Cal Niday

{{Infobox F1 driver|

name = Cal Niday |

nationality = {{flagicon|USA}} American |

birth_date = {{birth date|1914|4|29}} |

death_date = {{death date and age|1988|2|14|1914|4|29}} |

Years = {{F1|1953}}–{{F1|1955}} |

Team(s) = Kurtis Kraft, Stevens |

Races = 3 |

Championships = 0 |

Wins = 0 |

Podiums = 0 |

Points = 0 |

Poles = 0 |

Fastest laps = 0 |

First race = 1953 Indianapolis 500 |

First win = |

Last win = |

Last race = 1955 Indianapolis 500 |

}}

Calvin Lee Niday{{Cite web |title=Motorsport Memorial - Cal Niday |url=http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=757 |access-date=11 December 2024|website=Motorsport Memorial}} (April 29, 1914{{Cite web |title=Motorsport Memorial - |url=http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=757 |access-date=2023-12-07 |website=www.motorsportmemorial.org}} – February 14, 1988) was an American racecar driver who was born in Turlock, California and died in Lancaster, California.

Biography

He lost his leg in a motorcycle accident after high school, but it did not affect his race car driving career. Cal is also noted as the first racer to wear a modern-style Bell helmet in the Indy 500.{{cite book|last1=Bagnall|first1=Art|title=Roy Richter|date=June 1990}} Niday is one of three drivers to have participated in the Indianapolis 500 with a prosthetic leg, along with Al Miller and Bill Schindler.{{cite news|url=https://doctorindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/05-13-2003.mp3|title=The Talk of Gasoline Alley - Tuesday 5-13-2003|publisher=WIBC|date=13 May 2003}} 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. During his racing career, Niday travelled to Australia to race Midgets (known as Speedcars in Australia). In 1948, Niday won the 3rd running of the Australian Speedcar Grand Prix at the famous Sydney Showground Speedway. Cal Niday participated in three World Championship races but scored no World Championship points. He died from a heart attack after being thrown from a vintage open-wheeler at Willow Springs raceway.

Indianapolis 500 results

---- valign="top" \| {\|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Year !Car !Start !Qual !Rank !Finish !Laps !Led !Retired
1953 \|99 \|\|30 \|\|136.096 \|\|18 \|\|30 \|\|30 \|\|0 \|\|Magneto
1954 \|24 \|\|13 \|\|139.828 \|\|2 \|\|10 \|\|200 \|\|0 \|\|Running
1955 \|22 \|\|9 \|\|140.302 \|\|4 \|\|16 \|\|170 \|\|0 \|\|Crash T4
colspan="6"\|Totals	400	0

---- valign="top"

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

Year

!Car

!Start

!Qual

!Rank

!Finish

!Laps

!Led

!Retired

1953