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{{Short description|American racing driver}}
'''Dale Whittington''' ([[September 23]], [[1959]] - [[June 14]], [[2003]]), was an American racecar driver.
{{Infobox person
|name = Dale Whittington
|birth_name = Dale Lindsey Whittington
|image =
|caption =
|nationality = {{flagicon|USA}} American
|birth_date = {{birth date|1959|9|23|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Farmington, New Mexico]], United States
|death_date = {{death date and age|2003|6|14|1959|9|23|df=y}}
|death_place = [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]], United States
|relatives = [[Don Whittington]] (brother)<br>[[Bill Whittington]] (brother)
| module = {{Infobox Le Mans driver
|child = yes
|Years = {{24hLM|1980}} – {{24hLM|1981}}
|Teams = Whittington Bros. Racing<br>[[Joest Racing]]
|Best Finish = 37th <small>({{24hLM|1980}})</small>
|Class Wins = 0
}}
}}
'''Dale Lindsey Whittington''' (September 23, 1959{{spaced ndash}}June 14, 2003), was an American racing driver. Born in [[Farmington, New Mexico]], he was the youngest of four sons born to 1950s race car owner Dick Whittington.<ref name=histdale>[http://www.historicracing.com/drivers.cfm?driverID=2037&AlphaIndex=W HistoricRacing.com: Dale Whittington profile]</ref> Dale Whittington had 3 sons: R.D Whittington, Dale Lindsey Whittington Jr, Blake Whittington. Dale Whittington has one grandson Dale Whittington III. Whittington was not married at the time of his death.


==Indy 500==
Born in [[Orlando, Florida]] as the youngest of the three Whittington brothers. All three are sons of Dick Whittington, '50's race car owner. <ref name=histdale>[http://www.historicracing.com/drivers.cfm?driverID=2037&AlphaIndex=W HistoricRacing.com: Dale Whittington profile]</ref> <ref>[http://www.historicracing.com/drivers.cfm?driverID=2036&AlphaIndex=W HistoricRacing.com: Bill Whittington profile]</ref>.
Despite having little oval experience,<ref name=histdale/> Whittington entered the [[1982 Indianapolis 500]], joining his brothers [[Bill Whittington|Bill]] and [[Don Whittington|Don]] to become the only trio of siblings to qualify for the same race at Indy. He qualified 23rd, on the eighth row.<ref name=histdale />


Despite having little oval experience,<ref name=histdale /> Whittington raced in the [[1982 Indianapolis 500]], joining his brothers [[Bill Whittington|Bill]] and [[Don Whittington|Don]] to become the only trio of siblings to qualify for the same race at Indy where he qualified 23rd, on the eighth row.<ref name=histdale /> Dale's race was to be a short lived experience when on the front row during the final pace lap, just before the green flag dropped , [[Kevin Cogan]] struck [[Mario Andretti]], as the field slowed to avoid the carnage, Whittington took this as an opportunity to pass and consequently rammed into [[Roger Mears]], a sixth row starter, all four drivers were eliminated from the race.<ref name=histdale /> After the race, word was that Andretti went to Dale and Bill and threatened to expose the pair in regards to their drug smuggling activities if they do not keep Dale away from the race again. Dale never returned to Indy. Like the two other brothers, Dale was also involved in the 1980s [[International Motor Sports Association|IMSA]] drug scandal (nicknamed ''International Marijuana Smugglers' Association'') which involved smuggling of marijuana and also included 1982 IMSA champion [[John Paul, Jr.]] and his father [[John Paul, Sr.]], as well as 1984 champion [[Randy Lanier]].<ref name=histbill>[http://www.historicracing.com/drivers.cfm?driverID=2036&AlphaIndex=W HistoricRacing.com: Bill Whittington profile]</ref>. Dale was the only one of the lot to avoid prison.
On race day, he found himself caught up in the infamous [[1982 Indianapolis 500#Kevin Cogan crash|Kevin Cogan crash]]. During the final pace lap, just before the green flag was to drop on the frontstretch, [[Kevin Cogan]] struck [[A. J. Foyt]], and then [[Mario Andretti]]. As the field checked up to avoid the carnage, Whittington locked his brakes and spun into [[Roger Mears]], a driver in the sixth row. All four drivers were eliminated from the race.<ref name=histdale /> Dale was out of the race having never taken the green flag, and never again managed to qualify at Indy.


===Later years===
After that, Whittington transitioned to endurance racing, competing in the [[American Le Mans Series|ALMS]] series, as well as competing at the [[24 Hours of Daytona]] in 1999 and 2000 and in [[Grand-Am]] in 2001 often racing with his brother, Don.
Whittington was not involved with the 1980s [[IMSA GT Championship|IMSA Camel GT]] drug smuggling scandal which involved his brothers ([[Bill Whittington|Bill]] and [[Don Whittington|Don]]) as well as [[Randy Lanier]], [[John Paul, Sr. (racing driver)|John Paul Sr.]], and [[John Paul Jr. (racing driver)|John Paul Jr.]] Both of his brothers received prison time.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}
<ref name=histdale />

Whittington transitioned to endurance racing, competing in the [[American Le Mans Series|ALMS]] series, as well as competing at the [[24 Hours of Daytona]] in 1999 and 2000. He competed in [[Grand-Am]] in 2001 often racing with his brother, Don.

Whittington was a developer responsible for developing Tampa Bay Golf and Tennis and later worked at World Jet owned by his brother Don at [[Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport]] (FXE). He died on June 14, 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sunsentinel/name/dale-whittington-obituary?id=27750760|title=Dale Whittington Obituary (2003) - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Sun-Sentinel|work=legacy.com|access-date=5 January 2022|date=18 June 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105001707/https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sunsentinel/name/dale-whittington-obituary?id=27750760|archive-date=5 January 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> He was found dead by his oldest son.

==Motorsports career results==

===American Open Wheel racing results===
([[Template:American Open Wheel driver results legend|key]])

====Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! Pos
! Points
|-
| [[1979 USAC Mini-Indy Series season|1979]]
!
| [[Texas World Speedway|TEX1]]
| [[Indianapolis Raceway Park|IRP]]
| [[The Milwaukee Mile|MIL1]]
| [[Pocono International Raceway|POC]]
|style="background:#CFEAFF;"| [[Texas World Speedway|TEX2]]<br>{{small|6}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[The Milwaukee Mile|MIL2]]<br>{{small|12}}
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Minnesota State Fair|MIN1]]<br>{{small|3}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Minnesota State Fair|MIN2]]<br>{{small|21}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''''14th'''''
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| '''''233'''''
|}

====Indianapolis 500====
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
! Year
! Chassis
! Engine
! Start
! Finish
! Entrant
|-
| [[1982 Indianapolis 500|1982]]
| [[March Engineering]]
| [[Cosworth|Cosworth DFX]]
|align=center| 23
|align=center style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 33
| [[Whittington Bros. Racing]]
|}

===Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results===
([[Template:Grand-Am driver results legend|key]])
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
|-
! Year
! Team
! Co-Drivers
! Car
! Class
! Laps
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Overall Position}}
! {{Tooltip|Class<br>Pos.|Class Position}}
|-
! {{24hLM|1980}}
|align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Whittington Bros. Racing]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Don Whittington]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Hurley Haywood]]
|align="left"| [[Porsche 935]]
| IMSA
| 151
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 37th
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 11th
|-
! {{24hLM|1981}}
|align="left"| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Joest Racing]]
|align="left"| {{flagicon|DEU}} [[Reinhold Joest]]<br>{{flagicon|DEU}} [[Klaus Niedzwiedz]]
|align="left"| [[Porsche 908]]
| S+2.0
| 60
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 39th
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| 10th
|-
!colspan="8"|{{center|{{small|Sources:<ref>{{cite web|title=Dale Whittington|url=https://www.24h-lemans.com/en/track-record/driver/dale-whittington-5294|publisher=[[Automobile Club de l'Ouest]]|access-date=August 18, 2023}}</ref><ref name=MSportStats>{{cite web|title=Dale Whittington Results|url=https://motorsportstats.com/driver/dale-whittington/results|publisher=Motorsport Stats|access-date=August 18, 2023}}</ref>}}}}
|}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


==External links==
{{US-autoracing-bio-stub}}
* {{Racing-Reference driver|Dale_Whittington}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Whittington, Dale}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whittington, Dale}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:2003 deaths]]
[[Category:Drug-related deaths]]
[[Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers]]
[[Category:American racecar drivers]]
[[Category:Drug-related deaths in Florida]]
[[Category:Indy 500 drivers]]
[[Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers]]
[[Category:American Le Mans Series drivers]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Orlando, Florida]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Florida]]
[[Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers]]


{{US-autoracing-bio-stub}}
[[Category:Team Joest drivers]]
[[Category:People from Farmington, New Mexico]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from New Mexico]]

Latest revision as of 11:37, 18 August 2023

Dale Whittington
Born
Dale Lindsey Whittington

(1959-09-23)23 September 1959
Farmington, New Mexico, United States
Died14 June 2003(2003-06-14) (aged 43)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
NationalityUnited States American
RelativesDon Whittington (brother)
Bill Whittington (brother)
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years1980 – 1981
TeamsWhittington Bros. Racing
Joest Racing
Best finish37th (1980)
Class wins0

Dale Lindsey Whittington (September 23, 1959 – June 14, 2003), was an American racing driver. Born in Farmington, New Mexico, he was the youngest of four sons born to 1950s race car owner Dick Whittington.[1] Dale Whittington had 3 sons: R.D Whittington, Dale Lindsey Whittington Jr, Blake Whittington. Dale Whittington has one grandson Dale Whittington III. Whittington was not married at the time of his death.

Indy 500

[edit]

Despite having little oval experience,[1] Whittington entered the 1982 Indianapolis 500, joining his brothers Bill and Don to become the only trio of siblings to qualify for the same race at Indy. He qualified 23rd, on the eighth row.[1]

On race day, he found himself caught up in the infamous Kevin Cogan crash. During the final pace lap, just before the green flag was to drop on the frontstretch, Kevin Cogan struck A. J. Foyt, and then Mario Andretti. As the field checked up to avoid the carnage, Whittington locked his brakes and spun into Roger Mears, a driver in the sixth row. All four drivers were eliminated from the race.[1] Dale was out of the race having never taken the green flag, and never again managed to qualify at Indy.

Later years

[edit]

Whittington was not involved with the 1980s IMSA Camel GT drug smuggling scandal which involved his brothers (Bill and Don) as well as Randy Lanier, John Paul Sr., and John Paul Jr. Both of his brothers received prison time.[citation needed]

Whittington transitioned to endurance racing, competing in the ALMS series, as well as competing at the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1999 and 2000. He competed in Grand-Am in 2001 often racing with his brother, Don.

Whittington was a developer responsible for developing Tampa Bay Golf and Tennis and later worked at World Jet owned by his brother Don at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). He died on June 14, 2003.[2] He was found dead by his oldest son.

Motorsports career results

[edit]

American Open Wheel racing results

[edit]

(key)

Complete USAC Mini-Indy Series results

[edit]
Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pos Points
1979 TEX1 IRP MIL1 POC TEX2
6 		MIL2
12 		MIN1
3 		MIN2
21 		14th 233

Indianapolis 500

[edit]
Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Entrant
1982 March Engineering Cosworth DFX 23 33 Whittington Bros. Racing

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

[edit]

(key)

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1980 United States Whittington Bros. Racing United States Don Whittington
United States Hurley Haywood 		Porsche 935 IMSA 151 37th 11th
1981 Germany Joest Racing Germany Reinhold Joest
Germany Klaus Niedzwiedz 		Porsche 908 S+2.0 60 39th 10th
Sources:[3][4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d HistoricRacing.com: Dale Whittington profile
  2. ^ "Dale Whittington Obituary (2003) - Fort Lauderdale, FL - Sun-Sentinel". legacy.com. 18 June 2003. Archived from the original on 5 January 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Dale Whittington". Automobile Club de l'Ouest. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  4. ^ "Dale Whittington Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
[edit]


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