May 5, 1913 - March 7, 1993
Duane Carter
(Photo;Find A Grave)
Born in Fresno, California, USA.
He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. His son Pancho raced in Indy cars, along with stepson Johnny Parsons, who he helped raise.
Carter started racing midgets at the 1/5 mile dirt track in the west side of Fresno while attending Fresno State University. He was one of six drivers who went to Western Springs Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand in 1937. He was a consistent winner on the Nutley board track in 1939 while future journalist Chris Economaki was his unofficial crew chief. He won the 1940 Detroit VFW Motor Speedway title, the 1942 championship at Sportsman Park in Cleveland. He captured a 500-mile victory in his midget car at the 1947 Los Angeles Coliseum Motordome.
He moved up to the sprint cars, and won the 1950 Midwest division. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1948 - 1955, 1959 - 1960, and 1963 seasons with 47 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in each season. He finished in the top ten 23 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1953 at Phoenix. In his last race, at the Indy 500, he drove the innovative John Crosthwaite designed Harvey Aluminium Special ‘roller skate car’ with the then pioneering low profile, wide racing tyres and a stock Chevrolet engine.
Duane Carter
Born in Fresno, California, USA.
He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. His son Pancho raced in Indy cars, along with stepson Johnny Parsons, who he helped raise.
Carter started racing midgets at the 1/5 mile dirt track in the west side of Fresno while attending Fresno State University. He was one of six drivers who went to Western Springs Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand in 1937. He was a consistent winner on the Nutley board track in 1939 while future journalist Chris Economaki was his unofficial crew chief. He won the 1940 Detroit VFW Motor Speedway title, the 1942 championship at Sportsman Park in Cleveland. He captured a 500-mile victory in his midget car at the 1947 Los Angeles Coliseum Motordome.
He moved up to the sprint cars, and won the 1950 Midwest division. He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1948 - 1955, 1959 - 1960, and 1963 seasons with 47 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in each season. He finished in the top ten 23 times, with his best finish in 2nd position in 1953 at Phoenix. In his last race, at the Indy 500, he drove the innovative John Crosthwaite designed Harvey Aluminium Special ‘roller skate car’ with the then pioneering low profile, wide racing tyres and a stock Chevrolet engine.
He retired from competition in 1956 to take the Competition Director position for USAC. He returned to competition in 1959 after Henry Banks took over the position.
Carter was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame in 1967, the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1989 and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1991.
Carter died on March 7, 1993 in Indianapolis, Indiana at the age of 79.
(Photo;davemacdonald.net)
Duane Carter in Mickey Thompson's racer during tire testing at Indy in November 1963.
Carter was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame in 1967, the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1989 and the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1991.
Carter died on March 7, 1993 in Indianapolis, Indiana at the age of 79.
Duane Carter in Mickey Thompson's racer during tire testing at Indy in November 1963.
,,,,had the pleasure of interviewing his gentleman in the mid-60's when he toured through our little town in middle Michigan (Alma, MI.)....he was on the Championship Trail and I was a young announcer at WFYC-AM/FM in Alma. Did't realize the significance of this meetin then....but have thought so many times since how much that meant to me....
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