Duane Carter


Duane Carter was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. Carter was born in Fresno, California, and he died in Indianapolis, Indiana. His son Pancho raced in Indy cars, along with Johnny Parsons.

Racing career

Midget cars

Carter started racing midgets at the 1/5 mile dirt track in the west side of Fresno while attending Fresno State University. He was one of six drivers who went to Western Springs Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand in 1937. He was a consistent winner on the Nutley board track in 1939 while future journalist Chris Economaki was his unofficial crew chief. He won the 1940 Detroit VFW Motor Speedway title, the 1942 championship at Sportsman Park in Cleveland. He captured a 500 lap victory in his midget car at the 1947 Los Angeles Coliseum Motordome after Danny Oakes was initially declared the winner.

Sprint cars

He moved up to the sprint cars, and won the 1950 Midwest division.

Indy Cars

He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1948-1955, 1959–1960, and 1963 seasons with 47 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in each season. He finished in the top ten 23 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1953 at Phoenix. In his last race, at the Indy 500, he drove the innovative John Crosthwaite designed Harvey Aluminium Special ‘roller skate car’ with the then pioneering low profile, wide racing tyres and a stock Chevrolet engine.

USAC director

He retired from competition in 1956 to take the Competition Director position for USAC. He returned to competition in 1959 after Henry Banks took over the position.

Career awards

Starts11
Poles0
Front Row0
Wins0
Top 53
Top 105
Retired4

* shared drive with Sam Hanks
** shared drive with Troy Ruttman
YearEntrantChassisEngine12345678910WDCPoints
1950Murrell BelangerStevensOffenhauser L4GBRMON500
12		SUIBELFRAITANC0
1951Mobiloil / Rotary EngineeringDeidt Tuffanelli DerricoOffenhauser L4SUI500
8		BELFRAGBRGERITAESPNC0
1952Belanger MotorsLesovskyOffenhauser L4SUI500
4		BELFRAGBRGERNEDITA15th3
1953Bardahl / Ed WalshKurtis Kraft 4000Offenhauser L4ARG500
3 †		NEDBELFRAGBRGERSUIITA13th=2
1954Automobile Shippers / CasarollKurtis Kraft 500AOffenhauser L4ARG500
4 *		BELFRAGBRGERSUIITAESP23rd=1.5
1955J.C. AgajanianKuzma Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARGMON500
11		BELNEDGBRITANC0
1959Smokey YunickKurtis Kraft 500HOffenhauser L4MON500
7		NEDFRAGBRGERPORITAUSANC0
1960Thompson / Ensley & MurphyKuzma Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARGMON500
12		NEDBELFRAGBRPORITAUSANC0