WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Leon Duray “Jigger” Sirois was part of Indianapolis 500 racing lore not because of a celebrated victory or a near-miss at grabbing winning honors at the famed speedway, but for simply not winning the pole position and, eventually, not making the race at all.
Battling a number of health issues in recent years, Sirois passed away Sept. 23 at the age of 91.
The year was 1969 and Sirois was a 34-year-old “rookie” at Indianapolis. Hailing from Hammond, Ind., at the time, Sirois was among over 80 entries for the annual May racing classic.
A native of Shelby, Ind., Sirois grew up in racing as his dad, Earl “Frenchy” Sirois, was a longtime crewman at Indy, serving on several race-winning teams when not tending to the family hardware store. Young Sirois was named after a somewhat famous racer of the 1920s – Leon Duray and the nickname “Jigger” came from a racing mechanic – “Jigger” Johnson.
With rain showers pretty much in area during the first day of qualifying, Sirois was the only driver to attempt a qualifying run late in the afternoon. Sirois completed three laps, but his fourth and final lap was waved off by his car owner as he felt Sirois’ laps were not fast enough to qualify for the race.
As it turned out, Sirois’ time would have been fast enough to make the race and grab the pole position. Additional qualifying attempts were fruitless with his last effort failing because of engine problems and Sirois did not make the rest that year or any other time during his career.
Sirois’ racing exploits started with stock cars on the dirt at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Ind. Stockers were not for Sirois, who would go the open-wheel route and end up racing midgets. Joining the ranks of the United Auto Racing Association which held most of its races at Joliet Memorial Stadium, Sirois was the association’s driving champion in 1961 as he wheeled Larry White’s yellow No. 82 midget to eight feature victories.
Later, Sirois took on the best in the midget ranks of the United States Auto Club. He was badly injured in a midget crash at Springfield, Ill., in 1962 and underwent six months of rehab.
He won one USAC midget feature in his career but his best effort in USAC was probably his run at Illinois’ DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in a USAC Silver Crown car on September 4, 1972 when he led the opening four laps one the one-mile dirt in the only turbine-powered entry in the race. A.J. Foyt passed him with rain causing the race to be called after 52 laps with Foyt getting the win and Sirois finishing third.
Sirois, who called Williamsburg, Va., home for many years, is survived by his wife, Juanita.
