Tommy Milton

Tommy Milton ( born November 14, 1893 in St. Paul, Minnesota, † July 10, 1962 in Mount Clemens, Michigan) was an American race car driver. He was the first, who won the 500 miles of Indianapolis twice.

1914 Milton began his racing career and participated in dirt track racing in the Midwest. In 1917, he drove across the country race and celebrated his first major victory on a track in Providence, Rhode Iceland. In 1919 he was Duesenberg factory driver. As one of the dominant drivers in American racing, he won five of the nine championship races including the " International Sweepstakes" in Sheepshead Bay, New York. In this year he also debuted at the Indianapolis 500 later this year, he suffered severe burns in an accident in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. The following year he returned to racing and won the Universal Trophy on 19 June and the AAA National Championship.

World Record

On April 27, 1920 Milton set the world record for a mile on a 156 046 mph ( 251.1317 km / h). Since February 12, 1919 by Ralph DePalma this had been held with the Packard 905 with 149.875 mph ( 241.2 km / h ). This vehicle was developed by a revised V12 aircraft engine with 905 ci ( 14,830 cc ) driven. For the assault on the record and Milton Duesenberg constructed a vehicle with two of the result of the new racing formula no longer needed 4.9 liters Duesenberg 297 series eight-cylinder. They were side by side in front. Each engine had its own clutch and a custom propshaft. The steering column has been mounted between the cylinder blocks, the left exhaust was passed transversely through the cockpit, behind the dashboard to the right side. The car was launched in April 1920 in Daytona Beach Road Course and completed by Milton's team. During this in Havana (Cuba) denied a race team rider Jimmy Murphy presented Ralph DePalma a record, but damaged the engines. Murphy was released on; on April 27, 1920 Milton improved with the repaired car world record at 156 046 mph ( 251.1317 km / h).

Results at the Indianapolis 500

Tommy Milton started eight times in the 500 miles of Indianapolis. He started from the pole position once and placed four times in the top five. For its first participation in 1919 he drove a Duesenberg. Even in his second start in 1920 he drove a Duesenberg and finished third. In 1921, won the 27 -year-old at that time the race in a constructed by Louis Chevrolet Frontenac. In 1922, he fell after only 44 laps because of tank problems. In 1923 he drove for the Harry C. Stutz Motor Company in a Miller 122 and won the race for the second time. The last time he started in 1927 in Indianapolis and was eighth.

1936 Tommy Milton returned back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where it was the pace car. In 1949 he became clerk of the course of the Indianapolis 500, but had to give up that post in 1957 because of health problems.