Thorne raced his own cars in the Indianapolis 500, and later went on to attempt to design aircraft.

He died after a plane crash in North Hollywood.

The 1946 Indianapolis 500 was won by a car owned by Thorne and driven by George Robson.

[3] One of Thorne's cars also won the pole position and finished second in the 1939 Indianapolis 500 with Jimmy Snyder behind the wheel.

[4] Thorne died after crashing his private plane, during what witnesses described as "stunting",[5] into an apartment building, killing three residents including a two-month-old baby.