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Saturday, January 4, 2020

Indy's "Clown Of The Races" Roscoe Sarles Born - January 4, 1892

January  4, 1892 - September 17, 1922
Roscoe Sarles
(Photo; indycaradvocate.com)
Born In New Albany, Indiana, USA
Sarles was an American racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. He competed in the Indianapolis 500 four times, finishing 2nd in 1921. Although he never found victory at Indy, he was a respected, fearless driver in his time, a man referred to as the "clown of the races".

However, he did have success in other venues on the circuit, especially at the newly-created Beverly Hills Speedway, where he won two races in a 4-month span. Sadly, his first victory at that track was also the race where Gaston Chevrolet and Eddie O'Donnell were killed in an accident.

Like so many early racers, Sarles' life ended on the track. He was driving for Cliff Durant at Kansas City Speedway on September 17, 1922, when he was in a terrible accident with Pete DePaolo. His car went over the rail of the track, dropped 25 feet, and pinned him underneath, resulting in his burning to death.
(Photo: clamshack via photopin cc)
1919 Oldfield Special - Roscoe Sarles ; Waldo Stein

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