Welcome! Enjoy scrolling through the faces and facts of Dad’s years in racing, from his earliest years until his death at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 12, 1973. It would honor him to know he is remembered, not only for his passion for racing and skill as a driver, but for who he was as a person. He always made time for the people he knew and for the fans he didn’t. His optimism, humor and zest for life were evident to all who met him.
Thank you for remembering him with us, the Pollard family.
We, Mike Pollard (deceased in 2009) and Judy Pollard Dippel have shared the photos and memories from throughout the years for you to visit and reminisce.
On behalf of the Pollard family, thank you for visiting. Please feel free to contact me, Art’s daughter, Judy Pollard Dippel, Eugene, OR at:
JLDwrites@comcast.net
Please see book for purchase below: "Art Pollard" by Bob Kehoe, published in 2016.
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Autographed copies or retail copies can be purchased directly from the author, Bob Kehoe, by writing bkehoe2014@gmail.com
Art Pollard Remembered
Eulogy from Art Pollard's funeral service courtesy of Mike & Georgia Pollard.
The perils and consequences of
a competitive life are not easily understood. We who know and loved
Art Pollard stand in awe at his realistic approach to danger. Some
of us really never understood, perhaps, but we knew that Art was a
realist. We know he had faced up to the realities of reaching the
final victory earlier in life. Because Art succeeded in accepting
this challenge, it is for us now to draw inspiration from the rich
and lasting legacy that he leaves. For he has touched our lives in
many ways. "I have fought the good fight." "I have finished the
course." "I have kept the faith." This is Art Pollard. An
affirmative thinker - A man of action! This meant for Art a rich and
rewarding life. And Art’s ready smile and quick wit were outward
proof of his philosophy. From the visits to troops in Vietnam to the
speeches for high schools and churches all over the Nation, he
carried his vital message of courage and determination. Expressions of his philosophy were numerous. Go with Art a half dozen years ago
to La Rue Carter Hospital in Indianapolis to a ward for emotionally
disturbed and retarded children. One visit and Art became their
friend. At the invitation of Art, these children each year visited
the Speedway. Even more than that, when there were no funds to send
them to a summers’ day of sunshine at a day camp, Art personally
provided the money. Go with him to a high school and watch the
audience unite with him as he expressed his love and admiration our
Nation’s youth. And he never criticized the young people. He was
with them, he was their champion. Affirmative thinking was his
trademark. He was an enthusiastic salesman for the sport of racing,
not only to audiences numbering in the thousands, but also on a
person-to-person basis with men and women of the media. A newcomer
to racing faced with the responsibility of getting a story, could
got Art Pollard and be informed and then come away satisfied. No
matter how busy, regardless of the pressures of competition, Art
would always take the time to patiently explain. Those of us who
visited with Art in a hospital after a racing accident could catch
his spirit - The spirit that makes recovering quicker. Here you
could see and feel his determination to whip the odds and return to
the course. He was the ability to the sun shining at the midnight
hour. He was a student of the skill of driving and for him it was a
continuing learning process. Those who watched him bicycle to
various parts of the track study the techniques of other drivers,
realized that he was still learning adding to his knowledge. He was
sill learning adding to knowledge. For him there were no short cuts
to success. Aware that victory goes to the physically keen and
mentally sharp, he was a regular in his conditioning program. And he
was successful in the sport he loved - - - Competing in 83
championship events, he knew the thrills of victory, he knew the
disappointments of defeat, but even then, never a tear, never a word
of criticism, never a regret, but always a friendly smile and the
ability to translate obvious disappointment into an expression of
love of the sport of racing.
Courage. This was Art, never,
FLAG - never FAIL - this Art. The courage necessary to go faster
than anyone else. This was Art, we can draw inspiration from him and
translate his great ability to challenge the perils into our own
lives. Although our courage may not be on public display like Art’s,
it is still necessary. We all need that wonderful and magnificent
courage of Art Pollard. And those of us who watched him, knew that
his family was the central point of his competitive life.
We who gather to pay tribute
are blessed to have known Art Pollard. His life has meaning to us
and it is for us to forever cherish His principles and Art would
want us to follow them in our daily lives. His ability to translate
love into action, His courage, His determination - These are the
virtues we all need: "I have fought the fight." "I have finished
course." "I have kept the faith. With those who have put faith in
me." This is ART POLLARD.
If we did not go to sleep at
night, we’d never awaken to see the light, and the joy of watching a
new day break, or meeting the dawn by some quiet lake would never be
ours unless we slept while GOD and all HIS Angels kept a vigil
through this "LITTLE" death that’s over with the morning’s breath.
And death too, is a time for sleeping, for those who die are in God
’s keeping and there’s a "Sunrise" for each Soul for life, not
death, is God’s promised goal. So trust God’s promise and doubt him
never for only through death can man live forever.
(Helen Steiner Rice)
Footnote: Tonight let us all remember our picture of the
ART POLLARD we all know. Pedaling around
the speedway on his bicycle - smiling and waving to all of you - HIS
FRIENDS
Photographer's Note:
Reflections of a day in May, 1973 at Indy.
My recollection of Art Pollard:
Art may have been the 1st driver to see the "trap door" that we used
get the car and driver shots with the 1000mm (super-telephoto) lens just coming out of turn 3. ("Trap door" = hole cut in
fence and then folded back up after pictures taken.) I was
working with the 1000mm lens, checking for lighting and accuracy
during the morning (race day start situations). I was trying
to be very discrete since this was the first few days of the "trap
door" that Don (a photographer from UPI) had created (without IMS’s knowledge).
I was at the fence, Art came out to the turn to watch a teammate
practice and watch others handle the bobble in Turn 3. He had
already been out and was in his driver uniform. The observer stand
was just down-track from me. He finished observing what he came to
see and then wanted to see what I was doing. We had a great chat. He
laughed about the "trap door", checked the view that I saw from the
1000mm. It was just us and roar and fumes for about 10 minutes.
As Robin Miller said in the eulogy, and has been said by
others, "kind, generous, friendly, outgoing, persistent, honest,
gentlemanly, optimistic, competitive, even-tempered, vibrant - these
words describe a few of the qualities of this exceptional person who
was also a great race driver. He liked and understood people, and he
gave of himself to his fans and friends" that is exactly what I
experienced in a 10 minute friendship. Later that day, no more
than three hours later, I felt cheated because of a crash on the
other end of the track. I hurt deep inside because I wanted more...
not just more time with Art, but time for Art. He was not just a
man in a driver's suit. Art was a "kind, generous, friendly,
outgoing, persistent, honest, gentlemanly, optimistic, competitive,
even-tempered, vibrant, great race driver" in a man suit.
Rex Miller
Muncie, IN
Art Pollard Tribute Site
established April 2, 2002
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