Bobby Marshman

George Robert Marshman[1] (September 24, 1936 – December 3, 1964), was an American racecar driver.

Bobby Marshman
BornGeorge Robert Marshman
(1936-09-24)September 24, 1936
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedDecember 3, 1964(1964-12-03) (aged 28)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Champ Car career
49 races run over 5 years
Years active1960–1964
Best finish5th – 1962
First race1961 Trenton 100 (Trenton)
Last race1964 Bobby Ball Memorial (Phoenix)
First win1962 Bobby Ball Memorial (ASF)
Wins Podiums Poles
1 10 1

Born the son of auto race promoters George and Evelyn Marshman[2] in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Marshman died in San Antonio, Texas of injuries sustained in a tire test in Phoenix, Arizona.

He drove in the USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1961-1964 seasons, with 49 career starts, including each Indianapolis 500 contest in that span. He finished in the top ten 25 times, with one victory, in 1962 at the Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix. His 7th-place finish at the 1961 Indianapolis 500 earned him co-Rookie of the Year honors with Parnelli Jones.

Marshman may be best known for his performance during the 1964 Indianapolis 500. Early in the race, following a fiery crash that claimed the lives of Eddie Sachs and Dave MacDonald, Marshman took the lead from polesitter and race favorite Jim Clark. Marshman, driving a Lotus 29-Ford, extended his lead until the 37th lap, when he was forced off the track to avoid hitting a slower car driven by Johnny White. The instant he spent off the track tore loose oil and water lines, and retired the car. Many observers felt Marshman was on his way to a comfortable victory before luck intervened. A story from the time holds that Marshman wandered the crowd for an hour before returning to the pits and his crew. Marshman, dressed in his fireproof overalls and with oily goggle-marks around his eyes, was holding a race program. Jack Beckley, Marshman's crew chief, studied him quizzically and finally asked, "what are you doing with that?" An embarrassed and crestfallen Marshman replied, "I thought if I bought it no one would know I was a driver and they wouldn't ask me silly questions."

On November 27, 1964, Marshman was conducting tire tests at the Phoenix 1-mile paved oval. When his Lotus-Ford crashed into the west retaining wall and ruptured the fuel tank, he was not wearing fire-retardant clothing to protect him according to some reports. First able to leave the wreck unassisted, Marshman succumbed to his second and third degree burns six days later.[3][4][5][6]

About a year after her husband's death, Marshman's widow, Janet F. Marshman, sued Ford Motor Company for $5 million, claiming that the crash resulted from negligence by the car owner, purported to be Ford, which also failed to comply with a warranty that the car was safe according to the suit.[7]

The first Bobby Marshman Memorial race, which featured ARDC midget cars and was promoted by George Marshman, was held at Hatfield Speedway in June 1966.[8]

Complete USAC Championship Car results

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Points
1960 TRE INDY
MIL
LAN
SPR
MIL DUQ
SYR ISF TRE
DNQ
SAC PHX - 0
1961 TRE
17
INDY
7
MIL
19
LAN
11
MIL
15
SPR
9
DUQ
8
SYR
7
ISF
2
TRE
19
SAC
3
PHX
11
8th 769
1962 TRE
10
INDY
5
MIL
12
LAN
5
TRE
21
SPR
4
MIL
3
LAN
9
SYR
13
ISF
6
TRE
3
SAC
15
PHX
1
5th 1,581
1963 TRE
6
INDY
16
MIL
7
LAN
5
TRE
19
SPR
15
MIL
22
DUQ
4
ISF
DNQ
TRE
20
SAC
18
PHX
18
15th 323
1964 PHX
7
TRE
3
INDY
25
MIL
21
LAN
3
TRE
22
SPR
2
MIL
24
DUQ
2
ISF
16
TRE
16
SAC
2
PHX
13
7th 867

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish
1961 Epperly Offy 33rd 7th
1962 Epperly Offy 3rd 5th
1963 Epperly Offy 7th 16th
1964 Lotus Ford 2nd 25th

References

  1. "Bobby Marshman". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-06-27.
  2. Lukas, Paul (January 1, 1958). "Marshman switch". Reading Eagle.
  3. "Bobby Marshman burned as auto crashes into wall". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. November 28, 1964.
  4. "Bobby Marshman critical today". The Gettysburg Times. Associated Press. November 30, 1964.
  5. "Car crash burns claim Marshman". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 4, 1964.
  6. "Race driver Bobby Marshman dies". Prescott Evening Courier. United Press International. December 4, 1964.
  7. "Widow of Marshman sues Ford". Lodi News-Sentinel. United Press International. November 30, 1965.
  8. Lukas, Paul (June 14, 1966). "Memorial". Reading Eagle.
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