Bill Vukovich Formula one racer

William John "Bill" Vukovich, Sr. (/ˈvjuːkəvɪtʃ/; Serbian: Bil Vuković, Бил Вуковић; December 13, 1918 in Fresno, California – May 30, 1955 in Indianapolis, Indiana) was a Serbian American automobile racing driver. He won the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 plus two more American Automobile Association National Championship races. Several drivers of his generation have referred to Vukovich as the greatest ever encountered in American motorsport.He was known variously as "Vuky" (/ˈvuːki/ VOO-kee) and "The Mad Russian" (though he detested that name, his ancestry being Yugoslavian) for his intense driving style, as well as the "Silent Serb" for his cool demeanor. He was also referred to as the "Fresno Flash" in Floyd Clymer's Indy yearbooks, and in an interview (available at the Vukovich Accident link below) his former mechanic Jim Travers calls him "Vuke".

Personal facts

Birth dateDecember 13, 1918
Nationality
United States
Date of deathMay 30, 1955

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Formula one racer

championships0
fastest lap3
first race
1950 Indianapolis 500
first win
1953 Indianapolis 500
last race
1955 Indianapolis 500
last win
1954 Indianapolis 500
podiums2
poles1
races6
wins2

Bill Vukovich on Wikipedia

External resources

  1. http://thegreatest33.com/default.aspx#selecteddrivers?s=bill_vukovich
  2. http://www.vukovichaccident.com