Phil Krueger, a veteran of two Indianapolis 500 starts, died Feb. 9 in Indianapolis. He was 74.
Krueger, a native of Milwaukee, competed in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in 1986 and 1988. His best finish was eighth in 1988, completing 196 laps in the No. 97 CNC Systems Sales March-Cosworth fielded by R. Kent Baker Racing. He also qualified a “500” career-best 15th that year.
The performance in 1988 also earned talented mechanic and fabricator Krueger the Clint Brawner Mechanical Excellence Award for his work tuning the 2-year-old car into a solid qualifying spot and top-10 finish and guiding an all-new crew for the team.
Krueger was a regular competitor in May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway throughout the 1980s, turning laps every year from 1981-89 with small, low-budget teams with older equipment. He failed to qualify from 1983-85 and in 1989, and he didn’t attempt to qualify in his first attempt at the race in 1981 or in 1982 and 1987 due to crashes in practice.
His Month of May in 1987 symbolized his hard luck and perseverance at the Speedway. Krueger started the month as the chief mechanic for the Raynor Motorsports entry for Dennis Firestone. Krueger climbed into the team’s backup car as a driver after Firestone crashed and suffered a broken foot in the team’s primary car.
Krueger clipped the wall between Turns 1 and 2 in practice, damaging the rear suspension. He led repairs to the car and attempted to qualify on Bump Day. His opening lap of 203.920 mph was on pace to make the field, but he crashed in Turn 1 on his second lap and didn’t qualify. Still, Krueger earned the Jigger Award that year for his determination amid hard luck during May.
A model of perseverance and courage, Krueger suffered multiple fractures in the No. 89 Joe Hunt Magneto Eagle-Chevrolet – a 7-year-old car that he rebuilt during the previous offseason – in the 1981 crash at Indy and was seriously injured in crashes during CART races in 1984 and 1989 at Michigan Speedway but returned to race each time.
That determination also was displayed by Krueger as he climbed to the elite level of North American open-wheel racing. He started his career in endurance karts in his teens. In 1977, with a $200 budget in his pocket, he began competing in the USAC Mini-Indy Series.
Krueger then competed in Super Vee and Formula Ford while also learning how to build and fabricate Indy cars when not racing. His driving and mechanical skill helped him climb to CART in 1981, and he made 23 career INDYCAR SERIES starts between 1981-91. His best finish was fifth in the 1988 Michigan 500 among his seven career top-12 finishes.
After his driving career, Krueger worked as an engine builder, mechanic and crew chief. He also was a licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic whose passion for aviation included maintaining his cherished 1941 Luscombe and building a World War I-S.E.5a biplane from Royal Aircraft blueprints.
Krueger also volunteered for many military causes, including working with the USO at Camp Atterbury in Indiana.
