- Len Sutton
Len Sutton (
August 9 1925 –December 4 2006 ) was an American racecar driver. He is best known for finishing second at the1962 Indianapolis 500 . [http://www.stockcarreunion.com/inductees/2005inductees.html Biography] at theWest Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame , RetrievedNovember 21 2007 ]Early racing career
A lifelong resident of Portland, Oregon, Sutton became involved in auto racing after serving in the
Navy duringWorld War II . He spun out in the first corner on his first lap at a dirt track. Sutton won Oregon Racing Association championships in 1949, 1950, 1954, and 1955. He flipped his car to avoid cattle during the 1954Carrera Panamericana road race (nowBaja 1000 ). He was in a body cast for 4 months. He also wonmidget car racing championships in Portland before he headed east to become a national touring driver.National circuits
He raced in the AAA and USAC
Championship Car series from 1955 to 1965, with 76 career starts, 43 top ten finishes, and 3 victories.Sutton completed his rookie test for the
Indianapolis 500 in 1956. He flipped his car while attempting 140miles per hour for the1957 Indianapolis 500 . He slide upside down with his helmet scraping the asphalt for nearly 1000 feet (300 m). A report in the following day'sIndianapolis News said "Sutton was at first believed dead by observers on the scene." His injuries included broken shoulder, serious abrasions on his back, and a fractured skull. He returned to Indianapolis the the following year and made his first start in the event. That year he finished 32nd after being eliminated in a multi-car accident during the first lap. He competed in the 500 six more times and had his best result in 1962. After starting the race 4th, he led 9 laps and finished second behind his teammateRodger Ward . The next year, he set an unofficialIndianapolis Motor Speedway record when he went over 155 miles per hour during a tire test.Known for his versatility as a driver, Sutton also competed in roadsters, midgets, sprint cars, and stock cars. He finished 31st in the 1963
Daytona 500 . Sutton decided to retire from driving during a 1965 race atLanghorne Speedway . Fellow competitorMel Kenyon was severely burned in the race.Broadcaster after retirement and death
After retiring from driving, Sutton went into broadcasting and was a member of the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network for many years.Sutton died at his home in Portland at age 81 after a long battle with
cancer .Awards
He was inducted in the
West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame in 2005. He was a member of theOregon Sports Hall of Fame .Indy 500 results
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. Len Sutton participated in 3 World Championship races but scored no World Championship points.
References
# [http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/sports/1165292716326870.xml&coll=7 Auto racing loses a gentleman]
# [http://www.indy500.com/news/story.php?story_id=7893 Popular Indianapolis 500 Driver Sutton Dies At Age 81]
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