1955 Indianapolis 500

39th Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body	AAA / World Championship
Date	May 30, 1955
Winner	Bob Sweikert
Winning Entrant	John Zink
Average speed	128.209 mph (206.332 km/h)
Pole position	Jerry Hoyt
Pole speed	140.045 mph (225.381 km/h)
Most laps led	Bob Sweikert (86)
Pre-race
Pace car	Chevrolet Bel Air
Pace car driver	Thomas H. Keating
Chronology
Previous Next 1954 1956

The 39th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1955. The event was part of the 1955 AAA National Championship Trail, and was included in the 1955 World Drivers Championship.

The race is notable to many as the race in which Bill Vukovich was killed in a crash while seemingly on his way to an unprecedented third consecutive Indy 500. .

Time trials

Time trials was scheduled for four days.

Saturday May 14 – Pole Day time trials

Gusty winds, as well as the threat of rain, was observed on pole day, therefore nearly all of the competitors stayed off the track. Around the garage area, the drivers and teams agreed amongst themselves to sit out time trials for the afternoon, and instead qualify together in better conditions on Sunday. However, in the final 20 minutes, Jerry Hoyt, who had not been informed about the agreement, suddenly put his car in line, and pulled away for an unexpected qualifying attempt. His speed of 140.045 mph was not spectacular, but as the fastest (and only) car thus far of the day, he sat on the pole position. Without hesitation, Tony Bettenhausen, Sr. took to the track moments later. After two fast laps, he was slowed by a gust of wind, and qualified second. Sam Hanks and Pat O'Connor got their cars ready, but neither were able to complete attempts. The day closed with only two cars in the field, and Hoyt the surprising pole winner – to the dismay of several in the garage area.

Sunday May 15 – Second day time trials

Qualifying resumed in better conditions, and most of the drivers who stayed off the track Saturday took to the track on Sunday. Jack McGrath (142.580 mph) was the fastest qualifier, and lined up third. Hoyt's pole-winning speed from the day before ended up being only the 8th-fastest overall in the field – a record slowest ranked pole speed.

Near the end of the day, Manny Ayulo crashed due to a possible steering fault and died the following day.

Classification

Pos	Grid	No	Driver	Constructor	Qual	Rank	Laps	Led	Time/Retired	F-1 Points
1	14	6	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.99	11	200	86	3:53:59.53	8
2	2	10	Tony Bettenhausen (Relieved by Paul Russo; 77 laps)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.98	13	200	0	+2:43.56	3 3
3	10	15	Jimmy Davies	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	140.27	5	200	0	+3:32.36	4
4	33	44	Johnny Thomson	Kuzma-Offenhauser	134.11	33	200	0	+3:38.91	3
5	7	77	Walt Faulkner (Relieved by Bill Homeier; 24 laps)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.76	16	200	0	+5:17.17	1 1
6	8	19	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.09	22	200	0	+5:57.94
7	16	71	Al Herman (R)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.81	15	200	0	+6:24.24
8	19	29	Pat O'Connor	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.19	21	200	0	+6:41.60
9	17	48	Jimmy Daywalt	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.41	18	200	0	+7:09.81
10	12	89	Pat Flaherty	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	140.14	7	200	0	+7:46.54
11	18	98	Duane Carter	Kuzma-Offenhauser	139.33	19	197	0	+3 Laps
12	25	41	Chuck Weyant (R)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	138.06	25	196	0	+4 Laps
13	32	83	Eddie Johnson	Trevis-Offenhauser	134.44	32	196	0	+4 Laps
14	20	33	Jim Rathmann	Epperly-Offenhauser	138.7	24	191	0	+9 Laps
15	21	12	Don Freeland	Phillips-Offenhauser	139.86	14	178	3	Transmission
16	9	22	Cal Niday	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	140.3	4	170	0	Accident
17	24	99	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	138.75	23	168	24	Engine
18	31	81	Shorty Templeman (R)	Trevis-Offenhauser	135.01	31	142	0	Transmission
19	6	8	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	140	10	134	0	Transmission
20	28	31	Keith Andrews (R)	Schroeder-Offenhauser	136.04	28	120	0	Fuel Pump
21	27	16	Johnnie Parsons (W)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	136.8	27	119	0	Magneto
22	13	37	Eddie Russo (R)	Pawl-Offenhauser	140.11	8	112	0	Ignition
23	23	49	Ray Crawford (R)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.2	20	111	0	Engine
24	11	1	Jimmy Bryan	Kuzma-Offenhauser	140.16	6	90	1	Fuel Pump
25	5	4	Bill Vukovich (W)✝	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	141.07	3	56	50	Died in crash	1
26	3	3	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	142.58	1	54	6	Magneto
27	22	42	Al Keller (R)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	139.55	17	54	0	Accident
28	30	27	Rodger Ward	Kuzma-Offenhauser	135.04	30	53	0	Accident
29	26	39	Johnny Boyd (R)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	136.98	26	53	0	Accident
30	29	68	Ed Elisian	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	135.33	29	53	0	Retirement
31	1	23	Jerry Hoyt	Stevens-Offenhauser	140.04	9	40	0	Oil Leak
32	4	14	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	141.93	2	39	0	Spun Off
33	15	5	Jimmy Reece	Pankratz-Offenhauser	139.99	12	10	0	Engine

Alternates

• First alternate: Len Duncan^[1]

Broadcasting

Radio

The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network. Sid Collins served as chief announcer. The broadcast was carried by 237 affiliates in all 48 states (there were only 48 states at the time), as well as Armed Forces Radio. The broadcast was dedicated to the memory of Wilbur Shaw, who was killed in a plane crash in October.

Luke Walton reported from the north pits for the third year. Charlie Brockman, in his fourth appearance on the network, conducted the winner's interview in victory lane.

All five of the major radio stations in the Indianapolis area carried the broadcast. The broadcast was notable as it reported the fatal crash of Bill Vukovich.

Notes

• Pole position: Jerry Hoyt – 1:04.27 (while Hoyt started on the pole, Jack McGrath set the fastest time but started on the outside of the first row)
• Fastest Lead Lap: Bill Vukovich – 1:03.67
• Shared Drives:
  • Car #10: Tony Bettenhausen (123 laps) and Paul Russo (77 laps). They shared the 6 points for second place.
  • Car #77: Walt Faulkner (176 laps)and Bill Homeier (24 laps). They shared the 2 points for fifth place.
• While in the lead, Bill Vukovich hit the 3-car pileup of Al Keller, Johnny Boyd, and Rodger Ward. He was killed (by fracture to the skull) when his car became airborne and went out of the course on the back long straightaway, landing upside down and on fire. His death concluded a streak of three straight years leading the most laps in the race (likely to have been four straight, 1955 inclusive), a feat unequaled since.
• Formula 1 championship debut for Keith Andrews, Johnny Boyd, Ray Crawford, Al Herman, Al Keller, Eddie Russo, Shorty Templeman and Chuck Weyant

Drivers' Championship standings after the race

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1955 Indianapolis 500.

	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	Maurice Trintignant	11 1⁄3
	2	Juan Manuel Fangio	10
31	3	Bob Sweikert	8
1	4	Nino Farina	6 1⁄3
1	5	Eugenio Castellotti	6

• Note: Only the top five positions are included.

See also

• 1955 AAA Championship Car season

Notes

References

Works cited

• Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats – Official Site
• 1955 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network: Re-released by "Speedway Audio" – WIBC-AM (2004)
• 1955 Indianapolis 500 at RacingReference.info (Relief driver statistics)