Joe Leonard

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Eagle driven to 6th place by Leonard in the 1969 Indianapolis 500

For the baseball player, see Joe Leonard (baseball).

Joe Leonard (born August 4, 1932, San Diego, California), is a retired American motorcycle racer and racecar driver.

Leonard won the first AMA Grand National Championship Series in 1954 and won it again in 1956 and 1957. His record totals 27 wins, including the 1957 and 1958 Daytona 200. He retired from motorcycle racing at the completion of the 1961 season and turned his attention to auto racing.

Leonard raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1964-1974 seasons, with 98 career starts, including the 1965-1973 Indianapolis 500, sitting on the pole in 1968 in the Granatelli turbine car. He finished in the top ten 60 times, including 6 wins: 3 times at Milwaukee (1965, 1970, 1972), and once each at Ontario Motor Speedway (1971), Brooklyn (1972), and Pocono (1972). His victories propelled him to the 1971 and 1972 USAC Championship Car Season Championship.

Joe Leonard is the "Only Racer in the World" to have won multiple National Championships in both automobile and motorcycle racing back to back. Surpassing the great John Surtees. In 1991, he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in the "Motorcycles" category. In 1998 he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.He is a member of 10 Halls of Fame. Today Mr.Leonard is enjoying retirement and being a Granfather.

[edit] Indy 500 results

Year	Chassis	Engine	Start	Finish
1965	Halibrand	Ford	27th	29th
1966	Eagle	Ford	20th	9th
1967	Coyote	Ford	5th	3rd
1968	Lotus	Pratt & Whitney	1st	12th
1969	Eagle	Ford	11th	6th
1970	Colt	Ford	18th	24th
1971	Colt	Ford	8th	19th
1972	Parnelli	Offy	6th	3rd
1973	Parnelli	Offy	29th	18th