{{Short description|American racing driver (1959–2003)}} {{sources needed|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox person |name = Dale Whittington |birth_name = Dale Lindsey Whittington |image = |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date|1959|9|23}} |birth_place = Farmington, New Mexico, U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age|2003|6|14|1959|9|23}} |death_place = Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |relatives = Don Whittington (brother)<br>Bill Whittington (brother) | module = {{Infobox Le Mans driver |child = yes |years = {{24hLM|1980}} – {{24hLM|1981}} |teams = Whittington Bros. Racing<br>Joest Racing |best_finish = 37th <small>({{24hLM|1980}})</small> |class_wins = 0 }} }} '''Dale Lindsey Whittington''' (September 23, 1959{{spaced ndash}}June 14, 2003) was an American racing driver. Born in Farmington, New Mexico, he was the youngest of four sons born to 1950s race car owner Dick Whittington.<ref name=histdale>[http://www.historicracing.com/drivers.cfm?driverID=2037&AlphaIndex=W HistoricRacing.com: Dale Whittington profile]</ref> Dale Whittington had 3 sons: R.D Whittington, Dale Lindsey Whittington Jr, Blake Whittington. Dale Whittington has one grandson Dale Whittington III. Whittington was not married at the time of his death.
==Indy 500== Despite having little oval experience,<ref name=histdale/> Whittington entered the 1982 Indianapolis 500, joining his brothers Bill and Don to become the only trio of siblings to qualify for the same race at Indy. He qualified 23rd, on the eighth row.<ref name=histdale />
On race day, Whittington found himself caught up in the infamous Kevin Cogan crash. During the final pace lap, just before the green flag was to drop on the frontstretch, Kevin Cogan struck A. J. Foyt, and then Mario Andretti. As the field checked up to avoid the carnage, Whittington locked his brakes and spun into Roger Mears, a driver in the sixth row. All four drivers were eliminated from the race.<ref name=histdale /> Dale was out of the race having never taken the green flag, and never again managed to qualify at Indy.
===Later years=== Whittington was not involved with the 1980s IMSA Camel GT drug smuggling scandal which involved his brothers (Bill and Don) as well as Randy Lanier, John Paul Sr., and John Paul Jr. Both of his brothers received prison time.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}
Whittington transitioned to endurance racing, competing in the ALMS series, as well as competing at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1999 and 2000. He competed in Grand-Am in 2001 often racing with his brother, Don.
Whittington was a developer responsible for developing Tampa Bay Golf and Tennis and later worked at World Jet owned by his brother Don at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). He died on June 14, 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sunsentinel/name/dale-whittington-obituary?id=27750760|title=Dale Whittington Obituary (2003) - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Sun-Sentinel|work=legacy.com|access-date=5 January 2022|date=18 June 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105001707/https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sunsentinel/name/dale-whittington-obituary?id=27750760|archive-date=5 January 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> He was found dead by his oldest son.
==Motorsports career results==
===American Open Wheel racing results=== (key)
====Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results==== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Entrant ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! 7 ! 8 ! Pos ! Points |- | 1979 ! | TEX1 | IRP | MIL1 | POC |style="background:#CFEAFF;"| TEX2<br>{{small|6}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIL2<br>{{small|12}} |style="background:#FFDF9F;"| MIN1<br>{{small|3}} |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIN2<br>{{small|21}} |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''''14th''''' |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''''233''''' |}
====Indianapolis 500==== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- ! Year ! Chassis ! Engine ! Start ! Finish ! Entrant |- | 1982 | March Engineering | Cosworth DFX |align=center| 23 |align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 33 | Whittington Bros. Racing |}
===Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results=== (key) {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year ! Team ! Co-Drivers ! Car ! Class ! Laps ! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}} ! {{Tooltip|Class<br>Pos.|Class Position}} |- ! {{24hLM|1980}} |align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Whittington Bros. Racing |align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Don Whittington<br>{{flagicon|USA}} Hurley Haywood |align="left"| Porsche 935 | IMSA | 151 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 37th |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 11th |- ! {{24hLM|1981}} |align="left"| {{flagicon|DEU}} Joest Racing |align="left"| {{flagicon|DEU}} Reinhold Joest<br>{{flagicon|DEU}} Klaus Niedzwiedz |align="left"| Porsche 908 | S+2.0 | 60 |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 39th |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 10th |- !colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=Dale Whittington|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/track-record/driver/dale-whittington-5294|publisher=Automobile Club de l'Ouest|access-date=August 18, 2023}}</ref><ref name=MSportStats>{{cite web|title=Dale Whittington Results|url=https://motorsportstats.com/driver/dale-whittington/results|publisher=Motorsport Stats|access-date=August 18, 2023}}</ref>}}}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Racing-Reference driver|Dale_Whittington}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whittington, Dale}} Category:1959 births Category:2003 deaths Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers Category:Champ Car drivers Category:Drug-related deaths in Florida Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers Category:American Le Mans Series drivers Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers
{{US-autoracing-bio-stub}} Category:Team Joest drivers Category:People from Farmington, New Mexico Category:Racing drivers from New Mexico Category:12 Hours of Sebring drivers Category:24 Hours of Daytona drivers Category:IMSA GT Championship drivers Category:Intersport Racing drivers