Al Keller
{{short description|American racing driver (1920–1961)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name = Al Keller
| image =
| caption =
| nationality =
| birth_name = Alvah August Keller
| birth_date = {{birth date|1920|04|11}}
| birth_place = Alexander, New York, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1961|11|19|1920|04|11}}
| death_place = Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
| titles =
| awards =
|module1 = {{Infobox NASCAR driver|child=yes
| name =
| Total_Cup_Races = 29
| Years_In_Cup = 6
| Cup_Car_Team =
| Prev_Cup_Pos =
| Previous_Year =
| Best_Cup_Pos = 32nd (1949)
| First_Cup_Race = 1949 Race 4 (Langhorne)
| Last_Cup_Race = 1956 Race 9 (Lakewood)
| First_Cup_Win = 1954 Race 5 (Savannah)
| Last_Cup_Win = 1954 International 100 (Linden Airport)
| Cup_Wins = 2
| Cup_Top_Tens = 12
| Cup_Poles = 1
}}| module2 = {{Infobox Champ Car driver|child=yes
| years = 1954–1961
| Total_Champ_Races = 31
| Years_In_Champ = 8
| Champ_Car_Team =
| Best_Champ_Pos = 5th – 1961
| First_Champ_Race = 1954 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
| Last_Champ_Race = 1961 Bobby Ball Memorial (ASF)
| First_Champ_Win =
| Last_Champ_Win =
| Champ_Wins = 0
| Champ_Podiums = 4
| Champ_Poles = 2
}}| module3 = {{Infobox F1 driver|embed=yes
| Years = {{F1|1955}}–{{F1|1960}}
| Team(s) = Kurtis Kraft, Kuzma
| Races = 6 (5 starts)
| Championships = 0
| Wins = 0
| Podiums = 0
| Points = 0
| Poles = 0
| Fastest laps = 0
| First race = 1955 Indianapolis 500
| First win =
| Last win =
| Last race = 1960 Indianapolis 500
}}}}
Alvah August “Al” Keller{{Cite web |title=Al Keller |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/KellerAl.htm |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=www.champcarstats.com}} (April 11, 1920 in Alexander, New York – November 19, 1961 in Phoenix, Arizona) was an American racecar driver.
NASCAR
Keller participated in the NASCAR Strictly Stock/Grand National series from 1949 to 1956 with 29 career starts. He won two races during the 1954 season and was the first driver in the history of NASCAR's top division to have won a race in a foreign-built car. Keller won the 1954 Grand National road-race at the Linden Airport in New Jersey, driving a Jaguar owned by big band leader Paul Whiteman. He also won by a two-lap margin at Oglethorpe Speedway in 1954.{{cite web |last1=Albert |first1=Zack |title=Driver by Number: Connections and success with every car number |url=https://www.nascar.com/gallery/driver-by-number-connections-and-success-with-every-car-number/#photo-25 |website=NASCAR.com |accessdate=May 11, 2020 |date=January 2, 2020}}
IndyCar
In 1954 Keller began a transition to Championship Cars. He drove in the AAA and USAC Champ Car series, racing in the 1954-1959 and 1961 seasons with 32 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 six times. He was involved in the crash that killed Bill Vukovich in 1955. He finished in the top ten 13 times, with a best finish of 2nd two times (Atlanta in 1956, and Milwaukee in 1961). His best Indy 500 finish was 5th in 1961.
Death
Keller died as a result of injuries sustained in a Champ Car crash at the Arizona State Fairgrounds track.
Indianapolis 500 results
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
Year
!Car !Start !Qual !Rank !Finish !Laps !Led !Retired |
---|
1955
|42 |22 |139.551 |17 |27 |54 |0 |Crash BS |
1956
|55 |28 |141.193 |26 |14 |195 |0 |Flagged |
1957
|16 |8 |141.398 |14 |27 |75 |0 |Crash T1 |
1958
|52 |21 |142.931 |19 |11 |200 |0 |Running |
1959
|57 |28 |142.057 |27 |18 |163 |0 |Piston |
1961
|19 |26 |146.157 |6 |5 |200 |0 |Running |
colspan=6|Totals
|887 |0 | |
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
Starts
|6 |
---|
Poles
|0 |
Front Row
|0 |
Wins
|0 |
Top 5
|1 |
Top 10
|1 |
Retired
|3 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Racing-Reference driver|Al_Keller}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Keller, Al}}
Category:Racing drivers from New York (state)
Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers
Category:Racing drivers who died while racing
Category:Sports deaths in Arizona
Category:People from Alexander, New York
{{US-autoracing-bio-stub}}