Webb was known to his friends as "Webbie" and nicknamed "Spider".[1] He had a portable bar in the trunk of his car at all times and was known for his free spirit and his humor.[2][3]
Webb was born in Joplin, Missouri.[1] His father made cabinets.[1] Webb's parents moved the family to Los Angeles in 1923.[1]
Racing career
Webb began racing on the Muroc Dry Lake (now known as Rogers Dry Lake) in 1928.[1] His car owner gave him the nickname "Spider".[1]
Webb decided to stop racing on the long straightaways and decided to focus on dirt oval racing of Southern California.[1] One of the tracks that he raced was Legion Ascot Speedway where he raced in the "B" class.[1]
Sprint Car Racing
In 1936, Webb and Jimmy Wilburn were offered rides in "Big Cars" in the Central States Racing Association (CSRA).[1] Both accepted and moved to Indianapolis.[1] Webb won the final CSRA race of the 1938 season at Winchester Speedway.[1] Webb switched from the CSRA to the American Automobile Association (AAA) Midwest series in 1941 and finished fourth in the season points.[1]
Racing was halted during World War II.[1] In late 1947, he won three straight AAA Midwest races at Dayton Speedway, Salem Speedway, and Winchester.[1] He won another race at Salem and finished second in 1947 AAA Midwest points to Johnny Shackleford.[1] Webb started the 1948 season by winning seven times and finishing second in the first eight races.[1] He missed a few races that season while running a Champ Car but still won the AAA Midwest championship.[1] Webb started the 1949 season with a new sprint car that he co-owned; by June he had moved back to a car owned by Johnny Vance.[1] He had a second-place finish at Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway in Detroit and a third at the Syracuse Mile; he finished third in the final AAA Midwest points.[1]
Webb finished fifth in the 1950 AAA Midwest points.[1] After the racing season was over, he had a thumb injury at his friend's shop and had to sit out the entire 1951 season.[1]
Champ Car Racing
In 1939, he made a one-off American Automobile Association (AAA) Champ Car start at the Milwaukee Mile; he started last in the 17 car field and finished seventh.[4] Webb made two Champ Car starts in 1946; he finished tenth at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and eighth at Milwaukee.[5] Webb was offered a ride from Mutt Anderson into the 1948 Indianapolis 500 but did not qualify.[1][6] At the last minute, he was offered another ride and qualified the Bromme dirt champ car 30th.[1][6] His race ended early after an oil line failure; he finished 27th after completing 27 of 200 laps.[6] Webb qualified 26th for the 1949 Indianapolis 500 but finished last (33rd) after he transmission broke before he could complete one lap.[1] He switched to a car owned by Charles Bowes starting with the ninth race of the 1949 season[7] after Mel Hansen was unable to race.[1] Webb started on the pole position for Syracuse race before finishing third. He finished second at Detroit and eighth at Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack (Springfield Mile).[7]
Webb finished the 1950 Indianapolis 500 in 20th place after the race was shorted due to rain on lap 138.[8] He did not qualify for four races and finished 18th in his only other Champ Car race at Springfield.[8] Webb got bumped out of the field for the 1952 Indianapolis 500 but made the field in a last-minute qualifying attempt for Bromme.[1] He finished 22nd after having to retire with an oil leak late in the race.[9] In the 1953 Indianapolis 500, he started 29th and finished 22nd.[10] He did not qualify for five events and finished 15th in the event that he did qualify (Springfield).[10] Bromme called Webb in another last-minute deal for the 1954 Indianapolis 500;[1] he qualified 29th and finishing 30th.[11] Webb failed to qualify for the 1955 Indianapolis 500.[1]
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. Spider Webb participated in 4 World Championship races but scored no World Championship points.
travis, webb, october, 1910, january, 1990, american, racecar, driver, from, joplin, missouri, 1948, american, automobile, association, midwest, sprint, champion, raced, numerous, champ, races, including, indianapolis, spider, webbnationalityamericanborn, 1910. Travis Webb October 8 1910 January 27 1990 was an American racecar driver from Joplin Missouri He was the 1948 American Automobile Association AAA Midwest Sprint Car champion He raced in numerous AAA Champ Car races including six Indianapolis 500 Spider WebbNationalityAmericanBornTravis Webb 1910 10 08 October 8 1910Joplin MissouriNicknameSpider WebbieDiedJanuary 27 1990 1990 01 27 aged 79 McMinnville OregonAchievements1948 AAA Midwest Sprint Car championChamp Car career20 races run over 8 yearsYears active1939 1955Best finish17th 1949 First race1939 Milwaukee 100 Milwaukee Mile Last race1955 Indianapolis 500Wins Podiums Poles0 2 1Formula One World Championship careerTeamsBromme Maserati Kurtis Kraft DeidtEntries5 4 starts Championships0Wins0Podiums0Career points0Pole positions0Fastest laps0First entry1950 Indianapolis 500Last entry1955 Indianapolis 500Statistics current as of April 24 2021 Webb was known to his friends as Webbie and nicknamed Spider 1 He had a portable bar in the trunk of his car at all times and was known for his free spirit and his humor 2 3 Contents 1 Background 2 Racing career 2 1 Sprint Car Racing 2 2 Champ Car Racing 3 Career award 4 Life After Racing 5 Indianapolis 500 results 6 World Championship career summary 7 ReferencesBackground EditWebb was born in Joplin Missouri 1 His father made cabinets 1 Webb s parents moved the family to Los Angeles in 1923 1 Racing career EditWebb began racing on the Muroc Dry Lake now known as Rogers Dry Lake in 1928 1 His car owner gave him the nickname Spider 1 Webb decided to stop racing on the long straightaways and decided to focus on dirt oval racing of Southern California 1 One of the tracks that he raced was Legion Ascot Speedway where he raced in the B class 1 Sprint Car Racing Edit In 1936 Webb and Jimmy Wilburn were offered rides in Big Cars in the Central States Racing Association CSRA 1 Both accepted and moved to Indianapolis 1 Webb won the final CSRA race of the 1938 season at Winchester Speedway 1 Webb switched from the CSRA to the American Automobile Association AAA Midwest series in 1941 and finished fourth in the season points 1 Racing was halted during World War II 1 In late 1947 he won three straight AAA Midwest races at Dayton Speedway Salem Speedway and Winchester 1 He won another race at Salem and finished second in 1947 AAA Midwest points to Johnny Shackleford 1 Webb started the 1948 season by winning seven times and finishing second in the first eight races 1 He missed a few races that season while running a Champ Car but still won the AAA Midwest championship 1 Webb started the 1949 season with a new sprint car that he co owned by June he had moved back to a car owned by Johnny Vance 1 He had a second place finish at Michigan State Fairgrounds Speedway in Detroit and a third at the Syracuse Mile he finished third in the final AAA Midwest points 1 Webb finished fifth in the 1950 AAA Midwest points 1 After the racing season was over he had a thumb injury at his friend s shop and had to sit out the entire 1951 season 1 Champ Car Racing Edit In 1939 he made a one off American Automobile Association AAA Champ Car start at the Milwaukee Mile he started last in the 17 car field and finished seventh 4 Webb made two Champ Car starts in 1946 he finished tenth at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and eighth at Milwaukee 5 Webb was offered a ride from Mutt Anderson into the 1948 Indianapolis 500 but did not qualify 1 6 At the last minute he was offered another ride and qualified the Bromme dirt champ car 30th 1 6 His race ended early after an oil line failure he finished 27th after completing 27 of 200 laps 6 Webb qualified 26th for the 1949 Indianapolis 500 but finished last 33rd after he transmission broke before he could complete one lap 1 He switched to a car owned by Charles Bowes starting with the ninth race of the 1949 season 7 after Mel Hansen was unable to race 1 Webb started on the pole position for Syracuse race before finishing third He finished second at Detroit and eighth at Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack Springfield Mile 7 Webb finished the 1950 Indianapolis 500 in 20th place after the race was shorted due to rain on lap 138 8 He did not qualify for four races and finished 18th in his only other Champ Car race at Springfield 8 Webb got bumped out of the field for the 1952 Indianapolis 500 but made the field in a last minute qualifying attempt for Bromme 1 He finished 22nd after having to retire with an oil leak late in the race 9 In the 1953 Indianapolis 500 he started 29th and finished 22nd 10 He did not qualify for five events and finished 15th in the event that he did qualify Springfield 10 Bromme called Webb in another last minute deal for the 1954 Indianapolis 500 1 he qualified 29th and finishing 30th 11 Webb failed to qualify for the 1955 Indianapolis 500 1 Career award EditHe was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1997 1 Life After Racing EditAfter retiring from racing Webb moved to Norwalk California 1 He purchased earthmoving equipment and worked on the Los Angeles Zoo construction 1 He died at the age of 79 in McMinnville Oregon 12 Indianapolis 500 results EditYear 13 Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired Chassis Engine1948 51 30 125 545 12 27 27 0 Oil line Bromme Offy1949 37 26 127 002 26 33 0 0 Transmission Bromme Offy1950 21 14 129 748 26 20 126 0 Flagged Maserati Offy1952 48 29 135 962 11 22 162 0 Oil Leak Bromme Offy1953 62 18 136 168 17 19 166 0 Oil Leak Kurtis Kraft Offy1954 65 29 137 979 26 30 104 0 Oil leak Bromme OffyTotals 585 0 Starts 6Poles 0Front Row 0Wins 0Top 5 0Top 10 0Retired 5World Championship career summary EditThe 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 Spider Webb participated in 4 World Championship races but scored no World Championship points References Edit a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae Travis Spider Webb pdf National Sprint Car Hall of Fame 1997 Retrieved April 18 2021 Reed Terry 2005 Indy The Race and Ritual of the Indianapolis 500 Potomac Books Inc ISBN 978 1 59797 391 5 Gallery Indianapolis 500 in the 1940s nwitimes com Retrieved 2020 03 19 1939 Champ Car Results Racing Refer Retrieved April 24 2021 1946 Champ Car Results Racing Reference Retrieved April 24 2021 a b c 1948 Indianapolis 500 Results Racing Reference Retrieved April 24 2021 a b Spider Webb 1949 AAA Champ Car Series Results Racing Reference Retrieved April 24 2021 a b Spider Webb 1950 AAA Champ Car Series Results www racing reference info Retrieved April 24 2021 1952 AAA Champ Car Results Racing Reference Retrieved April 24 2021 a b 1953 AAA Champ Car results Racing Reference Retrieved April 24 2021 1954 AAA Champ Car results Racing Reference Retrieved April 24 2021 Travis Webb Formula 1 Statistics Retrieved 2020 03 19 Spider Webb Indy 500 Race Stats Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Travis Webb amp oldid 1064920823, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
