Patrick James O'Connor (October 9, 1928 – May 30, 1958) was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a 15-car pileup, after sustaining a fatal head injury after rolling his car and catching fire on the first lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500.
Champ Car
O'Connor competed in 36 races in his champ car career. He took his first win in 1956 at Darlington Raceway.
According to A. J. Foyt, O'Connor's car hit Reece's car, sailed fifty feet in the air, landed upside down, and burst into flames. Although O'Connor was incinerated in the accident, medical officials said that he was probably killed instantly from a fractured skull.
Awards
O'Connor was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1995. The 2020 event was part of the USAC Silvercrown series.