Danny Kladis
{{Short description|American racing driver (1917–2009)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name = Danny Kladis
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name = Dan Peter Kladis
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1917|02|10}}
| birth_place = Crystal City, Missouri, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2009|04|26|1917|02|10}}
| death_place = Joliet, Illinois, U.S.
| module1 =
{{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
| Total_Champ_Races = 4
| Years_In_Champ = 9
| First_Champ_Race = 1946 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
| Last_Champ_Race = 1956 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
| Champ_Wins = 0
| Champ_Podiums = 0
| Champ_Poles = 0
| module2 =
{{Infobox F1 driver|embed=yes
| Years = {{F1|1950}}–{{F1|1952}}, {{F1|1954}}–{{F1|1955}}, {{F1|1957}}
| Team(s) = Maserati, Miller, Diedt, Bromme, Kurtis Kraft
| Races = 6 (1 start)
| Championships = 0
| Wins = 0
| Podiums = 0
| Points = 0
| Poles = 0
| Fastest laps = 0
| First race = 1950 Indianapolis 500
| Last race = 1957 Indianapolis 500
}}}}}}
Dan Peter Kladis (February 10, 1917 or February 10, 1916 – April 26, 2009) was an American racing driver.{{cite web|url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/KladisDanny.htm|title=Danny Kladis|work=champcarstats.com|accessdate=September 4, 2018}}{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Allen |title=Danny Kladis |url=https://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Danny_Kladis |access-date=2024-05-21 |website=OldRacingCars.com |language=en}} 92-year-old Kladis was the oldest living Indianapolis 500 starter at the time of his death.{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;_ylt=AqVaEEDumjdfVS5WHx749BR9YK1_?slug=ap-obit-kladis&prov=ap&type=lgns|title=Oldest former Indy 500 driver dies at 92|date=April 28, 2009|publisher=Yahoo!|accessdate=May 1, 2009}}{{Dead link|date=January 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Racing career
Kladis began his racing career in midget cars during 1935. When auto racing in the United States resumed after the Second World War, Kladis started in the 1946 Indianapolis 500, driving for Andy Granatelli; Kladis finished 21st.
Kladis drove 50 laps as a relief driver for Spider Webb during the 1954 Indianapolis 500. Kladis attempted to make the 500 field until the 1957 Indianapolis 500 but was often unsuccessful.
= 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 participation, and were eligible to score WDC points alongside those which they may have scored towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.
Kladis participated in one World Drivers' Championship race at Indianapolis. He relieved Spider Webb, finishing in 30th place. He scored no World Drivers' Championship points.
Personal life
While Kladis' birth date on most documents is 1917, on his WWII draft card it is given as 1916. He served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps during the War.
He was the father of seven children: George, Joanne, Carole, Ciciela, Christopher, Danny Jr, and Michael.
Awards and honors
Kladis was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.
Motorsports career results
= Indianapolis 500 results =
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Year
!Car !Chassis !Engine !Start !Qual !Rank !Finish !Laps !Led !Retired |
|---|
| 1946
|59 |Ford |33 |118.890 |32 |21 |46 |0 |Towed |
| 1949
|58 | |colspan=7| Failed to qualify |
| 1950
|39 |colspan=7| Failed to qualify |
| 1951
|89 |colspan=7| Failed to qualify |
| 1952
|19 |Offy |colspan=7| Failed to qualify |
| 1954*
|65 |Offy | - | - | - |30 |? |? |Fuel pump |
| 1955
|93 |Offy |colspan=7| Failed to qualify |
| rowspan=2|1957
|72 |colspan=7| Failed to qualify |
| 84
|colspan=7| Failed to qualify |
| colspan=8|Totals
|46 |0 | |
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Starts
|1 |
|---|
| Poles
|0 |
| Front Row
|0 |
| Wins
|0 |
| Top 5
|0 |
| Top 10
|0 |
| Retired
|1 |
{{col-end}}
= FIA World Drivers' Championship results =
(key)
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year ! Entrant ! Chassis ! Engine ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! {{Tooltip|WDC|World Drivers' Championship}} ! Pts |
| 1950
! Federal Engineering ! Maserati 8CTF | GBR | MON |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| 500 | SUI | BEL | FRA | ITA | | ! NC ! 0 |
| 1951
! Trainor Chicago | SUI |style="background:#FFCFCF;"| 500 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA | ESP | ! NC ! 0 |
| 1952
! Tuffanelli-Derrico ! Diedt Tuffanelli Derrico ! Offenhauser 4.5 L4 | SUI |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| 500 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | NED | ITA | ! NC ! 0 |
| 1954
! Advance Muffler ! Bromme D ! Offenhauser 4.5 L4 | ARG |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA | ESP ! NC ! 0 |
| 1955
! Roy McKay ! Kurtis Kraft 3000 ! Offenhauser 4.5 L4 | ARG | MON |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| 500 | BEL | NED | GBR | ITA | | ! NC ! 0 |
| rowspan=2| 1957
! Morgan Engineering | ARG | MON |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| 500 | FRA | GBR | GER | PES | ITA | !rowspan=2| NC !rowspan=2| 0 |
| Safety Auto Glass
| | |style="background:#ffcfcf;"| 500 | | | | | | |
|---|
| colspan=15|{{center|{{small|Source:{{cite web|url=http://www.statsf1.com/en/danny-kladis/engagement.aspx|title=Danny Kladis – Involvement|work=StatsF1|accessdate=September 4, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.historicracing.com/driver_detail.cfm?driverID=2647|title=Danny Kladis|work=historicracing.com|accessdate=September 4, 2018|archive-date=September 5, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905023054/http://www.historicracing.com/driver_detail.cfm?driverID=2647|url-status=dead}}}}}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kladis, Danny}}
Category:AAA Championship Car drivers
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
Category:USAC Championship Car drivers
Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers
Category:People from Crystal City, Missouri
Category:Racing drivers from Missouri
Category:United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II