- Roger McCluskey
Roger McCluskey (b.
24 August ,1930 , d.29 August ,1993 ) was an Americanrace car driver. He was fromTucson, Arizona .He won championship titles in three divisions of USAC -Sprints, Stocks, and Champ Cars. He won the USAC Sprint Car title in 1963 and 1966, the USAC
Stock car title in 1969 and 1970. The Champ Car title in 1972. His first USAC Stock Car start resulted in a runner-up finish inPhoenix, Arizona in January 1968, when he drove as a substitute driver forNorm Nelson .McCluskey earned four USAC Midget Car wins, 23 USAC Sprint Car wins, 23 USAC Stock Car wins and five USAC
Championship Car (national championship) wins. He was the USAC national champion in 1973. He started everyIndianapolis 500 race from 1961 to 1979 except 1964, with a best finish of 3rd in 1973.He also made 4
NASCAR Grand National starts from 1969 to 1977 with a best finish of 2nd in 1970 atRiverside International Raceway .He represented the USAC series in the 1974
International Race of Champions .McCluskey raced for the Holman and Moody team in a Ford GT40 Mk.IIB at the 1967 LeMans 24hrs of Endurance, France.During this event, McCluskey is credited with pulling Mario Andretti to safety-and thus saving his life-after Andretti had seriously crashed his Ford GT 40 when a front brake locked.
McCluskey passed away on August 29 1993, just five days after his 63rd birthday after a long battle with
cancer . In 2004 the localUnited Sports Arizona Race Park hosted theRoger McCluskey Sprint Car Classic in his honor.Award
He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993.
He was also inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2002.
Indy 500 results
References
Other References
* [http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/racing/162561] Patrick Finley; "McCluskey memorial race at local dirt track gaining momentum each year";
December 30 2006 ;Arizona Daily Star ; RetrievedJanuary 15 2007
* [http://racing-reference.info/driver?id=mccluro01 NASCAR and IROC statistics]
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