Dale Whittington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dale Whittington
Born	Dale Lindsey Whittington (1959-09-23)23 September 1959 Farmington, New Mexico, United States
Died	14 June 2003(2003-06-14) (aged 43) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Nationality	American
Relatives	Don Whittington (brother) Bill Whittington (brother)
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	1980 – 1981
Teams	Whittington Bros. Racing Joest Racing
Best finish	37th (1980)
Class wins	0

Dale Lindsey Whittington (born September 23, 1959 – died June 14, 2003) was an American race car driver. He was born in Farmington, New Mexico. Dale was the youngest of four sons. His father, Dick Whittington, owned race cars in the 1950s. Dale had three sons and one grandson.

Racing at the Indy 500

Dale Whittington entered the famous 1982 Indianapolis 500 race. He did not have much experience racing on oval tracks. But he joined his brothers, Bill and Don, in the race. This was a special moment. They became the only three brothers to ever qualify for the same Indy 500 race. Dale started the race from the 23rd spot.

On race day, something unexpected happened. Just before the race officially began, there was a big crash. Another driver, Kevin Cogan, hit two other cars. As other cars tried to stop, Dale Whittington had to brake hard. His car spun and hit another driver, Roger Mears. Because of this crash, Dale was out of the race. He never even got to take the green flag to start racing. After this, he never qualified for the Indy 500 again.

What Did Dale Do Later?

After his time in IndyCar, Dale Whittington started racing in endurance events. These are races that last a very long time, like 24 hours. He competed in the American Le Mans Series. He also raced in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1999 and 2000. In 2001, he raced in the Grand-Am series, often with his brother Don.

Outside of racing, Dale Whittington worked as a developer. He helped create a place called Tampa Bay Golf and Tennis. Later, he worked at World Jet. This company was owned by his brother Don. It was located at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. Dale Whittington passed away on June 14, 2003.

Motorsports Career Results

Indianapolis 500