Ralph Hepburn

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Ralph Hepburn, 1919
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Ralph Hepburn, 1919

Ralph Hepburn (April 11, 1896 - May 16, 1948) was a pioneer of American motorcycle racing champion and an Indianapolis 500 racecar driver.

Born in Somerville, Massachusetts, Hepburn's family moved to Los Angeles, California when he was ten years old. He began riding motorcycles as a teen and his skills led to him signing on with a cycle performing group in 1914 that toured the West Coast and parts of the American Midwest. He then began competing in race events on the board racetracks that were popular at the time and then on the dirt tracks. His racing career was interrupted during 1917 and 1918 due to World War I.

In June 1919, Ralph Hepburn came to national prominence when he won the 200-mile National Championship at Ascot Speedway in Los Angeles driving for the Harley-Davidson factory. He began winning consistently thereafter and in 1921 won the "Dodge City 300 National Championship" while breaking all existing 300-mile records. In 1922 he dominated professional track racing for the Indian Motorcycle company. That year, he rode to his second victory in the 300-mile National Championship motorcycle race, this time at the Meridian Speedway in Wichita, Kansas.

At the end of the 1924 American racing season, and after competing in special events in Australia, Ralph Hepburn retired from professional motorcycle racing to take up auto racing.

Ralph Hepburn at Fulford-Miami Speedway with official starter Barney Oldfield on February 22, 1926, courtesy of the Florida Photographic Collection
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Ralph Hepburn at Fulford-Miami Speedway with official starter Barney Oldfield on February 22, 1926, courtesy of the Florida Photographic Collection

In 1925, he competed in a car built by Harry Arminius Miller in the first of fifteen appearances at the Indianapolis 500. In 1929 he qualified third but gear problems resulted in him having to drop out after only fourteen laps. He finished third in 1931 and although he led the famous race three times in three different decades and had four "Top 5" finishes, his best result came in 1937 with a second place finish 2.16 seconds behind Wilbur Shaw, the closest ever at the time.

For a time, Hepburn served as president of the American Society of Professional Automobile Racers. In 1946, at the age of fifty, Hepburn drove a "Novi Governor SPL," setting a one-lap record of 134.449 mph in qualifying and led forty-four laps in the race before the car stalled out on the 121st lap.

Ralph Hepburn died during qualifying practice for the 1948 Indianapolis 500. Survived by his wife Jo Ann Hepburn and one daughter, he was interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California.

In 1998, Ralph Hepburn was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

[edit] Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1925 17 6 108.489 7 16 144 15 Gas tank
1926 19 15 102.517 14 8 151 0 Flagged
1927 19 5 114.209 5 24 39 0 Fuel tank leak
1928 16 6 116.354 6 24 48 0 Timing gears
1929 18 3 116.543 3 31 14 0 Transmission
1931 19 10 107.933 18 3 200 0 Running
1933 23 41 110.001 32 38 33 0 Rod bearing
1934 31 11 114.321 10 14 164 0 Connecting rod
1935 21 7 115.156 13 5 200 0 Running
1936 9 24 112.673 28 12 196 0 Flagged
1937 8 6 118.809 15 2 200 9 Running
1939 25 13 122.204 22 22 107 0 Crash BS
1940 54 21 123.860 9 29 47 0 Steering
1941 54 10 120.653 28 4 200 0 Running
1946 2 19 133.944 1 14 121 44 Stalled
Totals 1864 68
Starts 15
Poles 0
Front Row 1
Wins 0
Top 5 4
Top 10 5
Retired 9