Bill Schindler
BornWilliam Lawrence Schindler
(1909-03-06)March 6, 1909
Middletown, New York, U.S.
DiedSeptember 20, 1952(1952-09-20) (aged 43)
Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Champ Car career
29 races run over 4 years
Years active1935, 1950–1952
Best finish10th – 1950
First race1935 Langhorne 100 (Langhorne)
Last race1952 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
First win1952 Springfield 100 (Springfield)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 8 2
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1950–1952
TeamsSnowberger, Kurtis Kraft, Stevens
Entries3
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points0
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1952 Indianapolis 500

William Lawrence Schindler[1] (March 6, 1909 – September 20, 1952)[2] was an American racecar driver.

He began racing in 1931 in a sprint car.[3] He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934.[4] Schindler lost his left leg from above the knee while racing in a Champ car race in 1936 at Mineola, Long Island.[3][4] He is one of three drivers to have participated in the Indianapolis 500 with a prosthetic leg.[5]

Schindler was part of a group determined to keep the AAA out of the East Coast in 1937. He was elected president of the "outlaw" group. Schindler briefly switched to the AAA in 1940, and won the Bronx Coliseum Indoor championship. He returned to his "outlaw" past when he was named the president of the newly formed American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC).[3][4] He served as president for the club's first six years.[3] Schindler won ARDC championships in 1940, 1945, 1946 and 1948.[4] In both 1947 and 1948 he won 53 midget car feature races,[3] which helped bring popularity to midget car racing in the Northeastern United States.[6]

Schindler joined the AAA so he could race in the Indianapolis 500 in 1950, 1951, and 1952.[4]

Schindler died in a sprint car racing crash in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1952. Schindler was leading the race on the third lap when a car driven by Paul Becker lost a wheel and skidded into the fence. He did not see the "go slow" sign that was immediately waved after Becker's crash and his black Offenhauser hit the wheel, crashed through the fence and tumbled down a 20-foot embankment. He was killed instantly.[7]

Career awards

Complete AAA Championship Car results

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points
1950 INDY
26		 MIL
18		 LAN
16		 SPR
12		 MIL
22		 PIK SYR
DNS		 DET
15		 SPR
15		 SAC
2		 PHX
DNQ		 BAY
3		 DAR
2		 10th 690
1951 INDY
13		 MIL
16		 LAN
2		 DAR
21		 SPR
3		 MIL
4		 DUQ
12		 DUQ
 PIK SYR
8		 DET
 DNC
DNP		 SJS
 PHX
8		 BAY
9		 11th 693.5
1952 INDY
14		 MIL
3		 RAL
23		 SPR
1		 MIL
2		 DET
13		 DUQ
14		 PIK SYR
16		 DNC
 SJS
 PHX
 11th 660

Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1950 6722132.6904261110Universal joint
1951 1016134.03311131290Rod
1952 715134.98820142000Running
Totals4400
Starts 3
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 0
Top 10 0
Retired 2

World Championship career summary

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Bill Schindler participated in three World Championship races, but scored no World Championship points.

References

  1. ↑ "Bill Schindler". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-30.
  2. ↑ "Motorsport Memorial - Bill Schindler". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Biography Archived October 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine at the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, Retrieved October 2, 2007
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Biography Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
  5. ↑ "The Talk of Gasoline Alley", WIBC, May 13, 2003
  6. ↑ "Sport: Discreetly Daring". Time. August 16, 1948. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Bill Shindler Killed at Allentown". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. 1952. Retrieved February 1, 2015. Vet driver hits wheel on track
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