View source for Ted Horn

{{Short description|American racing driver (1910–1948)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name              = Ted Horn
| image             = Ted Horn 1933.jpg
| image_size        = 160px
| caption           = Horn, circa 1933
| birth_name        = Eylard Theodore Horn
| birth_date        = {{Birth date|1910|02|27}}
| birth_place       = [[Cincinnati, Ohio]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|1948|10|10|1910|02|27}}
| death_place       = [[Du Quoin, Illinois]], U.S.
| titles            = [[AAA Contest Board|AAA Midwest]] [[Sprint car racing|Big Car]] (1938, 1939) <br/> [[AAA Contest Board|AAA]] [[Championship Car]] ([[1946 AAA Championship Car season|1946]], [[1947 AAA Championship Car season|1947]], [[1948 AAA Championship Car season|1948]]) <br/> [[AAA Contest Board|AAA Eastern]] [[Sprint car racing|Big Car]] (1947, 1948)
| module1 = 
  {{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
  | Total_Champ_Races = 72+
  | Years_In_Champ    = 11
  | Best_Champ_Pos    = 1st ([[1946 AAA Championship Car season|1946]], [[1947 AAA Championship Car season|1947]], [[1948 AAA Championship Car season|1948]])
  | First_Champ_Race  = [[1935 AAA Championship Car season|1935]] [[1935 Indianapolis 500|Indianapolis 500]] ([[Indianapolis Motor Speedway|Indianapolis]])
  | Last_Champ_Race   = [[1948 AAA Championship Car season|1948]] DuQuoin 100 #2 ([[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DuQuoin]])
  | First_Champ_Win   = [[1946 AAA Championship Car season|1946]] Williams Grove Race #2 <br/> ([[Williams Grove Speedway|Williams Grove]])
  | Last_Champ_Win    = [[1948 AAA Championship Car season|1948]] Springfield 100 ([[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|Springfield]])
  | Champ_Wins        = 24
  | Champ_Podiums     = 49
  | Champ_Poles       = 7
}}}}

'''Eylard Theodore Horn''' (February 27, 1910 – October 10, 1948) was an American [[racing driver]]. Widely considered one of the greatest racers of his era, he was the first person in history to win the [[AAA Contest Board|AAA]] [[American open-wheel car racing|National Championship]] three times consecutively, doing so in 1946, 1947 and 1948.

== Early life and career ==

Eylard Theodore Horn was born in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]. Horn's family moved several times during his childhood, finally settling in [[Los Angeles]]. At 15 years of age he found work at the [[Los Angeles Times]] newspaper.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2020-05-21 |title=Ted Horn – One of Indy's greatest unlucky heroes |url=https://us.motorsport.com/indycar/news/ted-horn-indy-unlucky-hero/4795128/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=us.motorsport.com |language=en}}</ref>

On his way to work one day Horn was pulled over for speeding. Try as he might he could not get out of this situation easily. The policeman gave him a fairly unusual punishment for the infraction. The young man was to travel to a race track called San Jose Speedway where usually there were more cars than drivers, then find a willing car owner to let him drive.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Gates |first=Bob |date=August 6, 2021 |title=Ted Horn's Natural Talent |url=https://www.speedsport.com/other-series/racing-history/ted-horns-natural-talent/ |access-date=October 2, 2023 |website=Speed Sport}}</ref> Once he got all the speed he had out of his system he could pick up his impounded car. Horn would heed the advice of the policeman and would eventually return to pick up his car. But he found a new passion in [[auto racing]] and would never "get the speed he had out of his system."<ref name=":0" />

When Horn began his racing career in earnest at a [[California]] race track called [[Legion Ascot Speedway]] he found he had much to learn as he was usually the slowest driver on the track. Eventually a few of the drivers gave him pointers on how to pick up his lap times which started to help develop his driving style.  He suffered a serious racing accident which broke his foot and burned his back and kept him on the mend for several weeks. At the urging of his parents he promised to abandon the sport. He fully intended to abide by his parents wishes but after three years he began racing again.<ref name=":0" />

Horn steadily improved to the point he finished a close second in a race to [[Indianapolis 500]] winner [[Louis Meyer]]. Meyer was impressed with young Ted Horn, who felt he now needed to travel to the mid-western and eastern regions of the [[United States]] where there were more race tracks and opportunities for a young race driver.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=AutoRacingRecords.com |url=https://www.autoracingrecords.com/series.php?srid=01022 |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=www.autoracingrecords.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AutoRacingRecords.com |url=https://www.autoracingrecords.com/series.php?srid=00233 |access-date=2024-03-31 |website=www.autoracingrecords.com}}</ref>

== Championship car career ==

In 1934 in preparation for the Indianapolis 500 Horn practiced in a car called the Mick Special. However, he did not feel comfortable with the car and decided against trying to qualify it. Throughout that summer he campaigned a [[sprint car]] on a rigorous schedule once again in the east and midwest. He was successful enough to attract the attention of [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Harry Miller]]. [[Preston Tucker]] was putting together an ambitious effort with Miller and the [[Ford Motor Company]] for the [[1935 Indianapolis 500]]. When asked by Miller, Horn accepted a ride in one of the new Miller Ford V8 cars. He did make the field for the 1935 Indianapolis 500.<ref name=":0" /> Unfortunately a flaw in the design of the car would eventually result in the steering gear in the car to eventually freeze up and the car being impossible to steer. He dropped out of the race after 145 laps, most of which was spent fighting the steering problem.<ref name=":1" />

After his first Indianapolis 500, Horn felt that he failed to make an impression. Former driver turned car owner [[Harry Hartz]] felt otherwise about the young driver and thought that he did an excellent job of driving under difficult circumstances. Hartz was impressed enough to offer Horn a chance to drive his car in the [[1936 Indianapolis 500]], which he gladly accepted. Hartz, consistent finisher in his years driving the Indianapolis 500, took Horn under his wing. The combination Hartz and Horn was immediately a potent one as Horn would finish second on his first race with Hartz. He had two more Indianapolis 500 starts with the Hartz machine and finished third and fourth respectively.<ref name=":0" />

[[File:Indy500winningcar1932.JPG|thumb|The car Horn drove to a second place finish in the [[1936 Indianapolis 500]] - later repainted to look as it did when [[Fred Frame]] drove the vehicle to victory in the [[1932 Indianapolis 500|1932 event]]]]

Horn continued to race with moderate success through the 1930s, with second, third and fourth places at the [[Indianapolis 500]] and placing well in the championship standings.<ref name=":2" />

He volunteered for World War II service but was rejected on the basis of his racing injuries.<ref name=":0" /> After the cessation of hostilities, racing began again on a limited basis in 1945, and Horn won all seven races he entered that year.<ref name=":0" /> Further success came his way in the three subsequent years, giving him the National Championship in 1946, 1947 and 1948; this was the first three-time win.<ref name=":3" /> He never won the Indianapolis 500, but achieved nine straight top-four finishes.<ref name=":2" /> He also started on the pole in 1947.<ref name=":4" />

== Death ==

During the season finale of the [[1948 AAA Championship Car season]], with Horn having already clinched his third successive championship, in [[Du Quoin, Illinois]] on October 10, 1948, he was involved in a serious accident during the second lap. He was taken to the hospital alive but died a short time later.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ted Horn killed on race track|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lvcjAAAAIBAJ&pg=4319%2C6381401|newspaper=[[The Blade (Toledo)|Toledo Blade]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=October 11, 1948}}</ref> He was 38. The AAA Championship Car race (now [[USAC Silver Crown Series|USAC Silver Crown]]) is known as the Ted Horn 100 in his memory.

== Awards and honors ==

Horn has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
* [[Auto Racing Hall of Fame]] (1964)<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Ted Horn |url=https://imsmuseum.org/fame_inductee/ted-horn/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=IMS Museum |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Eastern Motorsports Press Association]] Hall of Fame (1987)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eastern Motorsports Press Association - Hall of Fame A thru L |url=http://empamedia.com/halloffameAthruL.html |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=empamedia.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Eastern Motorsports Press Association - Hall of Fame |url=http://empamedia.com/halloffameTed%20Horn.html |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=empamedia.com}}</ref>
* [[National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum|National Sprint Car Hall of Fame]] (1991)<ref name=":3">{{cite web |title=Ted Horn |url=https://www.sprintcarhof.com/helper_pages/FileGet.aspx?id=220 |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.sprintcarhof.com}}</ref>
* [[Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]] (1993)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Ted Horn |url=https://www.mshf.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/ted-horn.html |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.mshf.com}}</ref>

== Motorsports career results ==

=== AAA Championship Car results ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! Pos
! Points
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1934 AAA Championship Car season|1934]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1934 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
| [[Mines Field|MYF]]
|colspan=8|
!style="background:#FFCFCF;"| NR
!style="background:#FFCFCF;"| 0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1935 AAA Championship Car season|1935]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1935 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>16</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Minnesota State Fair Speedway|MIN]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
| [[Altoona Speedway|ALT]]
| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]
|colspan=6|
!style="background:#FFCFCF;"| NR
!style="background:#FFCFCF;"| 0
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1936 AAA Championship Car season|1936]]
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[1936 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Good Time Park|GTP]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Roosevelt Raceway|GVC]]<br><small>36</small>
|colspan=8|
!style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3rd
!style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 450
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1937 AAA Championship Car season|1937]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1937 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Roosevelt Raceway|GVC]]<br><small>17</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>6</small>
|colspan=9|
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 750
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1938 AAA Championship Car season|1938]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1938 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>4</small>
|colspan=10|
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4th
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 660
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1939 AAA Championship Car season|1939]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1939 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[ABC Supply Wisconsin 250|MIL]]<br><small>14</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>3</small>
|colspan=9|
!style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 3rd
!style="background:#FFDF9F;"| 685
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1940 AAA Championship Car season|1940]]
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1940 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|ILL]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]<br><small>6</small>
|colspan=9|
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 4th
!style="background:#DFFFDF;"| 625
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1941 AAA Championship Car season|1941]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1941 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>3</small>
| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]
| [[Great New York State Fair|SYR]]
|colspan=9|
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 2nd
!style="background:#DFDFDF;"| 675
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1946 AAA Championship Car season|1946]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1946 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Atlanta 500 Classic|ATL]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Indiana State Fairgrounds|ISF]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Good Time Park|GOS]]<br><small>2</small>
|colspan=6|
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 2,448
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1947 AAA Championship Car season|1947]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[1947 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>DNQ</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Atlanta 500 Classic|ATL]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Bainbridge Township, Ohio|BAI]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>6</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Good Time Park|GOS]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>1</small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Arlington, Texas|ARL]]<br><small>1</small>
|colspan=1|
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1,920
|-
! rowspan=1| [[1948 AAA Championship Car season|1948]]
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Arlington, Texas|ARL]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1948 Indianapolis 500|INDY]]<br><small>4</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Langhorne Speedway|LAN]]<br><small>9</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>1</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Milwaukee 225|MIL]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Atlanta 500 Classic|ATL]]<br><small>12</small>
| [[Pikes Peak International Hill Climb|PIK]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Illinois State Fairgrounds Racetrack|SPR]]<br><small>3</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[DuQuoin State Fairgrounds Racetrack|DUQ]]<br><small>17</small>
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1st
!style="background:#FFFFBF;"| 1,890
|}
* 1946 table only includes results of the six races run to "[[Championship Car|championship car]]" specifications. Points total includes the 71 races run to "[[Sprint car racing|big car]]" specifications.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1946 AAA National Championship Trail |url=http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1946.htm |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.champcarstats.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Capps |first=H. Donald |date=October 2009 |title=The Curious Case of the 1946 Season: An Inconvenient Championship |url=http://forix.autosport.com/8w/rvm/rvm-vol07-no02.pdf |journal=Rear View Mirror |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=1–16}}</ref>

=== Indianapolis 500 results ===

{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Year
!Car
!Start
!Qual
!Rank
!Finish
!Laps
!Led
!Retired
!Chassis
!Engine
|-
![[1934 Indianapolis 500|1934]]
|53
|DNQ
|
|
|
|
|
|
| [[Duesenberg]]
| [[Duesenberg]]
|-
![[1935 Indianapolis 500|1935]]
|43
|26
|113.213
|27
|16
|145
|0
|Steering
| [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Miller]]
| [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]]
|-
![[1936 Indianapolis 500|1936]]
|22
|11
|116.564
|8
|2
|200
|16
|Running
| [[Wetteroth]]
| [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Miller]]
|-
![[1937 Indianapolis 500|1937]]
|3
|32
|118.608
|17
|3
|200
|0
|Running
| [[Wetteroth]]
| [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Miller]]
|-
![[1938 Indianapolis 500|1938]]
|2
|6
|121.327
|12
|4
|200
|0
|Running
| [[Wetteroth]]
| [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Miller]]
|-
![[1939 Indianapolis 500|1939]]
|4
|4
|127.723
|6
|4
|200
|4
|Running
| [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Miller]]
| [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Miller]]
|-
![[1940 Indianapolis 500|1940]]
|3
|4
|125.545
|4
|4
|199
|0
|Flagged
| [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Miller]]
| [[Harry Miller (auto racing)|Miller]]
|-
![[1941 Indianapolis 500|1941]]
|4
|28
|124.297
|8
|3
|200
|0
|Running
| Adams
| Sparks
|-
![[1946 Indianapolis 500|1946]]
|29
|7
|123.980
|11
|3
|200
|0
|Running
| [[Maserati]]
| [[Maserati]]
|-
![[1947 Indianapolis 500|1947]]
|1
|style="background:green;color:white"|1
|126.564
|3
|3
|200
|0
|Running
| [[Maserati]]
| [[Maserati]]
|-
![[1948 Indianapolis 500|1948]]
|1
|5
|126.565
|9
|4
|200
|74
|Running
| [[Maserati]]
| [[Maserati]]
|-
|colspan=6|'''Totals'''
|1944
|94
|colspan=3|
|}
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Starts
|10
|-
!Poles
|1
|-
!Front Row
|1
|-
!Wins
|0
|-
!Top 5
|9
|-
!Top 10
|9
|-
!Retired
|1
|}
{{col-end}}
*Horn has the best 10-year streak of finishes in Indianapolis 500 history.
*Over his Indianapolis 500 career, Horn completed 1944 out of a possible 2000 laps (97%).
*Although Horn started the 1947 race from the pole position, his was the third fastest qualifying speed behind [[Bill Holland]] and [[Duke Nalon]].
*Horn qualified for the prestigious [[100 mph Club]] a record eight times.

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://racer.com/2015/06/25/malsher-ted-horn-s-sad-lesson-for-indycar/ David Malsher-Lopez – Ted Horn's sad lesson for IndyCar]
* [http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/HornTed.htm Ted Horn – ChampCarStats.com]
* {{Find a Grave|31645388}}
* [http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=134 Ted Horn – Motorsport Memorial]
* {{Racing-Reference driver|Ted_Horn}}

{{American open-wheel car racing champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Horn, Ted}}
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1948 deaths]]
[[Category:Champ Car champions]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Cincinnati]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Ohio]]
[[Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers]]
[[Category:Indianapolis 500 polesitters]]
[[Category:AAA Championship Car drivers]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:Racing drivers who died while racing]]
[[Category:Sports deaths in Illinois]]
[[Category:National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductees]]