Top 25 IndyCar drivers of all-time
By Asher Fair
Top IndyCar drivers of all-time: #22 – Jimmy Bryan
Jimmy Bryan’s racing career and unfortunately his life were cut short due to a fatal accident at Langhorne Speedway in 1960, but what he did in just 62 races over 10 seasons prior to his tragic passing makes him easily one of the sport’s top drivers of all-time.
His stat line, as far as race wins, Indy 500 wins and championships, precisely matches that of Sam Hornish Jr., who we ranked at #23, but Hornish competed in nearly twice as many races before his NASCAR switch.
Among the 12 drivers to win at least three championships, Bryan and Hornish are tied for second lowest on the all-time wins list with 19. Bryan secured his 19 victories despite only ever starting from the pole position on three occasions.
Louis Meyer is the only three-time champion who ranks lower in victories. He earned eight wins, of which three were Indy 500 triumphs, in 33 starts.
But in just 62 starts, 19 wins is impressive, especially considering the “what could have been” factor which arose after his passing. That factor alone could shift his ranking up or down several positions, depending on how you look at what he did vs. what he could have added to his resume.
The highlight of Bryan’s career came two seasons prior to his fatal accident, when he won the 1958 Indy 500 by over 27 seconds ahead of George Amick in second place.