Paul Frank Russo (April 10, 1914 – February 13, 1976) was an American racing driver.

Racing career

Midget car career

Russo started racing midget cars in 1934. He went with a contingent of midget-car drivers to Hawaii in the winter of 1934–35.Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame He was the 1938 AAA Eastern Midget Champion. Russo won the first race held at the Nutley Velodrome in New Jersey in 1938.

Russo was part of midget racing's "Chicago Gang" with Emil Andres, Tony Bettenhausen, Duke Nalon, Cowboy O'Rourke, Jimmy Snyder, and Wally Zale. These racers toured tracks in the Midwest and East Coast of the United States.

Indy car career

Russo drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1940–1941, 1946–1954, 1956–1959, and 1962 seasons with 81 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 every year excluding 1951 and 1952. He finished in the top-ten 49 times, with two victories: at Springfield (1950) and Detroit (1951). He also won a non-points race at Williams Grove (1952). Russo's best finish in the Indianapolis 500 was fourth, in 1957 when he was at the wheel of a Novi Special. In 1955, Russo co-drove with Tony Bettenhausen to a second-place finish.

Russo's brother Joe and nephew Eddie also competed in Championship Car.

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.

Russo participated in eight World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. He finished in the top-three once, and set one fastest leader lap. He scored eight and one-half World Drivers' Championship points.

Death

On February 13, 1976, Russo died off the coast of Clearwater while in Florida for the Daytona 500."Paul Russo Dies, Ex-Racing Driver", February 18, 1976, The New York Times. Russo is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery and Arboretum in Indianapolis, Indiana. Section 78, Lot 83 Lat:39.8234342 Long:-86.1725236

Awards and honors

Russo was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1992.

Motorsports career results

AAA/USAC Championship Car results

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15161718 Pos Points 1946 INDY33 LAN ATL ISF MIL GOS - 0 1947 INDY28 MIL3 LAN17 ATL8 BAI12 MIL3 GOS MIL6 PIK SPR14 ARL2 10th 545 1948 ARL7 INDY32 MIL18 LAN18 MIL SPR MIL9 DUQ18 ATL11 PIK SPR15 DUQ2 17th 300 1949 ARL INDY8 MIL6 TRE8 SPR10 MIL12 DUQ6 PIK SYR2 DETDNQ SPR15 LAN4 SAC10 DMR5 7th 920 1950 INDY9 MIL2 LAN12 SPR1 MIL5 PIK SYR3 DET18 SPR6 SAC13 PHX16 BAY DAR 7th 928 1951 INDYDNQ MIL4 LAN DAR13 SPR14 MIL9 DUQ3 DUQ PIK SYR15 DET1 DNC13 SJS2 PHXDNQ BAY16 10th 700 1952 INDYDNQ MIL2 RAL5 SPRDNQ MIL6 DET2 DUQ4 PIK SYR4 DNC18 SJS3 PHX15 7th 1,060 1953 INDY25 MIL4 SPRDNQ DET13 SPR6 MIL3 DUQ14 PIK SYR13 ISF12 SAC6 PHX17 5th 855 1954 INDY8 MIL LAN DARSPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX LVG 26th 187.5 1955 INDYDNS* MIL LAN SPR MIL DUQ PIK SYR ISF SAC PHX 16th 300 1956 INDY33 MIL LAN DAR ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF SAC PHX - 0 1957 INDY4 LAN MIL DET ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 13th 600 1958 TRE INDY18 MIL LAN ATL SPR MIL DUQ SYR8 ISF14 TRE SAC PHX 32nd 50 1959 DAYDNQ TRE INDY9 MILDNQ LAN SPR MILDNQ DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX 27th 200 1960 TRE INDYDNQ MIL LAN SPRDNQ MIL DUQDNQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX-0 1961 TRE INDYDNQ MIL LAN MIL SPR DUQ SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX - 0 1962 TRE INDY28 MILDNQ LAN TRE SPR MIL LAN SYR ISF TRE SAC PHX - 0 1963 TRE INDYDNQ MILDNQ LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX - 0 1964 PHX TRE INDYDNQ MIL LAN TRE SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX-0 1965 PHX TRE INDYDNQ MIL LAN PIP TRE IRP ATL LAN MIL SPR MIL DUQ ISF TRE SAC PHX - 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.

Indianapolis 500 results

YearCarStartQualRankFinishLapsLedRetired19403829120.8092928480Oil leak19414518125.217592000Running1946102126.183433160Crash T319471521123.967828240Crash FS19482525122.595293270Oil leak19491919129.487582000Running1950719130.7901891350Running1953717136.2191625890Magneto1954532137.6783282000Running1955*10 - - -2770Running1956298143.54610332111Crash T119575410144.817 1st420024Running19581514142.95918181220Radiator19594527142.3832292000Running19626214146.6872028200PistonTotals155935

Starts14Poles0Front Row1Wins0Top 51Top 106Retired8

* shared drive with Tony Bettenhausen

References