Howard Leslie "Bumpy" Bumpus (May 4, 1914 – June 16, 1946) was an American racing driver from Brockton, Massachussetts.[1] Bumpus began racing in the late 1930s and developed a reputation as a "speed merchant" particularly after crashing through a fences. In the middle of a 1940 race, Bumpus reportedly drove through a fence and walked out of the wreckage, assured the audience he was okay, and won a subsequent race in a borrowed car.[2][3][4][5] In a 1936 racing event, Bumpus first crashed into two stalled cars and then crashed into a clump of bushes.[6] Bumpus was described as a fan favorite.[7] He competed in big car races that populated the anomalous American Automobile Association (AAA) sanctioned National Championship in 1946. In June 1946, Bumpus sought to end a streak of mid-race mechanical errors.[8] Bumpy Bumpus died after crashing through a fence during a heat race at Flemington Speedway, the 14th race of the 1946 AAA season.[9]
| Bumpy Bumpus | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | Howard Leslie Bumpus May 4, 1914 Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | June 16, 1946 (aged 32) Flemington, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 2+ races run over 1 year | |||||||
| Best finish | unknown (1946) | ||||||
| First race | 1946 Altamont Race #1 (Altamont) | ||||||
| Last race | 1946 Williams Grove Race #4 (Mechanicsburg) | ||||||
| First win | 1946 Altamont Race #1 (Altamont) | ||||||
| |||||||
References
edit- ^ "Bumpy Bumpus". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
- ^ "Four Crashes Thrill Crowd After Shower". Athol Daily News. 1940-09-03. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ "Bumpus Seeks to Break Jinx". Shamokin News-Dispatch. 1946-06-04. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ "Bumpy Bumpus Among Stars in Big Races". Athol Daily News. 1941-06-27. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ "Auto Races at Thompson are Slated Sunday". The Republican. 1941-06-20. p. 24. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ "Three Crashes Mark Weymouth Auto Racing". The Boston Globe. 1936-09-08. p. 6. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ "The Legion Auto Races". Athol Daily News. 1941-07-05. p. 6. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ "Bumpus Seeks to Break Jinx". Shamokin News-Dispatch. 1946-06-04. p. 7. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ "AUTO RACE CRASH FATAL TO BUMPUS; Brockton, Mass., Driver, 32, Goes Through Fence at New Jersey Track". The New York Times. 1946-06-17. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-21.