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The world of motorsports is fast but equally dangerous. There are many motor sport fatalities throughout the year which claim a lot of lives. The sport of IndyCar is no such exception. IndyCar has faced many driver deaths throughout its history. The series has employed many different safety measures to make sure the drivers stay safe while racing at speeds of more than 300 kmph. One of the most famous safety measures of IndyCar is the windshield like structure present in front of the car. It exists to help the driver stay safe during the crash and protect his head from debris and other impacts. The drivers are also educated and trained about various safety measures.
IndyCar racing is an open-wheel racing series which has been the best and staple series of American open-wheel racing for many years. It is famously known throughout the world and often draws parallels with Formula 1.
List of IndyCar Driver Deaths
IndyCar racing has faced deaths during races and private practice sessions. However, with the regular improvement in safety measures, there has been no fatality in the IndyCar series for nearly 10 years.
| Driver | Date of incident | Track | Event | Session |
| Bob Burman (USA) | April 8, 1916 | Grand Boulevard (Corona) | Corona Grand Prize | Race |
| Carl Limberg (USA) | May 13, 1916 | Sheepshead Bay Speedway | Metropolitan Trophy | Race |
| Jack Peacock (USA) | August 27, 1916 | Recreation Park (Kalamazoo) | 100-mile race | Race |
| Lewis Jackson (USA) | November 18, 1916 | Santa Monica Road Race Course | American Grand Prize | Race |
| Frank Galvin (USA) | December 2, 1916 | Uniontown Speedway | Universal Trophy | Race |
| Gaston Chevrolet (USA) | November 25, 1920 | Beverly Hills Speedway | 250-mile race | Race |
| Eddie O'Donnell (USA) | November 25, 1920 | Beverly Hills Speedway | 250-mile race | Race |
| Alton Soules (USA) | October 1, 1921 | Fresno Speedway | San Joaquin Valley Classic | Race |
| Roscoe Sarles (USA) | September 17, 1922 | Kansas City Speedway | 300-mile race | Race |
| Howdy Wilcox (USA) | September 4, 1923 | Altoona Speedway | 200-mile race | Race |
| Joe Boyer (USA) | September 1, 1924 | Altoona Speedway | Fall Classic | Race |
| Jimmy Murphy (USA) | September 15, 1924 | New York State Fairgrounds | 150-mile race | Race |
| Ernie Ansterburg (USA) | October 16, 1924 | Charlotte Speedway | 250-mile race | Practice |
| Fred Wells (USA) | April 22, 1925 | Long Island Motor Parkway | Private test | Testing |
| Ray Cariens (USA) | November 29, 1925 | Culver City Speedway | 250-mile race | Race |
| Herbert Jones (USA) | May 27, 1926 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Qualifying |
| Jack Foley (UK) | July 4, 1926 | Rockingham Speedway | Independence Day Sweepstakes | Qualifying |
| Fred Comer (USA) | October 12, 1928 | Rockingham Speedway | International Motor Classic | Race |
| Bill Spence (USA) | May 30, 1929 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Ray Keech (USA) | June 15, 1929 | Altoona Speedway | 200-mile race | Race |
| Joe Caccia (USA) | May 26, 1931 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Jimmy Gleason (USA) | September 12, 1931 | New York State Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Qualifying |
| Milton Jones (USA) | May 27, 1932 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Bill Denver (USA) | May 28, 1933 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Qualifying |
| Mark Billman (USA) | May 30, 1933 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Lester Spangler (USA) | May 30, 1933 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Pete Kreis (USA) | May 25, 1934 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| George Brayen (USA) | September 9, 1934 | New York State Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Race |
| Johnny Hannon (USA) | May 21, 1935 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Stubby Stubblefield (USA) | May 21, 1935 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Qualifying |
| Clay Weatherly (USA) | May 30, 1935 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Al Gordon (USA) | January 26, 1936 | Ascot Speedway | 125-mile race | Race |
| Billy Winn (USA) | August 20, 1938 | Illinois State Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Race |
| Floyd Roberts (USA) | May 30, 1939 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| George Bailey (USA) | May 7, 1940 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Lou Webb (USA) | September 2, 1940 | New York State Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Race |
| Mitchell Siemienski (USA) | June 22, 1941 | Langhorne Speedway | 100-mile race | Qualifying |
| Joseph Hrycenko (USA) | April 14, 1946 | Williams Grove Speedway | 10-lap Big car race | Heat race |
| Bumpy Bumpus (USA) | June 16, 1946 | Flemington Fair Speedway | Big car race | Heat race |
| Bus Wilbert (USA) | August 11, 1946 | Funk's Speedway | 20-lap Big car race | Race |
| George Robson (USA) | September 2, 1946 | Lakewood Park | 100-mile race | Race |
| George Barringer (USA) | September 2, 1946 | Lakewood Park | 100-mile race | Race |
| Al Putnam (USA) | September 15, 1946 | Indiana State Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Qualifying |
| Shorty Cantlon (USA) | May 30, 1947 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Ralph Hepburn (USA) | May 16, 1948 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Ted Horn (USA) | October 10, 1948 | DuQuoin State Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Race |
| George Metzler (USA) | May 28, 1949 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Bill Sheffler (USA) | June 19, 1949 | New Jersey State Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Practice |
| Rex Mays (USA) | November 6, 1949 | Del Mar Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Race |
| Walt Brown (USA) | July 29, 1951 | Williams Grove Speedway | Indianapolis Sweepstakes | Qualifying |
| Johnny McDowell (USA) | June 8, 1952 | Wisconsin State Fair Park | Rex Mays Classic | Qualifying |
| Joe James (USA) | November 2, 1952 | Santa Clara County Fairgrounds | 100-mile race | Race |
| Chet Miller (USA) | May 15, 1953 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Carl Scarborough (USA) | May 30, 1953 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Bob Scott (USA) | July 5, 1954 | Darlington Raceway | Independence Day Sweepstakes | Race |
| Manny Ayulo (USA) | May 16, 1955 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Bill Vukovich (USA) | May 30, 1955 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Jack McGrath (USA) | November 6, 1955 | Arizona State Fairgrounds | Bobby Ball Memorial | Race |
| Keith Andrews (USA) | May 15, 1957 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Pat O'Connor (USA) | May 30, 1958 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Art Bisch (USA) | July 4, 1958 | Lakewood Speedway | 100-mile race | Race |
| Jimmy Reece (USA) | September 28, 1958 | Trenton Speedway | 100-mile race | Race |
| Marshall Teague (USA) | February 11, 1959 | Daytona International Speedway | Speed record attempt | Testing |
| George Amick (USA) | April 4, 1959 | Daytona International Speedway | Daytona 100 | Race |
| Dick Linder (USA) | April 19, 1959 | Trenton Speedway | Race of Champions | Race |
| Jerry Unser (USA) | May 2, 1959 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Bob Cortner (USA) | May 19, 1959 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Van Johnson (USA) | July 19, 1959 | Williams Grove Speedway | Indianapolis Sweepstakes | Race |
| Ed Elisian (USA) | August 30, 1959 | Wisconsin State Fair Park | 200-mile race | Race |
| Jimmy Bryan (USA) | June 19, 1960 | Langhorne Speedway | 100-mile race | Race |
| Tony Bettenhausen (USA) | May 12, 1961 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Al Keller (USA) | November 19, 1961 | Arizona State Fairgrounds | Bobby Ball Memorial | Race |
| Hugh Randall (USA) | July 1, 1962 | Langhorne Speedway | Langhorne 100 | Race |
| Eddie Sachs (USA) | May 30, 1964 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Dave MacDonald (USA) | May 30, 1964 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Bill Horstmeyer (USA) | August 22, 1964 | Illinois State Fairgrounds | Tony Bettenhausen Memorial | Race |
| Bobby Marshman (USA) | November 27, 1964 | Phoenix International Raceway | Tire test | Testing |
| Chuck Rodee (USA) | May 14, 1966 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Qualifying |
| Mike Spence (UK) | May 7, 1968 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Ronnie Duman (USA) | June 9, 1968 | Wisconsin State Fair Park | Rex Mays Classic | Race |
| Jim Malloy (USA) | May 14, 1972 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Bob Criss (USA) | March 12, 1973 | FasTrack International Speedway | Private test | Testing |
| Art Pollard (USA) | May 12, 1973 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Swede Savage (USA) | May 30, 1973 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Race |
| Gordon Smiley (USA) | May 15, 1982 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Qualifying |
| Jim Hickman (USA) | July 31, 1982 | Wisconsin State Fair Park | Provimi Veal Tony Bettenhausen 200 | Practice |
| Jovy Marcelo (PHL) | May 15, 1992 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Scott Brayton (USA) | May 17, 1996 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis 500 | Practice |
| Jeff Krosnoff (USA) | July 14, 1996 | Toronto street circuit | Molson Indy Toronto | Race |
| Gonzalo Rodríguez (URY) | September 11, 1999 | Laguna Seca Raceway | Honda Grand Prix of Monterey | Practice |
| Greg Moore (CAN) | October 31, 1999 | California Speedway | Marlboro 500 | Race |
| Tony Renna (USA) | October 22, 2003 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Firestone tire test | Testing |
| Paul Dana (USA) | March 26, 2006 | Homestead–Miami Speedway | Toyota Indy 300 | Practice |
| Dan Wheldon (UK) | October 16, 2011 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | IZOD IndyCar World Championship | Race |
| Justin Wilson (UK) | August 23, 2015 | Pocono Raceway | ABC Supply 500 | Race |
Also Read: What is the top speed of IndyCar?
FAQs on IndyCar Driver Deaths
A. Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald were the drivers who died in IndyCar in the 1964 Indy 500.
A. Dan Wheldons death was caused by blunt trauma to his head.
A. The last death in IndyCar happened at the 2015 ABC Supply 500.
A. Peter Henderson and Eddie Rickenbacker were the first drivers to wear a conventional helmet made of steel in IndyCar.
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