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Ed Elisian
Ed Elisian
Ed Elisian
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Edward Gulbeng Eliseian[1] (December 9, 1926 – August 30, 1959), commonly known as Ed Elisian, was an American racecar driver, mainly competing in the National Championship. He died in a crash at the Milwaukee Mile.[2]

Key Information

In the 1955 Indianapolis 500, he stopped his car in a futile attempt to help Bill Vukovich when Vukovich's car crashed and burned during the race. He is one of only two drivers in Indy 500 history to stop a non-damaged car to help another driver, the other being Gary Bettenhausen in 1971. He received a sportsmanship award for his efforts, as well as the wrath of the car owner.[2][3]

In June 1956, Elisian was engaging in a wheel-to-wheel duel with Bob Sweikert, who had won the race in which Vukovich was killed, in a Sprint car race at Salem Speedway when Sweikert made contact with the rail, overleapt it and rolled over outside of the track, suffering fatal skull injuries. Elisian was exonerated as no collision had taken place.[4][5]

In the 1958 Indianapolis 500, Dick Rathmann and Elisian started the race on the front row, with Jimmy Reece on the outside of the front row. Elisian spun in Turn 3 of the first lap, and collected Rathmann, sending them both into the wall, and starting a 15-car pileup. Pat O'Connor's car hit Reece's car, sailed fifty feet in the air, landed upside down, and burst into flames. Although medical officials said that O'Connor was probably killed instantly from a fractured skull, he was incinerated in the accident, in full view of fans and drivers.[2][6] Widely blamed for the accident, Elisian was suspended by USAC[7] (reinstated a few days later), and was shunned by the racing community. Rumors spread that Elisian tried to lead the first lap in order to pay gambling debts owed to a syndicate.[2]

In June 1958, Elisian collided with Jim Davis in a Sprint car race at New Bremen Speedway in Auglaize County, Ohio. After Davis had run over one of the wheels of Elisian's spinning car when trying to pass him at the south turn, both cars flipped over and slid down the track. Elisian sustained minor injuries, but Davis, who suffered a skull fracture and chest injuries, died at Memorial Hospital in St. Marys, Ohio. While absolved of blame in the incident,[8] Elisian's unpopularity with drivers deepened.[2][9]

In September 1958, Elisian was suspended for being charged with passing fraudulent checks among other things, but reinstated as of end of May 1959.[10][11]

In August 1959, Elisian entered the USAC Indy car 200-mile (320 km) race at the "Milwaukee Mile," - in West Allis, Wisconsin - known in those days as Wisconsin State Fair Park. Driving a metallic green Watson-style roadster owned by Ernie Ruiz, he crashed on lap 29 when he spun in oil from A. J. Foyt's engine. The car hit the wall, rupturing the fuel cell, and rolled over. Some sixty gallons of fuel caught fire, and took over nine minutes to extinguish.[2] The crash claimed the life of Elisian.[11][12]

Indianapolis 500 results

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Complete Formula One World Championship results

[edit]

(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 WDC Points
1954 H.A. Chapman Stevens Offenhauser L4 ARG
 500
18 * 		BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 SUI
 ITA
 ESP
 NC 0
1955 Westwood Gauge / Wales Kurtis Kraft 4000 Offenhauser L4 ARG
 MON
 500
30 		BEL
 NED
 GBR
 ITA
 NC 0
1956 Hoyt Machine / Fred Sommer Kurtis Kraft 500C Offenhauser L4 ARG
 MON
 500
23 † 		BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 ITA
 NC 0
1957 McNamara / Kalamazoo Sports Kurtis Kraft 500D Offenhauser L4 ARG
 MON
 500
29 		FRA
 GBR
 GER
 PES
 ITA
 NC 0
1958 John Zink Watson Indy Roadster Offenhauser L4 ARG
 MON
 NED
 500
28 		BEL
 FRA
 GBR
 GER
 POR
 ITA
 MOR
 NC 0
* Indicates shared drive with Bob Scott.
† Indicates shared drive with Eddie Russo.

References

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Ed Elisian

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from Grokipedia
Ed Elisian was an American racecar driver known for his five starts in the Indianapolis 500 between 1954 and 1958, his courageous attempt to rescue fellow driver Bill Vukovich from a burning wreck during the 1955 race, and his involvement in the tragic first-lap crash at the 1958 Indianapolis 500 that killed Pat O'Connor. Born Edward Gulbeng Eliseian on December 9, 1926, in Oakland, California, he overcame a background of poverty and rose through sprint car racing before competing in the USAC National Championship series, where his aggressive style earned him the nickname "Smokey." He formed a close friendship with two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bill Vukovich and gained recognition for sportsmanship in 1955 when he stopped his undamaged car on the track during the race to try to free Vukovich from his overturned and burning vehicle after a backstretch accident, though the effort was unsuccessful as Vukovich had died from injuries sustained in the crash. Elisian's career was also shadowed by controversy, including his part in starting a massive pile-up on the opening lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500 while dueling for the lead with Dick Rathmann, which involved 15 cars and resulted in the death of Pat O'Connor. USAC initially suspended him following the incident, but the ban was later rescinded after review. Elisian died on August 30, 1959, at age 32, in a fiery crash at the Milwaukee Mile during a USAC 200-mile race when he spun in oil, struck the wall, overturned, and ruptured his fuel cell, leading to fatal burns as the fire proved difficult to extinguish.

Early life

Edward Gulbeng Eliseian was born on December 9, 1926, in Oakland, Alameda County, California. He was the son of Daniel and Mary Eliseian and had two brothers, Alexander and Leon. The family used the original surname spelling Eliseian, as reflected in their shared burial plot at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. Of Armenian descent, Eliseian overcame poverty during his early life before entering motorsport. Little additional information is documented about his childhood or pre-racing years.

Racing career

Entry and USAC/Champ Car career

Ed Elisian entered professional Champ Car racing in 1953, debuting at the Hoosier Hundred held at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on September 26, where he started 14th and finished 9th. He went on to compete in the AAA/USAC National Championship series through 1959, making a total of 43 starts across those seven seasons. In his Champ Car career, Elisian recorded no wins but earned one podium with a third-place finish and captured one pole position while amassing 1,610 points overall. His strongest season came in 1957, when he placed 15th in the championship standings. His last start was in the 1959 Milwaukee 200 at the Milwaukee Mile. Elisian's participation in the Indianapolis 500 formed part of his broader USAC schedule during these years.

Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis 500 participations

Ed Elisian participated in five Indianapolis 500 races from 1954 to 1958, achieving a career-best qualifying effort in 1958 with a speed of 145.926 mph that secured him a second-place starting position on the front row. He recorded no poles, no top-5 finishes, and no top-10 finishes across these appearances, with his best finish being 18th place in 1954. The following table summarizes his Indianapolis 500 results:
YearCar No.Qual. Speed (mph)StartFinishLaps CompletedLaps LedStatus
195427137.79431181930Running
195568135.3332930530Stopped
195610141.38214231600Brakes
195783141.777729510Timing gear
19585145.92622800Accident
In 1954, Elisian completed 193 laps before being flagged while running. He was classified 30th in 1955 after stopping following 53 laps. Brake issues forced him out after 160 laps in 1956, resulting in a 23rd-place finish. Timing gear failure ended his 1957 effort after 51 laps for a 29th-place result. In 1958, an accident on the opening lap led to a 28th-place finish. During this period, the Indianapolis 500 counted toward the Formula One World Championship, though Elisian earned no points.

Controversies

Controversies and incidents

Ed Elisian was involved in multiple incidents that generated controversy and contributed to his reputation as a polarizing figure in American motorsport. In the 1955 Indianapolis 500, he stopped his undamaged car on the track in an attempt to aid Bill Vukovich after Vukovich's car crashed and burned, becoming the first and only driver in the event's history to halt a non-damaged vehicle for such assistance and receiving a sportsmanship award for the gesture. In 1956, Elisian faced initial accusations from some observers of causing the fatal crash of Bob Sweikert during a sprint car race at Salem Speedway, but he was exonerated after officials reviewed film footage confirming no contact on his part. The most significant controversy occurred on the first lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500. The front row, including Elisian, had jumped ahead of the pace car during the pace lap, necessitating an extra lap and a high-speed charge to position for the green flag. While battling Dick Rathmann for the lead entering Turn 3, Elisian touched wheels with Rathmann's car, causing Elisian to spin and trigger a 15-car pileup that killed Pat O'Connor. Conflicting accounts emerged, with Elisian claiming he stayed on the throttle to prevent Rathmann from gaining an insurmountable advantage, while Rathmann asserted that Elisian cut underneath him and drifted due to the car's handling with a full fuel load. Elisian was widely blamed for the accident, leading USAC to briefly suspend him for an error in judgment and concerns over safety before rescinding the penalty. Persistent rumors also circulated that Elisian, who reportedly had gambling debts and owed money to other drivers and associates, drove aggressively in pursuit of lap prize money to alleviate financial pressures. Later in 1958, Elisian was involved in a multi-car sprint car crash at New Bremen Speedway in Ohio during a preliminary event, resulting in Jim Davis' death; track officials absolved Elisian of any negligence. Later in 1958, USAC suspended Elisian again for passing fraudulent checks, though he was reinstated later. These repeated incidents, particularly the fatalities linked to crashes involving Elisian, intensified his unpopularity among fellow drivers and solidified his image as a controversial and aggressive competitor in USAC racing history.

Death

On August 30, 1959, Ed Elisian died at the age of 32 during the USAC National Championship 200-mile race at the Milwaukee Mile in West Allis, Wisconsin. Driving a metallic green roadster owned by Ernie Ruiz, he spun out of control on the 29th lap after hitting oil dropped by A. J. Foyt's engine. The car struck the wall and overturned, rupturing the fuel cell and causing it to erupt in flames. The intense fire burned for over nine minutes before being extinguished, and Elisian burned to death in the wreckage.

Legacy

Ed Elisian remains a controversial figure in American open-wheel racing history, primarily due to his aggressive driving style and involvement in incidents that drew widespread criticism and led to his ostracism among many fellow drivers. His reputation as a controversial and often unpopular competitor persisted despite formal exonerations in some cases, shaped by his aloof manner and associations with fatal crashes during a dangerous era of motorsport. He earned lasting recognition for an act of sportsmanship during the 1955 Indianapolis 500, when he stopped his undamaged car in a futile effort to assist his friend Bill Vukovich after the latter's fatal crash. This heroic action stood in contrast to perceptions of him as a "rough" yet talented driver whose career was marred by high-profile controversies. He appeared as himself in five episodes of the Formula 1 television series covering Indianapolis 500 events between 1954 and 1958, but holds no other known acting roles, media credits, awards, memorials, or significant post-death honors.
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