H.R. No. 1249

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The death of auto racing legend Lloyd Ruby on March 23, 2009, at the age of 81, has deeply saddened his many fans across the country and brought a great loss to the family and friends of this beloved Texan; and

WHEREAS, A lifelong resident of Wichita Falls, Richard Lloyd Ruby was born on January 12, 1928, to Walter and Roxie Ruby; he started racing midget cars as a teenager and then proudly served his country in the United States Army; on his birthday in 1954, he married the former Peggy Harris, and the couple later became the parents of two children; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Ruby excelled at long-distance road racing, winning seven United States Auto Club championships; he was a key member of Ford Motor Company's international racing effort and shared the winning car in the 1965 Daytona Continental, as well as in the renowned 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring endurance races in 1966; and

WHEREAS, Between 1960 and 1977, Mr. Ruby competed in 18 consecutive Indianapolis 500 races, and was repeatedly a strong contender, though victory eluded him; he led the field in five Indy races between 1966 and 1971, only to be thwarted by mechanical problems or other mishaps; his hard luck never seemed to faze him, however, and even after a heartbreaking pit stop incident that took him out of a comfortable lead in 1969, he merely remarked that "maybe I wasn't supposed to win"; though he never finished higher than third, he nonetheless became a hero to countless fans and younger drivers such as Bobby Unser, one of the many to name Mr. Ruby as "the greatest driver who never won the 500"; and

WHEREAS, Unassuming and quiet, yet unfailingly warm and friendly, he became one of the most popular drivers of his era; he loved his fans as much as they loved him, and he always took the time to talk and joke with them; he was greatly admired by his peers in the racing industry as well, and when a Wichita Falls overpass was named in his honor, Indy 500 winners Al and Bobby Unser, Johnny Rutherford, and Parnelli Jones all traveled to attend the ceremony and help him celebrate; and

WHEREAS, The Indianapolis 500 Hall of Fame inducted Mr. Ruby in 1991 and gave him its prestigious Louis Meyer Award in 2008; in addition, he was a member of the Indy 500 Old Timers Club, the Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame, and the Texas Motor Speedway Hall of Fame; no accolade altered his humble demeanor, and he remained close to old schoolmates and childhood friends throughout his life; a member of organizations such as the Mavericks, the Lions Club, and the Texas Chapter of Speedway Children's Charities, he assisted without fanfare in myriad philanthropic events in Wichita Falls and frequently shared his formidable talent as a barbecue cook at church functions; and

WHEREAS, A fierce yet gracious competitor, Lloyd Ruby gave racing fans years of excitement, and he will long be remembered for his kindness and good humor as well as for his extraordinary skill on the racetrack; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Lloyd Ruby and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Peggy Ruby; to his son, John Ruby, and his wife, Pam; to his daughter, Mary Ann Brasher, and her husband, Phil; to his grandchildren, Tyler, Paige, and Allison Ruby, and Luke and Bo Brasher; to his brother, Herman Ruby; and to his other relatives and his many friends and admirers; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Lloyd Ruby.

Farabee

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 1249 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on April 23, 2009.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House