Michael Klapak (March 8, 1913 – March 13, 1997) was an American racing driver. Klapak won three championships of the NASCAR Sportsman division, in 1950, 1951, and 1952. He also competed in USAC Stock Cars, winning the 1957 Trenton 500.

Racing career

Klapak was the winner of the 1957 Trenton 500

Klapak began racing at the Sharon Speedway on the Pennsylvania-Ohio border in 1931, and by 1950 regularly competing with NASCAR, where he won the first of three consecutive NASCAR Sportsman Division (predecessor of currently O'Reilly Auto Parts Series) titles in 1950, 1951 and 1952. He also entered 13 events in the Grand National Division (now NASCAR Cup), including multiple times at Florida's Daytona Beach Road Course.

Klapak spent much of his career in the Midwest Association for Race Cars, now ARCA, where he won two more titles. He also often raced in USAC.

Klapak was the 2009 pioneer selection for the Northeast Dirt Modified Hall of Fame.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
YearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738394041NGNCPtsRef
1950Mike Klapak23FordDABCLTLANMARCAN 14VERDSP 25HAMDARLAN 40NWSVERMARWINHBO98th-
NashDSP 15MCFCLTHBO
1951Perry SmithStudebakerDAB 42CLTNMOGARHBOASFNWSMAR––
John Marcum77NashCAN 8CLSCLB
Mike Klapak35DSP 26GARGRS 24BAI 26HEI 42AWSMCFALSMSFFMSMORABSDARCLBCCSLANCLTDSPWILHBOTPNPGSMAROAKNWSHMSJSPATLGARNMO
1952Marshall Teague4HudsonPBSDAB 47JSPNWSMARCLBATLCCSLANDARDSPCANHAYFMSHBOCLTMSFNIFOSWMONMORPPSMCFAWSDARCCSLANDSPWILHBOMARNWSATLPBS199th-
1953Bill Adams18OldsmobilePBSDABHAR 6NWSCLT 8RCHCCSLANCLBHCYMARPMSRSPLOUFIFLANTCSWILMCFPIFMORATLRVSLCFDAVHBOAWSPASHCYDARCCSLANBLFWILNWSMARATL--

External links

  • driver statistics at Racing-Reference