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Last updated on Wednesday, March 25, 2009
(WICHITA FALLS, TX) - Eighteen-time Indianapolis 500 competitor Lloyd Ruby died Monday in Wichita Falls, Texas. He was 81.
Ruby drove at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each year from 1960 through 1977, coming close but never winning "The Greatest Spectacle In Racing". He led the race in five out of six starts between 1966 and 1971, but mechanical problems knocked his car out of the race in all but one of those years.
The most memorable of Ruby's tough luck moments at the speedway occurred in 1969 when he pitted with the lead just past the midway point of the race. Ruby tried to pull out of his pit with the fuel hose still attached to the car and ripped out the side of the fuel cell, ending his race. Mario Andretti would go on to pick up his only win in the 500.
Ruby's best finish at Indianapolis was a third in 1964. He won seven USAC national championship races in his career, with three of those coming at the Milwaukee mile.
Ruby was an accomplished road racer, teaming with Ken Miles to win the 24 hours of Daytona and the 12 hours of Sebring in 1966.
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