Don Branson

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Don Branson bigraphy, stories - American racing driver

Don Branson : biography

June 2, 1920 – November 12, 1966

Don Branson (June 2, 1920 – November 12, 1966) was an American racecar driver.

Born in Rantoul, Illinois, Branson was killed in a racing crash at Ascot Park in Gardena, California along with fellow sprint car driver Dick Atkins. He drove in the USAC Championship Car series and also in sprint cars, racing champ cars in the 1956–1966 seasons with 129 starts, including the 1959–1966 Indianapolis 500 races. He finished in the top ten 85 times, with 7 victories.

Branson was also the 1959 and 1965 USAC Sprint Car Series Champion.

He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1994.

Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1959 9 10 143.312 12 24 112 0 Torsion bar
1960 7 8 144.753 11 4 200 0 Running
1961 3 2 146.843 3 33 2 0 Bent Valves
1962 14 11 147.312 11 12 200 0 Running
1963 4 3 150.188 4 5 200 0 Running
1964 5 9 152.672 12 12 187 0 Clutch
1965 4 18 155.501 16 8 197 0 Flagged
1966 4 9 160.385 12 23 0 0 Crash FS
Totals 1098 0
Starts 8
Poles 0
Front Row 2
Wins 0
Top 5 2
Top 10 3
Retired 4

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Points
1959 Bob Estes Phillips Offenhauser L4 MON 500 NED FRA GBR GER POR ITA USA NC 0
1960 Bob Estes Phillips Offenhauser L4 ARG MON 500 NED BEL FRA GBR POR ITA USA 21st 3

Category:1920 births Category:1966 deaths Category:American racing drivers Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers Category:National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees Category:People from Champaign County, Illinois Category:Racing drivers from Illinois Category:Racing drivers killed while racing Category:Sports deaths in California