Kurtis Kraft

Kurtis Kraft was the most successful chassis builder of the American oval-racing scene, and it appears prominently in Formula 1 records because the Indianapolis 500 counted towards the World Championship from 1950 to 1960. Frank Kurtis's roadsters dominated the Brickyard during that era.

While European Grand Prix teams rarely contested the Indy 500 and vice versa, the inclusion of the great American race means Kurtis Kraft is credited with multiple World Championship wins, podiums and poles, all earned at Indianapolis by the front-engined roadsters that defined 1950s American racing.

Kurtis Kraft's machines were the benchmark of the Indy 500 before the rear-engined revolution transformed that race in the 1960s.

Kurtis Kraft's presence in the Formula 1 record books reflects the unusual decade when the Indianapolis 500 was part of the World Championship. As the master builder of the classic Indy roadster, Frank Kurtis's cars were the kings of American racing, and their statistics are a fascinating quirk of the sport's early history.