Greg Weld[1] (March 4, 1944 – August 4, 2008) was an American racecar driver and later a businessman who founded an automotive aftermarkets parts manufacturer that carries his name.

Greg Weld
Weld's Championship car
BornRichard Gregory Weld
(1944-03-04)March 4, 1944
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
DiedAugust 4, 2008(2008-08-04) (aged 64)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Champ Car career
36 races run over 9 years
Years active1965–1973
Best finish22nd – 1970
First race1965 Hoosier Hundred (ISF)
Last race1972 Best Western 150 (Phoenix)
Wins Podiums Poles
0 0 4

Weld won the 1963 Knoxville Nationals, the premiere event in sprint car racing.[2] Weld raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1965–1972 seasons, with 36 career starts, including the 1970 Indianapolis 500. He finished in the top ten 11 times, with his best finish in 4th position in 1970 at Sacramento. He was also the 1967 USAC Sprint Car Series champion.[3] He was the last driver to pilot a car powered by the famous Novi engine at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he crashed during a qualification attempt in 1966.

Weld also founded Weld Wheel Industries, a firm manufacturing forged alloy wheels for various vehicles, including race cars, and was an active sponsor of both race cars and series, including the United States Auto Club series, and ran the firm until its acquisition by American Racing Equipment in 2006, and acquired by Momo and later Grupo Cisneros in 2017. Today, it is part of the MW Company, based in Kansas City, Missouri.

Awards

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Indy 500 results

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Year Chassis Engine Start Finish
1965 Halibrand Offy Failed Rookie Test
1966 Granatelli Novi Qualifying Crash
1967 Eisert Chevrolet Qualifying Crash
1968 Vollstedt Ford Failed to Qualify
1970 Gerhardt Offy 28th 32nd
1971 Gerhardt Offy Failed to Qualify
1973 Kingfish Offy Practice Crash

References

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  1. ^ "Greg Weld". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-07-04.
  2. ^ "Reprint of Jim Pedley article "Greg Weld, KC's wheel man, dies at 64" from The Kansas City Star, 2008". Pobanzmotorsports.wordpress.com. 2008-08-05. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  3. ^ "Former Indy driver Greg Weld dies at 64". USA Today. August 5, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
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