Pat Flaherty (racing driver)

{{Infobox racing driver

| name = Pat Flaherty

| image = PatFlaherty(racingdriver)Image.jpg

| caption =

| birth_name = George Francis Flaherty

| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|01|06}}

| birth_place = Glendale, California, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2002|04|09|1926|01|06}}

| death_place = Oxnard, California, U.S.

| titles = Major victories
Indianapolis 500 (1956)

| awards =

| module1 =

{{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes

| Total_Champ_Races = 18

| Years_In_Champ = 9

| Best_Champ_Pos = 2nd (1956)

| First_Champ_Race = 1950 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)

| Last_Champ_Race = 1963 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)

| First_Champ_Win = 1955 Milwaukee 250 (Milwaukee)

| Last_Champ_Win = 1956 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)

| Champ_Wins = 3

| Champ_Podiums = 4

| Champ_Poles = 1

| module2 =

{{Infobox NASCAR driver|embed=yes

| Total_Cup_Races = 1

| Years_In_Cup = 1

| First_Cup_Race = 1951 Motor City 250 (Detroit)

| Cup_Wins = 0

| Cup_Top_Tens = 0

| Cup_Poles = 0

| module3 =

{{Infobox F1 driver|embed=yes

| Years = {{F1|1950}}, {{F1|1953}} – {{F1|1956}}, {{F1|1959}}

| Team(s) = Kurtis Kraft, Watson

| Races = 7 (5 starts)

| Championships = 0

| Wins = 1

| Podiums = 1

| Points = 8

| Poles = 1

| Fastest laps = 0

| First race = 1950 Indianapolis 500

| First win = 1956 Indianapolis 500

| Last race = 1959 Indianapolis 500

}}}}}}}}

George Francis "Pat" Flaherty (January 6, 1926 – April 9, 2002) was an American racing driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1956.{{cite video|year=1956|title=Cyprus Riots, 1956/05/31 (1956)|url=https://archive.org/details/1956-05-31_Cyprus_Riots|publisher=Universal Newsreel|access-date=February 22, 2012}}

Driving career

= Early career =

Flaherty began racing track roadsters in 1946, and in 1948 relocated to the Midwest to compete in Andy Granatelli's Hurricane Hot Rod Association.{{Cite web |date=2002-04-09 |title=1956 Indy 500 winner Pat Flaherty dies at 76 |url=https://www.autoweek.com/news/a2107411/1956-indy-500-winner-pat-flaherty-dies-76/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Autoweek |language=en-US}}

= Championship car career =

File:Indy500winningcar1956.JPG

Flaherty drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1950, 1953–1956, 1958–1959, and 1963 seasons with 19 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1950, 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1959. He finished in the top ten 9 times, with victories in 1955 and 1956 at Milwaukee as well as the 1956 Indianapolis 500. Born in Glendale, California, Flaherty died in Oxnard, California.{{cite web|url=http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Pat_Flaherty|title=Pat Flaherty|first=Allen|last=Brown|website=oldracingcars.com|access-date=21 August 2018}}

= 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.

Flaherty participated in five World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He started on the pole once, won once, and accumulated eight World Drivers' Championship points.

Injury and later life

After winning the 1956 Indianapolis 500, Flaherty was severely injured in a race car crash less than three months later,{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yBQhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4ZkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7333,6321132&dq=pat+flaherty+indy+500+crash&hl=en|title=The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com|access-date=21 August 2018}} which prevented him from racing at the 1957 500. Flaherty successfully raced pigeons for over twenty years after he retired from auto racing.[https://www.chicagotribune.com/1987/07/27/among-the-toasts-made-at-the-wedding/ Among the toasts made at the wedding reception Saturday...], chicagotribune.com; accessed May 13, 2014. He also built and publicised a portable go-kart track where he would race against all-comers.

Awards and honors

Flaherty has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2006){{Cite web |title=Pat Flaherty |url=https://imsmuseum.org/fame_inductee/pat-flaherty/ |access-date=2023-10-08 |website=IMS Museum |language=en-US}}

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 ! Pos ! Points
1949 \| ARL \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| INDY DNQ \| MIL \| TRE \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \| PIK \| SYR \| DET \| SPR \| LAN \| SAC \| DMR ! - ! 0
rowspan=1\| 1950 \|style="background:#CFEAFF;"\| INDY 10 \| MIL \| LAN \| SPR \| MIL \| PIK \| SYR \| DET \| SPR \| SAC \| PHX \| BAY \| DAR \|colspan=1\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 33rd !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 103.5
rowspan=1\| 1953 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| INDY 22 \| MIL \| SPR \| DET \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \| PIK \| SYR \| ISF \| SAC \| PHX \|colspan=2\| ! - ! 0
rowspan=1\| 1954 \| INDY DNS \| MIL \| LAN \| DAR \|SPR \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| MIL 12 \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| DUQ DNQ \| PIK \| SYR \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| ISF DNQ \|SAC \| PHX \| LVG \|colspan=1\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 51st !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 20
rowspan=1\| 1955 \|style="background:#CFEAFF;" \| INDY 10 \|style="background:#FFDF9F;" \| MIL 3 \| LAN \| SPR \|style="background:#FFFFBF;" \| MIL 1 \| DUQ \| PIK \| SYR \|style="background:#FFCFCF;" \| ISF DNQ \| SAC \| PHX \|colspan=3\| !style="background:#CFEAFF;"\| 8th !style="background:#CFEAFF;"\| 790
rowspan=1\| 1956 \|style="background:#FFFFBF;"\| INDY 1 \|style="background:#FFFFBF;"\| MIL 1 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| LAN 14 \|style="background:#DFFFDF;"\| DAR 5 \|style="background:#DFFFDF;"\| ATL 5 \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| SPR 18 \| MIL \| DUQ \| SYR \| ISF \| SAC \| PHX \|colspan=2\| !style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| 2nd !style="background:#DFDFDF;"\| 1,500
rowspan=1\| 1958 \| TRE \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| INDY DNQ \| MIL \| LAN \| ATL \| SPR \|style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| MIL 16 \| DUQ \| SYR \| ISF \| TRE \|SAC \| PHX \|colspan=1\| ! - ! 0
rowspan=1\| 1959 \|style="background:#cfeaff;\| DAY 9 \| style="background:#efcfff;\| TRE 17 \| style="background:#efcfff;\| INDY 19 \| style="background:#efcfff;\| MIL 19 \| LAN \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \| SYR \| ISF \| TRE \| SAC \| PHX \|colspan=1\| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 43rd !style="background:#CFCFFF;"\| 40
1963 \| TRE \| INDY \|style="background:#EFCFFF;"\| MIL 21 \| LAN \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| TRE DNQ \| SPR \| MIL \| DUQ \| ISF \|style="background:#FFCFCF;"\| TRE DNQ \| SAC \| PHX \|colspan=2\| ! - ! 0

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

! Year

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! Pos

! Points

1949

| ARL

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY
DNQ

| MIL

| TRE

| SPR

| MIL

| DUQ

| PIK

| SYR

| DET

| SPR

| LAN

| SAC

| DMR

! -

! 0

rowspan=1| 1950

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| INDY
10

| MIL

| LAN

| SPR

| MIL

| PIK

| SYR

| DET

| SPR

| SAC

| PHX

| BAY

| DAR

|colspan=1|

!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 33rd

!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 103.5

rowspan=1| 1953

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY
22

| MIL

| SPR

| DET

| SPR

| MIL

| DUQ

| PIK

| SYR

| ISF

| SAC

| PHX

|colspan=2|

! -

! 0

rowspan=1| 1954

| INDY
DNS

| MIL

| LAN

| DAR

|SPR

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MIL
12

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DUQ
DNQ

| PIK

| SYR

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ISF
DNQ

|SAC

| PHX

| LVG

|colspan=1|

!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 51st

!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 20

rowspan=1| 1955

|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | INDY
10

|style="background:#FFDF9F;" | MIL
3

| LAN

| SPR

|style="background:#FFFFBF;" | MIL
1

| DUQ

| PIK

| SYR

|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | ISF
DNQ

| SAC

| PHX

|colspan=3|

!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8th

!style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 790

rowspan=1| 1956

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| INDY
1

|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| MIL
1

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LAN
14

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| DAR
5

|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| ATL
5

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SPR
18

| MIL

| DUQ

| SYR

| ISF

| SAC

| PHX

|colspan=2|

!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd

!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 1,500

rowspan=1| 1958

| TRE

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY
DNQ

| MIL

| LAN

| ATL

| SPR

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MIL
16

| DUQ

| SYR

| ISF

| TRE

|SAC

| PHX

|colspan=1|

! -

! 0

rowspan=1| 1959

|style="background:#cfeaff;| DAY
9

| style="background:#efcfff;| TRE
17

| style="background:#efcfff;| INDY
19

| style="background:#efcfff;| MIL
19

| LAN

| SPR

| MIL

| DUQ

| SYR

| ISF

| TRE

| SAC

| PHX

|colspan=1|

!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 43rd

!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 40

1963

| TRE

| INDY

|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL
21

| LAN

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| TRE
DNQ

| SPR

| MIL

| DUQ

| ISF

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| TRE
DNQ

| SAC

| PHX

|colspan=2|

! -

! 0

= Indianapolis 500 results =

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Year !Car !Start !Qual !Rank !Finish !Laps !Led !Retired
1950 \|59 \|11 \|129.608 \|30 \|10 \|135 \|0 \|Running
1953 \|77 \|24 \|135.668 \|27 \|22 \|115 \|0 \|Crash NC
1954 \|38 \| - \| - \| - \| Ret* \|110 \|0 \|Crash
1955 \|89 \|12 \|140.149 \|8 \|10 \|200 \|0 \|Running
1956 \|8 \|1 \|145.596 \|1 \|style="background:#ffffbf;"\| 1st \|200 \|127 \|Running
1959 \|64 \|18 \|142.399 \|21 \|19 \|162 \|11 \|Crash FS
colspan=6\|Totals \|812 \|138 \|

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

Year

!Car

!Start

!Qual

!Rank

!Finish

!Laps

!Led

!Retired

1950

|59

|11

|129.608

|30

|10

|135

|Running

1953

|77

|24

|135.668

|27

|22

|115

|Crash NC

1954

|38

| -

| Ret*

|110

|Crash

1955

|89

|12

|140.149

|10

|200

|Running

1956

|145.596

|style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1st

|200

|127

|Running

1959

|64

|18

|142.399

|21

|19

|162

|11

|Crash FS

colspan=6|Totals

|812

|138

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Starts \|5
Poles \|1
Front Row \|1
Wins \|1
Top 5 \|1
Top 10 \|3
Retired \|2

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

Starts

Poles

Front Row

Wins

Top 5

Top 10

Retired

* Shared drive with Jim Rathmann

References

External links

[http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/FlahertyPat.htm Pat Flaherty - ChampCarStats.com]
{{Find a Grave|6531733}}
{{Racing-Reference driver|Pat_Flaherty}}

{{Succession box|before=Bob Sweikert|title=Indianapolis 500 Winner|years=1956|after=Sam Hanks}}

Category:1926 births

Category:2002 deaths

Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers

Category:Indianapolis 500 polesitters

Category:Indianapolis 500 winners

Category:Sportspeople from Glendale, California

Category:Racing drivers from California

Category:AAA Championship Car drivers

Category:20th-century American sportsmen

Category:Formula One race winners

Category:USAC Stock Car drivers