My brother, Jim Hurtubise, started out racing on dirt tracks in California against seasoned drivers like Parnelli Jones and Allen Heath. After “Herk,” as he was known, had done all he could in the West, he worked his way back to “the bull rings” of the Midwest, the heartland of American dirt track racing. All the time, though, Jim had his eyes on the prize: the Indianapolis 500, the Holy Grail of American racecar drivers. In the course of his…

Jim Hurtubise first gained national prominence in fire-breathing sprint cars, taking that dusty, bumpy road to the big time.
Photo: Hurtubise Collection