Jimmy Bryan


James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver who won the 1958 Indianapolis 500. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.

Career

He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1952–1960 seasons with 72 starts, including each year's Indianapolis 500 race. He finished in the top ten 54 times, with 23 victories.
Bryan won the 1958 Indianapolis 500 and the 1954 AAA and 1956 and 1957 USAC National Championship. During his 1957 championship season, Bryan also won the inaugural running of the Race of Two Worlds at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Italy.

Death and legacy

Bryan died after a crash in a Champ car race at Langhorne Speedway in 1960, on the same day that two drivers were killed in the Belgian Grand Prix, making the day one of the most tragic in racing history. For many years one of the two championship races at the Phoenix International Raceway was a memorial race dedicated to Bryan. He was also memorialized in a song by Harry Weger titled "The Ballad of Jimmy Bryan". Bryan is buried in Phoenix's Greenwood/Memory Lawn Mortuary & Cemetery.

Awards

Indianapolis 500 results

Starts9
Poles0
Front Row1
Wins1
Top 53
Top 104
Retired3

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011WDCPoints
1951Viking TrailerLesovskyOffenhauser L4SUI500
DNQ
BELFRAGBRGERITAESPNC0
1952Peter SchmidtKurtis Kraft 3000Offenhauser L4SUI500
6
BELFRAGBRGERNEDITANC0
1953Blakely OilSchroederOffenhauser L4ARG500
14
NEDBELFRAGBRGERSUIITANC0
1954Dean Van LinesKuzma Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARG500
2
BELFRAGBRGERSUIITAESP10th6
1955Dean Van LinesKuzma Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARGMON500
24
BELNEDGBRITANC0
1956Dean Van LinesKuzma Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARGMON500
19
BELFRAGBRGERITANC0
1957Dean Van LinesKuzma Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARGMON500
3
FRAGBRGERPESITA16th4
1958Belond AP / George SalihEpperly Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARGMONNED500
1
BELFRAGBRGERPORITAMOR13th8
1959Belond AP / George SalihEpperly Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4MON500
33
NEDFRAGBRGERPORITAUSANC0
1960Metal-CalEpperly Indy RoadsterOffenhauser L4ARG
MON
500
19
NED
BEL
FRA
GBR
POR
ITA
USA
NC0