George Connor (racing driver) explained

George Connor

Birth Name:

Charles George Connor

Birth Date:

16 August 1906

Birth Place:

Rialto, California, U.S.

Death Place:

Hesperia, California, U.S.

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Total Champ Races:

63+

Years In Champ:

Best Champ Pos:

5th (1949)

First Champ Race:

1935 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)

Last Champ Race:

1952 Milwaukee 200 (Milwaukee)

First Champ Win:

1946 Dayton Race #3 (Dayton)

Last Champ Win:

1946 Atlanta 100 (Lakewood)

Champ Wins:

Champ Podiums:

Champ Poles:

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Years:	–
Races:	4 (3 starts)
Championships:	0
Wins:	0
Podiums:	0
Points:	0
Poles:	0
Fastest Laps:	0
Last Race:	1953 Indianapolis 500

Charles George Connor (August 16, 1906 – March 28, 2001) was an American racing driver.^[1] ^[2] At the time of Connor's death, he was the final surviving driver to have participated in a pre-Second World War Championship car event.^[3]

World Drivers' Championship career

The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship participation, and were eligible to score WDC points alongside those which they may have scored towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.

Connor participated in three World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. His best finish was eighth place, twice, and he scored no World Drivers' Championship points.

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

Year	Car	Start	Qual	Rank	Finish	Laps	Retired
1935	37	14	114.321	19	19	112	Transmission
1936	38	5	116.269	9	10	200	Running
1937	17	12	120.240	8	9	200	Running
1938	15	19	120.326	18	19	119	Engine
1939	18	12	123.208	19	13	195	Stalled
1940	10	17	124.585	8	26	52	Rod
1941	14	13	123.984	10	16	167	Transmission
1946	38	30	120.006	26	24	38	Piston
1947	14	13	124.874	5	26	32	Fuel leak
1948	9	17	123.018	25	28	24	Drive shaft
1949	22	6	128.228	13	3rd	200	Running
1950	5	4	132.163	7	8	135	Running
1951	22	21	133.353	19	30	29	Universal joint
1952	54	14	135.609	15	8	200	Running
Totals						1703

Starts	14
Poles	0
Front Row	0
Wins	0
Top 5	1
Top 10	5
Retired	9

In 14 Indianapolis starts, Connor drove 4257miles without leading a lap. This ranks sixth on the all-time list.

AAA Championship Car results

Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Pos	Points
1946	INDY 24	LAN 9	ATL 1	ISF 7	MIL 10	GOS 9										12th	380
1947	INDY 26	MIL 4	LAN 15	ATL 14	BAI 5	MIL 5	GOS 5	MIL 3	PIK	SPR 15	ARL DNQ					9th	560
1948	ARL	INDY 28	MIL DNQ	LAN 5	MIL DNQ	SPR 11	MIL 17	DUQ	ATL	PIK	SPR 5	DUQ DNQ				19th	287
1949	ARL	INDY 3	MIL 16	TRE DNQ	SPR 16	MIL 7	DUQ 3	PIK	SYR 5	DET 13	SPR 6	LAN	SAC 11	DMR 9		5th	1,200
1950	INDY 8	MIL 10	LAN DNQ	SPR 9	MIL 19	PIK	SYR 17	DET 9	SPR 13	SAC	PHX	BAY	DAR			20th	282.5
1951	INDY 30	MIL DNQ	LAN DNS	DAR 25	SPR DNQ	MIL 12	DUQ	DUQ DNQ	PIK	SYR DNQ	DET	DNC	SJS DNQ	PHX	BAY	50th	20
1952	INDY 8	MIL	RAL 21	SPR	MIL 20	DET DNQ	DUQ DNQ	PIK	SYR	DNC DNP	SJS	PHX				22nd	250
1953	INDY DNQ	MIL	SPR	DET	SPR	MIL	DUQ	PIK	SYR	ISF	SAC	PHX				-	0
1954	INDY DNQ	MIL	LAN	DAR	SPR	MIL	DUQ	PIK	SYR	ISF	SAC	PHX	LVG			-	0

1946 table only includes results of the six races run to "championship car" specifications. Points total includes the 71 races run to "big car" specifications.^[4] ^[5]

FIA World Drivers' Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	WDC
1950	Blue Crown Spark Plug / Moore	Lesovsky	Offenhauser L4	GBR	MON	500	SUI	BEL	FRA	ITA			NC
1951	Blue Crown Spark Plug / Marant	Lesovsky	Offenhauser L4	SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	ESP		NC
1952	Federal Engineering	Kurtis Kraft 3000	Offenhauser L4	SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA		NC
1953	Chrysler / Wolcott	Kurtis Kraft 500A	Chrysler V8	ARG	500	NED	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	SUI	ITA	NC

Notes and References

Web site: George Connor . 2023-06-11 . www.champcarstats.com.
Web site: Jenkins. Richard. The World Championship Drivers – Where Are They Now. OldRacingCars. 16 August 2013.
Web site: 2001-04-01 . IRL: CHAMPCAR/CART: George Connor, last surviving pre-WWII driver, dies . 2023-06-11 . us.motorsport.com . en.
Web site: 1946 AAA National Championship Trail . 2024-03-13 . www.champcarstats.com.
Capps . H. Donald . October 2009 . The Curious Case of the 1946 Season: An Inconvenient Championship . Rear View Mirror . 7 . 2 . 1–16.