Elmer Ray George (July 15, 1928 – May 31, 1976) was an American race car driver.
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.
George finished in the top-ten 36 times, with one victory, in 1957 at Syracuse.
George was also the 1957 USAC Sprint Car Series champion.
1962 Bobby Ball Memorial race 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.
Personal George was married to Mari Hulman George, daughter of Tony Hulman, owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 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.
On May 3, 1976, Mari filed for divorce. 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. 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. 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.
Award George was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2005.
Complete AAA/USAC Championship Car results Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Points 1954 INDY MIL LAN DARSPR MIL DUQPIK SYR ISFDNQSAC PHX LVG-0 1955 INDYDNQ MIL LAN SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC7 PHXDNQ 37th 60 1956 INDY MIL18 LAN8 DAR7 ATL19 SPRDNQ MIL20 DUQ6 SYR18 ISF14 SAC5 PHX7 20th 410 1957 INDY33 LAN17 MIL7 DET5 ATL15 SPR6 MIL6 DUQ4 SYR1 ISF6 TRE21 SAC10 PHX16 10th 830 1958 TRE12 INDYDNQ MIL17 LAN13 ATL8 SPR2 MILDNQ DUQDNS SYR16 ISF10 TREDNQ SAC17 PHX8 19th 300 1959 DAY6 TRE6 INDYDNQ MILDNQ LAN5 SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 25th 233 1960 TRE INDY MIL LANDNQ SPR3 MIL DUQ14 SYR8 ISFDNQ TRE SAC13 PHX6 21st 270 1961 TRE8 INDY MIL8 LAN4 MILDNQ SPR8 DUQ14 SYR6 ISF15 TRE SAC6 PHX9 13th 470 1962 TREDNQ INDY17 MIL18 LANDNQ TREDNQ SPR10 MIL17 LAN SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 18th 229 1963 TRE INDY30 MIL LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX - 0 1964 PHX TRE INDYDNQ MIL LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX-0
Indianapolis 500 results
YearCarStartQualRankFinishLapsLedRetired1957239140.729223300Crash BS19622117146.09233171460Engine19632128147.8933130210HandlingTotals1670
Starts3Poles0Front Row0Wins0Top 50Top 100Retired3
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. George participated in the 1957 Indianapolis 500, his only World Championship race. He finished 33rd and did not accumulate any championship points.
References