Gene Hartley
American racing driver
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leslie Eugene Hartley[1] (January 28, 1926 – March 13, 1993)[2] was an American racecar driver. He was born and died in Roanoke, Indiana.
| Born | January 28, 1926 |
|---|---|
| Died | March 13, 1993 (aged 67) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  American |
| Active years | 1950, 1952–1954, 1956–1957, 1959–1960 |
| Teams | Kurtis Kraft, Kuzma, Langley, Lesovsky, Ewing |
| Entries | 10 (8 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1950 Indianapolis 500 |
| Last entry | 1960 Indianapolis 500 |
Hartley was the son of midget car driver Ted Hartley, who competed into his 60s.[3] "Auto racing is all I’ve ever known," Gene once said in an interview at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.[3]
Racing career
Hartley drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1950 and 1952–1962 seasons with 33 starts. He raced in ten Indianapolis 500 races, in each year but 1955 and 1958. His best finish at Indy was tenth in 1957, although he finished eleventh three times. He finished in the top-ten nine times, with his best finish in second position in 1956 at Langhorne Speedway.[citation needed]
Hartley was the 1959 USAC National Midget Series champion.[3] His 33 USAC feature wins were eighth best all-time.[3]
Promoter
Hartley co-promoted with Leroy Warriner at the Indianapols Speedrome on Kitley Avenue in Indianapolis after his retirement. They hosted midget races at the track that was specifically built for the small cars.
Career award
- Hartley was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1985.[3]
Indy 500 results
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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. Hartley entered ten World Championship races and started eight of them, with a best finish of tenth.
