Troy Ruttman Jnr

17/12/1950 - 4/5/1969

Record updated 17-Dec-18

The son of Troy Ruttman who won the 1952 Indianapolis 500 at the age of 21, died in an accident during a Super Modified race at Long Pond, PA. He was 18.

Troy Ruttman, Jr., son of Troy Ruttman who won the 1952 Indianapolis 500 at the age of 21, died in an accident during a Super Modified race at Long Pond, PA. He was 18 and in his first Super Modified race. On the 65th lap of the 100 mile race, the throttle stuck and the car went through a guard rail, a chain link fence and another guardrail, passing underneath the grandstand. Troy suffered a fatal skull fracture.

He was driving a converted Indianapolis roadster that his father had driven to a twelfth place finish in the 1963 Indy 500. The roadster was owned by Marshal Robbins, son of Jim Robbins whom Troy Sr. drove for in 1963. Marshall had watched Troy Jnr running in competition and realised that he had a lot of his fathers tallent. Robbins converted the roadster to a Super Modified for Troy to gain the neccessary experienjce to move up to Championship cars.