Jackie Holmes (born Marion Holmes; September 4, 1920 – March 1, 1995) was an American racing driver from Indianapolis, Indiana. Best known for his appearances at the Indianapolis 500, Holmes competed during the period when the famous race counted towards the Formula One World Championship. Although he never scored championship points, he made two World Championship starts and remains remembered for racing the distinctive six-wheeled Pat Clancy Special.
Driver Bio
| Nationality | American |
| Birthplace | Indianapolis, Indiana, USA |
| Born | 4 September 1920 |
| Died | 1 March 1995 |
| First Grand Prix | 1950 Indianapolis 500 |
| Last Grand Prix | 1953 Indianapolis 500 |
| Years Active | 1950–1953 |
| Current/Last Team | Kurtis Kraft |
Racing Career
Holmes emerged on the American racing scene in the late 1940s, driving a variety of Indianapolis Championship cars. One of his most memorable outings came in 1949 when he raced the unconventional Pat Clancy Special at the Milwaukee Fairgrounds. The six-wheeled machine, one of the most unusual cars of its era, proved competitive enough for Holmes to finish fourth.
Later that year, Holmes entered the 1949 Indianapolis 500 with the same Pat Clancy Special. Making his debut at the Speedway, the rookie qualified at an average speed of 128.087 mph to secure a place on the starting grid.
During the race, Holmes completed 65 laps before his Indianapolis 500 came to an early end when the car suffered a driveshaft failure, forcing his retirement.
Formula One World Championship
From 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 formed part of the FIA Formula One World Championship, meaning every driver who started the race during that period was officially credited with Formula One World Championship participation.
Holmes competed in two Indianapolis 500s while the event counted towards the championship, giving him two Formula One World Championship starts. Although he did not score any championship points, his record places him among the American drivers who feature in the sport’s official F1 history through the unique Indianapolis era.
Grand Prix Stats
| Race Entries | 4 |
| Race Starts | 2 |
| Did Not Start | 0 |
| Best Race Start | 30th |
| Best Race Finish | – |
| Retirements | 2 |
| First-Lap Retirements | 0 |
| Not Classified | 0 |
| Disqualified | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 2 |
Qualifying
| Qualifying Sessions | 4 |
| Reached Q3 | 0 |
| Q2 Eliminations | 0 |
| Q1 Eliminations | 0 |
| Did Not Qualify | 2 |
Stats by Season
| Year | Constructor | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points | Championship |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Olson | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30th | 23rd | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 1953 | Kurtis Kraft | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 19th | 0 | 0 | NC |
Stats by Constructor
| Constructor | Years | Entries | Starts | Wins | Podiums | Poles | Fastest Laps | Front Rows | DNF | Best Start | Best Result | Pts Finishes | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olson | 1950 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30th | 23rd | 0 | 0 |
| Kurtis Kraft | 1953 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | n/a | 19th | 0 | 0 |
Teammates & Qualifying Head-to-Head
| Teammate | Years | Races | Qualifying H2H |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider Webb | 1953 | 1 | – |
| Johnny Thomson | 1953 | 1 | – |
