Joie Chitwood

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George Rice "Joie" Chitwood (April 14, 1912 - January 3, 1988) was an American racecar driver and businessman. He is best known as a daredevil in the Joie Chitwood Thrill Show.

Born in Denison, Texas of Cherokee Indian ancestry, he was dubbed "Joie" by a track promoter and the name stuck.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Racing career

Chitwood started his racecar driving career in 1934 at a dirt track in Winfield, Kansas. From there, he began racing at tracks all over the United States mid-west and between 1940 and 1950 competed at the Indianapolis 500 seven times finishing fifth on three different occasions. He was the first man ever to wear a safety belt at the Indy 500.[citation needed]

[edit] Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1940 42 26 121.757 25 15 190 0 Flagged
1941 25 27 120.329 29 14 177 0 Flagged
1946 24 12 119.816 28 5 200 0 Running
1947 8 22 123.157 10 22 51 0 Gears
1948 55 10 124.619 15 17 138 0 Fuel leak
1949 77 16 126.863 27 5 200 0 Running
1950 17 9 130.757 19 5* 136 0 Running
Totals 1092 0
Starts 7
Poles 0
Front Row 0
Wins 0
Top 5 3
Top 10 3
Retired 2

* shared drive with Tony Bettenhausen

[edit] World Championship career summary

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Joie Chitwood participated in 1 World Championship race. He started on the pole 0 times, won 0 races, set 0 fastest laps, and finished on the podium 0 times. He accumulated a total of 1 championship point.

[edit] Joie Chitwood Thrill Show

Chitwood also operated the "Joie Chitwood Thrill Show", an exhibition of auto stunt driving that became so successful he gave up racing. Often called "Hell Drivers," he had five units that for more than forty years toured across North America thrilling audiences in large and small towns alike with their death-defying automobile stunts.

His show was so popular, that in January 1967, the performance at the Islip, New York Speedway was broadcast on ABC television's Wide World of Sports.

On May 13, 1978, Joie Chitwood set a world record when he drove a Chevrolet Chevette for 5.6 miles on just 2 wheels. His sons, Joie Jr. and Tim both joined the auto thrill show and continued to run the "Joie Chitwood Chevy Thunder Show" after their father's retirement. His grandson, Joie Chitwood III, is the COO for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Chitwood's show was credited by Evel Knievel as being his inspiration to become a daredevil.

[edit] Stuntman

As well, Chitwood was frequently hired by Hollywood film studios to either do stunt driving for films or to act as auto-stunt coordinator. On a few occasions he appeared in a minor role, notably with Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck in the 1950 film about the Indy 500, To Please a Lady.

In 1973, Chitwood is credited as a Stunt Coordinator for the hugely successful James Bond film Live and Let Die (film), where he was also the stunt driver and acted in a minor part.

[edit] Safety Consultant

Chitwood also acted as a car safety consultant, intentionally crashing vehicles for subsequent investigation. He had intentionally crashed more than 3000 vehicles by the time he appeared on the game show I've Got A Secret in 1965.

[edit] Retirement

When Chitwood retired, his sons took over the business. Joie Chitwood died in 1988, aged 75, in Tampa Bay, Florida.

[edit] Award

He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1993.