Troy Lynn Ruttman (March 11, 1930 – May 19, 1997) was an American racing driver. He is best known for winning the 1952 Indianapolis 500 - at the age of 22 years and 80 days, Ruttman remains the youngest ever winner of the event. Competing since the age of 15, he had a remarkably successful early career, winning several regional and AAA-sanctioned championships.
Troy's younger brother Joe Ruttman also became a racing driver.
Driving career
Early career
In 1945, at age 15, Ruttman entered his family's car into a roadster race held in San Bernardino, California, winning the event. He won 19 of the 21 events staged there that season.
An injury during a sprint car crash in August 1952 sidelined Ruttman for one and a half racing seasons. Ruttman returned in 1954 on a greatly reduced schedule, never attaining the same level of success. He had not been diligent during his recovery, gaining weight, and spending time partying - a competitor remarked that Ruttman was a case of "too much, too young."
World Drivers' Championship career
The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship points and participation in addition to those which they received towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.
Ruttman participated in seven World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He was also the first of a small number of USAC/Indianapolis drivers to start an FIA-sanctioned World Drivers' Championship event during the 1950-1960 period - competing for Scuderia Centro Sud in the 1958 French Grand Prix. During his World Drivers' Championship career, Ruttman won once, and he accumulated 9.5 World Drivers' Championship points.
Ruttman's victory in the 1952 Indianapolis 500 earned him the distinction of being the youngest driver to win a round of the World Drivers' Championship, an honor he held until Fernando Alonso won the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix.
Retirement and death
After concluding his racing career at the age of 34, Ruttman relocated to Plymouth, Michigan, operating a motorcycle and snowmobile dealership.
Awards and honors
Ruttman has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
- Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame (1982)
- Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1992)
- National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1993)
- West Coast Stock Car/Motorsports Hall of Fame (2002)
- National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2003)
- United States Auto Club (USAC) Hall of Fame (2018)
Motorsports career results
AAA/USAC Championship Car results
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! Pos
! Points
|-
! rowspan=1| 1949
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ARL<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>18</small>
| TRE<br>
| SPR<br>
| MIL<br>
| DUQ<br>
| PIK
| NYS<br>
| DET<br>
| SPR<br>
| LAN<br>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SAC<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DMR<br><small>12</small>
|colspan=1|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 21st
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 250
|-
! 1950
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LAN<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| SPR<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>13</small>
| PIK
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| SYR<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DET<br><small>11</small>
| SPR<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SAC<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PHX<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| BAY<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| DAR<br><small>18</small>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 41st
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 46
|-
! 1951
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>23</small>
| MIL<br>
| LAN<br>
| DAR<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SPR<br><small>6</small>
| MIL<br>
| DUQ<br>
| DUQ<br>
| PIK
| SYR<br>
| DET<br>
| DNC<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SJS<br><small>15</small>
| PHX<br>
| BAY<br>
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 39th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 80
|-
! rowspan=1| 1952
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| INDY<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| RAL<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SPR<br><small>12</small>
| MIL<br>
| DET<br>
| DUQ<br>
| PIK
| SYR<br>
| DNC<br>
| SJS<br>
| PHX<br>
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 1,410
|-
! 1953
|style="background:#DFC484;"| INDY<br><small>Wth</small>
| MIL<br>
| SPR
| DET
| SPR
| MIL
| DUQ
| PIK
| SYR
| ISF
| SAC
| PHX
|colspan=3|
! -
! 0
|-
! rowspan=1| 1954
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| INDY<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MIL<br><small>7</small>
| LAN<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| DAR<br><small>15</small>
| SPR<br>
| MIL<br>
| DUQ<br>
| PIK
| SYR<br>
| ISF<br>
| SAC<br>
| PHX<br>
| LVG<br>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 15th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 447
|-
! rowspan=1| 1955
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY<br><small>DNQ</small>
| MIL
| LAN
| SPR
| MIL
| DUQ
| PIK
| SYR
| ISF
| SAC
| PHX<br>
|colspan=4|
!-
!0
|-
! rowspan=1| 1956
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>31</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>20</small>
| LAN
| DAR<br><small>DNS</small>
| ATL
| SPR
| MIL
| DUQ
| SYR
| ISF
| SAC
| PHX
|colspan=3|
! -
! 0
|-
! rowspan=1| 1957
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>31</small>
| LAN
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| MIL<br><small>10</small>
| DET
| ATL
| SPR
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>25</small>
| DUQ
| SYR
| ISF
| TRE
| SAC
| PHX
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 36th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 30
|-
! rowspan=1| 1958
| TRE
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY<br><small>DNQ</small>
| MIL
| LAN
| ATL
| SPR
| MIL
| DUQ
| SYR
| ISF
| TRE
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| SAC<br><small>14</small>
| PHX<br><small>DNP</small>
|colspan=2|
! -
! 0
|-
! 1960
| TRE
|style="background:#efcfff;| INDY<br><small>20</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
| LAN<br>
| SPR
| MIL
| DUQ
| SYR
| ISF
| TRE
| SAC
| PHX
|colspan=3|
!-
!0
|-
! 1961
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| TRE<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>20</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>16</small>
| LAN
| MIL
| SPR
| DUQ
| SYR
| ISF
| TRE
| SAC
| PHX
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 23rd
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 140
|-
! 1962
| TRE
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
| LAN
| TRE
| SPR
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MIL<br><small>13</small>
| LAN
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| SYR<br>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ISF<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TRE<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| SAC<br>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| PHX<br>
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 15th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 280
|-
! 1963
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| TRE<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| MIL<br><small>DNQ</small>
| LAN
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| TRE<br>
| SPR
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MIL<br>
| DUQ
| ISF
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| TRE<br>
| SAC
| PHX
|colspan=3|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 11th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 580
|-
! 1964
| PHX<br>
| TRE
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>18</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| MIL<br><small>4</small>
| LAN
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| TRE<br>
| SPR
|style="background:#DFC484;"| MIL<br>
| DUQ
| ISF
| TRE
| SAC
| PHX
|colspan=2|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 26th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 160
|}
Indianapolis 500 results
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Year
!Car
!Start
!Qual
!Rank
!Finish
!Laps
!Led
!Retired
|-
!1949
|64
|18
|125.945
|32
|12
|151
|0
|Flagged
|-
!1950
|55
|24
|131.912
|9
|15
|130
|0
|Flagged
|-
!1951
|98
|6
|132.314
|25
|23
|78
|0
|Bearing
|-
!1952
|98
|7
|135.364
|18
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
|200
|44
|Running
|-
!1954
|34
|11
|137.736
|31
|4
|200
|0
|Running
|-
!1956
|53
|11
|142.484
|17
|31
|22
|0
|Spun FS
|-
!1957
|52
|3
|142.772
|7
|31
|13
|4
|Overheating
|-
!1960
|28
|6
|145.366
|8
|20
|134
|11
|Rear End Gear
|-
!1961
|52
|22
|144.799
|23
|20
|105
|10
|Clutch
|-
!1962
|26
|30
|146.765
|19
|18
|140
|0
|Piston
|-
!1963
|17
|33
|148.374
|24
|12
|200
|0
|Running
|-
!1964
|14
|18
|151.292
|24
|18
|99
|0
|Spun T3
|-
|colspan=6|Totals
|1472
|69
|
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Starts
|12
|-
!Poles
|0
|-
!Front Row
|1
|-
!Wins
|1
|-
!Top 5
|2
|-
!Top 10
|2
|-
!Retired
|7
|}
FIA World Drivers' Championship results
(key)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! WDC
! Points
|-
| 1950
! Bowes Racing Inc.
! Lesovsky
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| GBR<br>
| MON<br>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| SUI<br />
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1951
! Christopher J.C. Agajanian
! Kurtis Kraft 2000
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| SUI<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br />
| ITA<br />
| ESP<br>
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1952
! Christopher J.C. Agajanian
! Kuzma
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| SUI<br />
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br />
| NED<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
! 7th
! 8
|-
| 1953
! Travelon Trailer
! Kurtis Kraft 500B
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| ARG<br />
|style="background-color:#FFCFCF"| 500<br>
| NED<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br />
| GER<br />
| SUI<br>
| ITA<br>
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1954
! Eugene A Casaroll
! Kurtis Kraft 500A
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| ARG<br />
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 500<br><small>4<sup>†</sup></small>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br />
| SUI<br />
| ITA<br />
| ESP<br>
|
|
! 23rd=
! 1.5
|-
| 1955
! Novi Racing
! Kurtis Kraft
! Novi Straight-8s
| ARG<br />
| MON<br>
|style="background-color:#FFCFCF"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| NED<br>
| GBR<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1956
! John Zink
! Kurtis Kraft 500C
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| ARG<br />
| MON<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| 1957
! John Zink
! Watson
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| ARG<br />
| MON<br>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 500<br>
| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
| GER<br>
| PES<br>
| ITA<br />
|
|
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1958
! Christopher J.C. Agajanian
! Kuzma
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| ARG<br />
| MON<br>
| NED<br />
|style="background-color:#FFCFCF"| 500<br>
| BEL<br>
|
|
|
|
|
|
! rowspan="2"| NC
! rowspan="2"| 0
|-
! Scuderia Centro Sud
! Maserati 250F
! Maserati Straight-6
|
|
|
|
|
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| FRA<br>
| GBR<br>
|style="background:#ffffff;"| GER<br>
| POR<br>
| ITA<br />
| MOR<br>
|-
| 1960
! John Zink
! Watson
! Offenhauser Straight-4
| ARG<br />
| MON<br />
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 500<br />
| NED<br />
| BEL<br>
| FRA<br />
| GBR<br />
| POR<br />
| ITA<br />
| USA<br />
|
! NC
! 0
|}
- † = Shared drive
References
External links
- Troy Ruttman - ChampCarStats.com
- Troy Ruttman - Motorsport Memorial