Johnny Boyd

John "Johnny" Boyd ( born August 18, 1926 in Fresno, † October 27, 2003 ) was an American race car driver.

Johnny Boyd drove in the 1950s and 1960s regularly in the U.S. USAC racing series. Between 1955 and 1966, he was 56 times at the start. Although he came in the top ten 31 times, the really big success was denied him. The second rank in the race in Milwaukee in 1959 was his best finish.

Boyd was a close friend of Bob Sweikert, who brought him to racing. At Boyd's first shows, in the 500 miles of Indianapolis in 1955 Sweikert agreed in training the racing car, a Kurtis Kraft 500D - Offenhauser, for the race from. Sweikert won the Indy 500 1955; Boyd retired early after a mass pile-up, which also includes Bill Vukovich was involved, from. Vukovich crashed fatally.

Twelve times Boyd was in Indianapolis at the start. In 1958, he was 18 laps in the lead and finished the race in third place. Since the 500 miles of Indianapolis were between 1950 and 1960 the world championship of Formula 1, including its there -won successes in this time for this race series.

1967 Boyd missed qualifying in Indianapolis and ended his career. He died in 2003, at the age of 77 years, in his hometown of Fresno to cancer.

Literature and sources

• Rick Popely, L. Spencer Riggs: Indianapolis 500 Chronicle. Publications International Ltd.. , Lincolnwood IL 1998, ISBN 0-7853-2798-3.

• Formula 1 racer (United States)
• Champ Car racer
• Born in 1926
• Died in 2003
• Man
• Americans