Lloyd Ruby

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Template:Short description Template:Infobox racing driver

Richard Lloyd Ruby[1] (January 12, 1928 – March 23, 2009)[2] was an American racecar driver who raced in the USAC Championship Car series for 20 years, achieving 7 victories and 88 top-ten finishes. He also had success in endurance racing, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona twice, the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1966 World Sportscar Championship.

Racing career

Ruby raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1958–1977 seasons, with 177 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 from 1960 to 1977. He achieved 88 top-ten finishes, and seven victories. His best finish at Indy was third, in 1964. In 1966, he led the Indy 500 for 68 laps.

Ruby also had two endurance racing victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona (1965–1966), both times partnering with Ken Miles. Ruby and Miles teamed up to win the 1966 12 Hours of Sebring and the 1966 World Sportscar Championship. Ruby was scheduled to drive in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, however he was forced to withdraw due to spinal injuries suffered in a plane crash.[3] A year later, he teamed with Denny Hulme in a Ford GT 40 Mk IV for the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ruby played a key role in Ford Motor Company's GT40 program in the mid-1960s. He also raced in the 1961 United States Grand Prix.

Indianapolis 500

File:Lloyd Ruby (2534355548).jpg
The Mongoose-Offenhauser car Ruby drove in the 1970 Indianapolis 500

Despite a Championship Car career replete with success, Ruby is probably best remembered for his many misfortunes at the Indianapolis 500. His biography, written by Ted Buss in 2000, was titled, Lloyd Ruby: The Greatest Driver Never to Win the Indy 500. Ruby led the race in five different years, for a total of 126 laps, however, his best finish at Indianapolis was third, in 1964. His only other top-five finish at Indy came in 1968. In 1991, he was inducted into the Auto Racing Hall of Fame.

Perhaps Ruby's most notorious hard-luck bout at Indy came in 1969. With race leader Mario Andretti experiencing overheating problems, Ruby was in a strong position to score a victory. During a pit stop around the halfway point, a crew member motioned Ruby to pull away too soon. The refueling nozzle was still engaged in the car's left saddle tank, and as Ruby dropped the clutch, the car lurched forward. The nozzle ruptured a hole in the gas tank, ending Ruby's day.

Death

He died in 2009 at the age of 81 in his hometown of Wichita Falls, Texas.[4]

Legacy and halls of fame

Ruby's racing career was honored with the Bruton Smith Legends Award at the Texas Motor Sports Hall of Fame in Fort Worth in 2005. He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2008. Ruby was also named co-recipient of the Louis Meyer Award along with Hélio Castroneves at the induction ceremony and special recognition dinner in Indianapolis. In 2015, he was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America[5]

Indianapolis Motor Speedway historian Donald Davidson joined racing greats Johnny Rutherford, Parnelli Jones and Al and Bobby Unser in Wichita Falls when the Lloyd Ruby Overpass was named in honor of their racing friend.

Complete USAC Championship Car results

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
1958 TRE INDY MIL LAN ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX
13 		- 0
1959 DAY TRE INDY
 MIL LAN SPR
DNQ 		MIL
DNQ 		DUQ
13 		SYR
14 		ISF
13 		TRE
 SAC
18 		PHX
DNQ 		- 0
1960 TRE
 INDY
7 		MIL
6 		LAN
11 		SPR
4 		MIL
17 		DUQ
6 		SYR
7 		ISF
DNQ 		TRE
8 		SAC
DNQ 		PHX
13 		9th 710
1961 TRE
 INDY
8 		MIL
21 		LAN
 MIL
1 		SPR
16 		DUQ
16 		SYR
11 		ISF
DNQ 		TRE
18 		SAC
DNQ 		PHX
 11th 670
1962 TRE
 INDY
8 		MIL
19 		LAN
 TRE
 SPR
6 		MIL
22 		LAN
 SYR
11 		ISF
13 		TRE
6 		SAC
8 		PHX
3 		11th 700
1963 TRE
19Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		INDY
19 		MIL
12 		LAN TRE
24Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		SPR
9Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		MIL
26Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		DUQ
17Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		ISF
8Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		TRE
8Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		SAC
4Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		PHX
16Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		16th 320
1964 PHX
9 		TRE
5 		INDY
3 		MIL
18 		LAN
8Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		TRE
2 		SPR
12 		MIL
10 		DUQ
17 		ISF
9 		TRE
26 		SAC
5 		PHX
1 		3rd 1,752
1965 PHX
5Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		TRE
DNQScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		INDY
11 		MIL
19Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		LAN
3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		PPR
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		TRE
18Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		IRP
7Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		ATL
23Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		LAN
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		MIL
9Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		ISF
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		MIL
3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		DSF
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		INF
10Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		TRE
26Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		SAC
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		PHX
DNQScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		13th 850
1966 PHX
12Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		TRE
21 		INDY
11 		MIL
DNP 		LAN
 ATL
 PIP IRP
16 		LAN
24 		SPR
 MIL
9 		DUQ
 ISF
 TRE
22 		SAC
 PHX
6 		20th 355
1967 PHX
1 		TRE
21 		INDY
33 		MIL
2 		LAN
1 		PIP MOS
4 		MOS
4 		IRP
16 		LAN
DNQ 		MTR
4 		MTR
3 		SPR
 MIL
13 		DUQ
 ISF
DNQ 		TRE
26 		SAC
 HAN
3 		PHX
5 		RIV
4 		6th 2.090
1968 HAN
3 		LVG
4 		PHX
2 		TRE
12 		INDY
5 		MIL
1 		MOS
15 		MOS
12 		LAN
21 		PIP CDR
2 		NAZ
17 		IRP
23 		IRP
15 		LAN
10 		LAN
6 		MTR
19 		MTR
14 		SPR
DNQ 		MIL
1 		DUQ
DNQ 		ISF
DNQ 		TRE
16 		SAC
 MCH
15 		HAN
18 		PHX
2 		RIV
3 		4th 2,799
1969 PHX
3 		HAN
2 		INDY
20 		MIL
13 		LAN
21 		PIP CDR
 NAZ TRE
15 		IRP
7 		IRP
15 		MIL
3 		SPR
 DOV
DNQ 		DUQ
 ISF
 BRN
 BRN
 TRE
 SAC
 KEN KEN PHX
2 		RIV
DNP 		10th 1,190
1970 PHX
3Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		SON
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		TRE
1Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		INDY
27 		MIL
4 		LAN
DNPScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		CDR
17Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		MCH
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		IRP
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		SPR
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		MIL
20Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		ONT
23 		DUQ
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		ISF
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		SED
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		TRE
22Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		SAC
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		PHX
16Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		14th 790
1971 RAF
2 		RAF
2 		PHX
5 		TRE
13 		INDY
11 		MIL
7 		POC
8 		MCH
21 		MIL
6 		ONT
4 		TRE
23 		PHX
24 		5th 1,830
1972 PHX
21 		TRE
 INDY
6 		MIL
22 		MCH
 POC
26 		MIL
DNQ 		ONT
17 		TRE
18 		PHX
7 		18th 490
1973 TWS
DNQ 		TRE
 TRE
 INDY
27 		MIL
21 		POC
3 		MCH
4 		MIL
DNQ 		ONT ONT
8 		ONT
28 		MCH
6 		MCH
4 		TRE
8 		TWS
4 		PHX
11 		9th 1,610
1974 ONT
3 		ONT ONT
5 		PHX
9 		TRE
8 		INDY
9 		MIL
9 		POC
6 		MCH
DNQ 		MIL
7 		MCH
21 		TRE
DNQ 		TRE
 PHX
 7th 1,580
1975 ONT
 ONT ONT
 PHX
 TRE
 INDY
32 		MIL
 POC
 MCH
 MIL
 MCH
 TRE
 PHX
10 		33rd 45
1976 PHX
 TRE
 INDY
11 		MIL
 POC
 MCH
 TWS
 TRE
 MIL ONT
 MCH
 TWS
13 		PHX
22 		31st 100
1977 ONT
17 		PHX
 TWS
 TRE
 INDY
27 		MIL
 POC
 MOS
 MCH
 TWS
 MIL
 ONT
DNP 		MCH
 PHX
 - 0

Indianapolis 500 results

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  • Ruby owns three of the top-ten 5-race finishing streaks in the 1960s

World Championship career summary

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Ruby participated in two World Championship races: the 1960 Indianapolis 500 and the 1961 United States Grand Prix. He scored no championship points.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Points
1960 J C Agajanian Watson Offenhauser straight-4 ARG
 MON
 500
7Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		NED
 BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 POR
 ITA
 USA
 NC 0
1961 J Frank Harrison Lotus 18 Climax straight-4 MON
 NED
 BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 ITA
 USA
RetScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". 		NC 0
Source:[6]Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-drivers Car Class Laps <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Pos.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />Class
pos.Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".
1967 Template:Flagicon Ford Motor Company
Template:Flagicon Holman & Moody 		Template:Flagicon Denny Hulme Ford GT40 Mk.IV P +5.0 86 DNF DNF

References

Template:Reflist

Template:24 Hours of Daytona winners Template:12 Hours of Sebring winners Template:Holman-Moody Template:Authority control

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ Lloyd Ruby at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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