Frank Lockhart American racing driver Date of Birth: 08.04.1903 Country: USA

1. Frank Lockhart: An American Racing Legend
2. Early Career and Innovation
3. Indianapolis 500 Breakthrough
4. Continued Success and Record-Breaking
5. Attempting the Land Speed Record
6. Tragic Demise
7. Legacy and Honors

Frank Lockhart: An American Racing Legend

Frank Lockhart, born on April 8, 1903, in Dayton, Ohio, was an American race car driver renowned for his exceptional engineering skills and daring on the track.

Early Career and Innovation

Lockhart's career began as a West Coast race car enthusiast, specializing in dirt tracks. He displayed natural speed and mechanical prowess, developing custom-built racing machines throughout his career. Lockhart started on modified "Fronty Fords" and excelled in high-stakes board-track racing, where he set impressive lap times against dominant brands like Duesenbergs and Millers.

Indianapolis 500 Breakthrough

Lockhart's breakthrough came in 1926 when he acquired a Peter Kreis eight-cylinder supercharged Miller for the Indianapolis 500. During a practice session, he convinced the team to let him drive and astounded everyone by setting an unofficial qualifying record of 120.919 mph. In the official qualifying attempt, he faced technical issues and crashed, but not before recording a speed of 95.780 mph, securing a 20th starting position.

In the race itself, Lockhart displayed exceptional talent. He moved up from 20th to fifth place by the fifth lap, overtaking 14 cars. He became second by the 16th lap and passed Dave Lewis for the lead on lap 72. Lockhart and Lewis battled fiercely for the next 20 laps until Lewis crashed. After holding the lead for two laps, Lockhart's lead was cut short when race officials ended the race at lap 160 due to heavy rain. Despite the reduced distance, Lockhart was declared the winner, becoming only the fourth rookie to ever win the Indianapolis 500.

Continued Success and Record-Breaking

Following his Indianapolis 500 victory, Lockhart purchased the winning Miller and acquired another one. He dominated tracks, setting record-breaking speeds at nearly every race. In 1926, he claimed four American Automobile Association (AAA) championships and finished second in the overall standings.

Lockhart became known for his groundbreaking innovation, including the introduction of the intercooler, which increased his car's speed by 8 mph. In 1927, he qualified and started from pole position for the Indianapolis 500 with a record speed of 120.100 mph, which stood for 64 years.

Attempting the Land Speed Record

In his final sporting venture, Lockhart set a new speed record on the Muroc Dry Lake in California, reaching 160.01 mph in a 1491 cc supercharged and intercooled Miller. His peak speed over a one-mile course was 171 mph.

Tragic Demise

Backed by the Stutz Motor Company, Lockhart combined two supercharged 1.5-liter overhead-cam Miller engines, producing a combined power of 380 horsepower. This lightweight car became the only entry in the 122-183 cubic-inch class attempting the speed record at Daytona Beach.

On April 25, 1928, Lockhart made a practice run in the streamlined Stutz Black Hawk Special, reaching 198.29 mph. His first official run achieved 203.45 mph, short of Ray Keech's previous record. During his second run, the Stutz Black Hawk Special suffered a tire blowout, crashing at high speed. Lockhart was ejected from the car and died instantly.

Legacy and Honors

Frank Lockhart's remarkable career was cut short by tragedy, but his legacy as a daring and innovative race car driver lives on. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1999. His contributions to racing and engineering continue to inspire generations of enthusiasts.