Thomas Paul Hinnershitz (April 6, 1912 – August 1, 1999) was an American race car driver. Hinnershitz was active through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s on dirt, asphalt and boards, driving "Big Cars" (later Sprint Cars), at that time slightly smaller versions of Indianapolis cars that could be raced on half mile dirt race tracks.
Over his 30-year career, he captured 103 American Automobile Association (AAA) and United States Auto Club (USAC) victories[1] and seven AAA/USAC East Coast sprint car championships[1] in 1949–1952, 1955–1956, and 1959. He also raced in some national champ car (30 AAA and 4 USAC) events.[2] His top career finish was three 4th-place finishes (1946 Lakewood Speedway (AAA), 1951 Williams Grove Speedway (AAA), and 1956 William Grove (USAC)).[2]
He mainly raced his own cars (not for other owners) and he was the mechanic on his cars.[1] He was one of the first drivers to have car sponsorship.[1] Hinnershitz was known for racing wearing overalls, which drew in fans at fairgrounds races in Corn Belt states such as Iowa and the Minnesota.[1]
He was born Thomas Paul Hinnershitz on a farm near Oley, Pennsylvania.[3] He farmed a 63 acres (25 ha) farm on weekdays and raced on the weekend.[3]
He married Betty Selmen in 1935.[3] They had a daughter Jean in 1939 and a daughter Carol in 1943.[3]
Racing career
Hinnershitz began racing in 1930 with a 1914 Model T at Reading Fairgrounds Speedway.[1][2] The car cost him $25; he won his first race and $75 earned for the victory.[1] He later was quoted, "Boy, I was really rich then. That was the best investment I ever made in a race car."[1] His early career saw successes at Williams Grove Speedway and Reading Fairgrounds Speedway near his home in Pennsylvania.[1] He joined the AAA in 1932.[3]
Hinnershitz won the AAA Eastern Sprint Car championships in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, and 1955.[5] AAA stopped sanctioning racing and USAC took over sanctioning for 1956. He won USAC Eastern Sprint Car championships in 1956 and 1959.[5]
In the 1950s, he became one of the first drivers to have a car sponsor.[1] He carried the Miracle Power fuel additive sponsorship while racing with an Offenhauser race engine.[1]
Retirement and life after racing
Hinnershitz retired from racing in 1960 three hours after witnessing his friend Johnny Thomson die at a Allentown Fairgrounds race in Pennsylvania.[1] "I had been thinking about retiring for several weeks," Hinnershitz was quoted. "But I won't say what happened to John didn't help me make it definite. I quit for two reasons. One, I didn't approve of some of the new drivers and their driving philosophies. Two, my hands were gone. I simply couldn't grip the wheel well enough."[1] He held 39 track records at his retirement.[3]A. J. Foyt was quoted in his biography A.J.: "Of all the drivers on dirt Tommy Hinnershitz stands out in my mind as the best. Man, he had that sprint car up on two wheels, one wheel up on its side, whatever it took. And he almost never turned it over."[3]
Hinnershitz continued to work in the racing field for several more years as an Indy car mechanic.[1] He died on August 1, 1999.[5]
Nicknames
He was nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman", "The Flying Farmer", and "Oley Dirt Farmer".[1]
^"Interview: Tommy Hinnershitz at 1994 Open (subscription required)". DirtStation. September 6, 2020. 0:45 minutes in. FloRacing.
^ abcdef"8 Initial 2016 USAC Hall of Fame Inductees Announced". usacracing.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^Staff, SPEED SPORT (September 21, 2019). "It's Reutzel In Tommy Hinnershitz Classic". Speed Sport. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
March 04, 2023
tommy, hinnershitz, thomas, paul, hinnershitz, april, 1912, august, 1999, american, race, driver, hinnershitz, active, through, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, dirt, asphalt, boards, driving, cars, later, sprint, cars, that, time, slightly, smaller, versions, indianapoli. Thomas Paul Hinnershitz April 6 1912 August 1 1999 was an American race car driver Hinnershitz was active through the 1930s 1940s and 1950s on dirt asphalt and boards driving Big Cars later Sprint Cars at that time slightly smaller versions of Indianapolis cars that could be raced on half mile dirt race tracks Tommy HinnershitzNationalityAmericanBornThomas Paul Hinnershitz 1912 04 06 April 6 1912Muhlenberg Township Pennsylvania U S DiedAugust 1 1999 1999 08 01 aged 87 Retired1960USAC Eastern Sprint CarWins11Best finish1st in 1956 1959Previous seriesAAA Eastern Sprint CarAAA Champ CarUSAC Champ CarChampionship titlesAAA Eastern Sprint Cars 1949 1950 1951 1952 1955 Over his 30 year career he captured 103 American Automobile Association AAA and United States Auto Club USAC victories 1 and seven AAA USAC East Coast sprint car championships 1 in 1949 1952 1955 1956 and 1959 He also raced in some national champ car 30 AAA and 4 USAC events 2 His top career finish was three 4th place finishes 1946 Lakewood Speedway AAA 1951 Williams Grove Speedway AAA and 1956 William Grove USAC 2 He mainly raced his own cars not for other owners and he was the mechanic on his cars 1 He was one of the first drivers to have car sponsorship 1 Hinnershitz was known for racing wearing overalls which drew in fans at fairgrounds races in Corn Belt states such as Iowa and the Minnesota 1 Contents 1 Background and personal life 2 Racing career 3 Retirement and life after racing 4 Nicknames 5 Legacy 5 1 Career awards 5 2 Biography 6 Race Title 7 Indianapolis 500 results 8 ReferencesBackground and personal life EditHe was born Thomas Paul Hinnershitz on a farm near Oley Pennsylvania 3 He farmed a 63 acres 25 ha farm on weekdays and raced on the weekend 3 He married Betty Selmen in 1935 3 They had a daughter Jean in 1939 and a daughter Carol in 1943 3 Racing career EditHinnershitz began racing in 1930 with a 1914 Model T at Reading Fairgrounds Speedway 1 2 The car cost him 25 he won his first race and 75 earned for the victory 1 He later was quoted Boy I was really rich then That was the best investment I ever made in a race car 1 His early career saw successes at Williams Grove Speedway and Reading Fairgrounds Speedway near his home in Pennsylvania 1 He joined the AAA in 1932 3 He raced his midget car with a boat outboard motor at the 1 6 mile 45 degree Nutley New Jersey bicycle board track Velodrome in the late in 1930s 1 2 Hinnershitz s passed his Indianapolis Motor Speedway test in 1939 but didn t qualify for the race 3 He won the first feature at Williams Grove Speedway a AAA Sprint car race 4 Hinnershitz won the AAA Eastern Sprint Car championships in 1949 1950 1951 1952 and 1955 5 AAA stopped sanctioning racing and USAC took over sanctioning for 1956 He won USAC Eastern Sprint Car championships in 1956 and 1959 5 In the 1950s he became one of the first drivers to have a car sponsor 1 He carried the Miracle Power fuel additive sponsorship while racing with an Offenhauser race engine 1 Retirement and life after racing EditHinnershitz retired from racing in 1960 three hours after witnessing his friend Johnny Thomson die at a Allentown Fairgrounds race in Pennsylvania 1 I had been thinking about retiring for several weeks Hinnershitz was quoted But I won t say what happened to John didn t help me make it definite I quit for two reasons One I didn t approve of some of the new drivers and their driving philosophies Two my hands were gone I simply couldn t grip the wheel well enough 1 He held 39 track records at his retirement 3 A J Foyt was quoted in his biography A J Of all the drivers on dirt Tommy Hinnershitz stands out in my mind as the best Man he had that sprint car up on two wheels one wheel up on its side whatever it took And he almost never turned it over 3 Hinnershitz continued to work in the racing field for several more years as an Indy car mechanic 1 He died on August 1 1999 5 Nicknames EditHe was nicknamed The Flying Dutchman The Flying Farmer and Oley Dirt Farmer 1 Legacy EditCareer awards Edit Hinnershitz was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1975 5 Hinnershitz was inducted into the Eastern Motorsport Press Association Hall of Fame in 1975 2 Hinnershitz was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in the first class of 1990 5 Hinnershitz was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003 1 Hinnershitz was inducted into the United States Auto Club Hall of Fame in 2016 5 Biography Edit Ludwig Gary Tommy Hinnershitz The Life and Times of an Auto Racing Legend ISBN 978 0 9815099 4 5 Basket Road Press Inc 2009 Race Title EditWilliams Grove Speedway hosts a Tommy Hinnershitz Classic is an All Star Circuit of Champions sprint car race as of 2019 6 Indianapolis 500 results EditYear Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired1940 27 9 122 614 17 32 32 0 Crash FS1941 27 20 121 021 27 10 200 0 Running1948 7 23 125 122 14 9 198 0 FlaggedTotals 430 0 Starts 3Poles 0Front Row 0Wins 0Top 5 0Top 10 2Retired 1References Edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Hinnershitz Tommy Historic 2003 Inductees Motorsports Hall of Fame Retrieved September 5 2020 a b c d e Tommy Hinnershitz Eastern Motorsport Press Association Retrieved September 5 2020 a b c d e f g h Tommy Hinnershitz pdf National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Retrieved September 6 2020 Interview Tommy Hinnershitz at 1994 Open subscription required DirtStation September 6 2020 0 45 minutes in FloRacing a b c d e f 8 Initial 2016 USAC Hall of Fame Inductees Announced usacracing com Retrieved September 5 2020 Staff SPEED SPORT September 21 2019 It s Reutzel In Tommy Hinnershitz Classic Speed Sport Retrieved August 6 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tommy Hinnershitz amp oldid 1112721734, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
