Art Cross

Art Cross

Born	January 24, 1918 Jersey City, New Jersey
Died	April 15, 2005 (aged 87) LaPorte, Indiana
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	American
Active years	1952–1955
Teams	Kurtis Kraft
Entries	4
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	1
Career points	8
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1952 Indianapolis 500
Last entry	1955 Indianapolis 500

Art Cross (January 24, 1918 in Jersey City, New Jersey – April 15, 2005 in LaPorte, Indiana) was an American racecar driver. He was the first recipient of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award in 1952.

Racing career

Cross began racing midget cars in 1938. He received a Purple Heart for his wounds during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.^[1] He returned to midget cars after the war, and raced in one of Pappy Hough's "Little Iron Pigs."

Cross won the first Indy 500 Rookie of the Year award after a fifth-place finish in the 1952 Indianapolis 500. Cross used his take to purchase a farm near LaPorte, Indiana.

He finished second in the 1953 Indianapolis 500 behind Bill Vukovich. Despite it being one of the hottest Indy 500s on record, Vukovich and Cross completed the entire race without relief. Driver Carl Scarborough died from the heat. Cross' car was the "Springfield Welding Special", which was owned by Bessie Lee Paoli, who was the only female owner at the time.^[1]

Cross led in the 1954 and 1955 Indianapolis 500 before his retirement.

After retiring from racing, he turned his attention to running the farm in LaPorte, Indiana. He later became involved in a heavy equipment business and in construction. He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1992.^[1]

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1952 33 20 134.288 26 5 200 0 Running 1953 16 12 137.310 8 2 200 0 Running 1954 45 27 138.675 14 11 200 8 Running 1955 99 24 138.750 23 17 168 24 Rod Totals 768 32

Starts 4 Poles 0 Front Row 0 Wins 0 Top 5 2 Top 10 2 Retired 1

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	WDC	Points
1952	Bowes Seal Fast / Ray Brady	Kurtis Kraft 4000	Offenhauser L4	SUI	500 5	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA		20th=	2
1953	Springfield Welding / Paoli	Kurtis Kraft 4000	Offenhauser L4	ARG	500 2	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	SUI	ITA	10th	6
1954	Bardahl / Ed Walsh	Kurtis Kraft 4000	Offenhauser L4	ARG	500 11	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	SUI	ITA	ESP	NC	0
1955	Bardahl / Ed Walsh	Kurtis Kraft 500C	Offenhauser L4	ARG	MON	500 17	BEL	NED	GBR	ITA			NC	0

References

1. Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Archived September 27, 2007 at the Wayback Machine

External links

• Obituary