| Deacon Litz | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | Artha Benson Litz (1897-08-02)August 2, 1897 DuBois, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | January 3, 1967(1967-01-03) (aged 69) Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S. | ||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 32 races run over 14 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 5th (1930) | ||||||
| First race | 1928 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| Last race | 1941 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
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Artha Benson "Deacon" Litz (August 2, 1897 – January 3, 1967) was an American racing driver active primarily during the 1920s and 1930s.
Litz was a hotel-keeper by trade, and was said to weigh 224 pounds.[1]
Due to his fame as a racecar driver, he appeared in the 1929 silent film Speedway.[2]
Litz started racing with his own home-made car on dirt tracks at county fairs soon after World War I.[3] He began his professional career in 1927 and appeared in the 1929 silent film, Speedway, as an auto racer.
Litz was a star when the Duesenberg and Miller racing cars dominated the tracks. He participated in many well-known races throughout his career, including the Indianapolis 500 and the Vanderbilt Cup.
His best finish at the Indianapolis 500 was placing fourth in 1934.[4] Litz was the first person to apply to be in the 1935 Indianapolis 500, putting in his application six months before the race date.[1] He was a 12-time starter at the Indianapolis 500. Litz was inducted into the Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1964.
He retired from the sport after his last Indianapolis 500 race in 1941. Litz was noted for being an excellent speaker regarding the sport of speedway racing after his retirement.[3] Litz died in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 1967.[5]
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