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Topic: Lloyd Ruby- Legend- R.I.P.
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Page 1 of 1 of 4 replies
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March 24, 2009 at
10:10:52 AM
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12/03/2006
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Lloyd Ruby passed on last night due to complications from cancer. It is impossible to imagine all of the things he has seen and done in his racing career.
Aside from that, he simply was a Great Man. This is the kind of man they invented boots for.
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March 24, 2009 at
10:18:00 PM
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01/22/2009
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brian, never got to know the man but have heard some really nice things from a lot of people,,, REST IN PEACE you will be missed
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March 25, 2009 at
07:01:25 AM
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Reply to:
Posted By: ledfoot.72 on March 24 2009 at 10:18:00 PM
brian, never got to know the man but have heard some really nice things from a lot of people,,, REST IN PEACE you will be missed
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Wonder how many people know Lloyd cut his racing teeth in Oklahoma City? He ran some motorcycle races in Wichita Falls, then started coming up to Taft when he was 18. Local writer Laymond Crump hung the name "Babe" Ruby on him. He began in a Ford V8-60, but pretty soon people noticed he was giving the big names in the Offies fits with it. As soon as he got into top equipment, he got REAL hard to beat. Eventually, he won track championships at Taft in both midgets and stock cars, and talk about going to Indy first started in 1951! Took him a few more years, but he'd been side-tracked into sports cars by Texan Ebb Rose, who hired him to maintain his cars and co-drive when needed. He really should have been at Indy by about 1955 or '56, instead of waiting 'til 1961. And yes, he did drive at the current SFS a few times in stock cars and modifieds. Funniest local story about Lloyd was in the 500 lap midget race at the old Fairgrounds in 1950. He started fast, but proceeded to jump the fence and crashed into a tree outside the track..."it started raining people!" He shook a bunch of freeloaders out of that tree like ripe apples. "The car wasn't really hurt, so I grabbed a bunch of them and we hoisted the car back over the fence and got back in the race. Finally shook the radiator out of it." He wound up driving three cars that day, finishing up relieving Bill Vukovich for the last few laps. I had the pleasure of talking to Lloyd any number of times, and he really was just as nice as his reputation says. There just aren't that many like him any more.
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March 25, 2009 at
10:37:06 AM
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From Indianapolis
http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/news/13392/Popular__Respected_Indianapolis_500_Veteran_Ruby_Dies_At_81
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March 25, 2009 at
10:55:01 AM
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