Floyd Roberts

Floyd Roberts (February 12, 1904 - May 30, 1939) is a former Championship Car racing driver from Jamestown, North Dakota. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1938 with a record speed of 117.2 mph. He led for 92 laps. The following year, 1939, driving the same car, he was killed in a crash on the backstretch after hitting a wooden fence at near 100 mph. Roberts was the first former winner and defending champion of the race to have been killed while competing. According to reports, Roberts intended to retire following the race. [Associated Press (May 31st, 1939) "Shaw is winner at Indianapolis" (retrieved 6/11/2007 from archive of Moberly Monitor-Index)]

The Crash

With Roberts on lap 109, the car driven by Bob Swanson lost control and went sideways. Roberts' car contacted Swanson's, causing Swanson's car to flip over and catch fire ejecting Swanson, and Roberts' car went through the outer wall and went headfirst into a tree. Chet Miller's car went into the debris field, flipped, and went into the inner wall. Two spectators were also injured by flying debris. The three drivers were taken to hospitals, while it took over 30 minutes to clear the burning wreck of Swanson's car from the track. Roberts death due to brain injuries was announced before the race was completed. [ [http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/pdf?res=F70A11FF3F54107A93C3AA178ED85F4D8385F9 Roberts, 1938 Victor, Dies in Triple Crash as Shaw Takes Indianapolis Race] New York Times, page 32, May 31st 1939, by Reginald Cleveland]

Indy 500 results

ee also

*List of fatalities at Indianapolis

References