Bill Schindler

This article is about the American auto racer. For the American baseball player, see Bill Schindler (baseball).

Bill Schindler
Born	William Lawrence Schindler (1909-03-06)March 6, 1909 Middletown, New York, U.S.
Died	September 20, 1952(1952-09-20) (aged 43) Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Champ Car career
29 races run over 5 years
Best finish	10th (1950)
First race	1935 Langhorne 100 (Langhorne)
Last race	1952 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse)
First win	1952 Springfield 100 (Springfield)
Wins Podiums Poles 1 8 2
Formula One World Championship career
Active years	1950–1952
Teams	Snowberger, Kurtis Kraft, Stevens
Entries	3
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1950 Indianapolis 500
Last entry	1952 Indianapolis 500

William Lawrence Schindler (March 6, 1909 – September 20, 1952) was an American racing driver.

Racing career

Schindler began racing in 1931 in a sprint car. He was racing midget cars on the East Coast of the United States at their introduction in 1934. Schindler lost his left leg from above the knee while racing in a Champ car race in 1936 at Mineola, Long Island. He is one of three drivers to have participated in the Indianapolis 500 with a prosthetic leg, along with Al Miller and Cal Niday.

Schindler was part of a group determined to keep the AAA out of the East Coast in 1937. He was elected president of the "outlaw" group. Schindler briefly switched to the AAA in 1940, and won the Bronx Coliseum Indoor championship. He returned to his "outlaw" past when he was named the president of the newly formed American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC). He served as president for the club's first six years. Schindler won ARDC championships in 1940, 1945, 1946 and 1948. In both 1947 and 1948 he won 53 midget car feature races, which helped bring popularity to midget car racing in the Northeastern United States.

Schindler rejoined the AAA so he could race in the Indianapolis 500 in 1950, 1951, and 1952.

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.

Schindler participated in three World Drivers' Championship races at Indianapolis. His best finish was 13th place, and he scored no World Drivers' Championship points.

Death

Schindler died in a sprint car racing crash in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1952. Schindler was leading the race on the third lap when a car driven by Paul Becker lost a wheel and skidded into the fence. He did not see the "go slow" sign that was immediately waved after Becker's crash and his black Offenhauser hit the wheel, crashed through the fence and tumbled down a 20-foot embankment. He was killed instantly.

Awards and honors

• He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1998.
• He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1985.
• He was inducted in the New England Auto Racers Hall of Fame in 2004.

Motorsports career results

AAA Championship Car results

Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Pos	Points
1950	INDY 26	MIL 18	LAN 16	SPR 12	MIL 22	PIK	SYR DNS	DET 15	SPR 15	SAC 2	PHX DNQ	BAY 3	DAR 2			10th	690
1951	INDY 13	MIL 16	LAN 2	DAR 21	SPR 3	MIL 4	DUQ 12	DUQ	PIK	SYR 8	DET	DNC DNP	SJS	PHX 8	BAY 9	11th	693.5
1952	INDY 14	MIL 3	RAL 23	SPR 1	MIL 2	DET 13	DUQ 14	PIK	SYR 16	DNC	SJS	PHX				11th	660

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1950 67 22 132.690 4 26 111 0 Universal joint 1951 10 16 134.033 11 13 129 0 Rod 1952 7 15 134.988 20 14 200 0 Running Totals 440 0

Starts 3 Poles 0 Front Row 0 Wins 0 Top 5 0 Top 10 0 Retired 2