Ronnie Duman fatal crash at Milwaukee Mile (9 June 1968)
- 6 years ago
Ronald B. Duman (February 12, 1929 – June 9, 1968), was an American racecar driver. Born in Dearborn, Michigan, Duman died in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during a fatal crash in the Rex Mays 150 at the Milwaukee Mile.
Ronnie Duman's car overturns after colliding with Bay Darnell's and Norm Brown's autos in a third lap of the Rex Mays 150-mile classic at the Wisconsin State Fair Track. He got upside down and his head hit the wall. His helmet cracked open and rolled away. Duman was killed and Darnell and Brown were hospitalized. Norm Brown's burns were very serious and his life was changed forever and of course Duman died, also eight spectators were injured in the tragic smashup.
Duman was a five time starter of the Indianapolis 500, 1964-68, best finish, 6th, 1968. In his initial appearance In the 1964 Indianapolis 500, he was involved in the fiery crash that took the lives of Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs. Duman ducked to the inside to miss both Sachs and MacDonald. However the Novi of Bobby Unser knocked Ronnie around and he hit the inside wall erupting the tail tank in fire. Duman received burns, but miraculously survived the fiery accident on the second lap and was hospitalized and missed over two month of racing while he recovered.
He drove in the USAC Championship Car series from 1961 to 1968. He had 63 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 from 1964 to 1968. Dunman had 27 top-ten finishes in Champ Car competition, with a best finish of third in 1965 at Phoenix.
Duman was the only USAC Champ Car driver to driver a front-engine upright 'dirt-style' car on a road course (1965) and a rear-engine car in a USAC championship dirt car race (1966).
Trivia:
Champion 100 Mile an Hour Club jacket was one of the things he really wanted. They were awarded to the drivers that completed the 200 laps in the Indy 500 race at over 100 mph average. In that days only a handful of drivers were completing the distance every year. Duman finished 1968 race at 6th place completing the 200 laps just barely. His engine blew off just as he crossed the finish line. He finaly earned the jacket but just a week later he lost life.
Ronnie Duman's car overturns after colliding with Bay Darnell's and Norm Brown's autos in a third lap of the Rex Mays 150-mile classic at the Wisconsin State Fair Track. He got upside down and his head hit the wall. His helmet cracked open and rolled away. Duman was killed and Darnell and Brown were hospitalized. Norm Brown's burns were very serious and his life was changed forever and of course Duman died, also eight spectators were injured in the tragic smashup.
Duman was a five time starter of the Indianapolis 500, 1964-68, best finish, 6th, 1968. In his initial appearance In the 1964 Indianapolis 500, he was involved in the fiery crash that took the lives of Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs. Duman ducked to the inside to miss both Sachs and MacDonald. However the Novi of Bobby Unser knocked Ronnie around and he hit the inside wall erupting the tail tank in fire. Duman received burns, but miraculously survived the fiery accident on the second lap and was hospitalized and missed over two month of racing while he recovered.
He drove in the USAC Championship Car series from 1961 to 1968. He had 63 career starts, including the Indianapolis 500 from 1964 to 1968. Dunman had 27 top-ten finishes in Champ Car competition, with a best finish of third in 1965 at Phoenix.
Duman was the only USAC Champ Car driver to driver a front-engine upright 'dirt-style' car on a road course (1965) and a rear-engine car in a USAC championship dirt car race (1966).
Trivia:
Champion 100 Mile an Hour Club jacket was one of the things he really wanted. They were awarded to the drivers that completed the 200 laps in the Indy 500 race at over 100 mph average. In that days only a handful of drivers were completing the distance every year. Duman finished 1968 race at 6th place completing the 200 laps just barely. His engine blew off just as he crossed the finish line. He finaly earned the jacket but just a week later he lost life.