| Gus Schrader | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born | May 22, 1895 Newhall, Iowa |
| Died | October 22, 1941 (aged 46) Louisiana State Fairgrounds (Shreveport, Louisiana) |
| IMCA Big Car (now Sprint Car) | |
| Years active | 1932 - 1941 |
| Best finish | 1st in 1933 to 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941 |
| Championship titles | |
| 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941 | IMCA Big Car |
| Awards | |
| 1990 | National Sprint Car Hall of Fame |
Gus Schrader (May 22, 1895 in Newhall, Iowa – October 22, 1941 in Shreveport, Louisiana) was an American racecar driver. He was the 1933-1937 and 1939-1941 IMCA national sprint car champion. He was considered one of the best "Big Car" (as sprint cars were called) drivers of his era.[1]
Background
Schrader was born on a farm near Newhall, Iowa.[2] After he was hurt while racing in California, he met a nurse named Eunice in the hospital; the couple married in 1939.[2]
Racing career and death
Schrader began racing motorcycles and switched to racing cars after World War I.[2] He originally raced in a Ford Model T then switched to a Nash after he became a Nash dealer.[2] Schrader competed in one Indianapolis 500 in 1932.[2] After starting 15th, he raced up to around 6th before his oil pump blew on the sixth lap causing his to lose control and hit the wall.[2] He finished 39th out of 40 cars.[2] Schrader had a background in dirt track racing and the American Automobile Association (AAA) was racing primarily on bricks and boards, so he decided to spend $2500 to break his AAA contract mid-1932 to race in International Motor Contest Association (IMCA).[3]
Schrader was the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) national sprint car champion from 1933 to 1937 and 1939 to 1941.[4] He finished second in 1938 to Emory Collins, losing the title at the final race of 1938.[2] Both were driving Harry Miller-made cars that cost $15000.[3] He was paid a $1000 annual sponsorship from Montgomery Ward according to his wife.[2]
Schrader decided to retire from racing to become to work on his family's newly-repurchased family farm.[2] He competed his final race on October 22, 1941 at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds in Shreveport.[2] Witnesses said that he was racing beside Jimmy Wilburn when his car drifted high in the corner and Wilburn's didn't which caused their tires to touch.[2] Schrader's car reportedly rolled end-over-end 15 times.[2] He died a couple hours later from skull fracture, concussion and cerebral hemorrhage while Wilburn was unhurt.[2] He already had the national title locked up.[2]
Career awards
Schrader was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in its inaugural 1990 class.[3] He was also inducted in the IMCA Hall of Fame in 1971,[3] the Des Moines Register Hall of Fame.[3] and the Iowa Racing Hall of Fame in 2018.[1]
Indianapolis 500 results
References
- ^ a b "Gus Schrader - Driver". Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports Museum. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Grett, Wayne. "Register Sports Hall of Fame Database - Gus Schrader". Des Moines Register. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Gus Schrader" (PDF). National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
- ^ "IMCA Divisions / national champions". IMCA. Retrieved July 21, 2020.