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Eddie Kuzma
Eddie Kuzma
	1957 Kuzma-constructed Indy car
Born	Edward Leo Kuzma; September 18, 1911; Portland, Oregon, U.S.
Died	October 12, 1996 (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.^[1]^[2]^[3] 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.^[4] He moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he established an automobile repair shop.^[5] In the 1930s, Kuzma had seen midget race cars at the Jantzen Beach Amusement Park, and had built and raced his own car.^[4] A second car was fitted with a four-cylinder Offenhauser engine, making it faster than other local competitors.^[4] He served in the United States Navy during World War II.^[5] After he was discharged from the service, sold his car and moved to Los Angeles, California. ^[4]

Ruttman's winning Kuzma from the 1952 Indianapolis 500

In California he continued to build midget race cars.^[4] He was hired by J. C. Agajanian to build the Agajanian Special,^[4] which won the 1952 Indianapolis 500, driven by Troy Ruttman.^[6] A. J. Foyt won the Indianapolis 500 twice driving Kuzma's cars,^[4] and Mario Andretti won in one of his cars in 1969.^[4]^[5]^[7] Kuzma also rebuilt race cars.^[8] In 1968, he bought a farm along with his wife Edna.^[4]

Kuzma died in October 1996 of kidney failure in Tigard, Oregon, at the age of 85.^[5] In 2003, he was posthumously honored in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.^[9]

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.^[10]

Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.

Season	Driver	Grid	Classification	Points	Note	Race Report
1951	Walt Faulkner	14	Ret		Engine	Report
1952	Troy Ruttman	7	1	8		Report
1953	Tony Bettenhausen	6	9		Accident	Report
	Manny Ayulo	4	13		Engine
	Bob Sweikert	29	Ret		Suspension
	Pat Flaherty	24	Ret		Accident
	Chuck Stevenson	16	Ret		Fuel Leak
1954	Jimmy Bryan	3	2	6		Report
	Chuck Stevenson	5	12
	Manny Ayulo	22	13
1955	Johnny Thomson	33	4	3		Report
	Duane Carter	18	11
	Jimmy Bryan	11	Ret		Fuel Pump
	Rodger Ward	30	Ret		Accident
1956	Bob Sweikert	10	6			Report
	Gene Hartley	22	11
	Eddie Johnson	32	15
	Billy Garrett	29	16
	Jimmy Bryan	19	19
	Johnny Thomson	18	Ret		Spun Off
1957	Jimmy Bryan	15	3	4		Report
	Johnny Thomson	11	12
	Chuck Weyant	25	14
	Eddie Sachs	2	Ret		Fuel Leak
1958	Johnnie Tolan	30	13			Report
	Dempsey Wilson	32	Ret		Fire
	A. J. Foyt	12	Ret		Spun Off
	Eddie Sachs	18	Ret		Transmission
	Art Bisch	28	Ret		Accident
1959	A. J. Foyt	17	10			Report
	Gene Hartley	9	11
	Eddie Sachs	2	Ret		Spun Off
	Al Keller	28	Ret		Engine
	Bill Cheesbourg	30	Ret		Magneto
1960	Duane Carter	27	12			Report
1960	Bill Homeier	31	13			Report