Art Pollard
# Art Pollard

Artle Lee Pollard, Jr. (May 5, 1927 – May 12, 1973), was an American racecar driver.

Born in Dragon, Utah, and raised in the Portland, Oregon area, Pollard drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1965–1973 seasons, with 84 career starts, including the 1967–1971 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 30 times, with two victories, both in 1969, at Milwaukee and Dover.

Pollard died in Indianapolis, Indiana, as a result of injuries sustained in a crash during practice on the first day of time trials for the 1973 Indianapolis 500 while racing for the Fletcher Racing Team. The car slammed into the outside wall coming out of turn one, burst into flames, and spun as it headed to the grass on the inside of the short chute. The chassis dug into the grass and flipped upside-down, slid a short distance and then flipped back over as it reached the pavement again in turn two, finally coming to a stop in the middle of the track. The total distance covered was 1,450 feet (440 m). The car was demolished.

The impact tore off two wheels immediately, and the wings were also torn off during the slide. Pollard's lap prior to the crash was timed at a speed above 192 miles per hour (309 km/h). He was found unconscious, and was rushed to Methodist Hospital in the new Cardiac ambulance. Pollard never regained consciousness, and his injuries were reported to include pulmonary damage due to flame inhalation, third degree burns on both hands, face and neck, a fractured right arm, a fractured leg, and a severe spinal cord injury. He was pronounced dead approximately one hour and three minutes after the accident. Pollard had turned 46 one week before he died.

Pollard, away from racing, worked as a car dealer and mechanic and worked with mental health charities. Pollard also served in the United States Navy for a time.

## Racing family

Art Pollard's cousin Brad Pollard and Art Pollard's son Mike Pollard both competed in various types of racing.

## Complete USAC Championship Car results

| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | Pos | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1965 | PHX | TRE | INDY | MIL | LAN | PPR | TRE | IRP | ATL | LAN | MIL | ISF | MIL 22 | DSF | INF | TRE 5 | SAC DNQ | PHX 19 | | | | | | | | | | | 29th | 200 |
| 1966 | PHX | TRE | INDY DNQ | MIL 4 | LAN 22 | ATL 22 | PIP | IRP DNQ | LAN 23 | SPR | MIL 7 | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC 9 | PHX 22 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23rd | 280 |
| 1967 | PHX 7 | TRE 8 | INDY 8 | MIL 20 | LAN 14 | PIP | MOS 9 | MOS 21 | IRP | LAN DNQ | MTR | MTR | SPR | MIL | DUQ | ISF | TRE | SAC | HAN 5 | PHX 14 | RIV 30 | | | | | | | | 11th | 655 |
| 1968 | HAN 16 | LVG 8 | PHX 5 | TRE 13 | INDY 13 | MIL 16 | MOS 14 | MOS | LAN 18 | PIP | CDR 5 | NAZ | IRP 7 | IRP 9 | LAN 26 | LAN | MTR | MTR | SPR DNQ | MIL 14 | DUQ 14 | ISF 10 | TRE 10 | SAC 10 | MCH 6 | HAN DNQ | PHX 20 | RIV 16 | 23rd | 696 |
| 1969 | PHX 19 | HAN 15 | INDY 31 | MIL 1 | LAN 2 | PIP | CDR 18 | NAZ | TRE DNQ | IRP 25 | IRP 16 | MIL 6 | SPR | DOV 1 | DUQ DNQ | ISF 18 | BRN 18 | BRN | TRE 14 | SAC 14 | KEN 18 | KEN 12 | PHX 19 | RIV 16 | | | | | 12th | 1.110 |
| 1970 | PHX 11 | SON | TRE 21 | INDY 30 | MIL 18 | LAN DNP | CDR 19 | MCH 17 | IRP | SPR DNP | MIL 11 | ONT 2 | DUQ | ISF | SED | TRE 6 | SAC | PHX 24 | | | | | | | | | | | 8th | 1.110 |
| 1971 | RAF DNP | RAF | PHX 24 | TRE 6 | INDY 26 | MIL 5 | POC 16 | MCH 16 | MIL 16 | ONT 2 | TRE 20 | PHX 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11th | 1.170 |
| 1972 | PHX 14 | TRE | INDY DNQ | MIL | MCH | POC | MIL | ONT 7 | TRE 9 | PHX 11 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 20th | 450 |
| 1973 | TWS 19 | TRE DNQ | TRE | INDY DNQ | MIL | POC | MCH | MIL | ONT | ONT | ONT | MCH | MCH | TRE | TWS | PHX | | | | | | | | | | | | | - | 0 |

## Indianapolis 500 results

| Year | Car | Start | Qual | Rank | Finish | Laps | Led | Retired |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1967 | 16 | 13 | 163.897 | 15 | 8 | 195 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1968 | 20 | 11 | 166.297 | 11 | 13 | 188 | 0 | Fuel Shaft |
| 1969 | 40 | 12 | 167.123 | 12 | 31 | 7 | 0 | Drive Line |
| 1970 | 10 | 6 | 168.595 | 7 | 30 | 28 | 0 | Piston |
| 1971 | 99 | 32 | 169.499 | 31 | 22 | 77 | 0 | Valve |
| 1972 | 40 | | Withdrew due to injury | Withdrew due to injury | Withdrew due to injury | Withdrew due to injury | Withdrew due to injury | Withdrew due to injury |
| 1973 | 64 | | Practice crash, fatal | Practice crash, fatal | Practice crash, fatal | Practice crash, fatal | Practice crash, fatal | Practice crash, fatal |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 495 | 0 | |
| Starts | 5 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Front Row | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Top 5 | 0 |
| Top 10 | 1 |
| Retired | 4 |
