Chuck Stevenson
{{short description|American racing driver (1919–1995)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name = Chuck Stevenson
| image = Chuck Stevenson 1952cr.jpg
| caption = Stevenson in 1952
| birth_name = Charles Joseph Stevenson
| birth_date = {{birth date|1919|10|15}}
| birth_place = Sidney, Montana, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|08|21|1919|10|15}}
| death_place = Benson, Arizona, U.S.
| titles = AAA Championship Car (1952)
| awards =
| module1 =
{{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
| Total_Champ_Races = 53
| Years_In_Champ = 15
| Best_Champ_Pos = 1st (1952)
| First_Champ_Race = 1949 Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee)
| Last_Champ_Race = 1965 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
| First_Champ_Win = 1952 Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee)
| Last_Champ_Win = 1954 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
| Champ_Wins = 4
| Champ_Podiums = 12
| Champ_Poles = 3
| module2 =
{{Infobox NASCAR driver|embed=yes
| Total_Cup_Races = 2
| Years_In_Cup = 2
| Best_Cup_Pos = 94th (1956)
| First_Cup_Race = 1955 LeHi 300 (Lehi)
| Last_Cup_Race = 1956 Race 3 (Willow Springs)
| First_Cup_Win = 1956 Race 3 (Willow Springs)
| Cup_Wins = 1
| Cup_Top_Tens = 1
| Cup_Poles = 0
| module3 =
{{Infobox F1 driver|embed=yes
| Years = {{F1|1951}} – {{F1|1954}}, {{F1|1960}}
| Team(s) = Marchese, Kurtis Kraft, Kuzma, Watson
| Races = 5
| Championships = 0
| Wins = 0
| Podiums = 0
| Points = 0
| Poles = 0
| Fastest laps = 0
| First race = 1951 Indianapolis 500
| Last race = 1960 Indianapolis 500
}}}}}}}}
Charles Joseph "Chuck" Stevenson (October 15, 1919 – August 21, 1995) was an American racing driver who competed in various disciplines of motorsport. He is best known for winning the AAA National Championship in 1952. Stevenson also had two class victories in the Carrera Panamericana and won a NASCAR Grand National event.
Early life
Charles Joseph Stevenson was born in Sidney, Montana on October 15, 1919, to Joseph Charles, a rancher, and Blanche (née Williams). The family later relocated to Fresno, California.
Championship Car career
Stevenson drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1949–1954, 1960–1961, and 1963–1965 seasons with 54 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1951–1954, 1960–1961, and 1963–1965. He finished in the top ten 37 times, with four victories, two of them coming during the 1952 season when he won the AAA National Championship.
Non-Championship Car career
= Carrera Panamericana =
In 1951 Stevenson drove a Nash-Healey course (pace) car that was supplied by the Mexican Nash automobile importer in the grueling {{convert|2000|mi|0|adj=on}} Carrera Panamericana race.{{cite book |last1=Tipler |first1=Johnny |last2=Ramirez |first2=Jo |title=La Carrera Panamericana: "The World's Greatest Road Race!" |year=2008 |publisher=Veloce Publishing |isbn=978-1-84584-170-6 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=RuCTDr6mafcC&dq=Nash-Healey+Carrera+Panamericana&pg=PA26 |page=26 |access-date=August 19, 2014}}{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zsbRiXFWlWUC&pg=PA25|page=25 |title=Carrera Panamericana: History of the Mexican Road Race, 1950–54 |first=Daryl E. |last=Murphy|publisher=iUniverse |year=2008 |isbn=9780595483242 |access-date=August 19, 2014}} This endurance event is described as one of the most dangerous automobile races of any type in the world, and Stevenson had to be ahead of the racers to ensure the way was clear.{{cite journal|url= http://www.acmefluid.com.au/nash/12NHnewsdec11.pdf |page=4 |title=Nash Healey Racing |journal=Nash Healey Newsletter |date=December 2011 |access-date=August 19, 2014}} In both 1952 and 1953 Stevenson won the sedan class driving a "well-prepared" Lincoln Capri.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=4aCX_L99UGkC&dq=Chuck+Stevenson+Nash&pg=PA145 |page=145 |title=Kurtis-Kraft: masterworks of speed and style |first=Gordon Eliot |last=White |publisher=MBI Publishing |year=2001 |isbn= 9780760309100 |access-date=August 19, 2014}}{{cite journal|title=Hot Rod Lincoln |url= http://www.hemmings.com/mus/stories/2004/08/01/hmn_feature4.html |journal=Hemmings Muscle Machines |date=August 2004 |first=Jim |last=Donnelly |access-date=August 19, 2014}} He is the only two-time winner in the history of the Carrera Panamericana.Tipler, p. 83.
= Stock car career =
Stevenson participated in no less than 40 AAA and USAC Stock Car events, finishing in the top-five no less than 14 times.
He also competed in two NASCAR events, picking up a win at Willow Springs Raceway in 1956 driving a Ford.{{cite web|url= http://www.racing-reference.info/driver?id=stevech01 |title=Chuck Stevenson results by track |publisher=racing-reference.info |access-date=August 19, 2014}}
= World Drivers' Championship career =
The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship points and participation in addition to those which they received towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.
Stevenson participated in five World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. His best finish was a 12th place, and he accumulated zero World Drivers' Championship points.
Later life
Stevenson died in Benson, Arizona on August 21, 1995.
Awards and honors
Stevenson has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
- Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame (1963){{Cite web |title=Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame |url=https://www.fresnoahof.org/honoree-details.php?id=289 |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=www.fresnoahof.org}}
- West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame (2011){{Cite web |title=Hall of Fame – West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame |url=https://westcoaststockcarhalloffame.com/hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |language=en-US}}
- National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
Motorsports career results
= AAA/USAC Championship Car results =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! 18 ! 19 ! 20 ! 21 ! 22 ! 23 ! 24 ! 25 ! 26 ! 27 ! 28 ! Pos ! Points |
| rowspan=1| 1949
| ARL | INDY | MIL | TRE | SPR |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL | DUQ | PIK | SYR | DET |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SPR | LAN | SAC | DMR |colspan=14| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 34th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 120 |
|---|
| rowspan=1| 1950
| INDY |style="background:#FFFFFF;"| MIL |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| LAN |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| SPR |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL | PIK | SYR |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| DET |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SPR |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SAC |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| PHX |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BAY |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| DAR |colspan=15| !style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8th !style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 760 |
| rowspan=1| 1951
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL | LAN |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| DAR |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SPR |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MIL |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DUQ |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DUQ | PIK |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SYR | DET | DNC | SJS | PHX | BAY |colspan=13| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 14th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 538 |
| rowspan=1| 1952
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INDY |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MIL |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| RAL |style="background:#DFFFDF;"| SPR |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MIL |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| DET |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| DUQ | PIK |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SYR |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| DNC |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SJS |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| PHX |colspan=16| !style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st !style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1,440 |
| rowspan=1| 1953
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SPR |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DET |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SPR |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MIL |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| DUQ | PIK |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SYR |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ISF |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SAC | PHX |colspan=16| !style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8th !style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 745 |
| rowspan=1| 1954
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INDY |style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MIL | LAN |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAR |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| SPR |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| MIL |style="background:#DFDFDF;"| DUQ | PIK | SYR | ISF | SAC | PHX | LVG |colspan=15| !style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 7th !style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 861.5 |
| 1960
| TRE |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INDY |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| LAN |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SPR |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DUQ | SYR |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX |colspan=16| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 29th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 130 |
| 1961
| TRE |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| INDY | MIL | LAN | MIL | SPR | DUQ | SYR | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX |colspan=16| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 14th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 400 |
| 1962
| TRE |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY | MIL | LAN | TRE | SPR | MIL | LAN | SYR | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX |colspan=15| ! - ! 0 |
| 1963
| TRE |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL | LAN | TRE | SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX |colspan=16| ! - ! 0 |
| 1964
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| PHX | TRE |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MIL | LAN | TRE | SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX |colspan=15| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 35th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 80 |
| 1965
| PHX | TRE |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| LAN | PIP | TRE | IRP | ATL | LAN | MIL | SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX |colspan=10| ! - ! 0 |
| 1966
| PHX | TRE |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY | MIL | LAN | ATL | PIP | IRP | LAN | SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | PHX |colspan=12| !- !0 |
| 1967
| PHX | TRE |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY | MIL | LAN | PIP | MOS | MOS | IRP | LAN | MTR | MTR | SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | HAN | PHX | RIV |colspan=7| ! - ! 0 |
| 1968
| HAN | LVG | PHX | TRE |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY | MIL | MOS | MOS | LAN | PIP | CDR | NAZ | IRP | IRP | LAN | LAN | MTR | MTR | SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | MCH | HAN | PHX | RIV !- !0 |
= Indianapolis 500 results =
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Year
!Car !Start !Qual !Rank !Finish !Laps !Led !Retired |
|---|
| 1951
|8 |19 |133.764 |14 |20 |93 |0 |Engine |
| 1952
|16 |11 |136.142 |9 |18 |187 |0 |Flagged |
| 1953
|97 |16 |136.560 |14 |29 |42 |0 |Fuel Leak |
| 1954
|98 |5 |138.776 |13 |12 |199 |0 |Flagged |
| 1960
|65 |9 |144.665 |12 |15 |196 |0 |Flagged |
| 1961
|18 |28 |145.191 |16 |6 |200 |0 |Running |
| 1963
|45 |22 |148.386 |23 |21 |110 |0 |Valve |
| 1964
|95 |29 |150.830 |29 |28 |2 |0 |Crash FS |
| 1965
|88 |26 |154.275 |30 |25 |50 |0 |Piston |
| colspan=6|Totals
|1079 |0 | |
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Starts
|9 |
|---|
| Poles
|0 |
| Front Row
|0 |
| Wins
|0 |
| Top 5
|0 |
| Top 10
|1 |
| Retired
|5 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/StevensonChuck.htm Chuck Stevenson - ChampCarStats.com]
- {{Racing-Reference driver|Chuck_Stevenson}}
{{American open-wheel car racing champions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevenson, Chuck}}
Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers
Category:People from Sidney, Montana
Category:Racing drivers from Montana
Category:AAA Championship Car drivers
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers
Category:People from Benson, Arizona
Category:Sportspeople from Cochise County, Arizona