1952d Indianapolis F1 Cover MCM hand signed RODGER WARD

£17.00

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MotorsportMemorabilia 1952 Grand Prix commemorative cover signed RODGER WARD

From 1950 to 1960, the Indianapolis 500 race was included for points within the Formula 1 World Championship; to commemorate the race we have included it in our series as the 1952 cover. We wanted to include Alberto Ascari as he was the World Champion that year, whilst providing a variation from the all conquering Ferrari 500 that won 14 races in 1952/53. Skilfully, Ross Wardle has depicted Troy Ruttman in his Offenhauser engined Kuzma, passing Alberto Ascari's modified Ferrari 375, prior to the Italian's retirement after 40 laps. Ruttman won the race, 4 mins clear of any opposition. Ascari won the last 6 races of the season in the Ferrari 500 to take his first World Championship title.

The extra special cover is signed by RODGER WARD, who was a WWII fighter pilot who began racing midgets and stock cars in 1946. He competed in the 1951 Indianapolis race and achieved his first championship victories in 1953 with back to back wins at Springfield and Detroit. It was 1957 before he won again and he had 2 further wins in 1958. In 1959 he joined the Leader Card team to drive a Watson Offenhauser; he achieved his first Indy 500 win and, with 4 more wins, became the national Champion. He continued to perform well over the next few seasons and in 1962 he became National Champion for the second time, again winning the Indy 500 race. He continued competing in the United States Auto Club (USAC) races gaining his last win at Phoenix in 1966. Rodger Ward features as one of the top ten IndyCar racers of all time being twice Champion, with 26 wins and 2955 laps led.