  warren wilbur shaw (october 31, 1902 - october 30, 1954) was an american racing driver. he was president of the indianapolis motor speedway from 1945 until his death in 1954. shaw was the automotive test evaluator for popular science magazine. ==biography== thumb|right|the car with which wilbur shaw won the indianapolis 500 in both 1939 and 1940. he was born in shelbyville, indiana on october 31, 1902. he participated in the 1927 indianapolis 500. wilbur shaw won the indianapolis 500 race three times, in 1937, 1939 and 1940. shaw was the second person to win the 500 three times, and the first to win it twice in a row. in the 1941 race, shaw was injured when his car crashed; it was later discovered that a defective wheel had been placed on his car. during world war ii, shaw was hired by the tire manufacturer firestone tire and rubber company to test a synthetic rubber automobile tire at the indianapolis motor speedway, which had been closed due to the war. he was dismayed at the dilapidated condition of the racetrack and quickly contacted then-owner eddie rickenbacker, the world war i flying ace and president and founder of eastern air lines. when the united states entered world war ii, ending racing at indianapolis and elsewhere for the duration, rickenbacker padlocked the gates and let the race course slowly begin to disintegrate. during a meeting soon after the tire test, rickenbacker informed shaw that what was left of the track would be demolished and the land turned into a housing subdivision ... unless shaw could find someone else who might have other ideas. shaw sent out letters to the major car manufacturers trying to find a backer to buy the speedway. however, all indicated that should they buy the ims they would turn it into a private testing facility for their own cars only and that its days as a racetrack would be well and truly over. shaw then met terre haute businessman tony hulman who had inherited his family's business, hulman & company, a wholesale grocer and producer of coffee and baking powder, clabber girl. a lifelong fan of automobile racing in general and the "500" in particular, hulman listened with great interest to what shaw had to say. despite what hulman saw amongst the weeds and deterioration when shaw took him to indianapolis, he purchased the speedway from rickenbacker in november 1945 for the sum of $750,000. ( it was reported to me in a personal communication from david cassidy that the price was $350,000 and hulman leased the concession
1902_births 1954_deaths AAA_Championship_Car_drivers Accidental_deaths_in_Indiana American_racing_drivers Executives_of_Indiana_based_companies Indianapolis_500_drivers Indianapolis_500_winners International_Motorsports_Hall_of_Fame_inductees Motorsports_Hall_of_Fame_of_America_inductees National_Sprint_Car_Hall_of_Fame_inductees People_from_Shelbyville,_Indiana Racing_drivers_from_Indiana Sportspeople_from_Indianapolis,_Indiana Victims_of_aviation_accidents_or_incidents_in_the_United_States