{{Short description|American racing driver (1927–1973)}} {{Infobox racing driver | name = Art Pollard | image = | caption = | nationality = | birth_name = Artle Lee Pollard, Jr. | birth_date = {{birth date|1927|05|05}} | birth_place = Dragon, Utah, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1973|05|12|1927|05|05}} | death_place = Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. | module1 = {{Infobox Champ Car driver|child=yes | years = 1965–1973 | Total_Champ_Races = 83 | Years_In_Champ = 9 | Champ_Car_Team = | Best_Champ_Pos = 8th – 1970 | First_Champ_Race = 1965 Tony Bettenhausen 200 (Milwaukee) | Last_Champ_Race = 1973 Texas 200 (College Station) | First_Champ_Win = 1969 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee) | Last_Champ_Win = 1969 Delaware 200 (Dover) | Champ_Wins = 2 | Champ_Podiums = 5 | Champ_Poles = 2 }}}} {{sources needed|date=December 2025}}
'''Artle Lee Pollard Jr.'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Art Pollard |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/PollardArt.htm |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=www.champcarstats.com}}</ref> (May 5, 1927 – May 12, 1973), was an American racecar driver.
[[File:1968 Lotus Wedge Turbine, Indy 500 number 20, WoSM.jpg|thumb|right|The Lotus 56 Pollard drove in the 1968 Indianapolis 500]] Born in Dragon, Utah, and raised in the Portland, Oregon area, Pollard drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1965–1973 seasons, with 84 career starts, including the 1967–1971 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top-ten 30 times, with two victories, both in 1969, at Milwaukee and Dover.
Pollard died in Indianapolis, Indiana, as a result of injuries sustained in a crash during practice on the first day of time trials for the 1973 Indianapolis 500 while racing for the Fletcher Racing Team. The car slammed into the outside wall coming out of turn one, burst into flames, and spun as it headed to the grass on the inside of the short chute. The chassis dug into the grass and flipped upside-down, slid a short distance and then flipped back over as it reached the pavement again in turn two, finally coming to a stop in the middle of the track. Pollard's lap prior to the crash was timed at a speed above {{convert|192|mph|kph}}. He was found unconscious, and was rushed to Methodist Hospital. Pollard never regained consciousness, and his injuries were reported to include pulmonary damage due to flame inhalation, third degree burns on both hands, face and neck, a fractured right arm, a fractured leg, and a severe spinal cord injury.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Friends and Family Remember May 12 1973|url=https://artpollardracedriver.info/art-pollard-by-years/friends-and-family-remember-may-12-1973}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Indy 500 Memorial - 1973|url=http://indymotorspeedway.com/memorial_1973.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1973 >> Indianapolis 500|url=http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk/cpdb/crashphotos_view.php?editid1=140|access-date=2021-10-06|archive-date=2021-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006200717/http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk/cpdb/crashphotos_view.php?editid1=140|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was pronounced dead one hour after the accident.<ref>{{cite web|title=Art Pollard Racing in 1973, the Tragedy and Reactions|url=https://artpollardracedriver.info/art-pollard-by-years/art-pollard-racing-in-1973-the-tragedy-and-reactions}}</ref> Pollard had turned 46 one week before he died.
Pollard, away from racing, worked as a car dealer and mechanic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Art_Pollard|title = Art Pollard}}</ref> He also served in the United States Navy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Art Pollard: Early Years and Personal Facts|url=https://artpollardracedriver.info/art-pollard-by-years/art-pollard-early-years-and-personal-facts/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://artpollardracedriver.info/art-pollard-by-years/art-pollard-racing-in-1973-the-tragedy-and-reactions|title=Art Pollard Racing in 1973, the Tragedy and Reactions}}</ref>
== Motorsports career results ==
=== USAC Championship Car results ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! 9 ! 10 ! 11 ! 12 ! 13 ! 14 ! 15 ! 16 ! 17 ! 18 ! 19 !20 !21 !22 !23 !24 !25 !26 !27 !28 ! Pos ! Points |- ! 1965 | PHX<br>{{small| }} | TRE<br>{{small| }} | INDY<br> | MIL<br>{{small| }} | LAN<br>{{small| }} | PPR<br>{{small| }} | TRE<br>{{small| }} | IRP<br>{{small| }} | ATL<br>{{small| }} | LAN<br>{{small| }} | MIL<br>{{small| }} | ISF<br>{{small| }} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MIL<br>{{small|22}} | DSF<br>{{small| }} | INF<br>{{small| }} |style="background:#DFFFDF;" | TRE<br>{{small|5}} |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | SAC<br>{{small|DNQ}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br>{{small|19}} | colspan=10| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 29th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 200 |- ! 1966 | PHX<br>{{small| }} | TRE<br> |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | INDY<br><small>DNQ</small> |style="background:#DFFFDF;" | MIL<br><small>4</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | LAN<br><small>22</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | ATL<br><small>22</small> | PIP |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | IRP<br><small>DNQ</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LAN<br><small>23</small> | SPR<br> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | MIL<br><small>7</small> | DUQ<br> | ISF<br> | TRE<br> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | SAC<br><small>9</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>22</small> |colspan=12| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 23rd !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 280 |- ! 1967 |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | PHX<br><small>7</small> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | TRE<br><small>8</small> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | INDY<br><small>8</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MIL<br><small>20</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | LAN<br><small>14</small> | PIP |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | MOS<br><small>9</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MOS<br><small>21</small> | IRP |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | LAN<br><small>DNQ</small> | MTR<br> | MTR<br> | SPR<br> | MIL<br> | DUQ<br> | ISF<br> | TRE<br> | SAC<br> |style="background:#DFFFDF;" | HAN<br><small>5</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>14</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | RIV<br><small>30</small> |colspan=7| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 11th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 655 |- ! 1968 |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | HAN<br>{{small|16}} |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | LVG<br>{{small|8}} |style="background:#DFFFDF;" | PHX<br>{{small|5}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | TRE<br>{{small|13}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | INDY<br><small>13</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MIL<br>{{small|16}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MOS<br>{{small|14}} | MOS<br>{{small| }} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | LAN<br>{{small|18}} | PIP<br>{{small| }} |style="background:#DFFFDF;" | CDR<br>{{small|5}} | NAZ<br>{{small| }} |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | IRP<br>{{small|7}} |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | IRP<br>{{small|9}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | LAN<br>{{small|26}} | LAN<br>{{small| }} | MTR<br>{{small| }} | MTR<br>{{small| }} |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | SPR<br>{{small|DNQ}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MIL<br>{{small|14}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | DUQ<br>{{small|14}} |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | ISF<br>{{small|10}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | TRE<br>{{small|10}} |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | SAC<br>{{small|10}} |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | MCH<br>{{small|6}} |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | HAN<br>{{small|DNQ}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br>{{small|20}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | RIV<br>{{small|16}} !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 23rd !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 696 |- ! 1969 |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>19</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | HAN<br><small>15</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| INDY<br><small>31</small> |style="background:#FFFFBF;" | MIL<br><small>1</small> |style="background:#DFDFDF;" | LAN<br>{{small|2}} | PIP |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | CDR<br><small>18</small> | NAZ |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | TRE<br><small>DNQ</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | IRP<br><small>25</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| IRP<br><small>16</small> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | MIL<br><small>6</small> | SPR<br> |style="background:#FFFFBF;" | DOV<br><small>1</small> |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | DUQ<br><small>DNQ</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | ISF<br><small>18</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | BRN<br><small>18</small> | BRN |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | TRE<br><small>14</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | SAC<br><small>14</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | KEN<br>{{small|18}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | KEN<br>{{small|12}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>19</small> |style="background:#CFCFFF;" | RIV<br><small>16</small> |colspan=4| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 12th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 1.110 |- ! 1970 |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>11</small> | SON |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | TRE<br><small>21</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | INDY<br><small>30</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MIL<br><small>18</small> | LAN<br><small>DNP</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | CDR<br>{{small|19}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MCH<br><small>17</small> | IRP<br> | SPR<br><small>DNP</small> |style="background:#CFCFFF;" | MIL<br><small>11</small> |style="background:#DFDFDF;" | ONT<br><small>2</small> | DUQ | ISF | SED<br> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | TRE<br><small>6</small> | SAC<br> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>24</small> |colspan=10| !style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 8th !style="background:#CFEAFF;"| 1.110 |- ! 1971 | RAF<br><small>DNP</small> | RAF<br> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>24</small> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | TRE<br><small>6</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | INDY<br><small>26</small> |style="background:#DFFFDF;" | MIL<br><small>5</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | POC<br><small>16</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MCH<br><small>16</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | MIL<br><small>16</small> |style="background:#DFDFDF;" | ONT<br><small>2</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | TRE<br><small>20</small> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | PHX<br><small>9</small> |colspan=16| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 11th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 1.170 |- ! 1972 |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>14</small> | TRE<br> |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | INDY<br><small>DNQ</small> | MIL<br> | MCH<br> | POC<br> | MIL<br> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | ONT<br><small>7</small> |style="background:#CFEAFF;" | TRE<br><small>9</small> |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | PHX<br><small>11</small> |colspan=18| !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 20th !style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 450 |- ! 1973 |style="background:#EFCFFF;" | TWS<br><small>19</small> |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | TRE<br><small>DNQ</small> | TRE<br> |style="background:#FFCFCF;" | INDY<br><small>DNQ</small> | MIL<br> | POC<br> | MCH<br> | MIL<br> | ONT<br> | ONT | ONT<br> | MCH<br> | MCH<br> | TRE<br> | TWS<br> | PHX<br> |colspan=12| !- !0 |}
=== Indianapolis 500 results ===
{| |----- valign="top" | {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !Year !Car !Start !Qual !Rank !Finish !Laps !Led !Retired |- !1967 |16 ||13 ||163.897 ||15 ||8 ||195 ||0 ||Flagged |- !1968 |20 ||11 ||166.297 ||11 ||13 ||188 ||0 ||Fuel Shaft |- !1969 |40 ||12 ||167.123 ||12 ||31 ||7 ||0 ||Drive Line |- !1970 |10 ||6 ||168.595 ||7 ||30 ||28 ||0 ||Piston |- !1971 |64 ||32 ||169.499 ||31 ||22 ||77 ||0 ||Valve |- !1972 |40|| ||colspan=6|Withdrew due to injury |- !1973 |64|| ||colspan=6|Practice crash, fatal |- |colspan="6"|'''Totals''' ||495 ||0 || |} | {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !Starts |5 |- !Poles |0 |- !Front Row |0 |- !Wins |0 |- !Top 5 |0 |- !Top 10 |1 |- !Retired |4 |} |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Biography}} * https://web.archive.org/web/20071205052904/http://artpollard.tripod.com/1972-73.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20110810203442/http://www.judydippel.com/cmsj/ (Pollard's daughter) *https://artpollardracedriver.info/art-pollard-by-years/art-pollard-racing-in-1973-the-tragedy-and-reactions/ * https://oilpressure.com/2012/02/27/art-pollard-somehow-always-overshadowed/ * https://www.historicracing.com/driverDetail.cfm?driverID=5062 * http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20160430/SPORTS/160439978 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604105906/http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20160430/SPORTS/160439978 |date=2016-06-04 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pollard, Art}} Category:1927 births Category:1973 deaths Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers Category:People from Uintah County, Utah Category:Racing drivers from Utah Category:Racing drivers who died while racing Category:Sports deaths in Indiana Category:Filmed deaths in motorsport Category:USAC Silver Crown Series drivers Category:20th-century American sportsmen