From USAC
October 9, 2023 – Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is set to host one of the oldest and most prestigious sprint car races in the country this Saturday. IRP and the 500 Sprint Car Tour will host the 64th running of the Joe James / Pat O’Connor Memorial this Saturday afternoon as part of Championship Saturday that will include USAC Silver Crown and National Pavement Midgets.
The James/O’Connor Memorial has been run as a non-winged pavement sprint car, winged sprint car, and USAC Silver Crown event in the past. Last year Salem Speedway chose to not run any open wheel events and the race appeared to be in limbo. David Sink and Jeff O’Connor, the late O’Connors son, approached IRP GM Kasey Coler about moving the event to IRP. Coler embraced the idea, and the race has found a new permanent home.
The event inaugurated at Salem Speedway in 1953 to honor Joe James who was killed in a racing accident at San Jose Speedway in 1952. Local hero Pat O’Connor’s name was added to the event after he perished in the 1958 Indianapolis 500. The race ran consecutively at Salem Speedway through 1980 until a Tornado did severe damage to the speedway. In 1981 the race was moved to the dirt at Charleston, Indiana and Terre Haute the following year.
The race was shelved after 1982 until Salem Speedway reopened in 1988. The race carried on at Salem until last year when it was moved to IRP. This Saturday the Joe James / Pat O’Connor lives on thanks to Kasey Coler, IRP, and the 500 Sprint Car Tour. Tyler Roahrig is the defending race champion and will be on hand to defend his title.
JOE JAMES / PAT O’CONNOR MEMORIAL WINNERS
Salem, Indiana
1953 – Larry Crockett (AAA)
1954 – Pat O’Connor
1955 – Bob Sweikert
1956 – Eddie Sachs (USAC)
1957 – Pat O’Connor
1958 – Eddie Sachs
1959 – A.J. Foyt
1960 – Parnelli Jones
1961 – Parnelli Jones
1962 – A.J. Foyt
1963 – Roger McCluskey
1964 – Mario Andretti
1965 – Bobby Unser
1966 – Mario Andretti
1967 – Sonny Ates
1968 – Rollie Beale
1969 – Sammy Sessions
1970 – Gary Bettenhausen
1971 – Rollie Beale
1972 – Lee Kunzman
1973 – Tom Bigelow
1974 – Pancho Carter
1975 – Pancho Carter
1976 – Pancho Carter
1977 – Pancho Carter
1978 – Rich Vogler
1979 – Greg Leffler
1980 – Greg Leffler
Charlestown, Indiana
1981 – Eddie Leavitt*
Terre Haute, Indiana
1982 – Larry Rice**
1983 – NO RACE HELD
1984 – NO RACE HELD
1985 – NO RACE HELD
1986 – NO RACE HELD
1987 – NO RACE HELD
Salem, Indiana
1988 – Bob Frey
1989 – Wayne Hammond
1990 – Rich Vogler
1991 – Steve Butler
1992 – Jim Mahoney
1993 – Jim Keeker
1994 – Kenny Irwin Jr.
1995 – Tony Stewart
1996 – Chet Fillip
1997 – Dave Steele
1998 – Jay Drake
1999 – Dave Darland
2000 – Eric Gordon
2001 – Tracy Hines
2002 – Ed Carpenter
2003 – Michael Lewis
2004 – Dave Steele
2005 – Brian Tyler
2006 – Bryan Clauson
2007 – NO RACE HELD
2008 – Jacob Wilson
2009 – Tracy Hines
2010 – Shane Hmiel
2011 – Jo Jo Helberg (Must See Racing)
2012 – Brain Olson
2013 – Brain Olson
2014 – Brian Gerster
2015 – Brian Gerster
2016 – Kody Swanson (USAC Silver Crown)
2017 – Kody Swanson
2018 – Kody Swanson
2019 – Kody Swanson
2020 – Kody Swanson
2021 – NO RACE HELD
Brownsburg, Indiana
2022 – Tyler Roahrig (500 SCT)