- Bill Vukovich II was the second-generation member of what would become a three-generation racing family.
- Bill Vukovich II competed in open-wheel racing from 1965 through 1983, making 158 combined starts in USAC and CART open-wheel competition.
- He earned just one win (Michigan International Speedway in 1973), but also recorded 85 top-10 finishes in his career.
Billy Vukovich II, a veteran IndyCar and midget/sprint car driver, died Sunday at the age of 79, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway confirmed today. The cause of death was not announced.
The son of Bill Vukovich and father of Bill Vukovich III, both who tragically died in racing crashes, Bill II—sometimes also referred to as “Bill Jr.”—was a respected driver for his exploits not just in IndyCar but also in Midget and Sprint Racing, primarily in the Midwest.
A native of Riverside, Calif., who ultimately relocated to the Indianapolis area to further his racing career, Bill II was the second-generation member of what would become a three-generation racing family.
Bill Vukovich II competed in open-wheel racing from 1965 through 1983, making 158 combined starts in USAC and CART open-wheel competition. He earned just one win (Michigan International Speedway in 1973), but also recorded 85 top-10 finishes in his career.
His best overall season came in the 1972 USAC Champ Car standings, finishing second behind Joe Leonard.
Vukovich also made 12 starts in the Indy 500 (1968-77 and 1979-80), including being named 1968 Rookie of the Year after finishing seventh in the Greatest Spectacle In Racing, and recorded six overall top-10 finishes in his starts at the Brickyard.
He earned a career-best finish of second place in the rain-shortened 1973 event, which was marred by the in-race death of David “Swede” Savage and pit crew member Armando Teran.
While Vukovich embraced open-wheel racing, it was midget racing that was his forte, earning 23 National Midget car wins in his career, including driving for legendary J.C. Agajanian’s midget team. He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1998.
Bill Vukovich II scored 23 National Midget car wins in addition to a win at Michigan in IndyCar.
Bill II was the son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner (1953 and 1954) Bill Vukovich Sr., who was tragically killed in a crash while leading the 1955 Indy 500. He was 36 at the time of his death.
Tragedy struck the Vukovich family once again in 1990 when Bill III was killed while practicing for a sprint car race at Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, Calif. He was 27 years old at the time of his death. He also was the 1988 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, making him the first third-generation driver to compete in the Indy 500.
Bill III would be followed by other third-generation drivers from notable families to compete in the Indy 500 including the Unsers, Andrettis, Foyts and Brabhams.
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