Mike Nazaruk
Born(1921-10-02)October 2, 1921
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedMay 1, 1955(1955-05-01) (aged 33)
Langhorne, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Champ Car career
36 races run over 5 years
Years active1950–1954
Best finish5th – 1951
First race1951 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race1954 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
First win1952 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 6 3
Formula One World Championship career
Active years1951–1954
TeamsTurner, Kurtis Kraft
Entries4 (3 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums1
Career points8
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1951 Indianapolis 500
Last entry1954 Indianapolis 500

Mike Nazaruk[1] (October 2, 1921 Newark, New Jersey – May 1, 1955 Langhorne, Pennsylvania) was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. He was nicknamed "Iron Mike."[2]

Nazaruk was of Ukrainian descent. Before racing, he worked as a florist's delivery driver and as an aircraft welder.[3]

Nazaruk served as a U.S. Marine in the Battle of Guam and the Guadalcanal campaign in World War II. He promised himself that if he lived through the war he would become a race driver.[2]

Midget car career

He raced after he returned home. He won the track championships at Staten Island, New York, and Rhinebeck, New York in 1947. He scored over twenty feature wins at Middletown, New York en route to winning the 1948 track championship.[2]

Nazaruk was the 1949 American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) midget car champion.[2] The series tours the East Coast of the United States.

Nazaruk joined the AAA in 1950. He won 14 national midget tour events, including the 1950 Night Before the 500, and the first midget car event at Terre Haute Action Track in 1953. He finished fifth in the 1954 National Midget car points.

Championship car career

The car Nazaruk drove to a second place finish in the 1951 Indianapolis 500 - later repainted to look as it did when Johnnie Parsons drove the vehicle to victory in the 1950 event

Nazaruk finished second in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1951. He competed in two more Indianapolis 500, including a fifth-place finish in 1954.

Nazaruk was killed in a sprint car race at Langhorne Speedway on May 1, 1955.[2]

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
 MIL
 LAN
DNQ		 SPR
 MIL
 PIK SYR
 DET
 SPR
 SAC
 PHX
 BAY
 DAR
 - 0
1951 INDY
2		 MIL
8		 LAN
9		 DAR
8		 SPR
 MIL
16		 DUQ
 DUQ
 PIK SYR
18		 DET
3		 DNC
15		 SJS
16		 PHX
18		 BAY
15		 5th 1,143
1952 INDY
DNQ		 MIL
1		 RAL
19		 SPR
18		 MIL
16		 DET
17		 DUQ
DNQ		 PIK SYR
2		 DNC
12		 SJS
2		 PHX
18		 13th 530
1953 INDY
21		 MIL
11		 SPR
 DET
6		 SPR
DNQ		 MIL
16		 DUQ
13		 PIK
 SYR
2		 ISF
15		 SAC
14		 PHX
 24th 205
1954 INDY
5		 MIL
15		 LAN
13		 DAR
25		 SPR
9		 MIL
4		 DUQ
10		 PIK SYR
17		 ISF
DNQ		 SAC
 PHX
 LVG
 9th 810

Indianapolis 500 results

World Championship career summary

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the Formula One World Championship of Drivers from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Mike Nazaruk participated in three World Championship races. He finished second once (formally "on the podium") and accumulated a total of 8 World Championship points.

References

  1. ↑ "Mike Nazaruk". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Biography Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
  3. ↑ Brown, Allen. "Mike Nazaruk". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved 28 August 2018.
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