Jim Crawford – Indy 500 and PPG Cart | The “forgotten” drivers of F1

1985 Jim Crawford at the Long Beach Indy car race 1985. He would finish 4th matching his best Indy car finish. Car is a Lola T900. Photo and info Kurt Oblinger

1986 Indy 500

1988 Indy 500

1988 Indy 500

1988 Indy 500. Photo via the collection of Kev G

1988 – Car owner John Menard called Jim Crawford (1988) the bravest man he ever new. Crawford (my very distant cousin) was one of several drivers doing the IndyCar shuffle following a leg-shattering crash. Photo and info Stephen Sellers via FB

1988 Jim has just climbed from his Lola after his epic 1988 comeback drive at Indianapolis. He acknowledges the incredible response from the crowd behind his pit area. “I was very surprised, but I love it. I lead a quiet life, and it’s great. But they can do it any time they like.” Info Kev G via FB

1989 An old photo from my collection of Jim Crawford at Indianapolis in 1989. Photo and info Kevin Guthrie “Kev G”

1989 Dunfermline’s Jim Crawford seems happy with his lot at the 1989 Indianapolis 500. Two years on from his devastating accident at the same track, when he suffered leg injuries famed surgeon Terry Trammell described as “almost irreparable”, Jim still required a cane to walk. The previous year he had made a near unbelievable comeback, and but for a late unscheduled stop would have finished in the top three. After qualifying fourth in 1989 a car failure caused him to have a practice crash so violent that the tub of the car had to be sent back to the manufacturer in England to repair (see video). Jim never did fully recover from his injuries. One of the bravest guys ever to sit in a racing car. Photo and info Kev G – the autor of book about Jim Crawford

1990 with first wife, Sheila. Source FB

1990 Indy 500. Photo via Kev G

1991 Indy 500. My autographed photo

1991/2 – Jim Crawford in either the #26 Quaker State Kenny Bernstein King Racing Lola-Buick T91/00 used for the 1991 Indy 500, or the T92/00 for the 1992 Indy 500… same entry number, same livery and for me, I can’t see the difference between a T91/00 and T92/00, so take your pick! Photo courtesy of Kevin Guthrie and info Ec Brunette

1991 Indy 500 with Jim Crawford, entered in the King Lola-Buick T9100, here seen during a practice day. Jim qualified on the third row, alas he was out early in the race (records are contradictory there, one says lap 40 another claims lap 49…) with yet another engine failure. Photo Ed King and all info Ed Brunette

1992 500 Indy. Photo via collection Kev G

1993 Indy 500. Photo Michal C Brown via FB

1993 Indy 500

1993 – And out comes the rabbit… Jim Crawford in Budweiser colours, for his final start at the 1993 Indy 500. Photo courtesy of Kevin Guthrie and info Ed Brunette

1995 PPG Indy Car World Series 1995. Source FB helmets

1995 Jim Crawford sits on Pit-wall looking at his King Racing #15 Mac Tools Lola T8700 Buick V6 during practice for the 72nd Indy 500. Photo and info Brett Hickman