Scarborough started the
1953 Indianapolis 500 on the seventh row. He qualified for the race with an average speed of . During Scarborough's first
pit stop, he felt sick from the heat and fumes at the race. After a fuel spill during the pit stop, a minor fire broke out involving the side of Scarborough's car. Scarborough climbed over the pit wall and collapsed onto a chair.
Bob Scott replaced Scarborough on the track. His temperature was recorded as on admission to the hospital. Physicians there unsuccessfully performed
open-heart massage before Scarborough was pronounced dead. The temperature was in Indianapolis that day; nine drivers were treated for
heat-related illness. Driver
Pat Flaherty suffered minor injuries when he fainted and crashed into a wall later in the race. The track temperature reached . Scarborough was the second person to die at that year's event.
Chet Miller died in a crash during a practice run before the official start of the race. At the time of his death, Scarborough lived in
Clarkston, Michigan with his wife and three children. He had been racing in some capacity for 18 years. Scarborough was elected to the
Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. ==Indy 500 results==