| Illness and Obituary for Gone Racin' Roger Ward | ||
| Racer Mall |
This message was sent out by Rodger Ward Jr to inform us that
his father has passed away:
Monday at 7:30 Big Rodger died. They had told us to expect his
passing for days. He was plenty tough. Each of us Rick, Robin, David,
Denise, and I got to have plenty of time with him. The "things" were
said by all. Sherrie was at his side day and night through it all. We
are very thankful to all who have been so kind to us. We are blessed.
Rodger Ward Jr.
A Memorial Service is planned for this Sunday,
July 11, at the San Diego Automotive Museum,
in Balboa Park, at 5pm. The Museum
will close to the public and allow only those who are coming to pay
their final respects to one of the greatest race drivers of our
generation, or any generation.
Richard Parks
More on Rodger Ward, from the IRL in Indy:
*Mon Jul 5, 7:18 PM ET, INDIANAPOLIS - Two-time Indianapolis 500
(news-web sites) champion Rodger Ward died Monday at a hospice
in Anaheim, Calif., Indianapolis Motor Speedway said. At 83, Ward was
the oldest living winner of the race. He won in 1959 and 1962,
during a six-year span in which he finished no worse than fourth.
Ward was second to A.J. Foyt in 1964, failed to qualify in 1965
and drove for the 15th and final time in 1966, finishing 15th. The
next night, at the Victory Banquet, Ward announced his
retirement at 45. "I felt like it was time," he later recalled. "Some
drivers go past their
time." Ward was born Jan. 10, 1921, in Beloit, Kan., and moved with
his family to Los Angeles as a child. When he was 14,
he built a Ford hot rod with parts from his father's junkyard
business and began drag racing. Ward, a fighter and bomber pilot
in World War II, returned to Southern California after the war and
began racing midgets. He passed his rookie test at Indianapolis
in 1951 and finished 27th. He considered quitting racing four years
later, however, when his front axle snapped, triggering a
crash that killed his close friend and two-time defending Indy 500
champion Bill Vukovich. "I don't know that I could really
explain to you how badly I felt," Ward said. "To me, it was an
absolute disaster." Vukovich's family convinced him to continue
racing. During his career, Ward won 26 champ-car races and two U.S.
Auto Club titles. His final victory was April 24, 1966,
in Trenton, N.J. "I was pretty famous in my own territory, but when
I came to Indianapolis, and the first time I ran here, I wasn't
known as a driver from California. I was an Indy driver," he said in
a 1999 interview with the speedway. "Indy makes the race
driver. You become famous when you come here. I don't care where
else you race in the world." With Ward's death, the oldest
living Indy winner is Jim Rathmann, 75, who won the race in 1960.
Surviving are Ward's wife, Sherrie; sons Rodger Jr., David
and Rick, and daughter Robin. The speedway said services were
pending.
|