When most modern Indycar fans hear the name of Jim Hurtubise their opinion is usually one of bemusement and ridicule; an old-school Indycar dinosaur whose refusal to embrace the changing technology of the sport led to him becoming something of a joke figure of the speedway during the later years of his career, but for those older members of the speedway Hurtubise also represents a strong and determined racer whose raw speed, jovial attitude and determination to overcome adversity made him a fan favourite around the Brickyard come Memorial Day weekend.

Born in North Tonawanda in 1932, Hurtubise found his first motor racing success competing as part of the newly found United States Auto Club in 1956, picking up four career wins as well as 38 top ten finishes between 1959 and his final season in 1974. Although Jim did find success competing in stock cars during this time (including a victory in the 1966 Atlanta 500) it would be in Champcar racing that he would find his biggest forte, and after winning a dirt track event at Sacremento Speedway in 1959 was invited to compete in his first Indianapolis 500 in 1960 driving for car owner Ernest Ruiz.

On his first outing at the Brickyard the rookie Hurtubise managed to shock the racing world by qualifying for the race with the fastest time of the pole day weekend, more then 2 miles an hour faster then pole-sitter Eddie Sachs and just short of the 150mph barrier that had eluded the Indycar community for many years. Despite his record breaking practice time, Hurtubise was forced to settle for 23rd on the grid due to his status as a second day qualifier, and come race day had worked his way up to fifth place before an oil leak sidelined his machine on Lap 185, giving the 27 year old that season’s rookie of the year honours in the process. Over the next five years Hurtubise started to establish himself as a promising, if at times unlucky prospect for the future, picking up front row starting positions in 1961 and 1963 as well as leading the first 35 laps of the 1961 race before dropping out of contention with a broken piston. In 1964 he qualified in a solid eleventh place and was running third behind AJ Foyt and Rodger Ward when an oil leak struck on his car on lap 141, leaving him having to settle for a fourteenth place finish in a fire-plagued race that took the lives of Dave MacDonald and close friend Eddie Sachs.

One week later, Hurtubise himself would be the victim of fire. While again running third behind Ward and Foyt during the Rex Mays Classic at Milwaukee; Ward and Foyt both checked up with their brakes, causing Hurtubise to become airborne launching over the top of Foyt’s car before crashing into the retaining wall of the front-straightaway, bursting into flames upon impact. Although Jim was able to survive the crash, the accident left him with life-altering damage to both of his hands, mangled in such a way that his fingers could only be set in a permanent position. At Jim’s request, doctors repaired his hands with his fingers permanently tightened, allowing the New Yorker to be able to grip a steering wheel and continue his racing career.

By the time Hurtubise returned to competitive action in 1965, he did so to an Indycar series undergoing significant changes. Jim Clark’s victory at that season’s Indy 500 had showcased the dominance of rear engine cars over their front-mounted rivals, and by the end of the season the traditional front-engine roadster had been rendered obsolete by the majority of those around the paddock. Although Hurtubise did contest a number of races in a rear engine machine, he considered the new machinery lacking in fun compared to the challenge of the front engine roadster, and whilst the rest of the field began switching to rear engine machines Hurtubise instead decided to remain loyal to the roadster, qualifying for the 1968 500 in a self-built Mallard in what would prove to be the final front engine car to make the field for the Memorial Day race.

As technology continued to advance during the 1970s Hurtubise continued to persist with the Mallard project, entering the 500 year after year with his efforts becoming more farcical and surreal at the seasons progressed. In 1972 he placed his Miller Beer sponsored car in line to make a qualification attempt for the race, only to reveal that the car had no engine, but five chilled cases of his sponsor’s product, while in 1978 he was apprehended by local police officers after he ran onto the track in protest at not being allowed to make a qualification attempt due to the Mallard not meeting the required speed for that year’s practice sessions. Following a 13th failure to get the Mallard in the field, Hurtubise was finally forced to admit defeat, announcing the retirement of both himself and the Mallard following the 1981 season.

Jim Hurtubise may be looked at as a comedic sideshow to most racing fans due to his exploits in the Mallard, but his achievements in his early 500 attempts, along with the desire to return to the sport following his Milwaukee crash, come to highlight a brave and determined driver undeserving of the negative stigma that has come to surround his career in recent years. And one worthy of positive focus on day 56 of our Indy countdown.

In today’s update veteran Indycar journalist Robin Miller speaks about Hurtubise as part of his ‘Toughest Drivers’ series on Racer.com.