Cal Niday

Calvin Lee Niday (April 29, 1914, Turlock, California - February 14, 1988, Lancaster, California): An American racing driver whose remarkable career was defined by extraordinary courage and determination in overcoming a catastrophic early injury. Born in Turlock, Niday appeared destined for a career in American football, with a scholarship lined up that would have taken him down a completely different path. However, fate intervened when he crashed his motorcycle returning from a game while still in high school, resulting in the amputation of his left leg. This devastating injury would have ended most racing careers before they began, but for Niday, it merely presented a challenge to overcome.

Rather than abandoning his dreams of speed, he studied to become a barber and worked in that profession briefly before becoming a stunt motorcyclist in 1937, then transitioning to work as a Hollywood stuntman. Niday eventually turned to racing cars, proving that a prosthetic leg would not prevent him from competing at the highest levels of American motorsport. He competed in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, making three starts at the Indianapolis 500 between 1953 and 1955. Niday holds the distinction of being one of only three drivers to have participated in the Indianapolis 500 with a prosthetic leg, alongside Al Miller and Bill Schindler.

He also earned a unique place in racing history as the first racer to wear a modern-style Bell helmet at the Indy 500, contributing to improved safety standards. His racing career at Indianapolis ended after a serious crash in 1955, when he suffered injuries that resulted in vision loss in his upper field, leading USAC to refuse medical clearance for future Indy 500 participation. Remarkably, Niday continued racing in other categories well into his later years. He died on February 14, 1988, after being thrown from a vintage open-wheeler at Willow Springs Raceway.

He suffered cardiac arrests and died upon arrival at Antelope Valley Hospital in Lancaster. He was still racing at 73 years old, a testament to his lifelong passion for motorsport and his refusal to let physical limitations define his capabilities.