Paul Russo
Encyclopedia
Paul Russo was an American racecar driver.
in 1934. He went with a contingent of midget-car drivers to Hawaii
in the winter of 1934-35. He was the 1938 AAA
Eastern Midget Champion. Russo won the first race held at the Nutley Velodrome in New Jersey
in 1938.
Russo was part of midget racing's "Chicago Gang" with Emil Andres
, Tony Bettenhausen
, Duke Nalon
, Cowboy O'Rourke, Jimmy Snyder
, and Wally Zale.
and USAC
Championship Car series, racing in the 1940-1941, 1946–1954, 1956–1959 and 1962 seasons with 85 starts, including the Indianapolis 500
races in each year but 1951 and 1952. He finished in the top ten 49 times, with 3 victories, at Springfield (1950), Detroit (1951), and Williams Grove (1952). His best finish at Indy was fourth in 1957, although he co-drove with Tony Bettenhausen
to a second-place finish in 1955.
His brother Joe
and nephew Eddie
have also raced at the Indianapolis 500.
Russo died on February 13, 1976 off the coast of Clearwater while in Florida
for the Daytona 500
.
* shared drive with Tony Bettenhausen
Midget car career
He started racing midget carsMidget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
in 1934. He went with a contingent of midget-car drivers to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in the winter of 1934-35. He was the 1938 AAA
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
Eastern Midget Champion. Russo won the first race held at the Nutley Velodrome in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in 1938.
Russo was part of midget racing's "Chicago Gang" with Emil Andres
Emil Andres
Emil Andres was an American racecar driver active during the 1930's and 1940's....
, Tony Bettenhausen
Tony Bettenhausen
Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958....
, Duke Nalon
Duke Nalon
Dennis "Duke" Nalon was a midget car, sprint car, and Indy 500 driver from Chicago, Illinois, United States.-Racing career:...
, Cowboy O'Rourke, Jimmy Snyder
Jimmy Snyder (driver)
Jimmy Snyder was an American racecar driver.Snyder was part of the midget car "Chicago Gang" with Emil Andres, Tony Bettenhausen, Cowboy O'Rourke, Paul Russo, and Wally Zale. They toured tracks in the Midwest and East Coast of the United States.Snyder won the 1937 track championship at the Chicago...
, and Wally Zale.
Championship car career
He drove in the AAAAmerican Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
and USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
Championship Car series, racing in the 1940-1941, 1946–1954, 1956–1959 and 1962 seasons with 85 starts, including the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
races in each year but 1951 and 1952. He finished in the top ten 49 times, with 3 victories, at Springfield (1950), Detroit (1951), and Williams Grove (1952). His best finish at Indy was fourth in 1957, although he co-drove with Tony Bettenhausen
Tony Bettenhausen
Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958....
to a second-place finish in 1955.
His brother Joe
Joe Russo (driver)
Joe Russo was an American racecar driver active in the 1930s. He was killed in a crash at Langhorne Speedway....
and nephew Eddie
Eddie Russo
Eddie Russo is a retired American racecar driver.Russo won the midget car racing track championship Raceway Park in Chicago in 1950. Russo raced in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series in the 1952-1957 and 1960 seasons, with 21 career starts, including 3 times in the Indianapolis 500...
have also raced at the Indianapolis 500.
Russo died on February 13, 1976 off the coast of Clearwater while in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for the Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
.
Indy 500 results
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Tony Bettenhausen
Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958....