LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Robert “Bob” Higman, whose lifelong devotion to midget-car racing was legendary, died here Jan. 13. Born Jan. 29, 1925, he was 84.
Already heavily involved with American Automobile Ass’n midget car events by the early 1950s, Higman’s career continued through the entire span of the United States Auto Club, basically from the organization’s formation in late 1955 through to the present time.
Confined to a wheelchair for the last few years, his recent contributions tended to be more as a lobbyist and confidant, his annual Midget Racing Forum having taken place just last month at the International Motorsports Industry Show in Indianapolis.
Higman’s career as a participant is rather difficult to define because not only was he a front-runner as either a chief mechanic or a car entrant for several decades, but his closest competition was often himself as he typically prepared and maintained cars for several owners.
It is estimated that one year in the Hut Hundred at Terre Haute, Ind., 12 of the 33 starters were Higman-prepared.
Higman, who was inducted into the National Midget Racing Hall of Fame in 1995, is credited with three USAC midget titles as a chief mechanic-team manager, the drivers being Bob Wente in 1963, Mike McGreevy in 1966 and Larry Rice in 1973.
Wente’s title came during a phenomenal five-year run in which he also placed second in 1960, ’61, ’62 and ’64. Higman was both owner and chief mechanic for the first three, and mechanic for the latter.
For many years, Higman took on all of this in addition to running a farm in Romney, Ind. In fact, in 1957, a very young A.J. Foyt spent much of the summer at Higman’s farm, laboring in return for “rides.”
Higman also had a long career at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was the chief mechanic on several cars, most notably that of poor Jigger Sirois on the infamous “wave off” of a potential — at least temporary — pole position in 1969.
It was not Higman, however, who waved the controversial yellow flag to abort the attempt. Higman’s best finish as a chief mechanic in the 500 was ninth with Bob Wente in 1964.
Higman served on the USAC Board of Directors between 1961 and 1970, and thereafter on the safety board and a variety of competition commissions.
In 1973, he was presented with USAC’s Jim Blunk Award for contributions to midget-car racing, only the third year in which the award had been in existence.
In 1998, he was honored with the prestigious Eddie Edenburn Award for lifetime achievements in auto racing, an award presented each year since 1939 with the exception of those during World War II.