Nationality American Championships 0 Active years 1952–1955 Wins 0 | Teams Kurtis Kraft Name Art Cross Entries 4 Role Race car driver | |
Born January 24, 1918
Jersey City, New Jersey ( 1918-01-24 ) Died April 15, 2005, La Porte, Indiana, United States | ||
1954 INDIANAPOLIS 500 MILE RACE BILL VUKOVICH ART CROSS JACK MCGRATH 64694
Art Cross (January 24, 1918 in Jersey City, New Jersey – April 15, 2005 in LaPorte, Indiana) was an American racecar driver. He was the first recipient of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award in 1952.
Contents
- 1954 INDIANAPOLIS 500 MILE RACE BILL VUKOVICH ART CROSS JACK MCGRATH 64694
- Racing career
- Complete Formula One World Championship results
- References
Racing career
Cross began racing midget cars in 1938. He received a Purple Heart for his wounds during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. He returned to midget cars after the war, and raced in one of Pappy Hough's "Little Iron Pigs."
Cross won the first Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award after a fifth-place finish in the 1952 Indianapolis 500. Cross used his take to purchase a farm near LaPorte, Indiana.
He finished second in the 1953 Indianapolis 500 behind Bill Vukovich. Despite it being one of the hottest Indy 500s on record, Vukovich and Cross completed the entire race without relief. Driver Carl Scarborough died from the heat. Cross' car was the "Springfield Welding Special", which was owned by Bessie Lee Paoli, who was the only female owner at the time.
After retiring from racing, he turned his attention to running the farm in LaPorte, Indiana. He later became involved in a heavy equipment business and in construction. He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1992.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
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