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National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
Mike Nazaruk
Inducted into
the Hall of fame in 2003
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They called him “Iron” Mike,
this 1949 ARDC champion. A dedicated Marine who served at Guam
and Guadalcanal promised himself that if he lived through the
war he would become a race driver. Besides his American Racing
Driver Club title he won track Championships at Rhinebeck, NY
and Staten Island, NY in 1947. In 1948 he won the Middleton,
NY track championship and scored over twenty feature wins.
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After
joining the AAA in 1950 Mike won 14 national midget features,
including the “Night Before the 500” in 1950 as well as the
first midget race held at the Terre Haute Action Track, a
30-lap event in 1953. He was fifth in the National midget
points in 1954.
Nazaruk placed 2nd to Lee Wallard in the 1951
Indianapolis 500, his rookie year, and competed again in ’53
and ’54 placing 21st and 5th. He competed in Sprints,
Championship Cars and Midgets and was considered one of the
bravest drivers anywhere.
Among his talented midget car owners were Lee Elkins,
Mike Caruso and Buck Wheeler.
Nazaruk, a member of the National Sprint Car Hall of
Fame, was killed at Langhorne, PA, May 1, 1955 in a sprint
car.
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Copyright © 2003 | The National Midget
Auto Racing Hall of Fame | All Rights Reserved |
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