DZ
DefZone.Net

Kien thuc cong nghe & giai tri

Wiki Article

Rex Mays

Nguồn dữ liệu từ Wikipedia, hiển thị bởi DefZone.Net

Xem trên WikipediaBài ngẫu nhiên khác
Rex Mays
Mays, circa 1935
BornRex Houston Mays Jr.
(1913-03-10)March 10, 1913
Riverside, California, U.S.
DiedNovember 6, 1949(1949-11-06) (aged 36)
Del Mar, California, U.S.
Championship titles
AAA West Coast Big Car (1934, 1935)
AAA Midwest Big Car (1936, 1937)
AAA Championship Car (1940, 1941)
Champ Car career
57 races run over 12 years
Best finish1st (1940, 1941)
First race1934 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race1949 Del Mar 100 (Del Mar)
First win1936 Goshen 100 (Goshen)
Last win1946 Milwaukee 100 (Milwaukee)
Wins Podiums Poles
8 19 19

Rex Houston Mays Jr. (March 10, 1913 – November 6, 1949) was an American racing driver. He was a two-time National Champion, won four poles for the Indianapolis 500, and is generally regarded as one of the greatest drivers of his era.

Racing career

[edit]

Mays won regional sprint car championships in the mid-1930s.[1][2] He made his Indianapolis 500 debut in 1934 and won the pole in 1935, 1936, and again in 1940 and finished second, he returned the next year and finished second again.[3] Mays won the AAA National Championship in 1940 and 1941. However, World War II suspended racing until 1946, denying Mays of what likely would have been the peak of his career. After the war, Mays again won the Indianapolis pole in 1948, but was knocked out by a mechanical problem.

On lap 4 of the Milwaukee State Fairground Park on June 6, 1948, Duke Dinsmore brushed the wall on the southern side of the track, resulting in his car turning over and tossing its driver onto the dirt track. With Dinsmore laying on the track, Mays intentionally turned his car into the brick wall to prevent himself from hitting the injured driver. Mays' car was too damaged to continue the race.[4] Dinsmore was taken the hospital, where he was diagnosed with fracture of his forearm.[5] Mays suffered no injuries after sacrificing his car.[4] Surgeons at Milwaukee County Hospital stated on June 7 that Dinsmore was in recovery and out of danger.[5]

Death

[edit]

Mays started second place at Del Mar Fairgrounds on November 6, 1949 alongside Jimmy Davies. On lap 13, he had been under challenge from Johnnie Parsons and in the southeast turn, spun towards the infield and eliminated 300 feet (91 m) of fencing to protect the grounds. Upon hitting the fencing, Mays' car was launched backed towards the track, ejecting Mays. Laying on the track, Mays' body was struck by three more cars driven by Paul Russo, Hal Cole and George Connor, running him over. Mays was loaded into an ambulance, but was dead at that point. Davies' victory was dealt with in silence as news of his death had reached the fans despite news being withheld by officials. The Deputy Coroner stated that Mays was killed upon impact. His body went to La Jolla then moved to Glendale, where he took up residence.[6]

Mays' funeral was held on November 10 at the Church of the Recessional in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Hundreds came to the funeral to honor Mays. Pop Myers, the vice president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway attended, along with numerous drivers. Johnny Parsons, who was involved in the fatal accident, also attended the service. 251 sets of flora were sent and they came in different designs, including "Rex", "33" and a checkered flag. Mays' wife passed out twice during the funeral and a doctor was asked after the funeral to check on him. A planned flyover by the 731st Airlift Squadron of the United States Air Force that Mays served in, was abandoned due to the weather.[7]

Mays estate was deemed at just under $12,000 (1949 USD) in December 1949. His will, signed on June 12, 1948, was probated by his widow Dorothea. Mays' racing equipment and vehicles would be sold and all proceeds from the sales would be turned into a trust fund for the couple's two children become 21 years old, at which point the estate would be divided equally between his wife and children.[8]

After Mays' death, the 22nd Agricultural Association, who operated the Del Mar Fairgrounds, indefinitely suspended all auto racing at the facility. On December 14, 1949, the association announced that all auto racing would be banned on a permanent basis after a unanimous vote by the Board of Directors.[9]

Awards and honors

[edit]

Mays has been inducted into the following halls of fame:

With his death, a memorial plaque was placed at the Milwaukee State Fairground Park in the south turn, the spot where he saved Duke Dinsmore's life in 1948. The dedication would be held on June 11, 1950 prior to the 100-mile (160 km) race, which would be renamed the Rex Mays Century in his honor.[15] The Rex Mays Classic ran as such from 1950 to 1987 - at which time the Mays name was eliminated in favor of Miller High Life sponsorship. Riverside International Raceway also held an Indy car race named after Mays, the Rex Mays 300, which ran from 1967 to 1969. Dan Gurney won the 1967 and 1968 editions of the race,[16][17] while Mario Andretti won the 1969 race.[18] Les Richter of American Raceways stated that the 1970 edition was canceled because of a conflict with the Grand National 400 at Texas World Speedway on the chosen date of December 6. They felt that only one race should held on December 6 and that the Rex Mays 300 had been a money loser.[19]

Motorsports career results

[edit]

AAA Championship Car results

[edit]
Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Points
1934 INDY
23 		SPR NYS MFD
16 		- 0
1935 INDY
17 		MIN SPR NYS ALT LAN - 0
1936 INDY
15 		GTP
1 		NYS
3 		GVC
DNS 		11th 200
1937 INDY
33 		GVC
3 		NYS
13 		8th 405
1938 INDY
28 		NYS
2 		13th 165
1939 INDY
16 		MIL
17 		NYS
13 		- 0
1940 INDY
2 		SPR
1 		NYS
1 		1st 1,225
1941 INDY
2 		MIL
1 		NYS
1 		1st 1,225
1946 INDY
30 		LAN
1 		ATL
11 		ISF
1 		MIL
1 		GOS
DNQ 		9th 613
1947 INDY
6 		MIL
2 		LAN
DNQ 		ATL
12 		BAI
15 		MIL
10 		GOS
DNS 		MIL
16 		PIK SPR
16 		ARL
4 		5th 765.7
1948 ARL
16 		INDY
19 		MIL
17 		LAN
16 		MIL
4 		SPR
4 		MIL
7 		DUQ
17 		ATL
10 		PIK SPR
14 		DUQ
18 		13th 360
1949 ARL
2 		INDY
25 		MIL
7 		TRE
10 		SPR
2 		MIL
3 		DUQ
15 		PIK NYS
15 		DET
11 		SPR
2 		SAC
2 		DMR
18 		6th 1,030
  • 1946 table only includes results of the six races run to "championship car" specifications. Points total includes the 71 races run to "big car" specifications.[20][21]

Indianapolis 500 results

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "AutoRacingRecords.com". www.autoracingrecords.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  2. ^ "AutoRacingRecords.com". www.autoracingrecords.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2024. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  3. ^ "How They Finished". The Anderson Herald. May 31, 1941. p. 6. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b "Mays Hero as Andres Wins A.A.A." The Courier-Journal. Associated Press. June 7, 1948. p. 10. Retrieved February 21, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Duke Dinsmore Out of Danger". The Arizona Republic. Phoenix, Arizona. Associated Press. June 8, 1948. p. 16. Retrieved February 21, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Werking, Norman (November 7, 1949). "Death Rode With Rex on 13th Lap". The Mirror. Los Angeles, California. p. 51. Retrieved February 21, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Funeral Rites for Rex Mays Draw Throng". The Los Angeles Times. November 11, 1949. p. IV-2. Retrieved February 21, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Rex Mays' Estate Put at $12,000". The Mirror. Los Angeles, California. December 8, 1949. p. 6. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Vehicular Racing at Del Mar Track Banned for Good". The Coast-Dispatch. Encinitas, California. December 15, 1949. p. 12. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "9 New Greats Join Fame Hall of Auto Racing". The Star-Ledger. Newark, New Jersey. May 26, 1963. p. S–7. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Grett, Wayne (April 27, 1990). "Racetruck Driver to Defend D.M. Title". The Des Moines Register. p. 6S. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Sims, Neal (December 12, 1993). "There's No Mistaking His Identity: Bobby Allison is Hall of Famer". The Birmingham News. p. 5B. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Unser Helps NASCAR's Wallace". The Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. Associated Press. January 19, 1995. p. 5–B. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Rex Mays | Riverside Sport Hall of Fame". February 14, 2011. Archived from the original on February 17, 2011. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  15. ^ "Rex Mays Memorial to be Unveiled". The Palm Beach Post-Times. Associated Press. May 28, 1950. p. 17. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Gurney Captures Rex Mays 300". The Register. Santa Ana, California. Associated Press. November 27, 1967. p. C1. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ Rees, Ryan (December 2, 1968). "Gurney Takes 2nd Straight Rex Mays Win". Sun. San Bernardino, California. p. B–6. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Rex Mays 300". Eugene Register-Guard. Associated Press. December 8, 1969. p. 5B. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "Rex Mays 300 is Taken Off Schedule". The Modesto Bee and News-Herald. Associated Press. October 1, 1970. p. B–11. Retrieved February 22, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "1946 AAA National Championship Trail". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved October 9, 2023.
  21. ^ Capps, H. Donald (October 2009). "The Curious Case of the 1946 Season: An Inconvenient Championship" (PDF). Rear View Mirror. 7 (2): 1–16. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
[edit]