Bob Swanson was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 racecar driver.

Swanson won the first Turkey Night Grand Prix

Turkey Night Grand Prix

The Turkey Night Grand Prix is an annual race of midget cars. It has been held on Thanksgiving night most years since 1934. It is currently held in Irwindale, California.-Drivers:The event is considered a major event in the midget cars series...

 midget-car race

Midget car racing

Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...

 in 1934. At the 1939 Indianapolis 500, he was involved in the accident that killed defending champion Floyd Roberts

Floyd Roberts

Floyd Roberts is a former Championship Car racing driver from Jamestown, North Dakota. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1938 with a record speed of . He led for 92 laps. The following year, 1939, driving the same car, he was killed in a crash on the backstretch after hitting a wooden fence at near...

. Thrown out of his car when Roberts hit him, Swanson lay unconscious on the track as the car overturned and caught fire. His lucky escape proved to be only a temporary reprieve, as Swanson was killed a year later while attempting to qualify for a midget car race.

Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1937 1937 Indianapolis 500 The 25th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1937.Late in the race, Wilbur Shaw held a comfortable lead, and had lapped second place Ralph Hepburn. With about 20 laps to go, however, Shaw's car had been leaking oil, and had nearly lost... 33 21 121.920 6 28 52 34 Carburetor 1939 1939 Indianapolis 500 The 27th Indianapolis 500 took place May 30, 1939. The race was won by the number two car of Wilbur Shaw, who started in the third position. The race was notable for a three car accident on lap 109, when Floyd Roberts the reigning champion, was killed when his car went through the wooden outer wall... 32 22 129.431 3 31 19 0 Rear axle 1940 1940 Indianapolis 500 The 28th running of the Indianapolis 500 took place on May 30, 1940. The winner was Wilbur Shaw in the number one car Maserati 8 CTF, the same car Shaw had driven to victory in 1939. Shaw became the first driver in the history of the race to win in consecutive years. It also marked Shaw's third... 32 20 124.882 6 6 196 0 Flagged Totals 267 34

Starts 3 Poles 0 Front Row 0 Wins 0 Top 5 0 Top 10 1 Retired 2