Turner, one of the famed northwest midget car drivers, emerged
as the first two-time AAA National Midget Champion by winning
back-to-back titles in 1954 and 1955.
Turner made the entire circuit in 1954 and compiled a
consistently high finishing record to nail down the
championship without the benefit of a feature win.
In
1955 he returned to the midget racing wars and won six
features.
Nicknamed “Cactus Jack” because
of his height and slim build, Turner went on to record 14 USAC
National midget feature wins.
He competed in six Indianapolis 500 Mile Races.His best
finish was 11th in 1957. He retired in 1963 after flipping for
the third time in three years during a practice run. In 1961
he flipped wildly down the main straightaway during the race.
In ’62 it was at the head of the main stretch and he broke his
pelvis. The 1963 crash crushed a vertebrae and he then
retired.
