James Ernest Hurtubise[1] (December 5, 1932 – January 6, 1989) was an American racing driver who competed in Championship Cars, sprint cars and stock cars. Hurtubise enjoyed much success in sprint cars, champ dirt cars, and stock cars, and was the winner of the 1966 Atlanta 500; however, he never achieved the success at the Indianapolis 500 which his rookie qualifying run promised, when he out qualified pole-sitter Eddie Sachs by three mph, nearly breaking the 150 mph mark.
"Herk" was a fan favorite throughout much of his career because of his fun-loving attitude and his hard driving style.[2]
Championship Car career
Hurtubise raced in the USACChampionship Car series in the 1959–1968 and 1970–1974 seasons, with 97 career starts. He finished in the top ten 38 times, with 4 victories, in 1959 at Sacramento, 1960 at Langhorne, and 1961 and 1962 at Springfield.[3] In 1964, after suffering serious burns in an accident during the Rex Mays Classic at the Milwaukee Mile, doctors asked Hurtubise how he wanted his hands shaped permanently. Hurtubise told them to pin his hands so he cold hold a beer can, knowing that if he "could hold a beer can, (he) could hold a steering wheel."[4] Hurtubise would later be awarded the Ralph DePalma award for overcoming his injuries to return to racing.[4][5]
In 1965, he qualified using a Novi engine, the last year that engine would be used in the race, having been considered
obsolete several years before.[7] The engine failed on the first lap, and he finished last.[8]
In 1966, he entered a rear-engined car, which was taking over from the front-engined roadsters as the standard for the race, and finished 17th.
After failing to qualify in 1967, in 1968 he ran the last front-engined car to date in the race. He and his brother Pete designed and built the new roadster in their garage, naming it the "Mallard". He claimed the car was lighter than previous roadsters, which would allow it to be competitive with the other rear-engine cars.[9]
From 1969 through 1971, he would continue to attempt to qualify with the roadster, but failed to make the field, which was now fully rear-engined cars.
In 1972, he had qualified a rear-engine car 13th.[10] However on "bump day", he put the roadster, sponsored by Miller Beer in line to make a qualification attempt shortly before the closing deadline of 6:00 pm. The time expired before it was his turn to qualify. He then removed the engine cover to reveal that the car had no engine, but five chilled cases of his sponsor's product, which he shared with the other pit crews and race officials[2][11]
From 1973 through 1975, he attempted to qualify rear-engine cars, missing the field in 1973 and 1975, while qualifying 28th in 1974, finishing the race 28th after blowing the engine on lap 31. This would be the last year he would successfully qualify for the race.
For the 1976 and 1977 races, he was back with his front-engine Mallard roadster, but wasn't quick enough to make the field. In 1978, he returned, once again attempting to qualify the Mallard, but Tom Binford, the chief steward, refused to allow him a qualifying attempt, stating the car had not showed it was capable of race speed during practice. He then sat in entrant Bob Harkey’s car for ten minutes refusing to move. After finally leaving the car he ran onto the track where he was tackled and apprehended by the police.[12]
In subsequent years, he continued to attempt to get the Mallard into the field, with his final attempt in 1981. This was the final attempt for any front-engine car in the race, 13 years after the last time a car of that type had qualified for the race, and 17 years since the last time one had won.[13]
Final race for the Mallard
Hurtubise attempted numerous Indianapolis 500s in his self-built Mallard
In 1972, Hurtubise drove the Mallard in an IndyCar race at Michigan in 1972, qualifying 26th (last) and finishing 23rd. He drove the same car a year earlier at the Pocono 500, qualifying 33rd (last) and finishing 30th.[14] This would be the last time a front-engine car would ever run in an IndyCar race.
NASCAR career
In 1957, Hurtubise started his NASCAR career running two races. Over the next twenty years, he would enter 36 races, winning one race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and amassing eleven top ten finishes.[15]
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Hurtubise participated in one World Championship race, finishing eighteenth and receiving no points.
