Cliff Griffith (6 February 1916 – 23 January 1996) was an American racing driver who competed in AAA and USAC Championship Car racing, including four appearances in the Indianapolis 500. Before reaching the top level of American open-wheel competition, he also built a formidable reputation on the Midwest dirt tracks.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Nineveh, Indiana, USA |
| Born | 6 February 1916 |
| Died | 23 January 1996 |
| First Grand Prix | 1951 Indianapolis 500 |
| Last Grand Prix | 1957 Indianapolis 500 |
| Years Active | 1950–1954, 1956–1957 |
| Current/Last Team | Stevens |
Born in Nineveh, Indiana, Griffith’s racing career was interrupted by the Second World War, during which he served in the United States Army.
Racing career
Before becoming a regular in Championship Cars, Griffith enjoyed considerable success in dirt-track racing.
Driving Hector Honore’s famous sprint car, the “Black Deuce”, Griffith won two championships in the Midwest Dirt Track Racing Association. The car became one of the best-known sprint cars of its era, and Griffith’s success behind the wheel helped establish his credentials for the step up to national competition.
He subsequently raced in the AAA and later USAC Championship Car series, making appearances during the 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956 and 1961 seasons.
Across those campaigns, Griffith made 19 Championship Car starts.
His strongest result came at Springfield in 1950, where he finished fourth. It was one of eight top-ten finishes he recorded during his Championship Car career, an impressive return given his relatively limited number of starts.
Indianapolis also became an important part of Griffith’s racing story.
He competed in the Indianapolis 500 in 1951, 1952, 1956 and 1961, missing the race only in 1950 among the Championship Car seasons in which he appeared.
His best result at the Speedway came in 1952, when he finished ninth.
Griffith’s career was never built around huge numbers of national-level starts, but when he did appear he was frequently competitive. Eight top-tens from 19 Championship Car races, a fourth-place best and a top-ten finish at Indianapolis made for a respectable record.
His achievements on the dirt were equally important. Long before his final Championship Car appearance in 1961, Griffith had already made his name by winning championships aboard the legendary Black Deuce – a combination that earned its place in Midwestern sprint-car history.
Griffith died in Rochester, Indiana, on 23 January 1996, aged 79.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | – |
| Race Starts | – |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 9th |
| Best Race Finish | 9th |
| Retirements | – |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | – |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 4 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | – |
| Reached Q3 | – |
| Q2 Eliminations | – |
| Q1 Eliminations | – |
| Did Not Qualify | 4 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9th | 28th | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1952 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32nd | 9th | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1956 | Stevens | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30th | 10th | 0 | 0 | NC |
