Kelly Petillo
Template:Short description Template:Infobox racing driver
Kelly Carl Petillo<ref name=Ancestry>Template:Cite news</ref> (born Cavino Michelle Petillo,<ref>"The Talk of Gasoline Alley" 10780-WIBC, May 23, 2003</ref> December 5, 1903<ref name=FS>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or December 16, 1903<ref name=Ancestry /> – June 30, 1970<ref name=FS />) was an American racing driver.
Early lifeEdit
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1903,<ref name=Ancestry /><ref name=NSCHoF>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Petillo moved with his family to Huntington Park, California in 1921.<ref name=OD>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He began racing at Los Angeles' Legion Ascot Speedway in 1929.<ref name=NSCHoF />
Driving careerEdit
Petillo competed in the Indianapolis 500 on ten occasions, winning the race in 1935 in a year that marked the first win by a car powered by an Offenhauser engine.<ref name=IM>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He went on to win the 1935 AAA-sanctioned National Driving Championship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1937, he participated in the Vanderbilt Cup<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> but engine problems forced him out of the race.
In 1942, Petillo sustained a concussion and lacerations after a road accident when his car collided with a freight train.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was denied entry to the 1946 Indianapolis 500, and sued the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for $50,000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Legal issues and enforced retirementEdit
Off the track, Petillo had numerous run-ins with the law, including charges of attempted rape and attempted murder. In 1948, police arrested him in victory lane after winning a race at Owosso Speedway, on charges of assault to commit murder<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> seven days earlier. This was assault and battery.<ref name=OD /> He was sentenced to ten years in the Indiana State Prison. He was released on parole in 1955, but went missing. He was re-captured in 1957, incidentally, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.<ref name=IS>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was returned to prison until 1959, after which he was denied entry to the Indianapolis 500 in 1959 and 1960, officially due to age. After his exclusion in 1959, he again filed a lawsuit for $50,000 against the speedway and the United States Auto Club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Petillo had a small role in the 1939 motion picture Burn 'Em Up O'Connor.
DeathEdit
Petillo and his wife, Valentine, who filed for divorce in 1943, had a son, Kelly Jr.<ref name=IM />
Petillo died of emphysema in Los Angeles in 1970,<ref name=IS /> aged 66. He is buried in Pacific Crest Cemetery in Redondo Beach, California.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Awards and honorsEdit
Petillo has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
- National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (2009)<ref name=IS />
Motorsports career resultsEdit
Indianapolis 500 resultsEdit
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
| Year | Car | Start | Qual | Rank | Finish | Laps | Led | Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | 36 | 40 | 104.645 | 40 | 12 | 189 | 0 | Flagged |
| 1933 | 27 | 25 | 113.037 | 18 | 19 | 168 | 0 | Spun & stalled |
| 1934 | 17 | 1 | 119.329 | 1 | 11 | 200 | 6 | Running |
| 1935 | 5 | 22 | 115.095 | 15 | 1 | 200 | 102 | Running |
| 1937 | 25 | 20 | 124.129 | 2 | 20 | 109 | 0 | Out of oil |
| 1938 | 35 | 21 | 119.827 | 19 | 22 | 100 | 0 | Camshaft |
| 1939 | 35 | 24 | 123.660 | 16 | 18 | 141 | 0 | Pistons |
| 1940 | 35 | 13 | 125.331 | 5 | 21 | 128 | 0 | Bearing |
| 1941 | 22 | 19 | 124.417 | 7 | 27 | 48 | 0 | Rod |
| Totals | 1283 | 108 | ||||||
| Starts | 9 |
|---|---|
| Poles | 1 |
| Front Row | 1 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Top 5 | 1 |
| Top 10 | 1 |
| Retired | 6 |
Template:Col-end <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
Template:S-start Template:Succession box Template:S-end
Template:American open-wheel car racing champions Template:Indy 500 winners