Duke Nalon, veteran of 12 Indianapolis 500 starts has passed away at the age of 87.
Nalon made his first appearance at Indianapolis in 1940 and competed each year until 1949 and then again in ’51-’53. Nalon raced a variety of machines at the brickyard, including a Silnes, several Maseratis and even a Mercedes W154. But Nalon’s reputation and his best finish came behind the wheel of the fearsome front-engined Novis. Though he never won the 500, Nalon came close in 1948 with a third place finish. The following year he took the pole but was lucky to escape alive from a fiery crash when his rear axle broke in Turn 3.
