INDIANAPOLIS — Longtime Indianapolis 500 car owner Jonathan Byrd has died. He was 57.
Paul Kelly, a spokesman for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, said Byrd died Thursday in Greenwood. Byrd had been disabled by a stroke since 2004.
Services are pending.
Byrd, an Indianapolis 500 entrant from 1985 until 2001, was the co-entrant of Arie Luyendyk’s all-time Indianapolis 500 record qualifier in 1996. Luyendyk turned a single lap in 237.498 mph and averaged 236.986 mph over four laps. Those records still stand.
Although none of Byrd’s drivers won the race, several posted top-10 finishes, including Gordon Johncock (sixth in 1991) and Scott Brayton (sixth in 1993).
Byrd also was a longtime sponsor of cars at the Indianapolis Speedrome short track.
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