Pat O'Connor
O'Connor in 1958
Born	Patrick James O'Connor (1928-10-09)October 9, 1928 North Vernon, Indiana, U.S.
Died	May 30, 1958(1958-05-30) (aged 29) Speedway, Indiana, U.S.
Champ Car career
36 races run over 7 years
Years active	1952–1958
Best finish	4th –1957
First race	1953Hoosier Hundred (Indiana State Fairgrounds)
Last race	1958Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
First win	1956Pee Dee 200 (Darlington)
Last win	1957Trenton 100 (Trenton)
Wins Podiums Poles 2 6 1
Formula One World Championship career
Active years	1953–1958
Teams	Diedt,Kurtis Kraft,Schroeder
Entries	6 (5 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Careerpoints	0
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1953 Indianapolis 500
Last entry	1958 Indianapolis 500

Patrick James O'Connor^[1] (October 9, 1928 – May 30, 1958)^[2] was an Americanracecar driver. He was killed in a 15-car pileup, after sustaining a fatalhead injury after rolling his car and catching fire on the first lap of the1958 Indianapolis 500.

O'Connor competed in 36 races in his champ car career.^[3] He took his first win in 1956 atDarlington Raceway.^[3] In 1957, he won the pole position for theIndianapolis 500 and he finished eighth.^[3] Later in the year, he won atTrenton Speedway.^[3]

He was on the cover ofSports Illustrated in May 1958 (one week before the race),^[4] adding to the legend of theSports Illustrated Cover Jinx.

For the 1958 Indianapolis 500,Dick Rathmann andEd Elisian started the race on the front row, with Jimmy Reece on the outside of the front row. Elisian spun in turn 3 of the first lap and collided with Rathmann's car, sending them both into the wall, and starting a 15-car pileup.^[4]

According toA. J. Foyt, O'Connor's car hit Reece's car, sailed fifty feet in the air, landed upside down, and burst into flames. Although O'Connor was incinerated in the accident, medical officials said that he was probably killed instantly from a fractured skull.^[5][4] In an interview after the race, winnerJimmy Bryan was quoted for saying "It was a nightmare. I lived with it for 200 laps."^[4]

Widely blamed for the accident, Elisian was suspended by USAC for the accident (reinstated a few days later), and was shunned by many in the racing community.

Following the accident, race officials announced that they would change the starting procedure, abandoning the single-file trip down pit lane that was used in 1957 and 1958. Also, for the 1959 Indy 500, metal roll bars welded to the frame behind the driver's head were mandated, and helmets were required to pass safety certification by Speedway medical officials.^[6]

He was inducted in theNational Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1995.^[7]

Salem Speedway honored him along withJoe James with an annual title event.^[7] The 2020 event was part of theUSAC Silvercrown series.^[7]

(key)

The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Pat O'Connor participated in 5 World Championship races. He started on the pole once but scored no World Championship points, as his best finish was eighth (twice).

• List of fatalities at Indianapolis

• Pat O'Connor atFind a Grave

• 1928 births
• 1958 deaths
• Indianapolis 500 drivers
• Indianapolis 500 polesitters
• National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees
• People from North Vernon, Indiana
• Racing drivers from Indiana
• Racing drivers who died while racing
• Sports deaths in Indiana
• Deaths from head injury
• 20th-century American people

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