Cliff Hucul, a veteran racer with multiple starts in the Indianapolis 500, passed away at the age of 79 on his farm in Prince George, British Columbia.
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Hucul competed in multiple motorsports disciplines throughout his life. This includes 24 total starts in USAC and CART. He drove the No. 29 for his low-budget team, and he posted multiple top-10 finishes.
His best season took place in 1979 as he posted a fifth-place finish at Ontario Motor Speedway and a career-best fourth-place finish at Texas World Speedway. He also posted a seventh-place finish at the Milwaukee Mile.
Photo credit: IndyCar
Hucul qualified for the Indianapolis 500 three consecutive times (1977-1979), which is no small feat. He finished 22nd in his maiden start due to mechanical issues. He also overcame multiple engine failures to even make the race. One he lined up on the starting grid, he became only the third Canadian in history to compete in the prestigious race.
His next two starts in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing also ended early due to unexpected mechanical issues.
Open-wheel racing is far from the only discipline in which Hucul competed. He grew up racing stock cars and sprint cars, which included time in the Canadian American Modified Racing Association. It was in this series that he faced off against future Indy 500 champion Tom Sneva (1983).
The Canadian racer made his Winston Cup Series debut during the 1986 season. He drove the No. 60 Pontiac for team owner Bobby Eller at Pocono Raceway and Dover Motor Speedway. A mechanical issue ended his day at Pocono and a crash ended his day at Dover.
Hucul's racing career ended in 1996. He became a paraplegic after an accident involving black ice. He returned to his home in Prince George, and he began mentoring drivers. He was inducted into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame in 2019.
According to IndyCar, he is survived by his son, Kelly, and daughter-in-law, Sylvie; daughter, Michele, and many grandchildren.
