Len Zengel Explained

Len Zengel
Birth Name:Leonard Joseph Zengel
Birth Date:15 March 1887
Birth Place:Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Death Place:Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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Total Champ Races:4
Years In Champ:3
First Champ Race:1909 Founder's Week Trophy
(Fairmount Park)
Last Champ Race:1912 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First Champ Win:1911 Elgin National Trophy (Elgin)
Champ Wins:1
Champ Podiums:2
Champ Poles:0

Leonard Joseph Zengel (March 15, 1887 – September 24, 1963) was an American racing driver.

Biography

Zengel was born on March 15, 1887, in Dayton, Ohio, to Leonard A. Zengel (1857-1930). He had seven siblings.

On October 8, 1910, Zengel won the annual Fairmount Park road race in Philadelphia driving a Chadwick Engineering Works auto.[1]

In 1911 he won the Elgin Trophy.[2] [3]

He participated in the 1912 Indianapolis 500.[2]

He married Mary L. Howell and had a son, Leonard Joseph Zengel Jr. (1915-1944) who died in a car accident when he fell asleep at the wheel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[4] He had a daughter, Betty Jean Zengel.[5]

He operated a Chrysler and Plymouth dealership.

Zengel died on September 24, 1963, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, at age 76.

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

YearCarStartQualRankFinishLapsLedRetired
19122278.8501962000Running
Totals2000
Starts1
Poles0
Front Row1
Wins0
Top 50
Top 101
Retired0

Notes and References

  1. News: Zengel Road Race Winner. Contest Closest one in Motor History. Nine Cars Finish. . https://archive.today/20130201063112/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/387592931.html?dids=387592931:387592931&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+09,+1910&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=ZENGEL+ROAD+RACE+WINNER&pqatl=google . dead . February 1, 2013 . Watched by a half a million people, Len Zengel, driving a Chadwick six, this afternoon won the third annual Fairmount park road race by the closest margin ever recorded in any motor road race in the world, beating Ralph.... . October 9, 1910 . 2012-10-04 .
  2. News: Sutz Driver Wears Smile While Speeding . Len Zengel, driver of the Stutz entry number two in the second annual 500-mile International Sweepstakes race to be run at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next Memorial Day. Zengel was a member of the National racing team and won the Elgin National Stock Chassis road race in 1911. In 1910 he won the Fairmount Park race in Philadelphia in a Chadwick "Big Six." Billy Knipper will act as relief driver to Zengel in the 500 mile race. . . May 25, 1912 . 2012-10-04 .
  3. News: Len Zengel Wins Elgin Trophy. Pilots His National Car Home in the Front Grant, in Alco, Was Second; Hughes, in Mercer, Third. Dave Buck and Sam Jacobs Crew of Pope-Hartford Killed . https://archive.today/20130131164515/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ajc_historic/access/551118722.html?dids=551118722:551118722&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Aug+27,+1911&author=&pub=The+Atlanta+Constitution&desc=LON+ZENGEL+WINS+ELGIN+TROPHY&pqatl=google . dead . January 31, 2013 . Elgin's 305 mile cup race today, won by Len Zengel, in a National, with Harry Grant second and Hughie Hughes third, was not run without its toll of death and injuries. . . August 27, 1911 . 2012-10-04 .
  4. News: Auto Strikes Pole, Sailor is Killed . Gunner's Mate 2/C, Leonard J. Zengel, 33 ... . . October 2, 1944 .
  5. News: Marriages . Miss Betty Jean Zengel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Zengel of Rockwood Farm, West Chester, was married yesterday in the Church of the Good Shepherd ... . . September 13, 1942 . 2012-10-06 .