Harry Knight (racing driver)

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Harry Knight
NationalityAmerican
BornHarry C. Knight
(1889-08-06)August 6, 1889
Jonesboro, Indiana, U.S.
DiedJuly 4, 1913(1913-07-04) (aged 23)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Cause of deathInjuries from racing accident

Harry C. Knight (August 6, 1889 – July 4, 1913) was an American racecar driver. He competed in the first two Indianapolis 500 races as well as two "pre-500 era" races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1910, finishing second in a 100-mile race. In the inaugural Indy 500, Knight heroically swerved out of the way to save another driver who had left the pits with a broken steering knuckle, and wrecked his car. Knight was regarded by some newspapers as the "Hero of Indianapolis" and it was said that had he not wrecked, he could have won the race. Knight suffered a severe brain concussion and bruises. The first words he cried were, “I didn’t hit him, I didn’t hit him!” according to eyewitnesses.[1][2] Knight and his riding mechanic Milton Michaelis were killed while racing in a 200-mile Championship Car race at the Columbus Driving Park, a 1-mile dirt oval, in July 1913.[3][4]

Indianapolis 500 results[]

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1911 7 7 — — 30 90 0 Crash FS
1912 10 9 75.92 24 23 6 0 Engine trouble
Totals 96 0
Starts 2
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 0
Top 10 0
Retired 2

References[]

  1. ^ https://www.pal-item.com/story/news/local/2016/05/28/our-past-quick-thinking-saves-life-indy-500/84963462/=https://www.pal-item.com/story/news/local/2016/05/28/our-past-quick-thinking-saves-life-indy-500/84963462/. Retrieved February 27, 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Harry Knight". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  3. ^ "Autoist killed in race at Columbus". The Saturday Evening Citizen. Ottawa, Canada. July 5, 1913.
  4. ^ "Two lives lost on the speedway". The Cincinnati Enquirer. July 5, 1913. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018.

External links[]


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