Motorsport Memorial -

Frank Lockhart

Complete name: Frank Stallworth Lockhart

Birth date: 08.Apr.1903

Birth Place: Dayton, Montgomery County, OH, United States

Death date: 25.Apr.1928

Death Place: Daytona Beach, Volusia County, FL, United States

Nationality: United States

Gender: male

Age at death: 25

Event date: 25.Apr.1928

Series: AIACR (Association Internationale des Automobiles-Club Reconnus) World Land Speed Record

Race: World Land Speed Record Attempt

Event type: speed record attempt

Country: United States (Florida)

Venue: Daytona Beach

Variant: speed record stretch on beach (?-1927-1928-?)

Role: driver

Vehicle type: car

Vehicle sub-type: speed record

Vehicle brand/model: Stutz Blackhawk Special

Vehicle number: ??

Notes:

Cover of the book "Frank Lockhart - American Speed King", by Sarah Morgan-Wu and James O'Keefe, published by Racemaker Press in 2012.

Ohio born, Frank Lockhart grew up in Southern California, becoming a famous West Coast dirt track racer, driving a Frontenac - Ford. He arrived to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1926 as a relief driver for Peter Kreis, who became ill before the race and withdrew. Car owner Harry Miller put Lockhart in the white #15 car, and he, in his first race on a paved track, drove the Miller to one lap qualifying record of 115.488 mi/h but had a punctured tire before completing four laps. One more attempt failed and Lockhart made the field on his final qualifying run at just 95.780 mi/h, good for 20th on the grid. Earl Cooper set the pole position in a front-drive Miller, with Harry Hartz in another Miller in the the middle and Leon Duray in a Locomobile on the outside of the front row. Despite the meteorological threats, the drivers took their starting positions, a record crowd of 140,000 watched Hartz taking the lead on the first lap, and then Dave Lewis leading more than 43 laps in the second front-drive Miller at the start, before dropping out with valve trouble.

Lockhart moved up to fifth position by lap 4, overtaking 14 cars. Then he took third and second position on lap 16. When rain halted the race on lap 72 for more than one hour, Lockhart was in the lead. After the race resumed, Hartz led six laps but couldn’t keep pace with Frank Lockhart who pulled away and was two laps ahead when rain fell again on lap 160. Officials called the race at 400 miles waving the red flag, which gave Lockhart a place in history. He was the first rookie winner since 1914, winning in 4 hours, 13 minutes and 37 seconds, and averaging 94.63 mi/h. His victory came in the first Indy race to be suspended and shortened by rain. Hartz was runner-up for the third time in five years.

After the race Frank Lockhart bought the car from Miller winning four more AAA championship events in 1926, three races at Charlotte, North Carolina, and the 250 mile-race at Altoona, Pennsylvania. In 1927 Lockhart won races at Altoona, Charlotte, and at Salem, New Hampshire, for a total of nine AAA wins in two years. Later in the year, being involved in the Stutz’s land speed record project he established a world record of 164.28 mi/h on the dry lakes of Muroc, California.

1928 was the year of the greatest Land speed record battle in race history. The contestants were as diverse as the vehicles they drove in a three-month struggle for supremacy at Daytona Beach. First contender to arrive was Britain's Capt. Malcolm Campbell, a slender, middle-aged, millionaire sportsman. He tried to regain the World Land Speed record from his arch rival, Henry Segrave who had beaten him the previous year. Next to arrive to Daytona Beach was Frank Lockhart, a youngster whose looks and shy manner belied the fact that at age 25 he had risen from the grime and dust of jalopy racing becoming one of the American track aces. A great driver indeed, but it was Lockhart’s inborn mechanical genius that brought him to Daytona Beach.

Unlike the huge Campbell’s Bluebird with its Napier aircraft engine, Lockhart’s 2,800-pound vehicle was low, narrow and sleek. Fitted with a 16-cylinder engine, two banks of 8 cylinders set at an included angle of 30 degrees, aided by two superchargers having an only 181 cubic-inch displacement, capable of incredible rpm’s producing over 500hp. The complete car, including the unusual power plant, was produced by Lockhart himself. Although painted gleaming white it had been named the Stutz Blackhawk Special, after the company which sponsored the project to the tune of $50,000 thanks to Stutz Motor Car Company sales manager, Frederick Moskovics. Unfortunately for Lockhart, costs far exceeded that original estimate and he was deeply in debt before his first run.

Bluebird and Blackhawk were soon joined by a third challenger, the big crude looking White Triplex. The owner was Jim White, a wealthy Philadelphia contractor who fitted a chassis of steel railroad track rails with three Liberty aircraft engines. No one had been named to drive this weird monster and there was doubt that one would be found.

Thousands of visitors flocked to Daytona to get a look at the machinery and to watch practice runs on the rough and unsuitable sands. While practicing Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird slightly crashed after bounding high in the air, fortunately damaging only body panels, with the driver uninjured. On 19 February 1928 he was ready to run, and managed to tie two runs together for a new World record of 206.96 mi/h.

Three days later Frank Lockhart gave the officials his “go” signal. The beach was in better shape but the weather was still poor. Short of funds, Lockhart just couldn’t wait any longer. The screaming Blackhawk emerged from heavy mist, veered and hit a soft spot and flipped into the air. It landed right side up in the offshore surf, Lockhart was hauled out by spectators who ran into the ocean, one jumped on the car and shielded the injured driver’s face. Aside from the near drowning and deep wrist laceration, driver and car came out of the mishap relatively unharmed.

Campbell visited his young rival in the hospital, then he departed for England. Meanwhile, Jim White had signed up Ray Keech for the seat of the Triplex. It was a quite seat, located between the front engine and the two in the rear, right in the center of more machinery and horsepower than ever before assembled on one chassis. The three V12 engines added up to a total of five thousands cubic inches. Keech ran hundreds of practice miles up and down the beach, finally on 22 April 1928, all the Triplex’s 36 cylinders ran in unison and an elated Keech managed two successive tries for a 207.55 mi/h average, only half a mile an hour faster than Campbell, good enough to bring the World Land speed record back to America.

But the tournament was still not over. Frank Lockhart was back, his wounds healed and also the Blackhawk once again was prepared. He had carefully figured the proper gear ratio and on the now smooth beach he was confident of 225 mi/h. Despite meticulous preparation it was Lockhart’s haste and carelessness in one detail that brought disaster.

Campbell, old enough to be Lockhart’s father and fond of the young American, had given him good advice. He especially cautioned Lockhart to replace all tires after each run, but this counsel went unheeded. After a first successful run, anxious to go again Lockhart was assured by mechanics that tires appeared good and he decided not to change them.

On the return attempt, at a speed of approximately 220 mi/h, greater than anyone had traveled before, the rear tire blew just before entering the measured mile, probably on a seashell. The engine screeched out of control, the white Blackhawk catapulted sideways in a thudding, hundred-foot series of rolls, it tumbled violently across the sand, throwing Lockhart from the car, killing him instantly. The car finally came to rest down the beach, with Lockhart's lifeless body several feet from where the car stopped.

This was the end of Frank Lockhart, the Blackhawk and the three-month battle for World speed supremacy. At 07h59 on Wednesday morning, 25 April 1928, shortly after his 25th birthday, the career of one of America’s most talented drivers and ingenious builder of racing creations had come to a shocking stop. This tragedy was devastating to the Stutz Motor Car Company, which declared a halt to all its racing activities.

Frank Lockhart was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in the first class in 1990. He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1999.

Sources:

Book "The History of America's Speedways - Past & Present", by Allan E. Brown, third edition, first printing, November 2003, America's Speedways, PO Box 448, Comstock Park, MI, 49321-0448, United States, ISBN 0-931105-61-7, page 206.
Book "Speed on Sand" by William R. Tuthill, published by The Ormond Beach Historical Trust Inc., Ormond Beach, Florida, 1978, pages 27-32.
Book "Frank Lockhart - American Speed King" by Sarah Morgan-Wu and James O'Keefe, Racemaker Press, 2012, ISBN 139781935240037.
Book "Albo della Gloria: Al Piloti Caduti in Tutto il Mondo al Loro Posto di Combattimento", by Emanuele Carli, Modena, Italy, 1972, page 17.
Book "The Tribute Project", edited by Ed Watson, 1997, page 26, contribution by Ed Watson.
Book "The International Motor Racing Guide", by Peter Higham, David Bull Publishing, Phoenix, United States, ISBN 1-893618-20-X.
Book "Indianapolis 500 Chronicle" by Rick Popely with L. Spencer Riggs, Publications International Ltd. 1999.
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Friday, 28 November 1924, page 22, article "50,000 See Lockhart Win $52,000 Ascot".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Monday, 22 February 1926, page 22, Associated Press wire service, article "Lockhart Wins Auto Race.".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Tuesday, 01 June 1926, page 32, Associated Press wire service, article "Lockhart's Car Wins Race Before 150,000".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Sunday, 19 September 1926, page S7, Associated Press wire service, article "Lockhart Is Victor In Altoona Race".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Sunday, 06 March 1927, page S2, Associated Press wire service, article "Lockhart Sets World's Mark; Makes 144.2 Miles an Hour".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Friday, 06 May 1927, page 26, Associated Press wire service, article "Lockhart Sets Auto Record Of 147 Miles an Hour in Test".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Monday, 22 August 1927, page 13, Associated Press wire service, article "Lockhart Wins 100-Mile Race; Only 4 of 12 Starters Finish".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Saturday, 15 October 1927, page 13, Associated Press wire service, article "Lockhart Smashes Eight Auto Records".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Thursday, 23 February 1928, page 1, Special to The New York Times, article "Lockhart In Auto Hurtles Into Ocean At 225 Miles An Hour".
Newspaper San Mateo Times (San Mateo, CA, United States), issue of Wednesday, 25 April 1928, page 1, United Press wire service, article "Drives Last Race".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Thursday, 26 April 1928, pages 1 and 18, Special to the New York Times, article "Lockhart Hurtles To Death Speeding 200 Miles An Hour"; page 18, photograph, Times Wide World Photo, captioned "Frank Lockhart"; page 18, Wireless to The New York Times, article "British Grieve For Racer.".
Newspaper Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA, United States), issue of Thursday, 26 April 1928, pages 1 and 3, Associated Press wire service, article "Lockhart Meets Death In Attempt At Record".
Newspaper The New York Times (New York City, NY, United States), issue of Friday, 04 May 1928, page 22, Special to the New York Times, article "Says Lockhart Died Poor.".
Website Champ Car Stats.com, Frank Lockhart, page http://champcarstats.com/drivers/lockhartFrank.htm .
Website The Daytona Beach News Journal, page http://www.news-journalonline.com/speed/maps.htm .
Website Motorsport Hall of Fame of America, article "Frank Lockhart" by Michael J. Rollins, page http://www.mshf.com/index.htm?/hof/lockhart_frank.htm .
Website The Racing Campbells, page http://www.racingcampbells.com/content/campbell.archives/stutz.black.hawk.asp .
Website Find-A-Grave: Frank S Lockhart.