Roger McCluskey[1] (August 24, 1930 – August 29, 1993) was an American IndyCar driver. He was raised in Tucson, Arizona.
Roger McCluskey | |||||||
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Born | Roger Frank McCluskey August 24, 1930 San Antonio, Texas, U.S. | ||||||
Died | August 29, 1993 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. | (aged 63)||||||
Championship titles | |||||||
USAC Sprint Car (1963, 1966) USAC Stock Car (1969, 1970) USAC Championship Car (1973) Major victories California 500 (1972) | |||||||
Champ Car career | |||||||
229 races run over 21 years | |||||||
Best finish | 1st (1973) | ||||||
First race | 1960 Langhorne 100 (Langhorne) | ||||||
Last race | 1979 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (Milwaukee) | ||||||
First win | 1966 Langhorne 150 (Langhorne) | ||||||
Last win | 1979 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (Milwaukee) | ||||||
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AAA/USAC Stock Car career | |||||||
Years active | 1968–1979 | ||||||
Championships | 2 | ||||||
Best finish | 1st in 1969, 1970 | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
4 races run over 4 years | |||||||
First race | 1969 Motor Trend 500 (Riverside) | ||||||
Last race | 1977 Los Angeles Times 500 (Ontario) | ||||||
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24 Hours of Le Mans career | |||||||
Years | 1967 | ||||||
Teams | Holman-Moody | ||||||
Best finish | DNF (1967) | ||||||
Class wins | 0 |
He won championship titles in three divisions of the United States Auto Club: Sprints, Stocks, and Champ Cars. He won the USAC Sprint Car title in 1963 and 1966, the USAC Stock Car title in 1969 and 1970. The Champ Car title in 1973. His first USAC Stock Car start resulted in a runner-up finish in Phoenix, Arizona in January 1968, when he drove as a substitute driver for Norm Nelson.
McCluskey earned four USAC Midget Car wins, 23 USAC Sprint Car wins, 23 USAC Stock Car wins and five USAC Championship Car (national championship) wins (including his last start at Milwaukee in 1979, which is a rarity since most drivers don't win their last race in their career). He was the USAC national champion in 1973. He started every Indianapolis 500 race from 1961 to 1979 except 1964, with a best finish of 3rd in 1973.
He also made four NASCAR Grand National Series starts from 1969 to 1977 with a best finish of second in 1970 at Riverside International Raceway.
He represented the USAC series in the 1974 International Race of Champions.
McCluskey raced for the Holman and Moody team in a Ford GT40 Mk.IIB at the 1967 LeMans 24hrs of Endurance, France. During this event, McCluskey is credited with pulling Mario Andretti to safety-and thus saving his life-after Andretti had seriously crashed his Ford GT40 Mk.IV when a front brake locked.
McCluskey died of cancer in Indianapolis, on August 29, 1993, just five days after his 63rd birthday. In 2004, the local United Sports Arizona Race Park hosted the Roger McCluskey Sprint Car Classic in his honor.
Award
editHe was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993.
He was also inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in 2002.
He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2011.[2]
Racing record
editComplete USAC Championship Car results
editYear | Team | 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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1956 | Harry Allen Chapman | INDY | MIL | LAN | DAR | ATL | SPR | MIL | DUQ | SYR | ISF | SAC DNQ |
PHX | - | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
1960 | Art Koopman | TRE | INDY | MIL DNQ |
LAN 5 |
SPR 13 |
MIL DNQ |
DUQ 15 |
19th | 320 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Harlan Fike | SYR DNQ |
ISF 6 |
TRE 11 |
SAC 4 |
PHX DNQ |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1961 | Harlan Fike | TRE 6 |
LAN 5 |
15th | 370 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Racing Associates | INDY 27 |
MIL 17 |
MIL DNQ |
SPR | TRE 7 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
John R. Willis | DUQ 15 |
SYR 8 |
ISF 14 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fred Sclavi | SAC 11 |
PHX 7 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1962 | Fred Sclavi | TRE 8 |
INDY 16 |
MIL 5 |
LAN 14 |
TRE DNQ |
12th | 690 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Bruce Homeyer | SPR 15 |
MIL 6 |
LAN 5 |
SYR 6 |
ISF 4 |
TRE 21 |
SAC 18 |
PHX 6 |
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1963 | Bruce Homeyer | TRE 8 |
INDY 15 |
MIL 18 |
LAN 10 |
TRE 7 |
SPR 4 |
MIL 6 |
DUQ 11 |
8th | 750 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Gordon Van Liew | ISF 6 |
TRE 18 |
SAC 5 |
PHX 5 |
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1964 | Gordon Van Liew | PHX 2 |
TRE | INDY | MIL | LAN | TRE DNS |
SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE 8 |
SAC 7 |
PHX DNS |
22nd | 238 | |||||||||||||||
1965 | All American Racers | PHX 21 |
TRE | INDY 30 |
MIL 6 |
LAN 13 |
PIP | TRE 17 |
IRP 3 |
ATL 9 |
LAN DNQ |
MIL 5 |
SPR | MIL 4 |
DUQ | TRE 4 |
PHX 26 |
8th | 1.060 | ||||||||||||
Bursac-Pusilo | ISF DNS |
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W & W Enterprises | SAC 9 |
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1966 | Lindsey Hopkins | PHX | TRE 20 |
INDY 13 |
MIL 2 |
LAN 6 |
ATL 27 |
PIP | IRP 22 |
LAN 1 |
SPR 14 |
MIL 18 |
DUQ 18 |
ISF 14 |
TRE 5 |
SAC DNS |
PHX 11 |
12th | 780 | ||||||||||||
1967 | Lindsey Hopkins | PHX 2 |
TRE 2 |
INDY 19 |
MIL 3 |
LAN 17 |
PIP | MOS 2 |
MOS 2 |
IRP 19 |
LAN 21 |
MTR 24 |
MTR | SPR 13 |
MIL 3 |
DUQ 3 |
ISF 8 |
TRE 14 |
SAC DNQ |
HAN 21 |
PHX 21 |
RIV 5 |
8th | 1.620 | |||||||
1968 | Lindsey Hopkins | HAN 6 |
LVG 12 |
PHX 14 |
TRE 16 |
INDY 29 |
MIL 20 |
MOS 3 |
MOS 14 |
LAN 9 |
PIP | CDR 17 |
NAZ | IRP 19 |
IRP 7 |
LAN 22 |
LAN | MTR | MTR | SPR 1 |
MIL 23 |
DUQ 5 |
ISF 12 |
TRE 2 |
SAC 12 |
MCH 25 |
HAN 10 |
PHX 11 |
RIV 12 |
13th | 1.228 |
1969 | A. J. Foyt Enterprises | PHX 14 |
HAN 17 |
INDY 14 |
MIL 9 |
LAN | PIP | CDR 5 |
NAZ | TRE 21 |
IRP 4 |
IRP 18 |
MIL 14 |
SPR 15 |
DOV 3 |
DUQ 16 |
ISF 15 |
BRN 15 |
BRN | TRE 2 |
SAC DNQ |
KEN | KEN | PHX DNQ |
RIV 22 |
13th | 1.090 | ||||
1970 | Hayhoe Racing | PHX DNQ |
SON | TRE DNQ |
INDY 25 |
MIL 2 |
LAN Wth |
CDR | MCH 7 |
IRP 9 |
SPR DNP |
MIL 2 |
ONT 25 |
DUQ | ISF | TRE 5 |
PHX 3 |
6th | 1.380 | ||||||||||||
Maxson | SED 10 |
SAC 5 |
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1971 | Grant King Racers | RAF 5 |
RAF 4 |
13th | 1.050 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lindsey Hopkins | PHX 22 |
TRE 22 |
INDY 9 |
MIL 23 |
POC 25 |
MCH 3 |
MIL 18 |
ONT 28 |
TRE 22 |
PHX 2 |
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1972 | Lindsey Hopkins | PHX 7 |
TRE 2 |
INDY 24 |
MIL 7 |
MCH 8 |
POC 11 |
MIL 19 |
ONT 1 |
TRE 8 |
PHX 6 |
3rd | 1.970 | ||||||||||||||||||
1973 | Lindsey Hopkins | TWS 7 |
TRE 8 |
TRE 6 |
INDY 3 |
MIL 2 |
POC 2 |
MCH 1 |
MIL 6 |
ONT 2 |
ONT | ONT 4 |
MCH 4 |
MCH | TRE 13 |
TWS 18 |
PHX 4 |
1st | 3.075 | ||||||||||||
1974 | Lindsey Hopkins | ONT 5 |
ONT | ONT 8 |
PHX 16 |
TRE | INDY 16 |
MIL 18 |
POC 28 |
MCH 16 |
MIL 6 |
MCH 13 |
TRE 10 |
TRE 16 |
PHX 19 |
16th | 555 | ||||||||||||||
1975 | Lindsey Hopkins | ONT 8 |
ONT | ONT 13 |
PHX DNQ |
TRE 7 |
INDY 5 |
MIL 8 |
POC 4 |
MCH 12 |
MIL 19 |
MCH 5 |
TRE 6 |
PHX 18 |
7th | 1.675 | |||||||||||||||
1976 | Lindsey Hopkins | PHX | TRE DNQ |
INDY 30 |
MIL | MCH 5 |
TWS DNQ |
TRE 22 |
MIL 6 |
ONT 21 |
MCH 10 |
TWS 19 |
PHX 5 |
11th | 955 | ||||||||||||||||
James Bidwell | POC 6 |
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1977 | Lindsey Hopkins | ONT 22 |
PHX 3 |
TWS 17 |
TRE 5 |
INDY 8 |
MIL 19 |
POC 26 |
MOS 11 |
MCH 20 |
TWS DNQ |
MIL 20 |
ONT 22 |
MCH 7 |
PHX 5 |
11th | 940 | ||||||||||||||
1978 | Hodgdon Racing | PHX 19 |
ONT 20 |
TWS 20 |
INDY 25 |
MOS | MIL | POC | MCH | ATL | TWS | MIL | PHX 13 |
35th | 61 | ||||||||||||||||
Patrick Racing | TRE 21 |
ONT 24 |
MCH | TRE | SIL | BRH | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
1979 | Hodgdon Racing | ONT 12 |
TWS | INDY 13 |
9th | 716 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
AMI Racing | MIL 17 |
POC 14 |
TWS 4 |
MIL 1 |
Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results
editYear | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Pos | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | TRE | MIL | MOS DNS |
PIR | - | - | |||||
1979 | TEX1 | IRP | MIL1 22 |
POC | TEX2 | MIL2 | MIN1 | MIN2 | 52nd | 3 |
Complete PPG Indy Car World Series results
editYear | Team | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pos. | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1979 | Hodgdon Racing | McLaren | Cosworth | PHX | ATL | ATL | INDY 13 |
TRE | TRE | MCH | MCH | WGL | TRE | ONT | MCH | ATL | PHX | - | 0 |
Indy 500 results
edit
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NASCAR
edit(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Grand National Series
editNASCAR Grand National Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 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 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | NGNC | Pts | Ref | ||||||||
1969 | Norm Nelson Racing | 12 | Plymouth | MGR | MGY | RSD 22 |
DAY | DAY | DAY | CAR | AUG | BRI | ATL | CLB | HCY | GPS | RCH | NWS | MAR | AWS | DAR | BLV | LGY | CLT | MGR | SMR | MCH | KPT | GPS | NCF | DAY | DOV | TPN | TRN | BLV | BRI | NSV | SMR | ATL | MCH | SBO | BGS | AWS | DAR | HCY | RCH | TAL | CLB | MAR | NWS | CLT | SVH | AUG | CAR | JFC | MGR | TWS | NA | - | [4] | ||||||||
1970 | 1 | RSD 2 |
DAY | DAY | DAY | RCH | CAR | SVH | ATL | BRI | TAL | NWS | CLB | DAR | BLV | LGY | CLT | SMR | MAR | MCH | RSD | HCY | KPT | GPS | DAY | AST | TPN | TRN | BRI | SMR | NSV | ATL | CLB | ONA | MCH | TAL | BGS | SBO | DAR | HCY | RCH | DOV | NCF | NWS | CLT | MAR | MGR | CAR | LGY | NA | - | [5] |
Winston Cup Series
editNASCAR Winston Cup Series results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | No. | Make | 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 | 29 | 30 | 31 | NWCC | Pts | Ref | |||||||
1972 | Marcis Auto Racing | 2 | Dodge | RSD | DAY | RCH | ONT | CAR | ATL | BRI | DAR | NWS | MAR | TAL | CLT | DOV | MCH | RSD | TWS | DAY | BRI | TRN | ATL | TAL | MCH | NSV | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT 27 |
CAR | TWS | NA | - | [6] | |||||||
1977 | 74 | Chevy | RSD | DAY | RCH | CAR | ATL | NWS | DAR | BRI | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | CLT | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | ATL | ONT 40 |
NA | - | [7] |
International Race of Champions
edit(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)
International Race of Champions results | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Pos. | Pts | Ref |
1973–74 | Porsche | RSD 8 |
RSD 11 |
RSD 12 |
DAY | 12th | - | [8] |
References
edit- ^ "Roger McCluskey". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
- ^ Roger McCluskey at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
- ^ Roger McCluskey Indy 500 Race Stats
- ^ "Roger McCluskey – 1969 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Roger McCluskey – 1970 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Roger McCluskey – 1972 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Roger McCluskey – 1977 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
- ^ "Roger McCluskey – 1974 IROC Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
Other references
edit- Patrick Finley; "McCluskey memorial race at local dirt track gaining momentum each year"; December 30, 2006; Arizona Daily Star; Retrieved January 15, 2007
- NASCAR and IROC statistics