Gus Schrader

Gus Schrader (May 22, 1895 in Newhall, Iowa – October 22, 1941 in Shreveport, Louisiana) was an American racecar driver. He was the 1933-1937 and 1939-1941 IMCA national sprint car champion. He was considered one of the best "Big Car" (as sprint cars were called) drivers of his era.[1]

Gus Schrader
NationalityAmerican
Born(1895-05-22)May 22, 1895
Newhall, Iowa
DiedOctober 22, 1941(1941-10-22) (aged 46)
Louisiana State Fairgrounds (Shreveport, Louisiana)
IMCA Big Car (now Sprint Car)
Years active1932 - 1941
Best finish1st in 1933 to 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941
Championship titles
1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941IMCA Big Car
Awards
1990National Sprint Car Hall of Fame

Background

Schrader was born on a farm near Newhall, Iowa.[2] After he was hurt while racing in California, he met a nurse named Eunice in the hospital; the couple married in 1939.[2]

Racing career and death

Schrader began racing motorcycles and switched to racing cars after World War I.[2] He originally raced in a Ford Model T then switched to a Nash after he became a Nash dealer.[2] Schrader competed in one Indianapolis 500 in 1932.[2] After starting 15th, he raced up to around 6th before his oil pump blew on the sixth lap causing his to lose control and hit the wall.[2] He finished 39th out of 40 cars.[2] Schrader had a background in dirt track racing and the American Automobile Association (AAA) was racing primarily on bricks and boards, so he decided to spend $2500 to break his AAA contract mid-1932 to race in International Motor Contest Association (IMCA).[3]

Schrader was the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA) national sprint car champion from 1933 to 1937 and 1939 to 1941.[4] He finished second in 1938 to Emory Collins, losing the title at the final race of 1938.[2] Both were driving Harry Miller-made cars that cost $15000.[3] He was paid a $1000 annual sponsorship from Montgomery Ward according to his wife.[2]

Schrader decided to retire from racing to become to work on his family's newly-repurchased family farm.[2] He competed his final race on October 22, 1941 at the Louisiana State Fairgrounds in Shreveport.[2] Witnesses said that he was racing beside Jimmy Wilburn when his car drifted high in the corner and Wilburn's didn't which caused their tires to touch.[2] Schrader's car reportedly rolled end-over-end 15 times.[2] He died a couple hours later from skull fracture, concussion and cerebral hemorrhage while Wilburn was unhurt.[2] He already had the national title locked up.[2]

Career awards

Schrader was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in its inaugural 1990 class.[3] He was also inducted in the IMCA Hall of Fame in 1971,[3] the Des Moines Register Hall of Fame.[3] and the Iowa Racing Hall of Fame in 2018.[1]

Indianapolis 500 results

References
  1. "Gus Schrader - Driver". Kossuth County Ag & Motorsports Museum. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  2. Grett, Wayne. "Register Sports Hall of Fame Database - Gus Schrader". Des Moines Register. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  3. "Gus Schrader" (PDF). National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  4. "IMCA Divisions / national champions". IMCA. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
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