Wilcox - Howard "Howdy"
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal 5 Sept 1923 p 1
Howard Wilcox was fatally injured when his car overturned on the 11th lap of the 200-mile inaugural race at the Altoona, PA board speedway Tuesday afternoon. Wilcox was second at the time. He was taken to a hospital where he died a few minutes later. The 200 mile inaugural race was posponed from Labor day due to rain. 14 cars took the starter's flag. The spill occurred while Wilcox was travelling at more than 100 miles an hour and well up in the lead. Milton was leading at the first quarter with a record of 115 miles an hour. Hearne was second, Wilcox third. At the half Bearne led, Duray was second and Wonderlich was third. Eddie Hearne won the race, Jerry Wonderlich was second and Dave Lewis third. Hearne lead most of the way winning the special $4,000 purse for leading at the end of 300 laps. The average for the 200 miles was 111 1/2 miles an hour. Wilcox, best known as "Howdy," was a Crawfordsville boy and came of a family which had attained a splendid reputation as farmers in the district between this city and Alamo. He had an uncle Jack Wilcox who was well known throughout the Middle West and South as a driver and trainer of trotting horses. Wilcox, who was 34 years old, started his racing career as a mechanician (sic) Johnny Aitken and rode with the latter in several important events during the early days of speedway racing. Both were employed by the National Motor Vehicle Company of Indianapolis and were among the first to take part in the events on the Indianapolis track. Wilcox won his first race as a adriver a five-mile southern championship at New Orleans in November 1909. After that his rise in the racing game was rapid. Wilcox had the record of starting in all the 500-mile races at the Indianapolis speedway and in 1919 he finished first and won first prize at the wheel of a French-made Peugeot car. In addition, Wilcox raced at nearly every speedway in the US. He also was famous as a dirt track racer and frequently appeared in these events when not preparing for speedway races. For several years he had been in the automobile accessory business in addition to his racing. For seveal years he was connected with the Allison experiment plant at Speedway City and was regarded as a skillful mechanic. The body of the noted race driver was being brought back to Indianapolis today by Fred Rusenburg, close associate of Wilcox in the racing game.
Source: Greencastle Herald 5 Sept 1923
Altoona, PA Sept 4 – Howard Wilcox, veteran Indianapolis automobile racer was fatally injured in the inaugural 200-mile race on the new Altoon a speedway this afternoon when his Duesenberg Special car skidded and overturned on the 177th lap. His neck was broken. Wilcox died a few minutes later as he was being taken to an emergency hospital at the speedway grounds. Wilcox drove so low on the planning he was temporarily on the dirt. He served to get back on the planking and his wheels struck the oil soaked boards at the track edge, the car then whirled completely around and rolled over several times. Howard Wilcox had been an automobile racing driver for 18 years, during which time he had taken first place in a number of important events. Wilcox was in 2nd place when the accident occurred.
Source: Indianapolis Times 5 Sept 1923
Funeral services for Howard S. “Howdy” Wilcox, 34, last and most famous of the Indianapolis galaxy of automobile race drivers who was killed Tuesday at Altoona, PA when his car overturned in the 200-mile race, probably will be held Friday, his mother, Mrs. BA Warbinton, 2044 N. Meridian St said today. The services will be held at the home of his mother, where he resided with his two motherless children and burial will be in Crown Hill. Accompanied by Fred Dusenberg, owner of the car Wilcox drove when he was killed, the body will arrive in Indianapolis Thursday morning. Consistent with his habitual sportsmanship and daring, Wilcox was pressing his Duesenberg Special to the limit when the accident occurred. Fighting for first place in the 117th lap at a speed of 100 miles an hour, Howdy served his mount to a place of vantage on the board oval, the car spun on the oil-soaked surface and rolled over several times. His neck was broken. He died 15 minutes later as he was being taken to an emergency hospital on the Speedway grounds. Wilcox had been in the racing game for nearly 18 years, having had the distinction of being the only driver participating in all of the 11 big local events. In 1919, drive a French Peugeot, Wilcox won. In practically every other race he had place within the money and in every contest was a contender for first position as long as his car responded to the ever-heavy foot. At the last Race Wilcox drove an HCS Special and was an alternate leader with Tommy Milton, winner until his clutch broke in the 16th lap. Acting as relief driver for Milton, Wilcox drove a beautiful race for 45 laps, while Milton was having his blistered hands bandaged. Not only did he retain the lead Milton had accumulated but he pressed the diminutive special to a full lap lead on the field. Wilcox was born in Crawfordsville. His father died two weeks before Howdy’s birth. At Indianapolis he attended Shortridge HS. Under the tutelage of the late “Johnny Aitken another Indianapolis race driver, Wilcox learned the first thrill of racing. Soon after entering the racing game he, together with Donn Herr, a former local driver, entered the taxicab business. In 1919 Wilcox sold his interest in the firm and devoted his entire time to racing and to the accessory firm he had established at 648 N. Meridian St and which he operated at the time of his death. He was a member of the Indianapolis Shrine and the Scottish Rite Lodge of Masonry. Surviving are the mother, two children, Howard S, 3; Marion Lucille, 2 and a brother, Harry, 21.