Larry Mann Explained

Larry Mann
Birth Name:Lawrence Harold Zuckerman
Birth Date:3 April 1924
Birth Place:Yonkers, New York
Death Place:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Death Cause:Pulmonary hemorrhage, massive head wounds from racing accident
First Cup Race:1952 - 9th race of season (Langhorne)
Last Cup Race:1952 - 27th race of season (Langhorne)
Years In Cup:1
Total Cup Races:6
Cup Wins:0
Cup Top Tens:0
Cup Poles:0

Larry Mann (born Lawrence Harold Zuckerman;[1] April 3, 1924  - September 14, 1952) was an American stock car driver born in Yonkers, New York. Mann was the first driver to be killed in a NASCAR Grand National race; he died from a pulmonary hemorrhage caused by a crash at Langhorne Speedway.[2]

NASCAR career

He participated in six races in the 1952 season. Overall, after his appearance in the 9th race of the season, Mann began racing more commonly after the 19th race, appearing in every other event; his best finish (11th) came at Monroe County Fairgrounds in Rochester, New York.

Death

Mann was killed during the 27th race of the 1952 season, which took place in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. On the 211th lap, he crashed through a fence at the track, thereby flipping his Hudson Hornet. After being rushed to Nazareth Hospital in nearby Philadelphia, he died in the evening of a pulmonary hemorrhage and massive head wounds. Mann had been defying a superstition among NASCAR drivers by painting his vehicle green.[3]

Mann would become the first of three drivers to be killed at Langhorne within five years; Frank Arford and John McVitty also perished while racing at the track in 1953 and 1956, respectively.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Motorsport Memorial - Larry Mann . 31 March 2023 . Motorsport Memorial.
  2. News: Larry Mann dies of auto crash injuries. The Fresno Bee. United Press. September 15, 1952. https://web.archive.org/web/20180731204310/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3447349/death_of_race_car_driver_larry_mann/. July 31, 2018. live.
  3. Web site: NASCAR little known facts. Angelfire.com/nj2/nascar. https://web.archive.org/web/20140227170728/http://www.angelfire.com/nj2/nascar/facts.html. February 27, 2014. live. August 11, 2018.