Mike Nazaruk

Mike Nazaruk

Born	October 2, 1921(1921-10-02)
Died	May 1, 1955(1955-05-01) (aged 33)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	American
Active years	1951–1954
Teams	Turner, Kurtis Kraft
Races	4 (3 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	1
Career points	8
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First race	1951 Indianapolis 500
Last race	1954 Indianapolis 500

Mike Nazaruk (2 October 1921 Newark, New Jersey – 1 May 1955 Langhorne, Pennsylvania) was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. He was nicknamed "Iron Mike."^[1]

Nazaruk served as a U.S. Marine in the Battle of Guam and the Guadalcanal campaign in World War II. He promised himself that if he lived through the war he would become a race driver.^[1]

Midget car career

He raced after he returned home. He won the track championships at Staten Island, New York, and Rhinebeck, New York in 1947. He scored over twenty feature wins at Middletown, New York en route to winning the 1948 track championship.^[1]

Nazaruk was the 1949 American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) midget car champion.^[1] The series tours the East Coast of the United States.

Nazaruk joined the AAA in 1950. He won 14 national midget tour events, including the 1950 Night Before the 500, and the first midget car event at Terre Haute Action Track in 1953. He finished fifth in the 1954 National Midget car points.

Championship car career

Nazaruk finished second in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1951. He competed in two more Indianapolis 500, including a fifth place finish in 1954.

Nazaruk was killed in a sprint car race at Langhorne Speedway on May 1, 1955.^[1]

Career awards

• He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1996.
• He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.^[1]

Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1951 83 7 132.183 27 2 200 0 Running 1953 83 23 135.706 26 21 146 0 Stalled 1954 73 14 139.589 5 5 200 0 Running Totals 546 0

Starts 3 Poles 0 Front Row 0 Wins 0 Top 5 2 Top 10 2 Retired 1

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. Mike Nazaruk participated in 3 World Championship races. He finished on the podium once and accumulated a total of 8 World Championship points.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame

Records
Preceded by Cecil Green 30 years, 242 days (1950 Indianapolis 500)	Youngest Driver to score Points in Formula One 29 years, 239 days (1951 Indianapolis 500)	Succeeded by Manny Ayulo 29 years, 221 days (1951 Indianapolis 500)

Persondata
Name	Nazaruk, Mike
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1921-10-02
Place of birth
Date of death	1955-05-01
Place of death