Thursday 14th January 1999
Thomas Binford (74) died of cerebral hemorrhage in his office in Indianapolis, Indiana. Binford was a founding member of the United States Auto Club (USAC), one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500. Today, USAC still serves as the sanctioning body for a number of racing series. Binford was also a former USAC president and the Indy 500 Chief Steward.