Walter Faulkner (February 6, 1918 – April 22, 1956) was an American racing driver from Tell, Texas. He moved to Milledgeville, Georgia at the age of two-and-a-half, and to Lake Wales, Florida at the age of eight. He then moved to San Diego, California in 1936. Faulkner competed mainly in the National Championship and in stock car races. In 1950 Faulkner became the first rookie to win pole position at the Indianapolis 500. He died in 1956 after a qualifying crash at a USAC Stock Car event in Vallejo, California.

Earlier in his career, Faulkner raced motorcycles, then switched to midget cars, later driving for the Edelbrock dirt track racing team. He had great success in midget car racing and was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2007. Faulkner was also inducted into the West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2006.

World Championship career summary 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. Faulkner participated in five World Championship races. He started on the pole one time, and accumulated a total of one championship point.

Racing record

Complete AAA Championship Car results Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points 1949 ARL INDY MIL TRE SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR DET SPR LAN SAC DMRDNQ-0 1950 INDY7 MIL7 LANDNQ SPRDNQ MIL1 PIK SYR2 DET4 SPR12 SAC9 PHX5 BAY6 DAR8 2nd 1,317 1951 INDY15 MIL LAN DAR1 SPRDNQ MIL1 DUQ4 DUQ2 PIK SYR2 DET2 DNC18 SJSDNQ PHX6 BAYDNS 3rd 1,513.6 1952 INDYDNQ MIL18 RAL17 SPR13 MILDNQ DET12 DUQ PIK SYRDNQ DNC11 SJS8 PHX10 32nd 87 1953 INDY17 MILDNQ SPR9 DETDNQ SPR18 MILDNS DUQ6 PIK SYRDNQ ISFDNQ SACDNP PHX 28th 158.4 1954 INDYDNS MIL8 LAN DAR13 SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX LVG 38th 78.5 1955 INDY5 MIL21 LAN SPR16 MILDNQ DUQ PIK SYRDNS ISFDNS SAC PHX 10th 447.5

Indy 500 results YearCarStartQualRankFinishLapsLedRetired1950981134.34317 135 0 Running19512 14 136.872115 123 0 Crankshaft195323 14 137.117 10 17 176 0 Flagged195498 – – – 12* 199 ? Flagged195577 7 139.762 16 5** 200 0 RunningTotals 634 0 Starts4Poles1Front Row1Wins0Top 51Top 102Retired1 * Shared drive with Chuck Stevenson ** Shared drive with Bill Homeier. Each driver scored 1 World Championship point

Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pts 1950 Grant Piston Ring/Agajanian Kurtis Kraft 2000 Offenhauser 4.5 L4 GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA ITA NC 0 1951 Agajanian Grant Piston Ring Kuzma Indy Roadster Offenhauser 4.5 L4 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA ESP NC 0 1952 Grant Piston Ring/AgajanianFerrari 375SFerrari 375 4.5 V12 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER NED ITA NC 0 1953 Automobile Shippers/Casaroll Kurtis Kraft 500A Offenhauser 4.5 L4 ARG 500 NED BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA NC 0 1954 J.C. Agajanian Kuzma Indy Roadster Offenhauser 4.5 L4 ARG 500 BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA ESP NC 0 1955 Merz Engineering Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser 4.5 L4 ARG MON 500 BEL NED GBR ITA 23rd 1

References