Gene Hartley
Template:Short description {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template other{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters | check | ignoreblank = y | unknown = Template:Main other | preview = Page using Template:Infobox F1 driver with unknown parameter "_VALUE_" | embed | child | subbox | name | Name | image | Image | image_size | upright | image_upright | alt | caption | birth_name | birth_date | birth_place | death_date | death_place | relations | relatives | nationality | Nationality | years | Years | teams | Teams | Team(s) | team | Team | engines | Engines | current_team | current team | Current team | 2025 Team | 2026 Team | car_number | car number | Car number | races | Races | championships | Championships | wins | Wins | podiums | Podiums | points | Points | poles | Poles | fastest_laps | fastest laps | Fastest laps | first_race | first race | First race | first_win | first win | First win | last_win | last win | Last win | last_race | last race | Last race | last_position | last position | Last position | last_season | last season | Last season | bf1_years | bf1 years | BF1 Years | bf1_races | bf1 races | BF1 Races | bf1_championships | bf1 championships | BF1 Championships | bf1_wins | bf1 wins | BF1 Wins | bf1_podiums | bf1 podiums | BF1 Podiums | bf1_points | bf1 points | BF1 Points | bf1_poles | bf1 poles | BF1 Poles | bf1_fastest_laps | bf1 fastest laps | BF1 Fastest laps | signature | signature_size | signature alt | signature_alt | website | module | module1 | module2 | module3 | module4 | module5 | record template1 | record template2 | record template3 | record template4 | record template5 | career template1 | career template2 | career template3 | career template4 | career template5 | updated | Updated }} Leslie Eugene "Gene" Hartley<ref>The Talk of Gasoline Alley – 1070-AM WIBC/Network Indiana, May 15, 2007</ref> (January 28, 1926 – March 13, 1993)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was an American racecar driver. He was born and died in Roanoke, Indiana.
Hartley was the son of midget car driver Ted Hartley, who competed into his 60s.<ref name=NMARHoF>Biography Template:Webarchive at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame</ref> "Auto racing is all I’ve ever known," Gene once said in an interview at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.<ref name=NMARHoF />
Racing careerEdit
He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1950 and 1952–1962 seasons with 33 starts. He raced in ten Indianapolis 500 races, in each year but 1955 and 1958. His best finish at Indy was tenth in 1957, although he finished eleventh three times. He finished in the Top 10 nine times, with his best finish in second position in 1956 at Langhorne Speedway.
Hartley was the 1959 USAC National Midget Series champion.<ref name=NMARHoF /> His 33 USAC feature wins were eighth best all-time.<ref name=NMARHoF />
PromoterEdit
Hartley co-promoted with Leroy Warriner at the Kitley Avenue Speedrome in Indianapolis after his retirement. They hosted midget races at the track that was specifically built for the small cars.
Career awardEdit
- Hartley was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1985.<ref name=NMARHoF />
Indy 500 resultsEdit
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
| Year | Car | Start | Qual | Rank | Finish | Laps | Led | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 75 | 31 | 129.213 | 32 | 16 | 128 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1952 | 67 | 18 | 134.343 | 24 | 28 | 65 | 0 | Exhaust pipe |
| 1953 | 41 | 13 | 137.263 | 9 | 28 | 53 | 0 | Crash T4 |
| 1954 | 31 | 17 | 139.061 | 10 | 23 | 168 | 0 | Engine |
| 1955 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Did not qualify |
| 1956 | 82 | 22 | 142.846 | 15 | 11 | 196 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1957 | 22 | 14 | 141.271 | 16 | 10 | 200 | 0 | Running |
| 1958 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | Did not qualify |
| 1959 | 88 | 9 | 143.575 | 10 | 11 | 200 | 0 | Running |
| 1960 | 48 | 24 | 143.896 | 16 | 14 | 196 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1961 | 28 | 15 | 144.817 | 22 | 11 | 198 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1962 | 67 | 20 | 146.969 | 15 | 32 | 17 | 0 | Crash FS |
| Totals | 1421 | 0 | ||||||
| Entries | 12 |
|---|---|
| Starts | 10 |
| Poles | 0 |
| Front row | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Top 5 | 0 |
| Top 10 | 1 |
| Retired | 4 |
World Championship career summaryEdit
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. Gene Hartley entered 10 World Championship races and started 8 of them, with a best finish of tenth.
ReferencesEdit
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