Shorty Templeman

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Shorty Templeman bigraphy, stories - American racing driver

Shorty Templeman : biography

August 12, 1919 – August 24, 1962

Clark "Shorty" Templeman (August 12, 1919 Pueblo, Colorado – August 24, 1962 Marion, Ohio) was an American racecar driver.

Championship car

He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1954-1962 seasons with 42 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in 1955, 1958, and 1960-1962. He finished in the top ten 16 times, with his best finish in 2nd position, in 1961 at both DuQuoin and Syracuse. His best Indy finish was 4th in 1961.

Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1955 81 31 135.014 31 18 142 0 Stalled
1958 83 23 142.817 21 19 116 0 Brakes
1960 26 19 143.856 17 17 191 0 Flagged
1961 7 18 144.341 27 4 200 0 Running
1962 4 6 149.050 6 11 200 0 Running
Totals 849 0
Starts 5
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 1
Top 10 1
Retired 2

Career awards

  • He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1984.
  • He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1984.

Midget car

He won five Washington State and three Oregon midget state championships. at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Templeman won all three Night Before the 500 midget car features at the 16th Street Speedway in Indianapolis in 1956. Templeman won the first three USAC National Midget Series champions when he won titles in 1956, 1957, and 1958.

Templeman died as a result of injuries sustained in a midget car crash at the Marion County, Ohio Fairgrounds track.

World Championship career summary

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. Shorty Templeman participated in 3 World Championship races but scored no World Championship points.