Frank Lockhart (racing driver)

Frank Stallworth Lockhart (March 5, 1903 or March 8, 1903 – April 25, 1928) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s, considered by many historians to be a legend in the sport on par with Jim Clark, 1960s British World Drivers' Champion. During a "remarkable if all too short" career, Lockhart won numerous races on both dirt and board tracks, and the 1926 Indianapolis 500. In all, he scored nine AAA championship race wins and two vice-championships in two years of competition. Having set a world land speed record at the Muroc dry lake in April 1927, Lockhart was killed during another speed record attempt at Daytona Beach a year later.

Driving career 

Lockhart was raised in Southern California. He had a strong engineering and motor building ability that he used to build custom cars throughout his career.

Lockhart began his career in Frontenac-prepared Fords (Fronty Fords) at dirt track events, where he showed remarkable speed against the dominating Duesenbergs and Millers for two seasons.

1926 

Lockhart's big break came when he was signed as a relief driver for Pete Kreis's eight-cylinder supercharged Miller at the 1926 Indianapolis 500. He convinced Kreis to allow him to take some "warm up" laps, and he clocked quicker times than Kreis (}). He set a new unofficial track record on his first official qualifying lap (a three-lap average was used to set a track record). He cut down a tire and crashed on the second qualifying lap. He also had mechanical problems on his second attempt. He slowed down on his third and final attempt, and qualified 20th overall with a speed of . On race day, he moved from 20th to fifth by Lap 5, having passed 14 cars on that lap alone. He moved up to second on Lap 16. Lockhart took the lead from Dave Lewis shortly after a rain delay on Lap 72. Lewis and Lockhart battled for the lead for the next 20 laps, until Lewis dropped out. Lockhart nearly stretched out a two-lap lead before rain ended the race on Lap 160, becoming the fourth rookie to win the Indianapolis 500.

Lockhart bought the car. He later bought a second Miller car, and he set track records almost everywhere he went. He won four more AAA championship races in 1926, and finished second in the standings.

1927 

Lockhart's car was the first car equipped with an intercooler. The intercooler added  to his speed at his first race at Culver City in March with Lockhart finishing fourth after starting from the pole position.

Lockhart qualified on the pole for the 1927 Indianapolis 500 in his Perfect Circle Miller. He led the opening 81 laps, and a full 107 before his car broke a connecting rod, setting an opening lap-leader record that stood for 64 years. He won four AAA championship races in 1927, and repeated the vice-championship.

Championship car career summary 

In his racing career Lockhart set the all-time qualifying speed record at the Atlantic City Speedway, a record first exceeded at Indianapolis in 1960.

He competed in 22 board track races in his career, with eight wins and fourteen Top 5 finishes, and is 25th on the all-time lap leader board at Indianapolis.

Land speed record and death 

On April 11, 1927, Lockhart took one of his tiny 91 cubic inch (1491 cc) supercharged, intercooled Millers out at the Muroc dry lake and set a land speed record of  for a two-way average in the mile (1.6 km), with a peak speed of .

Backed by Stutz Motor Company, Lockhart combined two supercharged 91 ci (1.5 L) DOHC Miller motors, producing about , the smallest-displacement car ever to make the attempt, to set a new land speed record in the 122–183 cubic inch (2–3 litre) class at Daytona Beach. On April 25, 1928, Lockhart's Stutz Black Hawk Special streamliner (named for the Indiana town that was home to Stutz's factory) turned a warmup run of , with his first official pass at , well below the  mark set earlier in the year by Ray Keech in his 81-litre (4178 ci) Triplex Special. On Lockhart's return pass the Black Hawk Special right rear tire exploded due to a blister which had formed during his first pass at speed, went out of control and tumbled violently across the sand, throwing Lockhart from the car and killing him instantly.

Awards and honors 

Lockhart has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
 Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1965)
 National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1990)
 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1999)

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

References

External links 

 Frank Lockhart - ChampCarStats.com
 Frank Lockhart - Motorsport Memorial
 
 Frank Stallworth Lockhart - stutzblackhawk.tripod.com
 It's A Bird, It's A Plane, No It's, It's, Frank Lockhart??? - Dick Ralstin

1903 births
1928 deaths
Racing drivers from Dayton, Ohio
Racing drivers from Los Angeles
Indianapolis 500 drivers
Indianapolis 500 polesitters
Indianapolis 500 winners
AAA Championship Car drivers
Land speed record people
Racing drivers who died while racing
Sports deaths in Florida
Filmed deaths in motorsport
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees