Los Angeles born, Bob Sweikert grew up in the rural town of Hayward, California. As a teenager he attended the University of California, and worked after school as a mechanic apprentice at the local Ford dealership. He began racing roadsters in the bay area of Oakland, California, in the early years after the end of World War II, finishing 2nd at the Oakland Speedway in 1947. Among his local competitors were young members of the Northern California Roadsters Association such as Elmer George, Johnny Kay, Bob Machin, Bob Veith and his friend Ed Elisian who a dozen years later was involved with him in the racing duel that led to Sweikert's fatal crash.

On 17 June 1956 the sprinters were at Bob Sweikert's favorite track, the Salem Speedway in Indiana. It was a hot, humid day. Sweikert's car was not handling right, after a distant 3rd place finish in the heat, he would have to come from behind to catch his best opponents, Eddie Sachs and his close friend Pat O'Connor. At the start of the final, Sachs took the lead, followed by O'Connor and Sweikert. Bob slipped slightly in turn three and Ed Elisian barged past him. Standing on the throttle, Sweikert tried to go between Elisian and the concrete wall in front of the grandstand. He tapped the wall, then went sideways the entire length of the front stretch. He was still fighting for control when his car went over the Turn 1 wall and crashed in flames through a photographer's booth. Sweikert was thrown from his car, receiving head injuries. The fire was extinguished immediately and the unfortunate driver who was not burned, was lifted onto a stretcher and rushed to a nearby hospital. But Bob Sweikert died a few minutes after being admitted.

Two photographers, Don Shirley, 24, of Scottsburg, Indiana, and Dale Mueller, 35, of St. Louis, Missouri, received minor injuries which were treated at a local hospital. Ten years later, photographer Mueller was killed in a scaffolding collapse at Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois.

Fellow Californian driver Ed Elisian was even accused of causing Sweikert's fatal crash. He later was exonerated, thanks to a film of the accident. Elisian would die three years later at the Milwaukee Mile.

R.I.P