Troy Lynn Ruttman (March 11, 1930 – May 19, 1997) was an American racing driver. He is best known for winning the 1952 Indianapolis 500 - at the age of 22 years and 80 days, Ruttman remains the youngest ever winner of the event. Competing since the age of 15, he had a remarkably successful early career, winning several regional and AAA-sanctioned championships.

Troy's younger brother Joe Ruttman also became a racing driver.

Driving career

Early career

In 1945, at age 15, Ruttman entered his family's car into a roadster race held in San Bernardino, California, winning the event.Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame He won 19 of the 21 events staged there that season. By 1947, he was the California Roadster Association (CRA) roadster champion. He also won his first five midget car races that season. In 1948 he repeated as the CRA roadster champion, United Racing Association Blue Circuit (Offy) championship, and 23 midget car events.

Sprint car career

In May 1949, Ruttman left California for the AAA Sprint and Championship car circuits of the Midwest. He won three AAA Sprint Car championships over the next three and a half seasons. He competed in 51 midget races, winning 16 and placing in the top-three 28 times.

Championship car career

Ruttman drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1949–1952, 1954, 1956–1957 and 1960–1964 seasons with 58 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races during 1949–1952, 1954, 1956–1957, and 1960–1964. His best championship finish was as runner-up to Chuck Stevenson for the 1952 National Championship.

Ruttman's victory in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 made him the youngest winner of the event.

An injury during a sprint car crash in August 1952 sidelined Ruttman for one and a half racing seasons. Ruttman returned in 1954 on a greatly reduced schedule, never attaining the same level of success. He had not been diligent during his recovery, gaining weight, and spending time partying - a competitor remarked that Ruttman was a case of "too much, too young."

Stock car career

Ruttman won the 1956 USAC Short Track Stock Car division title. Ruttman also competed in seven races in the NASCAR Grand National Series from 1962 to 1964, finishing in the top ten five times. His best finish was third in the 1963 race at Riverside International Raceway, running behind Dan Gurney and A. J. Foyt.NASCAR statistics at racing-reference.info

World Drivers' Championship career

The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship points and participation in addition to those which they received towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.

Ruttman participated in seven World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He was also the first of a small number of USAC/Indianapolis drivers to start an FIA-sanctioned World Drivers' Championship event during the 1950-1960 period - competing for Scuderia Centro Sud in the 1958 French Grand Prix. During his World Drivers' Championship career, Ruttman won once, and he accumulated 9.5 World Drivers' Championship points.

Ruttman's victory in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 earned him the distinction of being the youngest driver to win a round of the World Drivers' Championship, an honor he held until Fernando Alonso won the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Retirement and death

After concluding his racing career at the age of 34, Ruttman relocated to Plymouth, Michigan, operating a motorcycle and snowmobile dealership.

Ruttman died as a result of lung cancer on May 19, 1997, at Lake Havasu City, Arizona, just a month before the long planned "Troy Ruttman Day" in his hometown of Mooreland, Oklahoma.

Awards and honors

Ruttman has been inducted into the following halls of fame: Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame (1982) Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1992) National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1993) West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame (2002) National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2003) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2005) United States Auto Club (USAC) Hall of Fame (2018)

Motorsports career results

AAA/USAC Championship Car results

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points 1949 ARL8 INDY12 MIL18 TRE SPR MIL DUQ PIK NYS DET SPR LAN SAC3 DMR12 21st 250 1950 INDY15 MIL17 LAN10 SPRDNQ MIL13 PIK SYR14 DET11 SPR SAC12 PHX17 BAY15 DAR18 41st 46 1951 INDY23 MIL LAN DAR SPR6 MIL DUQ DUQ PIK SYR DET DNC SJS15 PHX BAY 39th 80 1952 INDY1 MILDNQ RAL1 SPR12 MIL DET DUQ PIK SYR DNC SJS PHX 2nd 1,410 1953 INDYWth MIL SPR DET SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX - 0 1954 INDY4 MIL7 LAN DAR15 SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX LVG 15th 447 1955 INDYDNQ MIL LAN SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX-0 1956 INDY31 MIL20 LAN DARDNS ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF SAC PHX - 0 1957 INDY31 LAN MIL10 DET ATL SPR MIL25 DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 36th 30 1958 TRE INDYDNQ MIL LAN ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC14 PHXDNP - 0 1960 TRE INDY20 MILDNQ LAN SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX-0 1961 TRE3 INDY20 MIL16 LAN MIL SPR DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 23rd 140 1962 TRE INDY18 MILDNQ LAN TRE SPR MIL13 LAN SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 15th 280 1963 TRE INDY12 MILDNQ LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX 11th 580 1964 PHX TRE INDY18 MIL4 LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX 26th 160

Indianapolis 500 results

YearCarStartQualRankFinishLapsLedRetired19496418125.94532121510Flagged19505524131.9129151300Flagged1951986132.3142523780Bearing1952987135.36418 1st20044Running19543411137.7363142000Running19565311142.4841731220Spun FS1957523142.772731134Overheating1960286145.36682013411Rear End Gear19615222144.799232010510Clutch19622630146.76519181400Piston19631733148.37424122000Running19641418151.2922418990Spun T3Totals147269

Starts12Poles0Front Row1Wins1Top 52Top 102Retired7

FIA World Drivers' Championship results

(key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WDC Points 1950 Bowes Racing Inc. Lesovsky Offenhauser Straight-4 GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA ITA NC 0 1951 Christopher J.C. Agajanian Kurtis Kraft 2000 Offenhauser Straight-4 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA ESP NC 0 1952 Christopher J.C. Agajanian Kuzma Offenhauser Straight-4 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER NED ITA 7th 8 1953 Travelon Trailer Kurtis Kraft 500B Offenhauser Straight-4 ARG 500 NED BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA NC 0 1954 Eugene A Casaroll Kurtis Kraft 500A Offenhauser Straight-4 ARG 5004† BEL FRA GBR GER SUI ITA ESP 23rd= 1.5 1955 Novi Racing Kurtis Kraft Novi Straight-8s ARG MON 500 BEL NED GBR ITA NC 0 1956 John Zink Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser Straight-4 ARG MON 500 BEL FRA GBR GER ITA NC 0 1957 John Zink Watson Offenhauser Straight-4 ARG MON 500 FRA GBR GER PES ITA NC 0 1958 Christopher J.C. Agajanian Kuzma Offenhauser Straight-4 ARG MON NED 500 BEL NC 0 Scuderia Centro Sud Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 FRA GBR GER POR ITA MOR 1960 John Zink Watson Offenhauser Straight-4 ARG MON 500 NED BEL FRA GBR POR ITA USA NC 0

† = Shared drive

References

External links

Troy Ruttman - ChampCarStats.com

Troy Ruttman - Motorsport Memorial