Editing Jud Larson

{{short description|American racing driver (1923–1966)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name              = Jud Larson
| image             = 
| caption           = 
| nationality       = 
| birth_name        = Eugene Wesley Larson
| birth_date        = {{birth date|1923|01|21}}
| birth_place       = [[Grand Prairie, Texas]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{death date and age|1966|06|11|1923|01|21}}
| death_place       = [[Reading, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| titles            = 
| awards            = 
| module1           = {{Infobox Champ Car driver|child=yes
  | years             = 1951–1953, 1956–1959, 1964–1966
  | Total_Champ_Races = 51
  | Years_In_Champ    = 10
  | Champ_Car_Team    = 
  | Best_Champ_Pos    = 4th – [[1958 USAC Championship Car season|1958]]
  | First_Champ_Race  = [[1956 USAC Championship Car season|1956]] [[Hoosier Hundred]] ([[Indiana State Fairgrounds|ISF]])
  | Last_Champ_Race   = [[1965 USAC Championship Car season|1965]] [[Bobby Ball Memorial]] ([[Phoenix Raceway|Phoenix]])
  | First_Champ_Win   = [[1956 USAC Championship Car season|1956]] [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|Golden State 100]] ([[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|Sacramento]])
  | Last_Champ_Win    = [[1958 USAC Championship Car season|1958]] [[Bobby Ball Memorial]] ([[Arizona State Fairgrounds|ASF]])
  | Champ_Wins        = 5
  | Champ_Podiums     = 12
  | Champ_Poles       = 9
}}
| module2 = {{Infobox F1 driver
  | child = yes
  | Years = {{F1|1952}}–{{F1|1953}}, {{F1|1957}}–{{F1|1959}}
  | Team(s) = [[Meyer (constructor)|Meyer]], [[Kurtis Kraft]], [[Snowberger]], [[A. J. Watson|Watson]]
  | Races = 5 (2 starts)
  | Championships = 0
  | Wins = 0
  | Podiums = 0
  | Points = 0
  | Poles = 0
  | Fastest laps = 0
  | First race = [[1952 Indianapolis 500]]
  | First win =
  | Last win =
  | Last race = [[1959 Indianapolis 500]]
}}}}

'''Eugene Wesley''' "'''Jud'''" '''Larson'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jud Larson |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/LarsonJud.htm |access-date=2023-06-10 |website=www.champcarstats.com}}</ref> (January 21, 1923 [[Grand Prairie, Texas]] &ndash; June 11, 1966 [[Reading, Pennsylvania]]) was an American [[racecar driver]].

==Career==
Larson drove in the [[United States Automobile Club|USAC]] [[Championship Car]] series, racing in the 1956-1959 and 1964-1965 seasons with 53 starts, including the 1958 and 1959 [[Indianapolis 500]] races. He finished in the top ten 38 times, with 7 victories.

Less than two weeks before his death, he pulled ahead of pole-sitter [[Greg Weld]] during the second lap of a feature USAC sprint race in Winchester, and held onto his lead to win the thirty-lap race.<ref>"[https://www.newspapers.com/image/252185970 Jud Larson Annexes Winchester Feature]." Muncie, Indiana: ''The Star Press'', May 30, 1966, p. 9 (subscription required).</ref>

==Accident, death and interment==
Larson died on June 11, 1966, as a result of injuries sustained in a [[sprint car]] crash at the [[Reading Fairgrounds Speedway]] in [[Berks County, Pennsylvania]] that also claimed the life of [[Red Riegel]]. According to ''The Kansas City Star'', "Authorities said the accident occurred when the wheels of their cars locked during the second lap of the featured event." Both cars then "went up a short embankment around the first turn near the grandstand and tumbled back onto the track two times in succession," pinning both men inside their respective cars. A crowd of roughly six thousand witnessed the accident.<ref>"[https://www.newspapers.com/image/675050441 Crash Is Fatal to Jud Larson]." Kansas City, Missouri: ''The Kansas City Star'', June 12, 1966, Sports section, front page (subscription required).</ref> Larson was buried at the Cook-Walden Capital Parks Cemetery and Mausoleum in [[Pflugerville, Texas]]. [[Mario Andretti]] was among those who later paid tribute to him.<ref>"[https://www.newspapers.com/image/601361659 Mourns Loss of Jud Larson—Andretti in LeMans Classic]." Shreveport, Louisiana: ''The Shreveport Journal'', June 17, 1966, p. 14 (subscription required).</ref>

==Complete AAA/USAC Championship Car results==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! 18
! Pos
! Points
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1951 AAA Championship Car season|1951]]
| [[1951 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small> </small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Darlington Raceway|DAR]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]
| [[Littleton, Colorado|DNC]]
| [[San Jose, California|SJS]]
| [[Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix|PHX]]
| [[Bay Meadows Racetrack|BAY]]
|colspan=3|
! -
! 0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1952 AAA Championship Car season|1952]]
| [[1952 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>DNS</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Raleigh Speedway|RAL]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]<br><small> </small>
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Littleton, Colorado|DNC]]<br><small> </small>
| [[San Jose, California|SJS]]<br><small> </small>
| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small> </small>
|colspan=6|
!-
!0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1953 AAA Championship Car season|1953]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[1953 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small></small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small></small>
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small></small>
| [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small> </small>
| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small> </small>
| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small> </small>
|colspan=6|
!-
!0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1956 USAC Championship Car season|1956]]
| [[1956 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Darlington Raceway|DAR]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Lakewood Speedway|ATL]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small> </small>
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small> </small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;" | [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|colspan=6|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 22nd
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 320
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1957 USAC Championship Car season|1957]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[1957 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>16</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small> </small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway|DET]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;" | [[Lakewood Speedway|ATL]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;" | [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;" | [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;" | [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>22</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;" | [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>12</small>
|colspan=5|
!style="background:#DFFFDF;" | 5th
!style="background:#DFFFDF;" | 1,170
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1958 USAC Championship Car season|1958]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[1958 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;" | [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;" | [[Lakewood Speedway|ATL]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>13</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small> </small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>22</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;" | [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;" | [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>1</small>
|colspan=5|
!style="background:#DFFFDF;" | 4th
!style="background:#DFFFDF;" | 1,250
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1959 USAC Championship Car season|1959]]
| style="background:#cfcfff; | [[Daytona International Speedway|DAY]]<br><small>16</small>
| [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small> </small>
|  style="background:#efcfff; | [[1959 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>29</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>4</small>
| style="background:#dfdfdf; | [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>2</small>
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>DNS</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small> </small>
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small> </small>
| [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>DNP</small>
| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small> </small>
| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small> </small>
|colspan=5|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 20th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 280
|-
! [[1964 USAC Championship Car season|1964]]
| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small> </small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[1964 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>10</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>15</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>11</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;" | [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small>4</small>
| [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small> </small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>6</small>
|colspan=5|
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 13th
!style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 490
|-
! [[1965 USAC Championship Car season|1965]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[1965 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small> </small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;" | [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIP]]
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;" | [[Indianapolis Raceway Park|IRP]]<br><small>19</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;" | [[Atlanta 500 Classic|ATL]]<br><small>16</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;" | [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>12</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>7</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;" | [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>8</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;" | [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;" | [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]<br><small>8</small>
!style="background:#CFEAFF;" | 9th
!style="background:#CFEAFF;" | 1,028
|-
! [[1966 USAC Championship Car season|1966]]
| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[1966 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>DNP</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Atlanta 500 Classic|ATL]]
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIP]]
| [[Indianapolis Raceway Park|IRP]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]
| [[Indiana State Fair|ISF]]
| [[Trenton Speedway|TRE]]
| [[California State Fairgrounds Race Track|SAC]]
| [[XM Satellite Radio Indy 200|PHX]]
|colspan=2|
!-
!0
|}

==Indianapolis 500 results==
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Year<ref name=race>[http://www.indy500.com/stats/drivers.php?drivername=Jud%20Larson Jud Larson Indy 500 Race Stats] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016200342/http://www.indy500.com/stats/drivers.php?drivername=Jud+Larson |date=2007-10-16 }}</ref>
!Car
!Start
!Qual
!Rank
!Finish
!Laps
!Led
!Retired
|-
![[1958 Indianapolis 500|1958]]
|44
|19
|143.512
|11
|8
|200
|0
|Running
|-
![[1959 Indianapolis 500|1959]]
|7
|19
|142.298
|23
|29
|45
|0
|Crash T3
|-
|colspan=6|'''Totals'''
|245
|0
|
|}

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Starts
|2
|-
!Poles
|0
|-
!Front Row
|0
|-
!Wins
|0
|-
!Top 5
|0
|-
!Top 10
|1
|-
!Retired
|1
|}

==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. Jud Larson participated in 2 World Championship races but scored no World Championship points.

==Awards==
He was inducted in the [[National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum|National Sprint Car Hall of Fame]] in 1992.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Portal|Biography}}
* {{Find a Grave|13037}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Larson, Jud}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1966 deaths]]
[[Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers]]
[[Category:Racing drivers who died while racing]]
[[Category:National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Sports deaths in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Grand Prairie, Texas]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Ellis County, Texas]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Dallas]]