Patrick Bedard

{{short description|American journalist and racing driver (born 1941)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}}

{{Infobox Champ Car driver | name = Patrick Bedard | image = | caption = | nationality =  | birth_name =  | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1941|8|20}} | birth_place = Waterloo, Iowa, US<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dunkin |first1=Zach |title=Writer Drops His Typewriter For 500 Run |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news/184863415/ |access-date=5 May 2026 |work=The Indianpolis News |date=6 May 1981}}</ref> | nick-name = | death_date =  | death_place = | death_cause = | height =  | weight =  | achievements =  | awards =  | Total_Champ_Races = 6 | Years_In_Champ = 3 | Years =  | Champ_Car_Team =  | Best_Champ_Pos =  | First_Champ_Race = 1982 Stroh's 200 (Atlanta) | Last_Champ_Race = 1984 Indianapolis 500 | Champ_Wins = 0 | Champ_Podiums = 0 | Champ_Poles = 0 }}

'''Patrick Bedard''' (born August 20, 1941)<ref name=career>{{cite web| url = http://www.race-database.com/driver/career.php?driver_id=pbeda1 | title = Patrick Bedard career results | accessdate = 2008-12-06 | website = race-database.com}}</ref> is an American former journalist and racing driver. Bedard worked for ''Car and Driver'' from 1967 to 2009.

==Career== Bedard joined ''Car and Driver'' in 1967.<ref name="oregon">{{cite news |last1=Duin |first1=Steve |title=Patrick Bedard: 'Racing is last secret sport I know of' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oregonian/196951319/ |access-date=5 May 2026 |work=The Oregonian |date=19 May 1984}}</ref> In the early 1970s, ''Car and Driver'' magazine challenged its readers to a series of Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)-sanctioned, 25-lap "showroom stock sedan" races. In the ''Car and Driver SS/Sedan Challenge II'', Bedard finished first, driving ''Car & Driver's'' own Opel 1900 sedan. In the ''Car and Driver SS/Sedan Challenge III'' in 1974, Bedard drove a 1973 Chevy Vega GT No. 0, winning the tie-breaker race. This lone Vega beat 31 other well-driven showroom stocks.<ref name="unlikely1975">Car and Driver-January 1975. An unlikely victory in an unlikely car.</ref>

The first racing victory by a Wankel-engined car in the United States was in 1973, when Bedard won an IMSA RS race at Lime Rock Park in a Mazda RX-2.<ref name="a">"The Rotary Club", Don Sherman, ''Automobile Magazine'', February 2008, pp 76-79</ref> Bedard also captured a pole position at the Pocono Raceway road course, but did not finish due to a blown clutch at the start of the race.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Simmons |first1=Bill |title=Craw Is Triumphant In Long Pond Race; Marcus Car Fails |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer-for-pocky/12874647/ |access-date=6 May 2026 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=10 June 1973}}</ref>

Bedard entered the 1981 and 1982 Indianapolis 500 but did not qualify. At the age of 41 Bedard qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 in 1983,<ref>{{cite news |title=Oldest rookie: Magazine columnist will start in middle of field |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times/196950908/ |access-date=5 May 2026 |work=Trenton Times |agency=Associated Press |date=25 May 1983}}</ref> finishing in 30th after crashing in turn 4 on lap 25.<ref name="oregon"/> Bedard raced at the 1983 Michigan 500, spinning behind Gordon Johncock's broken car and in front of race leader Tom Sneva.<ref name="oregon"/>

After qualifying for the 1984 Indianapolis 500,<ref name="oregon"/> Bedard was involved in a major accident on lap 59. Bedard's car spun exiting turn 3 and into the inside guardrail, flipping three times. Bedard suffered a concussion and a broken jaw.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jensen |first1=Christopher |title=Bedard survives crash; Guerrero 2 near accidents |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer/196952170/ |access-date=5 May 2026 |work=The Plain Dealer |date=28 May 1984}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Bedard has improved considerably since crash |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brattleboro-reformer/196952255/ |access-date=5 May 2026 |work=The Brattleboro Reformer |agency=United Press International |date=30 May 1984}}</ref> Jim Murray of the ''Los Angeles Times'' criticized Bedard's participation, claiming "just because you can drive 10 laps on an empty, manicured track early in May does not mean you are ready for the firefight of the last Sunday in May."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Murray |first1=Jim |title=Indy field should be as tough to get into as a bank vault |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-belleville-news-democrat/196952856/ |access-date=5 May 2026 |work=The Belleville News-Democrat |agency=Los Angeles Times |date=31 May 1984}}</ref> Bedard retired from racing after this crash.<ref>{{cite news |title=The thrill is gone: Indy's 'as good as life gets', says injured driver |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-sentinel/196953365/ |access-date=5 May 2026 |work=The Daily Sentinel |agency=Associated Press |date=18 May 1985}}</ref>

After nearly 42 consecutive years of employment with ''Car and Driver'', Bedard announced he was leaving the magazine in his regular column after the August 2009 issue.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bedard |first1=Patrick |title=Patrick Bedard: Thoughts on My Last Day |url=https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a16579747/patrick-bedard-thoughts-on-my-last-day/ |website=Car and Driver |access-date=5 May 2026 |date=17 July 2009}}</ref>

==Racing record==

===USAC Mini-Indy Series results=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" ! Year ! Entrant ! 1 ! 2 ! 3 ! 4 ! 5 ! 6 ! Pos ! Points |- | 1980 ! | MIL | POC | MOH |style="background:#EFCFFF;"| MIN1 {{small|8}} |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| MIN2 {{small|11}} | ONT |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''''21st''''' |style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''''70''''' |}

===Indianapolis 500 results=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- ! Year ! Chassis ! Engine ! Start ! Finish ! Note ! Team |- | 1981 | Vollstedt | Offenhauser |align=center style="background-color:#FFCFCF"| — |align=center style="background-color:#FFCFCF"| — | Failed to qualify | Escort Radar Detector |- | 1982 | Penske PC-7 | Cosworth |align=center style="background-color:#FFCFCF"| — |align=center style="background-color:#FFCFCF"| — | Failed to qualify | Escort Radar Detector |- | 1983 | March 83C | Cosworth |align=center style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| 17 |align=center style="background-color:#EFCFFF"| 30 | Crash | Escort Radar Detector |- | 1984 | March 84C | Cosworth |align=center style="background-color:#CFCFFF"| 19 |align=center style="background-color:#EFCFFF"| 30 | Crash | Escort Radar Detector |}

(key) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position)

===24 Hours of Le Mans results=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%" |- ! Year ! Team ! Co-Drivers ! Car ! Class ! Laps ! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}} ! {{Tooltip|Class Pos.|Class Position}} |- ! 1982 | align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} BF Goodrich | align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} Paul Miller {{flagicon|LIE}} Manfred Schurti | align="left"| Porsche 924 Carrera GTR | IMSA GTO | 128 | DNF | DNF |- |}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bedard, Patrick}} Category:Motoring journalists Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers Category:1941 births Category:Living people Category:People from Waterloo, Iowa Category:Racing drivers from Iowa Category:20th-century American journalists Category:20th-century American male journalists Category:12 Hours of Sebring drivers Category:24 Hours of Daytona drivers Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers