Frank Lockhart
Encyclopedia
Frank Lockhart was an American
automobile
racing
driver, and Indianapolis 500
winner, and considered a legend in the sport by many historians.
. He became a famous West Coast dirt track racer. Lockhart had a strong engineering and motor building ability that he used to build custom cars throughout his career.
-prepared Fords (Fronty Fords) at board track racing
events, where he showed remarkable speed against the dominating Duesenberg
s and Millers for two seasons. His big break came when he was signed as a relief driver for Peter 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 (120.919 mph {194.59 km/h}). 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 95.780 mph (154.113 km/h). On race day, he moved from 20th to fifth by Lap 5, having had 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
events in 1926.
. The intercooler added 8 mi/h to his speed at his first race at Culver City in March.
Lockhart qualified on the pole for the 1927 Indianapolis 500
in his Perfect Circle Miller. Lockhart 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 five more AAA championship events in 1927. He had nine AAA wins in two years.
events in his career, with eight wins and fourteen Top 5 finishes, and is 25th on the all-time lap leader board at Indianapolis.
Backed by Stutz Motor Company
, Lockhart combined two supercharged 91 ci (1.5 L) DOHC Miller motors, producing about 380 hp (280 kW), 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 198.29 mph (319.1 km/h), with his first official pass at 203.45 mph (327.40 km/h), well below the 207.552 mph (334.007 km/h) mark set earlier in the year by Ray Keech
in his 81 litre (4178ci) Triplex Special. On Lockhart's return pass the Black Hawk Special cut a tire (probably on a seashell), went out of control and tumbled violently across the sand, throwing Lockhart from the car and killing him instantly.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
racing
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
driver, and Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
winner, and considered a legend in the sport by many historians.
Racing career
Lockhart was raised in Southern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He became a famous West Coast dirt track racer. Lockhart had a strong engineering and motor building ability that he used to build custom cars throughout his career.
1926
Lockhart began his career in FrontenacFrontenac Motor Corporation
Frontenac Motor Corporation was the joint venture of Louis and Gaston Chevrolet. Louis returned to the Indy 500 racing circuit after leaving Chevrolet in 1915...
-prepared Fords (Fronty Fords) at board track racing
Board track racing
Board track, or motordrome, racing was a type of motorsport popular in the United States between the second and third decades of the 20th century. Competition was conducted on oval race courses with surfaces composed of wooden planks...
events, where he showed remarkable speed against the dominating Duesenberg
Duesenberg
Duesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
s and Millers for two seasons. His big break came when he was signed as a relief driver for Peter Kreis
Peter Kreis
A. J. "Peter" Kreis was an American racecar driver. He and riding mechanic Robert Hahn were killed in a turn one accident while practicing for the 1934 Indianapolis 500. As he was entering the turn, a car in front of him spun, followed by Kreis' car spining, possibly due to trying to avoid a...
's eight cylinder supercharged Miller at the 1926 Indianapolis 500
1926 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1926 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1926. "Twenty-eight cars, groomed to mirror brilliance, wheeled in behind Louis Chevrolet and his Chrysler pace car for the start." -Footnotes:...
. He convinced Kreis to allow him to take some "warm up" laps, and he clocked quicker times than Kreis (120.919 mph {194.59 km/h}). 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 95.780 mph (154.113 km/h). On race day, he moved from 20th to fifth by Lap 5, having had 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
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
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
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
events in 1926.
1927
Lockhart's car was the first car equipped with an intercoolerIntercooler
An intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling, which removes...
. The intercooler added 8 mi/h to his speed at his first race at Culver City in March.
Lockhart qualified on the pole for the 1927 Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
in his Perfect Circle Miller. Lockhart 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 five more AAA championship events in 1927. He had nine AAA wins in two years.
Racing career summary
In his racing career he set the all-time qualifying speed record at Atlantic City, a record first exceeded at Indianapolis in 1960. He raced at 22 board trackBoard track racing
Board track, or motordrome, racing was a type of motorsport popular in the United States between the second and third decades of the 20th century. Competition was conducted on oval race courses with surfaces composed of wooden planks...
events in his career, with eight wins and fourteen Top 5 finishes, and is 25th on the all-time lap leader board at Indianapolis.
Indy 500 results
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Land speed record
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 160.01 mph (257.50 km/h) for a two-way average in the mile (1.6 km), with a peak speed of 171 mph (275 km/h).Backed by Stutz Motor Company
Stutz
Stutz may refer to:*Harry C. Stutz , American automobile pioneer and manufacturer of luxury cars and fire engines*Josef Stutz , Swiss Conservative politician*Stutz Motor Company, American luxury cars producer...
, Lockhart combined two supercharged 91 ci (1.5 L) DOHC Miller motors, producing about 380 hp (280 kW), 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
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
) class at Daytona Beach
Daytona Beach Road Course
Daytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set...
. On April 25, 1928, Lockhart's Stutz Black Hawk Special streamliner
Streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "bullet trains". Less commonly, the term is applied to fully faired recumbent bicycles...
(named for the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
town that was home to Stutz's factory ) turned a warmup run of 198.29 mph (319.1 km/h), with his first official pass at 203.45 mph (327.40 km/h), well below the 207.552 mph (334.007 km/h) mark set earlier in the year by Ray Keech
Ray Keech
Ray Keech was a board track and brick track racer in the 1920s. He is best remembered for winning the 1929 Indianapolis 500, and for setting a land speed record.-Land speed record:...
in his 81 litre (4178ci) Triplex Special. On Lockhart's return pass the Black Hawk Special cut a tire (probably on a seashell), went out of control and tumbled violently across the sand, throwing Lockhart from the car and killing him instantly.
Awards
- Lockhart was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of FameNational Sprint Car Hall of Fame & MuseumThe National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a Hall of Fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members....
in the first class in 1990. - He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of AmericaMotorsports Hall of Fame of AmericaThe Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
in 1999.