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Eddie Kuzma
1957 Kuzma-constructed Indy car
Born	Edward Leo Kuzma (1911-09-18)September 18, 1911 Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Died	October 12, 1996(1996-10-12) (aged 85) Tigard, Oregon, U.S.
Occupation	Auto racing builder

Edward Leo Kuzma (September 18, 1911 – October 12, 1996) was an American race car builder. He constructed Troy Ruttman's winning car for the 1952 Indianapolis 500.

Biography

Kuzma was born in Portland, Oregon, where he was raised on a farm. He moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he established an automobile repair shop. In the 1930s, Kuzma had seen midget race cars at the Jantzen Beach Amusement Park, and had built and raced his own car. A second car was fitted with a four-cylinder Offenhauser engine, making it faster than other local competitors. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. After he was discharged from the service, sold his car and moved to Los Angeles, California.

In California he continued to build midget race cars. He was hired by J. C. Agajanian to build the Agajanian Special, which won the 1952 Indianapolis 500, driven by Troy Ruttman. A. J. Foyt won the Indianapolis 500 twice driving Kuzma's cars, and Mario Andretti won in one of his cars in 1969. Kuzma also rebuilt race cars. In 1968, he bought a farm along with his wife Edna.

Kuzma died in October 1996 of kidney failure in Tigard, Oregon, at the age of 85. In 2003, he was posthumously honored in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Select Indianapolis 500 results

Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship (Indianapolis 500 only) from 1951 to 1960. They won the 1952 Indianapolis 500 with Troy Ruttman.

Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.

References

1. "Automobile Quarterly: Volume 36, Issue 2", University of Virginia, Automobile Quarterly, p. 111, 1997
2. Newman, Claude (May 25, 1957). "Car Builder Works A Miracle". Valley Times. North Hollywood, California. p. 14. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Don Brown Builds, Drives IMCA Cars". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. September 25, 1964. p. 41. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ Easterling, Jerry (October 26, 1986). "Builder on track with cars". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon. p. 59. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ Associated Press (October 17, 1996). "Edward Kuzma, 85, Builder of Race Cars". The New York Times. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
6. Curnow, Jack (May 26, 1953). "Indianapolis Drivers Hit 136.435 Average". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. 63. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Simmons, Bill (November 9, 1969). "Andretti Reaches Crossroad". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 85. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Eddie Kuzma Builds Racers". The Kokomo Tribune. Kokomo, Indiana. May 26, 1964. p. 47. Retrieved July 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Eddie Kuzma". Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
10. "Driver Troy Ruttman 1952 Formula One Results". www.racing-reference.info. Retrieved 15 August 2018.

• 1911 births
• 1996 deaths
• American Championship racing cars
• American racecar constructors
• Auto racing people
• Deaths from kidney failure in the United States
• Formula One constructors (Indianapolis only)
• International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductees
• People from Tigard, Oregon
• Sportspeople from Portland, Oregon