Having hit another car's bumper, George lost control of his HOW Special, hit the guard rail before the grandstand, slid and headed towards the stands where he broke through a chain-link fence, landing upside down. 22 spectators were injured as a result.[4]

Personal

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Elmer George was married to Mari Hulman George, daughter of Tony Hulman, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.[5] Elmer and Mari had three daughters and one son, Tony George, founder of the Indy Racing League, and Ex-CEO of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Elmer had two children from a previous marriage, Joseph F. George and Carolyn Coffey.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, George was the director of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.[3]

On May 3, 1976, Mari filed for divorce.[6] On the day of the 1976 Indianapolis 500 (May 30, 1976), Elmer George argued by telephone with Guy Trolinger, a horse trainer at the family farm near Terre Haute, and Mari's alleged boyfriend.[6] After the race, George drove to the farm, broke into the house and confronted Trolinger, then around 1:00 a.m., gunfire broke out, and George was shot and killed as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.[6][7] A grand jury ruled that Trolinger killed George in self-defense, as George was armed and also discharged his firearm during the confrontation, at which point the charges were dropped.[6][8]

Award

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He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2005.

Complete AAA/USAC Championship Car results

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Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Points
1954 INDY
MIL
LAN DAR
SPR
MIL
DUQ
PIK
SYR
ISF
DNQ
SAC
PHX
LVG
- 0
1955 INDY
DNQ
MIL LAN SPR MIL
DUQ
PIK
SYR ISF SAC
7
PHX
DNQ
37th 60
1956 INDY
MIL
18
LAN
8
DAR
7
ATL
19
SPR
DNQ
MIL
20
DUQ
6
SYR
18
ISF
14
SAC
5
PHX
7
20th 410
1957 INDY
33
LAN
17
MIL
7
DET
5
ATL
15
SPR
6
MIL
6
DUQ
4
SYR
1
ISF
6
TRE
21
SAC
10
PHX
16
10th 830
1958 TRE
12
INDY
DNQ
MIL
17
LAN
13
ATL
8
SPR
2
MIL
DNQ
DUQ
DNS
SYR
16
ISF
10
TRE
DNQ
SAC
17
PHX
8
19th 300
1959 DAY
6
TRE
6
INDY
DNQ
MIL
DNQ
LAN
5
SPR
MIL
DUQ
SYR
ISF
TRE
SAC
PHX
25th 233
1960 TRE INDY MIL
LAN
DNQ
SPR
3
MIL
DUQ
14
SYR
8
ISF
DNQ
TRE
SAC
13
PHX
6
21st 270
1961 TRE
8
INDY
MIL
8
LAN
4
MIL
DNQ
SPR
8
DUQ
14
SYR
6
ISF
15
TRE
SAC
6
PHX
9
13th 470
1962 TRE
DNQ
INDY
17
MIL
18
LAN
DNQ
TRE
DNQ
SPR
10
MIL
17
LAN
DNQ
SYR
18
ISF
18
TRE
SAC
3
PHX
16
18th 229
1963 TRE INDY
30
MIL
LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC
DNQ
PHX - 0
1964 PHX
TRE
INDY
DNQ
MIL
LAN TRE
SPR MIL
DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX - 0

Indianapolis 500 results

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World Championship career summary

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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. George participated in the 1957 Indianapolis 500, his only World Championship race. He finished 33rd and did not accumulate any championship points.

References

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  1. ^ "Elmer George". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  2. ^ "Elmer George". Chicane F1. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  3. ^ a b The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 2, 2012. WFNI.
  4. ^ "Race car hits crowd, hurts 23". The Blade. Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press. November 19, 1962.
  5. ^ "Husband drives wife's racing car". Milwaukee Sentinel. June 6, 1957.
  6. ^ a b c d Oreovicz, John (2011-05-16). "Indy at 100: Fatalities mar the '70s". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  7. ^ "Ind. horse trainer held in love triangle shooting". Nashua Telegraph. United Press International. June 1, 1976.
  8. ^ "Trollinger [Trolinger] cleared in George death". Wilmington Morning Star. United Press International. June 5, 1976.