Roscoe Sarles

4/1/1892 - 19/9/1922

Record updated 04-Jan-07

Roscoe Sarles as born in New Albany, Indiana. He was a racing driver active in the formative years of motor racing in the United States. he waas killed in a 300-mile race in Kansas City when a steering knuckle broke on his Durant.

Roscoe Sarles as born in New Albany, Indiana. He was a racing driver from Lafayette, active in the formative years of motor racing in the United States.

Roscoe Sarles won three of the first four races of 1919 in his Roamer / Duesenberg (not the same Roamer owned by Hearne).  Sarles then accepted a ride in Barney Oldfield's Golden Submarine for Indianapolis and selected Louis to drive the Roamer for the balance of 1919. He went out after just eight laps with a broken rocker arm.

Only five races were listed on the AAA championship schedule in 1920. At Indy, Roscoe drove a Frontenac but crashed out after 57 laps. The last race of the season was in November at the 1.25-mile Beverly Hills board track. Roscoe had replaced Milton in the Duesenberg team and he went on to win the race. Late in the race Chevrolet, who had earlier in the year won the Indy 500, was involved in an accident with Duesenberg of Eddie O'Donnell. Chevrolet, O'Donnell and Lyall Jolls, O'Donnell's riding mechanic, were all killed in the accident. Chevrolet was declared AAA champion posthumously, though this was adjusted seven years later by making five more races count to the title. Milton was thus declared that year's champion. Murphy became runner up and Chevrolet dropped to third.

1921 Duesenberg team missed three AAA races, allowing Indy winner Milton to build up an insurmountable championship lead. Roscoe came second at the Brickyard. Milton went on to win that year's AAA title with Roscoe second and Eddie Hearne third.

At Indy in 1922 he went out on lap 88. He was killed later that year in a 300-mile event in Kansas City when a steering knuckle broke on his Durant.



hr