Robert R. Burman (April 23, 1884 – April 8, 1916) was an Americanracing driver. He was anopen-wheel pioneer, setting numerous speed records in the early 1900s.^[1] He participated in many historic races and was one of the drivers to compete in the first edition of theIndianapolis 500 in 1911.

Bob Burman
Burman in 1911
Born	Robert R. Burman (1884-04-23)April 23, 1884 Imlay City, Michigan, U.S.
Died	April 8, 1916(1916-04-08) (aged 31) Riverside, California, U.S.
Champ Car career
41 races run over 7 years
First race	1909 Indiana Trophy (Crown Point)
Last race	1915Harkness Gold Medal (Sheepshead Bay)
First win	1909Prest-O-Lite Trophy (Indianapolis)
Last win	1915 Burlington 100 (Burlington)
Wins Podiums Poles 6 15 0

Burman was born inImlay City, Michigan on April 23, 1884. While working as a road tester for theJackson Automobile Co. in 1906 he got the opportunity to enter several races, in which he performed well.^[2] In 1908William C. Durant, the founder ofGeneral Motors, brought Burman and theChevrolet brothers on as drivers for the newly formedBuick racing team.^[3]

Burman won thePrest-O-Lite Trophy Race, a precursor to theIndianapolis 500, in his Buick in 1909. He finished first in the 1909Vesper Club Trophy Race driving for theBuick team and fourth in the 1909 Lowell Trophy Race. In 1910 he won theRemy Brassard Trophy 2 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and in 1911 he won the first four events at the New Orleans Mardi Gras Races with hisBuick 60 Special.^[4]

Racing for promoterErnest Moross, Burman set aland speed record at an average of 141.732 miles per hour (228.096 km/h) over distance of 0.625 miles (1 kilometer) in his 200-horsepowerBlitzen Benz on the sands ofDaytona Beach on April 23, 1911; however this record was not officially recognized by the AIACR in Paris. He competed at the first ever1911 Indianapolis 500 in a Benz, before the race he made exhibition runs in the Blitzen Benz on theIndianapolis Motor Speedway and set speed records at the quarter mile, half mile, kilometer and mile distances. He was crowned speed king before the start of the race.^[5]

Burman competed in the1912 Indianapolis 500, crashing hisCutting at the second turn after 157 laps. He started the1913 Indianapolis 500 as the favorite, and led 41 laps early, but his car caught fire on lap 55; he was able to repair hisKeeton and continued for a while, but eventually did not finish the race. In 1914 he won theKalamazoo Race, and in 1915 he won both theOklahomaSouthern Sweepstakes Road Race and theBurlington Race in his Peugeot L76. He finished sixth in the1915 Indianapolis 500.

On April 8, 1916, Burman was killed during a non-championshipCorona road race when one of his rear tires exploded, causing his open-cockpitPeugeot car to roll over, along with hisriding mechanic Erick Schrader and a policeman on duty.^[6] Three spectators were also killed, and five others were seriously injured.^{[7][failed verification]} His death caused his friendsBarney Oldfield andHarry Arminius Miller to join forces to build a race car that incorporated a roll cage inside a streamlined driver's compartment that completely enclosed the driver. It was called theGolden Submarine.

Burman was inducted into theNational Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 2011.^[8]

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  Bob Burman,Louis Disbrow,Jack Tower, andJoe Grennon at the1911 Indianapolis 500
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  Burman's crashedCutting racer, built by the Clark-Carter Automobile Company at the1912 Indianapolis 500
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  Bob Burman'sKeeton racer finished 11th place at Indianapolis in 1913
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  Bob Burman's Keeton racer photo taken by George L Mooney in 1913
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  Race car driver Bob Burman and his Blitzen Benz, 1911
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  Chevrolet in Buick 60 special, as part of the Buick racing team in 1910

• Bob Burman atFind a Grave