{{Short description|American racing driver (1896–1980)}} {{one source|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox racing driver | name = Cliff Bergere | image = Cliff Bergere 1940.jpeg | image_size = 160px | caption = Bergere, circa 1940 | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1896|12|06}} | birth_place = New York, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1980|06|18|1896|12|06}} | death_place = Dade City, Florida, U.S. | module1 = {{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes | Total_Champ_Races = 22 | Years_In_Champ = 16 | Best_Champ_Pos = 4th (tie) (1939, 1941) | First_Champ_Race = 1927 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | Last_Champ_Race = 1947 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | Champ_Wins = 0 | Champ_Podiums = 3 | Champ_Poles = 1 }}}}
'''Cliff Bergere'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cliff Bergere |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/BergereCliff.htm |access-date=2023-07-01 |website=www.champcarstats.com}}</ref> (December 6, 1896 – June 18, 1980) was an American stuntman and racing driver.
Bergere did stunt driving for movies, including the 1923 film ''The Eagle's Talons'', before embarking on a racing career. From 1927 to 1947, he started the Indianapolis 500 sixteen times, missing only the 1930 race. He started the race from the front row three times and won the pole position in 1946. At age 49, he became, and to date remains, the oldest pole winner. He finished third in 1932 and 1939 and completed the 1941 race without making a pit stop, finishing fifth.
At the conclusion of his career in 1947, Bergere held the distinction of the most starts in Indianapolis 500 history (16), a record he held for twenty-seven years until surpassed by A.J. Foyt, the current record-holder, in 1974.
== Motorsports career results ==
=== Indianapolis 500 results ===
{{col-begin|width=auto}} {{col-break}} {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !Year !Car !Start !Qual !Rank !Finish !Laps !Led !Retired |- !1927 |25 |14 |108.820 |19 |9 |200 |0 |Running |- !1928 |21 |3 |119.956 |3 |28 |7 |0 |Supercharger |- !1929 |25 |32 |103.687 |32 |9 |200 |0 |Running |- !1931 |28 |14 |106.781 |23 |9 |200 |0 |Running |- !1932 |22 |10 |111.503 |16 |3 |200 |0 |Running |- !1933 |6 |9 |115.643 |11 |11 |200 |0 |Running |- !1934 |22 |18 |115.243 |8 |7 |200 |0 |Running |- !1935 |15 |16 |114.162 |23 |13 |196 |0 |Out of gas |- !1936 |42 |7 |113.377 |22 |22 |116 |0 |Engine support |- !1937 |45 |16 |117.546 |24 |5 |200 |0 |Running |- !1938 |9 |32 |114.464 |32 |20 |111 |0 |Piston |- !1939 |54 |10 |123.835 |15 |3 |200 |0 |Running |- !1940 |5 |6 |123.673 |10 |27 |51 |0 |Oil line |- !1941 |34 |7 |123.890 |13 |5 |200 |10 |Running |- !1946 |3 |style="background:green;color:white"|1 |126.471 |3 |16 |82 |2 |Out of oil |- !1947 |18 |2 |124.957 |4 |21 |62 |23 |Piston |- |colspan=6|'''Totals''' |2425 |35 | |} {{col-break|gap=1em}} {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !Starts |16 |- !Poles |1 |- !Front Row |3 |- !Wins |0 |- !Top 5 |4 |- !Top 10 |8 |- !Retired |7 |} {{col-end}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://theoldmotor.com/?p=34340 Cliff Bergere and Americas Safest Tire] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110724044601/http://www.thegreatest33.com/default.aspx#driver?s=Cliff_Bergere The Greatest 33: Cliff Bergere] * {{IMDb name|0074409}} * [http://www.indystar.com/article/20110520/SPORTS0107/110519023/ Indy 500 history: Cliff Bergere] * [http://racing-reference.info/driver/Cliff_Bergere Racing-Reference page]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergere, Cliff}} Category:1896 births Category:1980 deaths Category:AAA Championship Car drivers Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers Category:Indianapolis 500 polesitters Category:Racing drivers from New York City