1953 Indianapolis 500
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The 1953 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Saturday, May 30, 1953 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the second round of the 1953 World Drivers' Championship.
Contents |
[edit] Race Report
[edit] Practice
Chet Miller died in an accident in practice on May 15.[1]
[edit] Qualifying
Bill Vukovich won the pole position and later the race.
[edit] Race
Polesitter Bill Vukovich dominated the race by leading 195 laps and also had the fastest lap of the race.
- The race was known as the "Hottest 500", with track temperatures exceeding 130 °F (54 °C). Half the drivers in the race used backup drivers,[1] including:
- Duane Carter (49 laps) took over from Sam Hanks (151)
- Paul Russo (96) took over from Fred Agabashian (104)
- Eddie Johnson (88) took over from Jim Rathmann (112)
- Gene Hartley (37) and Chuck Stevenson (44) took over from Tony Bettenhausen (115)
- Bob Scott (121) took over from Carl Scarborough (69)[2]
- Jim Rathmann (36) took over from Bill Holland (141)
- Duke Dinsmore (10) and Andy Linden (29) took over from Rodger Ward (138)
- Johnny Mantz (42) took over from Walt Faulkner (134)
- Jackie Holmes (9) and Johnny Thomson (45) took over from Spider Webb (112)
- Andy Linden (12) and Chuck Stevenson (13) took over from Jerry Hoyt (82)
Carl Scarborough died from heat exhaustion after retiring from the race.[1] He retired from the race due to heat exhaustion, and died later at the infield hospital.[3]
[edit] Classification
| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Constructor | Qual | Rank | Laps | Led | Time/retired | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 14 |  Bill Vukovich |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 138.39 | 1 | 200 | 195 | 3:53:01.69 | 9 |
| 2 | 12 | 16 | Art Cross |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 137.31 | 8 | 200 | 0 | +3:30.87 | 6 |
| 3 | 9 | 3 | Sam Hanks Duane Carter |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 137.53 | 5 | 200 | 3 | +4:11.50 | 2 2 |
| 4 | 2 | 59 | Fred Agabashian Paul Russo |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 137.54 | 4 | 200 | 1 | +4:39.24 | 1.5 1.5 |
| 5 | 3 | 5 | Jack McGrath |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 136.6 | 13 | 200 | 0 | +7:49.64 | 2 |
| 6 | 21 | 48 | Jimmy Daywalt |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.74 | 23 | 200 | 0 | +8:10.21 | |
| 7 | 25 | 2 | Jim Rathmann Eddie Johnson |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.66 | 27 | 200 | 1 | +8:46.02 | |
| 8 | 20 | 12 | Ernie McCoy |
Stevens-Offenhauser | 135.92 | 22 | 200 | 0 | +10:04.55 | |
| 9 | 6 | 98 | Tony Bettenhausen Chuck Stevenson Gene Hartley |
Kuzma-Offenhauser | 136.02 | 20 | 196 | 0 | Accident | |
| 10 | 32 | 53 | Jimmy Davies |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.26 | 31 | 193 | 0 | +7 laps | |
| 11 | 26 | 9 | Duke Nalon |
Kurtis Kraft-Novi | 135.46 | 30 | 191 | 0 | Accident | |
| 12 | 19 | 73 | Carl Scarborough Bob Scott |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.93 | 21 | 190 | 0 | +10 laps | |
| 13 | 4 | 88 | Manny Ayulo |
Kuzma-Offenhauser | 136.38 | 15 | 184 | 0 | Engine | |
| 14 | 31 | 8 | Jimmy Bryan |
Schroeder-Offenhauser | 135.5 | 29 | 183 | 0 | +17 laps | |
| 15 | 28 | 49 | Bill Holland Jim Rathmann |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 137.86 | 2 | 177 | 0 | Magneto | |
| 16 | 10 | 92 | Rodger Ward Andy Linden Duke Dinsmore |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 137.46 | 6 | 177 | 0 | Axle | |
| 17 | 14 | 23 | Walt Faulkner Johnny Mantz |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 137.11 | 10 | 176 | 0 | +24 laps | |
| 18 | 22 | 22 | Marshall Teague |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.72 | 25 | 169 | 0 | Oil Leak | |
| 19 | 18 | 62 | Spider Webb Johnny Thomson Jackie Holmes |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 136.16 | 17 | 166 | 0 | Oil Leak | |
| 20 | 29 | 51 | Bob Sweikert |
Kuzma-Offenhauser | 136.87 | 11 | 151 | 0 | Suspension | |
| 21 | 23 | 83 | Mike Nazaruk |
Turner-Offenhauser | 135.7 | 26 | 146 | 0 | Transmission | |
| 22 | 24 | 77 | Pat Flaherty |
Kuzma-Offenhauser | 135.66 | 28 | 115 | 0 | Accident | |
| 23 | 7 | 55 | Jerry Hoyt Chuck Stevenson Andy Linden |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.73 | 24 | 107 | 0 | Overheating | |
| 24 | 27 | 4 | Duane Carter |
Lesovsky-Offenhauser | 135.26 | 32 | 94 | 0 | Ignition | |
| 25 | 17 | 7 | Paul Russo |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 136.21 | 16 | 89 | 0 | Magneto | |
| 26 | 8 | 21 | Johnnie Parsons |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 137.66 | 3 | 86 | 0 | Engine | |
| 27 | 15 | 38 | Don Freeland |
Watson-Offenhauser | 136.86 | 12 | 76 | 0 | Accident | |
| 28 | 13 | 41 | Gene Hartley |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 137.26 | 9 | 53 | 0 | Accident | |
| 29 | 16 | 97 | Chuck Stevenson |
Kuzma-Offenhauser | 136.56 | 14 | 42 | 0 | Fuel Leak | |
| 30 | 30 | 99 | Cal Niday |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 136.09 | 18 | 30 | 0 | Magneto | |
| 31 | 11 | 29 | Bob Scott |
Bromme-Offenhauser | 137.43 | 7 | 14 | 0 | Oil Leak | |
| 32 | 33 | 56 | Johnny Thomson |
Del Roy-Offenhauser | 135.26 | 33 | 6 | 0 | Ignition | |
| 33 | 5 | 32 | Andy Linden |
Stevens-Offenhauser | 136.06 | 19 | 3 | 0 | Accident |
Failed to Qualify: Frank Armi (#79), Henry Banks (#10), Buzz Barton (#35), Joe Barzda (#69), Bill Boyd (#86), Billy Cantrell (#42), Neal Carter (#23), George Connor (#25), Ray Crawford (#49), Jorge Daponte (#95), Duke Dinsmore (#52), Bill Doster, Len Duncan (#31, #81), Edgar Elder (#49), Johnny Fedricks (#46), John Fitch (#49, #74), George Fonder (#76), Potsy Goacher (#36), Cliff Griffith (#24), Red Hamilton (#91), Allen Heath (#65), Al Herman (#93), Jackie Holmes (#71), Bill Homeier (#84, #87), Eddie Johnson (#26), Johnny Kay (#67), Jud Larson (#96), Jim Mayes (#34), Chet Miller (#15), Roy Neuman (#43), Danny Oakes (#63), Pat O'Connor (#28, #64, #74), Johnny Roberts (#82), Hal Robson (#57), Troy Ruttman (#2), Eddie Sachs (#34), Wayne Selser (#75), Joe Sostilio (#17), Harry Stockman (#84), Bill Taylor (#39), George Tichenor (#65), Johnnie Tolan (#66, #85), Leroy Warriner (#44),
[edit] Notes
- Pole position: Bill Vukovich - 4:20.13 (4 laps)
- Fastest lead lap: Bill Vukovich - 1:06.240
- The purse for first place was $89,496[4] (US$734,962 in 2012 dollars[5]).
[edit] Drivers' Championship standings after the race
| Pos | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Alberto Ascari |
9 |
| 2 |  Bill Vukovich |
9 |
| 3 | Luigi Villoresi |
6 |
| 4 | Art Cross |
6 |
| 5 |  José Froilán González |
4 |
- Note: Only the top five positions are included. Only the best 4 results counted towards the Championship.
| Previous race: 1953 Argentine Grand Prix |
FIA Formula One World Championship 1953 season |
Next race: 1953 Dutch Grand Prix |
| Previous race: 1952 Indianapolis 500 |
Indianapolis 500 | Next race: 1954 Indianapolis 500 |
| 1952 Indianapolis 500 Troy Ruttman |
1953 Indianapolis 500 Bill Vukovich |
1954 Indianapolis 500 Bill Vukovich |
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[edit] References
- ^ a b c Yates, Brock (1961). The Indianapolis 500: The Story of the Motor Speedway. Harper. p. 67.
- ^ Davidson, Donald (2011-02-03). "Pit Lane before the 1953 Indianapolis 500". Blog.indianapolismotorspeedway.com. http://blog.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/2011/02/03/pit-lane-before-the-1953-indianapolis-500/. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
- ^ Yates, Brock (2005). Against Death and Time: One Fatal Season in Racing's Glory Years. Da Capo Press. ISBN 9781560257707. http://books.google.com/books?id=_Vdkykk0KgEC&pg=PA28&dq=Carl+Scarborough+was+being+brought+in+with+heat+dead. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
- ^ Yates, Brock (1961). The Indianapolis 500: The Story of the Motor Speedway. Harper. p. 68.
- ^ Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2008. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
