Mel Kenyon
Encyclopedia
Mel Kenyon is a former midget car
driver. He is known as the "King of the Midgets", "Miraculous Mel", and "Champion of Midget Auto Racing." The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
says "Many consider him to be midget car racing's greatest driver ever."
Kenyon's first championship was in NASCAR
's Florida
midget series in 1962, but he changed to USAC
in the middle of the season and finished fifth in the USAC National Midget championship points.
Kenyon won the 1963 Turkey Night Grand Prix
. He finished second in the 1963 USAC championship points, and won his first USAC National Midget championship in 1964.
Kenyon failed to qualify for his first Indianapolis 500
in 1965
. Kenyon's tenth career race in a USAC
IndyCar was at Langhorne Speedway
in Langhorne, Pennsylvania
on June 20, 1965. Mel's engine blew up sending oil all over the car, his firesuit, and the track. He lost control of the car, hit the wall, and was knocked unconscious. Jim Hurtubise
and Ralph Liguori
slid in the oily track, and ran straight into Mel's fuel tank. Kenyon suffered severe burns. Kenyon went through multiple operations at the San Antonio Burn Center, and he lost nearly all of his fingers on his left hand. Mel, his brother Don, and their father Everett designed a special glove with a rubber grommet sewn into the palm. The glove fit on Mel's hand and hooked in to the steering wheel. The trio formed a racing team called 3-K Racing, with Don as the crew chief.
Kenyon returned to racing in 1966. He had twelve first or second place finishes, and finished second in the National Midget points. He qualified for his first Indianapolis 500
just eleven months after his fiery crash, and finished fifth.
He won 17 of 49 features to claim the National midget title in 1967.
Kenyon finished third in the 1968 Indianapolis 500
in a car sponsored by his hometown of Lebanon, Indiana
. He did most of the work on the engine despite his hand. He routinely tore down and reassembled the Offenhauser
engine by himself. He won the 1968 National Midget crown.
Kenyon took fourth in the 1969 Indianapolis 500
.
He nearly won his first Champ car event at Michigan International Speedway
on July 16, 1972. Kenyon was leading as he approached the white flag, but his Foyt
powered Eagle ran out of fuel. Mel coasted around the track and finished third.
He finished fourth in his last of eight Indianapolis 500
s in 1973
. He had four Top 5 finishes in the classic race.
He won his second Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1975. The event was held on the 605 Speedway, the first time the event was held on pavement.
He had over 100 victories in midget cars in 1984 when he was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
. He won the 1985 National Midget championship a year after his induction.
Kenyon won the Indianapolis Speedrome midget car track title in 1993.
Kenyon stopped racing on the national tour in 1995 after his wife Marieanne became virtually comatose after suffering a major head injury in a bicycle accident. Kenyon won the Midwest based NAMARS championships in 1995, 1996, and 1997 while in his sixties.
Kenyon continued racing after his 70th birthday in 2003. His son, Brice Kenyon, won the 2004 Indianapolis Speedrome midget track championship at the 1/5 mile track. Kenyon competed in the full schedule at the Indianapolis Speedrome in 2005 against his son.
National Midget championships, eight runner ups in the season points standings, and Top 5 point finishes in 21 of 27 seasons between 1966 and 1988.
At his Motorsports Hall of Fame induction in 2003 he had 111 feature wins, 131 seconds, 107 thirds, 81 fourths, and 69 fifths, for a total of 419 Top 5 finishes. He also had 688 Top 10 finishes. The totals are for USAC National midget races only, and don't include races in the NAMARS national races, regional or local races. He had counted 380 midget total feature wins, including wins in Australia
and New Zealand
. three NAMARS midget championships, and over 380 midget feature wins in all.
Kenyon competed in 65 USAC Championship (IndyCar) and eight Indianapolis 500
races.
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
driver. He is known as the "King of the Midgets", "Miraculous Mel", and "Champion of Midget Auto Racing." The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The 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:...
says "Many consider him to be midget car racing's greatest driver ever."
Racing career
He attended his first auto race in 1946. Kenyon began his racing career in 1954 racing a 1937 Chevy Coupe. He totaled the car when a tire blew out. He raced modified stocks in 1955. In 1958, Mel began his career in the midgets.Kenyon's first championship was in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
's Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
midget series in 1962, but he changed to USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
in the middle of the season and finished fifth in the USAC National Midget championship points.
Kenyon won the 1963 Turkey Night Grand Prix
Turkey Night Grand Prix
The Turkey Night Grand Prix is an annual race of midget cars. It has been held on Thanksgiving night most years since 1934. It is currently held in Irwindale, California.-Drivers:The event is considered a major event in the midget cars series...
. He finished second in the 1963 USAC championship points, and won his first USAC National Midget championship in 1964.
Kenyon failed to qualify for his first 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 1965
1965 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1965 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Monday, May 31, 1965.-Trivia:* It was the first time that the Indianapolis 500 was nationally televised on ABC Sports, this race was shown as part of ABC's Wide World of Sports, anchored by Charlie Brockman....
. Kenyon's tenth career race in a USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
IndyCar was at Langhorne Speedway
Langhorne Speedway
Langhorne Speedway was an automobile racetrack in Middletown Township, Bucks County, near the borough of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, a northern suburb of Philadelphia....
in Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,622 at the 2010 census.The name "Langhorne" is used broadly to describe the majority of surrounding Middletown Township, which for the most part uses Langhorne's zip code of 19047...
on June 20, 1965. Mel's engine blew up sending oil all over the car, his firesuit, and the track. He lost control of the car, hit the wall, and was knocked unconscious. Jim Hurtubise
Jim Hurtubise
In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would race 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.-Award:...
and Ralph Liguori
Ralph Liguori
Ralph Liguori is a former American racing driver from New York City.-Indycar career:He competed in the USAC Championship Car series from 1957 to 1971 making 61 starts. His best finish was 2nd place at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Speedway in 1970. 1966 was his most active year, when he made 7...
slid in the oily track, and ran straight into Mel's fuel tank. Kenyon suffered severe burns. Kenyon went through multiple operations at the San Antonio Burn Center, and he lost nearly all of his fingers on his left hand. Mel, his brother Don, and their father Everett designed a special glove with a rubber grommet sewn into the palm. The glove fit on Mel's hand and hooked in to the steering wheel. The trio formed a racing team called 3-K Racing, with Don as the crew chief.
Kenyon returned to racing in 1966. He had twelve first or second place finishes, and finished second in the National Midget points. He qualified for his first Indianapolis 500
1966 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1966 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Monday, May 30, 1966....
just eleven months after his fiery crash, and finished fifth.
He won 17 of 49 features to claim the National midget title in 1967.
Kenyon finished third in the 1968 Indianapolis 500
1968 Indianapolis 500
-Race schedule:- Time Trials :1968 was the second and eventually the final year the controversial turbine cars were running in the 1968 race classic. Turbine cars were entered by STP and by Carroll Shelby...
in a car sponsored by his hometown of Lebanon, Indiana
Lebanon, Indiana
Lebanon is a city in and the county seat of Boone County, Indiana, United States. The population was 15,792 at the 2010 census. The city was named Lebanon because a stand of hickory trees on the site reminded one of the town's commissioners of the Biblical cedars of Lebanon...
. He did most of the work on the engine despite his hand. He routinely tore down and reassembled the Offenhauser
Offenhauser
Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which...
engine by himself. He won the 1968 National Midget crown.
Kenyon took fourth in the 1969 Indianapolis 500
1969 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1969 Indianapolis 500 held at Indianapolis on Friday, May 30, 1969.-Race schedule:-Jigger Sirois:On pole day, Saturday May 17, rain threatened to wash out the afternoon. At the time, the rules did not specifically provide for rain delay extensions during the pole round...
.
He nearly won his first Champ car event at Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
on July 16, 1972. Kenyon was leading as he approached the white flag, but his Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...
powered Eagle ran out of fuel. Mel coasted around the track and finished third.
He finished fourth in his last of eight 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...
s in 1973
1973 Indianapolis 500
The 57th Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Wednesday, May 30, 1973. The race was held over three days due to rain and 2 major accidents. After 133 laps , rain halted the race, and Gordon Johncock was declared the winner....
. He had four Top 5 finishes in the classic race.
He won his second Turkey Night Grand Prix in 1975. The event was held on the 605 Speedway, the first time the event was held on pavement.
He had over 100 victories in midget cars in 1984 when he was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
The National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame and museum for midget cars. The Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and can be accessed during weekly Sunday races during the summer.-A-C:...
. He won the 1985 National Midget championship a year after his induction.
Kenyon won the Indianapolis Speedrome midget car track title in 1993.
Kenyon stopped racing on the national tour in 1995 after his wife Marieanne became virtually comatose after suffering a major head injury in a bicycle accident. Kenyon won the Midwest based NAMARS championships in 1995, 1996, and 1997 while in his sixties.
Kenyon continued racing after his 70th birthday in 2003. His son, Brice Kenyon, won the 2004 Indianapolis Speedrome midget track championship at the 1/5 mile track. Kenyon competed in the full schedule at the Indianapolis Speedrome in 2005 against his son.
Career summary
Kenyon has seven USACUnited States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
National Midget championships, eight runner ups in the season points standings, and Top 5 point finishes in 21 of 27 seasons between 1966 and 1988.
At his Motorsports Hall of Fame induction in 2003 he had 111 feature wins, 131 seconds, 107 thirds, 81 fourths, and 69 fifths, for a total of 419 Top 5 finishes. He also had 688 Top 10 finishes. The totals are for USAC National midget races only, and don't include races in the NAMARS national races, regional or local races. He had counted 380 midget total feature wins, including wins in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. three NAMARS midget championships, and over 380 midget feature wins in all.
Kenyon competed in 65 USAC Championship (IndyCar) and eight 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...
races.
Career awards
- He was inducted in the International Motorsports Hall of FameInternational Motorsports Hall of FameThe International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...
in 2003. - 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 2003. - He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of FameNational Midget Auto Racing Hall of FameThe National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame and museum for midget cars. The Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and can be accessed during weekly Sunday races during the summer.-A-C:...
. - Indianapolis Raceway Park hosts the annual "Mel Kenyon Classic" midget car race in his honor, and he has raced in the televised feature event in the 2000s.
Indy 500 results
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