Pat Flaherty (racing driver)

George Francis "Pat" Flaherty (January 6, 1926 – April 9, 2002) was an American racing driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1956.^[1]

Pat Flaherty
Born	George Francis Flaherty (1926-01-06)January 6, 1926 Glendale, California, U.S.
Died	April 9, 2002(2002-04-09) (aged 76) Oxnard, California, U.S.
Championship titles
Major victories Indianapolis 500 (1956)
Champ Car career
18 races run over 9 years
Best finish	2nd (1956)
First race	1950 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race	1963 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
First win	1955 Milwaukee 250 (Milwaukee)
Last win	1956 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
Wins Podiums Poles 3 4 1
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
First race	1951 Motor City 250 (Detroit)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
Formula One World Championship career
Active years	1950, 1953 – 1956, 1959
Teams	Kurtis Kraft, Watson
Entries	7 (5 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	1
Podiums	1
Career points	8
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1950 Indianapolis 500
First win	1956 Indianapolis 500
Last entry	1959 Indianapolis 500

Driving career

Early career

Flaherty began racing track roadsters in 1946, and in 1948 relocated to the Midwest to compete in Andy Granatelli's Hurricane Hot Rod Association.^[2]

Championship car career

Flaherty's winning car from the 1956 Indianapolis 500

Flaherty drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1950, 1953–1956, 1958–1959, and 1963 seasons with 19 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1950, 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1959. He finished in the top ten 9 times, with victories in 1955 and 1956 at Milwaukee as well as the 1956 Indianapolis 500. Born in Glendale, California, Flaherty died in Oxnard, California.^[3]

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.

Flaherty participated in five World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He started on the pole once, won once, and accumulated eight World Drivers' Championship points.

Injury and later life

After winning the 1956 Indianapolis 500, Flaherty was severely injured in a race car crash less than three months later,^[4] which prevented him from racing at the 1957 500. Flaherty successfully raced pigeons for over twenty years after he retired from auto racing.^[5] He also built and publicised a portable go-kart track where he would race against all-comers.^[3]

Awards and honors

Flaherty has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

• Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2006)^[6]

Motorsports career results

AAA/USAC Championship Car results

Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Pos	Points
1949	ARL	INDY DNQ	MIL	TRE	SPR	MIL	DUQ	PIK	SYR	DET	SPR	LAN	SAC	DMR	-	0
1950	INDY 10	MIL	LAN	SPR	MIL	PIK	SYR	DET	SPR	SAC	PHX	BAY	DAR		33rd	103.5
1953	INDY 22	MIL	SPR	DET	SPR	MIL	DUQ	PIK	SYR	ISF	SAC	PHX			-	0
1954	INDY DNS	MIL	LAN	DAR	SPR	MIL 12	DUQ DNQ	PIK	SYR	ISF DNQ	SAC	PHX	LVG		51st	20
1955	INDY 10	MIL 3	LAN	SPR	MIL 1	DUQ	PIK	SYR	ISF DNQ	SAC	PHX				8th	790
1956	INDY 1	MIL 1	LAN 14	DAR 5	ATL 5	SPR 18	MIL	DUQ	SYR	ISF	SAC	PHX			2nd	1,500
1958	TRE	INDY DNQ	MIL	LAN	ATL	SPR	MIL 16	DUQ	SYR	ISF	TRE	SAC	PHX		-	0
1959	DAY 9	TRE 17	INDY 19	MIL 19	LAN	SPR	MIL	DUQ	SYR	ISF	TRE	SAC	PHX		43rd	40
1963	TRE	INDY	MIL 21	LAN	TRE DNQ	SPR	MIL	DUQ	ISF	TRE DNQ	SAC	PHX			-	0

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1950 59 11 129.608 30 10 135 0 Running 1953 77 24 135.668 27 22 115 0 Crash NC 1954 38 - - - Ret* 110 0 Crash 1955 89 12 140.149 8 10 200 0 Running 1956 8 1 145.596 1 1st 200 127 Running 1959 64 18 142.399 21 19 162 11 Crash FS Totals 812 138

Starts 5 Poles 1 Front Row 1 Wins 1 Top 5 1 Top 10 3 Retired 2

* Shared drive with Jim Rathmann