Pat Flaherty

Pat Flaherty, winner of the chaotic and exciting 1956 Indianapolis 500, and a champion of many crashes, died recently. He was 76.

With his shamrock-covered crash hat and hot rod-derived style, he was one of the fastest graduates From the infamous Hunicane Racing Association.

But Flahery’s big moment was when A J Watson made him his special pick to race the prototype Watson roadster of 1956, subsequent winners of six Indy 500s. Joe Scalzo