Joseph William Jagersberger (born Josef Wilhelm Jagersberger, February 14, 1884 – October 5, 1952) was an American racing driver and mechanical engineer.
While in Paris, Jagersberger met American racer Harry Harkness, and decided to emigrate United States in 1902, eventually settling in Racine, Wisconsin. He married Amanda Olle in 1919. He started working at Case Corporation in Racine to develop a car racing program.
Jagersberger started eighth in the first Indianapolis 500in1911 in a Case chassis. The steering knuckle on his car broke and he had to bow out of the race after 87 laps, and finished 31st.[1] The spinning car veered back and forth across the track, down the pit lane, and back onto the track. It hit the judges stand, and the judges fled their posts. Jagerberger's riding mechanic flew out of the car and onto the track. The next driver on the scene had to avoid the riding mechanic. Several drivers were taken out in the melee, including Harry Knight, Herbert Lytle, and Eddie Hearne. Knight's riding mechanic was the only person who suffered an injury, but his back fully recovered. The leaders of the race safely navigated through the wrecked cars.[2]
Jagersberger continued to race and in November 1911, in Columbia, South Carolina, he struck a fence due to a burst tire. He was in the hospital for several months, having his right leg was amputated, which ended his racing career.[3][4]
