Anatoly Arutunoff-Tulsa, Oklahoma

[trnstrtrk]

Toly Arutunoff, a GT Hawk racer was badly injured this past week when hit by a vehicle while attempting to assist another driver/vehicel from a snow bank. Toly lost his right leg and had his left leg shattered. He needs our prayers and thoughts for a recovery.

In February 1964, Toly raced his 1962 GT Hawk in a Sports Car Club of America two hour sedan race on the Sebring, Florida race course. He drove the car which had 50,000 miles on it at the time from Tulsa to Sebring.
He lead the start of the race by preparing for the LeMans type start leaving the car parked in first gear. When he entered the car he turned the ignition key the car pulled away on the starter, the engine fired and he lead the field down the front stretch.
The only race modifications made to the car were removing the A/C compressor and opening up the side grills so air would flow to the front brakes.
He finished second to Augie Pabst driving a full race prepared Ford Fairlane and ahead of Dan Gurney in a Lotus Cortina.
Brooks Stevens was on hand for the event and thanked Toly following the race for proving that the GT Hawk was a true GT car.
I surely hope Toly will recover from this terrible accident.
Bob Coolidge, DeLand, FL

[silverhawk]

I'll definately keep him in my prayers!

[Chris Pile]

Toly is pretty well known in road racing circles and racing publishing.
Hope he gets way better!

[JRoberts]

Toly is in my thoughts and prayers as well.

[JRoberts]

Bob, do you know if there are any pictures of this particular GT Hawk? I would surely love to see how that car looked in competition. Pixctures of Mr. Arutunoff with the car would be nice as well. I looked but did not see a picture on your site. I used google but did not come across anythng either.

[BobPalma]

So sorry to hear of this. 'Best to Toly and his family. BP

[trnstrtrk]

Joe: Below is a poor quality photo of Toly in one of the races he ran with the 62 GT Hawk. Following the race at Sebring he ran in SCCA Sedan class events in Enid, Oklahoma, Green Valley, Texas and Caddo Mills, Texas.

Bob Coolidge
DeLand, FL

[JRoberts]

Joe: Below is a poor quality photo of Toly in one of the races he ran with the 62 GT Hawk. Following the race at Sebring he ran in SCCA Sedan class events in Enid, Oklahoma, Green Valley, Texas and Caddo Mills, Texas.
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Bob Coolidge
DeLand, FL

Thanks, Bob. Boy, that GT looks like a handful in that picture.