Welcome back to Hometown History! Keeping with last week’s theme, let’s dive back into Delavan’s most notable people. This week discussing the fast, exciting, and ultimately too short life of Delavan’s own race car driver. Born in Delavan on January 29, 1915, was John (Johnny) Maxwell McDowell to a modest farm family. Although not much is known about his early life, it is known that his family moved to California when he was young. He began his racing career in 1934 at age 19, and a mere 3 years later, he was experiencing his first Indy 500, where he was riding mechanic for Frank Wearne! If you’re unfamiliar with the Indianapolis 500, it’s the largest racing event. Essentially, the Indy 500 is the Super Bowl of racing. Being here so early in his career speaks to the talent, dedication, and love for the sport that Johnny McDowell had.

He went on to become one of the top midget car drivers in 1939, racing in Gilmore Stadium, a multipurpose Los Angeles stadium that’s now long since demolished. That season, McDowell held points lead until September and ultimately finished the season in second place. Though he didn’t get first place, McDowell won 13 features on the track, placing 9th in the stadium’s all-time wins. His career was just getting started.

In 1947, McDowell placed second in AAA West Coast Midget Cars points standing as well as earning the title Turkey Night Grand Prix. Moving back to the Midwest in 1948, McDowell began racing in the Central Savanah River Area (CSRA) Circuit, which he participated in based out of Ohio. Johnny McDowell would then go on to compete as a driver in the Indianapolis 500 from 1949 until 1952, he probably would’ve gone on had his life not been cut short.

Driving was Johnny McDowell’s passion, and he died doing what he loved. Mere weeks after his final Indy 500, 37-year-old McDowell was racing at the Rex Mays Memorial in Wisconsin. During the race, he drove in the Kurtis 2000 - Offenhauser “McDowell”. His name is now attributed to that model and engine combinations as it’s famously what he drove. He was racer number 31.

During the race, his car flipped at the beginning of his third turn. He was thrown from the vehicle and tragically didn’t make it. “Eyewitnesses reported that the McDowells’ car was “sagging” during practice, and the chassis frame rails were found broken after the crash - however, it was not determined whether the fracture took place before, during or after the accident”. It’s sad to think that the accident could have been prevented with better maintenance. Though it’s unknown if that’s the case or not. He was laid to rest in Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, California, a place he spent the majority of his younger years. He remains one of history’s most accomplished midget car racers, and for such he was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.