Emil Diedt

Emil Diedt
Diedt-built winner of the 1947 and 1948 Indianapolis 500s
Born
Emil Albert Didt

(1897-03-17)March 17, 1897
East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
DiedDecember 8, 1980(1980-12-08) (aged 83)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
OccupationAuto racing builder

Emil Albert Diedt (born Emil Albert Didt, March 17, 1897 – December 8, 1980) was an American race car builder.[1] He specialized in body-building and metalwork, and his chassis won the Indianapolis 500 in 1947 and 1948 with Mauri Rose, and in 1949 with Bill Holland. Diedt's cars ran with Offenhauser engines, and the three victories were the only major American open-wheel racing (AAA) wins for him.[2]

Diedt-constructed winner of the 1949 Indianapolis 500

The 1947 and 1948 winning car, called "Blue Crown Special", had the particularity of being front-wheel driven.[1][3] Diedt's cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1950 to 1952, as the Indianapolis 500 was part of the championship during those years. The last participation in the Indianapolis 500 for a Diedt chassis was in 1952, and their last qualifying attempt was in 1953.[4]

  1. ^ a b "8W - When? - 1948 Indy 500". 8w.forix.com. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  2. ^ "Deidt". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  3. ^ Fearnley, Paul (February 11, 2020). "Front-wheel drive heroes, from Indy to the Ardennes". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  4. ^ "1953 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved October 19, 2023.