ROGER McCLUSKEY - USAC HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2012

Roger McCluskey was a race driver who earned championships in USAC Indy cars (1973), stock cars (1969 and 1970) and sprint cars (1963 and 1966).  More than 50 victories in USAC competition included one in the Ontario (Calif.) 500 (1972) and in his final Indy car start at Milwaukee, Wis., in 1979. His 18 Indianapolis 500 appearances included a third-place finish in 1973. In 1967 at the 24 Hours of LeMans McCluskey is credited with a possible live-saving effort at extracting Mario Andretti from his seriously crashed car.

After his 1979 Milwaukee triumph McCluskey decided to join USAC in an official capacity and his tenure as executive vice president and competition director earned him the respect of the entire auto racing fraternity. He was responsible for numerous innovative decisions, including the inauguration of the popular Rookie Orientation Program at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He died Aug. 29, 1993, after a bout with cancer.