Danny Kladis Explained

Danny Kladis

Birth Name:

Dan Peter Kladis

Birth Date:

10 February 1917

Birth Place:

Crystal City, Missouri, U.S.

Death Place:

Joliet, Illinois, U.S.

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Total Champ Races:

Years In Champ:

First Champ Race:

1946 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)

Last Champ Race:

1956 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)

Champ Wins:

Champ Podiums:

Champ Poles:

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Years:	–, –,
Races:	6 (1 start)
Championships:	0
Wins:	0
Podiums:	0
Points:	0
Poles:	0
Fastest Laps:	0
Last Race:	1957 Indianapolis 500

Dan Peter Kladis (February 10, 1917 or February 10, 1916 – April 26, 2009) was an American racing driver.^[1] ^[2] 92-year-old Kladis was the oldest living Indianapolis 500 starter at the time of his death.^[3]

Racing career

Kladis began his racing career in midget cars during 1935. When auto racing in the United States resumed after the Second World War, Kladis started in the 1946 Indianapolis 500, driving for Andy Granatelli; Kladis finished 21st.

Kladis drove 50 laps as a relief driver for Spider Webb during the 1954 Indianapolis 500. Kladis attempted to make the 500 field until the 1957 Indianapolis 500 but was often unsuccessful.

World Drivers' Championship career

The AAA/USAC-sanctioned Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Drivers' Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indianapolis during those years were credited with World Drivers' Championship participation, and were eligible to score WDC points alongside those which they may have scored towards the AAA/USAC National Championship.

Kladis participated in one World Drivers' Championship race at Indianapolis. He relieved Spider Webb, finishing in 30th place. He scored no World Drivers' Championship points.

Personal life

While Kladis' birth date on most documents is 1917, on his WWII draft card it is given as 1916. He served as a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps during the War.

He was the father of seven children: George, Joanne, Carole, Ciciela, Christopher, Danny Jr, and Michael.

Awards and honors

Kladis was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2007.

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

Year	Car	Chassis	Engine	Start	Qual	Rank	Finish	Laps	Led	Retired
1946	59	Miller	Ford	33	118.890	32	21	46	0	Towed
1949	58		Lencki	Failed to qualify
1950	39	Maserati	Maserati	Failed to qualify
1951	89	Miller	Miller	Failed to qualify
1952	19	Diedt	Offy	Failed to qualify
1954	65	Bromme	Offy	-	-	-	30	?	?	Fuel pump
1955	93	Kurtis Kraft	Offy	Failed to qualify
1957	72	Maserati	Maserati	Failed to qualify
1957	84	Mercedes	Jaguar	Failed to qualify
Totals								46	0

Starts	1
Poles	0
Front Row	0
Wins	0
Top 5	0
Top 10	0
Retired	1

* shared drive with Spider Webb

FIA World Drivers' Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		Pts
1950	Federal Engineering	Maserati 8CTF	Maserati 3.0 L8 s	GBR	MON	500	SUI	BEL	FRA	ITA			NC	0
1951	Trainor Chicago	Trainor Special	Miller L6 s	SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	ITA	ESP		NC	0
1952	Tuffanelli-Derrico	Diedt Tuffanelli Derrico	Offenhauser 4.5 L4	SUI	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	NED	ITA		NC	0
1954	Advance Muffler	Bromme D	Offenhauser 4.5 L4	ARG	500	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	SUI	ITA	ESP	NC	0
1955	Roy McKay	Kurtis Kraft 3000	Offenhauser 4.5 L4	ARG	MON	500	BEL	NED	GBR	ITA			NC	0
1957	Morgan Engineering	Maserati 4CLT/48	Maserati 4CLT 1.5 L4 s	ARG	MON	500	FRA	GBR	GER	PES	ITA		NC	0
1957	Safety Auto Glass	Mercedes W154	Jaguar 3.4 L6			500							NC	0

Notes and References

Web site: Danny Kladis. champcarstats.com. September 4, 2018.
Web site: Brown . Allen . Danny Kladis . 2024-05-21 . OldRacingCars.com . en.
Web site: Oldest former Indy 500 driver dies at 92. April 28, 2009. Yahoo!. May 1, 2009.