William Lawrence Schindler (March 6, 1909 – September 20, 1952) was an American racing driver.
Racing career
Schindler began racing in 1931 in a sprint car. He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934.Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Schindler lost his left leg from above the knee while racing in a Champ car race in 1936 at Mineola, Long Island. He is one of three drivers to have participated in the Indianapolis 500 with a prosthetic leg, along with Al Miller and Cal Niday.
Schindler was part of a group determined to keep the AAA out of the East Coast in 1937. He was elected president of the "outlaw" group. Schindler briefly switched to the AAA in 1940, and won the Bronx Coliseum Indoor championship. He returned to his "outlaw" past when he was named the president of the newly formed American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC). He served as president for the club's first six years. Schindler won ARDC championships in 1940, 1945, 1946 and 1948. In both 1947 and 1948 he won 53 midget car feature races, which helped bring popularity to midget car racing in the Northeastern United States.
Schindler rejoined the AAA so he could race in the Indianapolis 500 in 1950, 1951, and 1952.
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.
Schindler participated in three World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. His best finish was 13th place, and he scored no World Drivers' Championship points.
Death
Schindler died in a sprint car racing crash in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1952. Schindler was leading the race on the third lap when a car driven by Paul Becker lost a wheel and skidded into the fence. He did not see the "go slow" sign that was immediately waved after Becker's crash and his black Offenhauser hit the wheel, crashed through the fence and tumbled down a 20-foot embankment. He was killed instantly.
Awards and honors
He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1998. He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1985. He was inducted in the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in 2004.Biography at the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame, Retrieved October 2, 2007
Motorsports career results
AAA Championship Car results
Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos Points 1950 INDY26 MIL18 LAN16 SPR12 MIL22 PIK SYRDNS DET15 SPR15 SAC2 PHXDNQ BAY3 DAR210th690 1951 INDY13 MIL16 LAN2 DAR21 SPR3 MIL4 DUQ12 DUQ PIK SYR8 DET DNCDNP SJS PHX8 BAY9 11th 693.5 1952 INDY14 MIL3 RAL23 SPR1 MIL2 DET13 DUQ14 PIK SYR16 DNC SJS PHX 11th 660
Indianapolis 500 results
YearCarStartQualRankFinishLapsLedRetired195067 22 132.690 4 26 111 0 Universal joint195110 16 134.033 11 13 129 0 Rod19527 15 134.988 20 14 200 0 RunningTotals 440 0 Starts3Poles0Front Row0Wins0Top 50Top 100Retired2
References