INDIANAPOLIS — Arthur W. “Art” Graham III, director of timing and scoring for the Indianapolis 500 from 1978-97, died May 11. He was 67.
A native of Columbus, Ind., but a longtime resident of Brownsburg, Ind., Graham introduced many of the timing-and-scoring procedures now used in American open-cockpit open-wheel racing.
Graham was employed by IBM for 30 years, joining the company in 1962 and serving as a senior systems engineer from 1977-92.
A lifelong racing enthusiast who recalled watching the first live television coverage of the 500 in 1949 on a tiny screen through an appliance store window, Graham first became involved with the United States Auto Club in 1965 while living in Cincinnati. It wasn’t long before he was serving on USAC’s various competition commissions, and he eventually became chairman of the rules committee. In 1982, he was named to USAC’s board of directors, remaining there until 1997.
In the early 1990s, Graham began championing the cause of the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame and later served for several years as the organization’s secretary.
Survivors include his wife, Dina; daughter, Susan L. Moore; sons Daniel A. and Matthew S. Graham; brother, Andrew S. Graham; mother, Martha S. Graham; and four grandchildren.