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Bill Schindler

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bill Schindler
BornWilliam Lawrence Schindler
(1909-03-06)March 6, 1909
Middletown, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 20, 1952(1952-09-20) (aged 43)
Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Champ Car career
29 races run over 5 years
Best finish10th (1950)
First race1935 Langhorne 100 (Langhorne)
Last race1952 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
First win1952 Springfield 100 (Springfield)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 8 2
Formula One World Championship career
Active years19501952
TeamsSnowberger, Kurtis Kraft, Stevens
Entries3
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1952 Indianapolis 500

William Lawrence Schindler (March 6, 1909 – September 20, 1952) was an American racing driver.[1][2]

Racing career

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Schindler began racing in 1931 in a sprint car.[3] He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934.[4] Schindler lost his left leg from above the knee while racing in a Champ car race in 1936 at Mineola, Long Island.[3][4] He is one of three drivers to have participated in the Indianapolis 500 with a prosthetic leg, along with Al Miller and Cal Niday.[5]

Schindler was part of a group determined to keep the AAA out of the East Coast in 1937. He was elected president of the "outlaw" group. Schindler briefly switched to the AAA in 1940, and won the Bronx Coliseum Indoor championship. He returned to his "outlaw" past when he was named the president of the newly formed American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC).[3][4] He served as president for the club's first six years.[3] Schindler won ARDC championships in 1940, 1945, 1946 and 1948.[4] In both 1947 and 1948 he won 53 midget car feature races,[3] which helped bring popularity to midget car racing in the Northeastern United States.[6]

Schindler rejoined the AAA so he could race in the Indianapolis 500 in 1950, 1951, and 1952.[4]

World Drivers' Championship career

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The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship participation, and were eligible to score WDC points alongside those which they may have scored towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.

Schindler participated in three World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. His best finish was 13th place,[1] and he scored no World Drivers' Championship points.

Death

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Schindler died in a sprint car racing crash in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1952. Schindler was leading the race on the third lap when a car driven by Paul Becker lost a wheel and skidded into the fence. He did not see the "go slow" sign that was immediately waved after Becker's crash and his black Offenhauser hit the wheel, crashed through the fence and tumbled down a 20-foot embankment. He was killed instantly.[7]

Awards and honors

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Motorsports career results

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AAA Championship Car results

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Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points
1950 INDY
26
MIL
18
LAN
16
SPR
12
MIL
22
PIK SYR
DNS
DET
15
SPR
15
SAC
2
PHX
DNQ
BAY
3
DAR
2
10th 690
1951 INDY
13
MIL
16
LAN
2
DAR
21
SPR
3
MIL
4
DUQ
12
DUQ
PIK SYR
8
DET
DNC
DNP
SJS
PHX
8
BAY
9
11th 693.5
1952 INDY
14
MIL
3
RAL
23
SPR
1
MIL
2
DET
13
DUQ
14
PIK SYR
16
DNC
SJS
PHX
11th 660

Indianapolis 500 results

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Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1950 67 22 132.690 4 26 111 0 Universal joint
1951 10 16 134.033 11 13 129 0 Rod
1952 7 15 134.988 20 14 200 0 Running
Totals 440 0
Starts 3
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 0
Top 10 0
Retired 2

References

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  1. ^ a b "Bill Schindler". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  2. ^ "Motorsport Memorial - Bill Schindler". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Biography Archived October 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine at the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, Retrieved October 2, 2007
  4. ^ a b c d e f Biography Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
  5. ^ "The Talk of Gasoline Alley - Tuesday 5-13-2003". WIBC. 13 May 2003.
  6. ^ "Sport: Discreetly Daring". Time. August 16, 1948. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "Bill Shindler Killed at Allentown". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. 1952. Retrieved February 1, 2015. Vet driver hits wheel on track