George Amick

George Amick
George Amick
Born	George Reggie Amick, Jr.; October 24, 1924; Vernonia, Oregon, U.S.
Died	April 4, 1959 (aged 34); Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Champ Car career
	43 races run over 5 years
Years active	1955–1959
Best finish	2nd – 1958
First race	1955 Rex Mays Classic (Milwaukee)
Last race	1959 Daytona 100 (Daytona)
First win	1956 Langhorne 100 (Langhorne)
Last win	1957 Atlanta 100 (Lakewood)
Formula One World Championship career
Active years	1957–1958
Teams	Snowberger, Epperly
Entries	2 (1 start)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	1
Career points	6
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1957 Indianapolis 500
Last entry	1958 Indianapolis 500

George Reggie "Little George" Amick^[1] (October 24, 1924 – April 4, 1959) was an American racecar driver, mainly competing in the American National Championship.^[2] He was killed in a crash in a USAC 100-mile (160 km) race at Daytona International Speedway.^[2]

Racing career

Amick began racing in jalopies in the Northwestern United States before switching to midget car racing.^[2] He competed in USAC National midgets for three seasons, finishing in the top ten points each season, and won 16 feature races.^[2] He totaled 38 wins including the 1957 Turkey Night Grand Prix.^[2]

He moved to Indy cars and won three times in 43 starts.^[2] In his rookie appearance at the Indianapolis 500 in 1958, Amick was assigned a "lay-down" roadster commissioned by car owner Norm Demler, designed by Quinn Epperly, and built by master Indianapolis chief mechanic George Salih. Amick found himself running a comfortable second to leader Jimmy Bryan with just 20 laps remaining. Demler and Salih felt Amick was in a position to catch Bryan and perhaps even win, but decided against pushing their rookie driver into a potentially fatal mistake, and Amick came home an easy second. He was named the 1958 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.^[3]

Death

Amick was competing in the only Indy Car race ever run at the Daytona International Speedway and was killed in an accident on the final lap.^[2] He is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.^[4]^[5]

Awards

Amick was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2009.^[2]

Complete AAA/USAC Championship Car results

Year	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Pos	Points
1955	INDY	MIL 7	LAN 18	SPR 4	MIL 20	DUQ 3	PIK	SYR 3	ISF 3	SAC 12	PHX 3			9th	750
1956	INDY DNP	MIL DNQ	LAN 1	DAR 4	ATL 13	SPR DNQ	MIL 6	DUQ 5	SYR 5	ISF 12	SAC 13	PHX 1		4th	1.050
1957	INDY DNQ	LAN 5	MIL 6	DET 2	ATL 1	SPR 3	MIL 5	DUQ 16	SYR 5	ISF 3	TRE 3	SAC 4	PHX 11	3rd	1.400
1958	TRE 6	INDY 2	MIL 6	LAN 14	ATL 2	SPR 18	MIL 4	DUQ 18	SYR 2	ISF Wth	TRE 19	SAC 4	PHX 15	2nd	1.640
1959	DAY 4	TRE	INDY	MIL	LAN	SPR	MIL	DUQ	SYR	ISF	TRE	SAC	PHX	36th	120

Indianapolis 500 results

Year	Car	Start	Qual	Rank	Finish	Laps	Led	Retired
1958	99	25	142.710	25	2	200	18	Running
Totals						200	18

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

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	WDC	Points
1957	Federal Engineering	Snowberger	Offenhauser L4	ARG	MON	500 DNQ	FRA	GBR	GER	PES	ITA				NC	0
1958	Norman Demler	Epperly Indy Roadster	Offenhauser L4	ARG	MON	NED	500 2	BEL	FRA	GBR	GER	POR	ITA	MOR	15th	6

References

^ "George Amick". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Plaque" (Press release). National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame. 2009.
^ "George Amick Wins Rookie Award Prize". The Star Press. United Press International. June 1, 1958. p. C1. Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .
^ "Indianapolis Auto greats" (PDF). Celebrating Automotive Heritage at Crown Hill Cemetery. Crown Hill Cemetery. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 13, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
^ "Racing Fraternity Pays Tribute To George Amick At Final Rites". The Indianapolis Star. April 10, 1959. p. 3. Retrieved July 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.

George Amick driver statistics at Racing-Reference

Sporting positions
Preceded by Don Edmunds	Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year 1958	Succeeded by Bobby Grim

[1] "George Amick". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved June 6, 2023.

[National_Midget-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h "Plaque" (Press release). National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame. 2009.

[3] "George Amick Wins Rookie Award Prize". The Star Press. United Press International. June 1, 1958. p. C1. Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com .

[Crown_Hill_Autos-4] "Indianapolis Auto greats" (PDF). Celebrating Automotive Heritage at Crown Hill Cemetery. Crown Hill Cemetery. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 13, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2012.

[Star04-10-1959-5] "Racing Fraternity Pays Tribute To George Amick At Final Rites". The Indianapolis Star. April 10, 1959. p. 3. Retrieved July 29, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.

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