Lloyd Ruby

 

            Before his successful Indianapolis 500 career, Lloyd Ruby of Wichita Falls , Texas was a top midget driver, plying his trade in and around his Texas home before trying his luck and winning in the Midwest .  In 1949, Ruby was one of the front runners in the midget auto racing action at Chicago ’s Raceway Park near Blue Island , Ill.  On a cool July 30 evening, Ruby captured the track’s 50-lap Mid Season Championship race in Bob Nowickie’s No. 68 Offenhauser-powered midget.  Correspondents Marcella and Chuck Lorig described Ruby’s victory in the August 3, 1949 issue of National Speed Sport News…

 

Ruby is Raceway’s Mid-Summer Champ

By Marcella and Chuck Lorig

 

            Sat nite July 30: Lloyd Ruby of Wichita, Texas emerged the victor in the 50 lap Midseason championship race at Raceway Park in Blue Island, Ill. after a hard fought battle with Bud Koehler, who was on Ruby’s tail for the entire race.  Koehler was in there pushing so hard that both boys tangled a bit after they received the checkered flag, and then the real battle began as Ruby and Koehler with their pit crews became tangled in a melee of fists.  The boys were stopped before any serious damage was done.  The final results were Ruby – Nowicke Offy, Koehler – Koehler Offy 77, Rabbit Musick – Boehme Offy 4, Jimmy Caris – Turner Offy 83, Chuck Vogel – Bayer Offy 51 and Harry Turner – Turner Offy 82.  Time for 50 laps  12:34.94.

 

            Ruby, who made 18 straight starts in the Indianapolis 500 from 1960 through 1977, passed away on March 23, 2009 at the age of 81.  Considered by many to be the greatest driver never to win the Indianapolis 500, Ruby made 177 starts in Champ Car (Indy Car) competition, scoring seven victories.

 

          Ruby won seven times on the USAC Championship Car Series in his career and also had endurance racing victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the United States Grand Prix.
 
          However, he is best known for the race he didn’t win. His biography, written by Ted Buss in 2000, was titled: "Lloyd Ruby: The Greatest Driver Never to Win the Indy 500." Ruby led five of them for a total of 126 laps, however his best finish at Indianapolis was third in 1964. His only other top five finish at the 500 came in 1968. Five other times he placed in the top 10. In 1991, he was inducted into the Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame.

******