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1915 Indianapolis 500

Fifth running of the Indianapolis 500

Field	Value
race_name	5th Indianapolis 500
race_logo	1915 Indianapolis 500 program cover.jpg
sanction	AAA
date	May 31, 1915
winner	Ralph DePalma
team	E. C. Patterson
mph	89.840 mi/h
pole	Howdy Wilcox
pole_speed	98.90 mi/h
leader	Ralph DePalma (132)
pace_car	Packard 6 (Model 5-48)
pace_driver	Carl G. Fisher
starter	Thomas J. Hay
honorary	A. R. Pardington
attendance	60,000
previous	[1914](1914-indianapolis-500)
next	[1916](1916-indianapolis-500)

The 5th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1915. The traditional race date of May 30 fell on a Sunday, but race organizers declined to schedule the race for Sunday. The race was set for Saturday May 29, but heavy rains in the days leading up to the race flooded the grounds and made some roads leading to the track impassible. Officials decided to postpone the race until Monday May 31 in order to allow the grounds to dry out. Speedway management would maintain their policy to not race on Sundays until 1974.

After a loss in 1912, Ralph DePalma succeeded in victory for 1915. DePalma was accompanied by riding mechanic Louis Fountaine.

Starting grid

Row	Inside	Inside Center	Outside Center	Outside	1	2	3
1	USA Howdy Wilcox	2	USA Ralph DePalma	3	GBR Dario Resta	4	USA Earl Cooper
5	USA Gil Andersen	6	FRA Jean Porporato	8	USA Bob Burman	9	USA Art Klein
10	USA Tom Alley	14	USA Harry Grant	15	USA Eddie O'Donnell	12	USA George C. Babcock
17	USA John DePalma	7	GBR Noel van Raalte	18	USA Joe Cooper	19	USA Billy Carlson
21	USA Tom Orr	22	USA Ralph Mulford	24	GER John A. Mais	23	USA Eddie Rickenbacker
25	USA C. C. Cox	26	USA George Hill	27	USA Louis Chevrolet	28	USA Willie Haupt

Box score

Finish	Start	No	Name	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	Qual	Rank	Laps	Status
2	2	USA Ralph DePalma	E. C. Patterson	Mercedes	Mercedes	98.580	2	200	Running
3	3	GBR Dario Resta ****	Peugeot Auto Import Company	Peugeot	Peugeot	98.470	3	200	Running
5	5	USA Gil Andersen
(Johnny Aitken)	Stutz Motor Car Company	Stutz	Stutz	95.140	5	200	Running
4	4	USA Earl Cooper
(Johnny Aitken)	Stutz Motor Car Company	Stutz	Stutz	96.770	4	200	Running
11	15	USA Eddie O'Donnell ****	Duesenberg Brothers	Duesenberg	Duesenberg	88.93	11	200	Running
7	8	USA Bob Burman	Bob Burman	Peugeot	Peugeot	92.400	7	200	Running
1	1		USA Howdy Wilcox	Stutz Motor Car Company	Stutz	Stutz	98.900	1	200	Running
9	10	USA Tom Alley ****	Duesenberg Brothers	Duesenberg	Duesenberg	90.000	9	200	Running
16	19	USA Billy Carlson
(Hughie Hughes)	United States Motor Company	Maxwell	Maxwell	84.110	16	200	Running
14	7	GBR Noel van Raalte ****	Sunbeam Motor Car Company	Sunbeam	Sunbeam	86.870	14	200	Running
24	28	USA Willie Haupt	R. E. Donaldson	Emden	Emden	80.360	24	200	Running
10	14	USA Harry Grant	Fortuna Racing Team, Inc.	Sunbeam	Sunbeam	89.29	10	184	Loose mud apron
17	21	USA Tom Orr ****
(Billy Carlson)	United States Motor Company	Maxwell	Maxwell	83.550	17	168	Axle bearing
6	6	FRA Jean Porporato ****	Sunbeam Motor Car Company	Sunbeam	Sunbeam	94.740	6	164	Piston
15	18	USA Joe Cooper ****	E. E. Miles & J. W. Gwin	Duesenberg	Duesenberg	85.550	15	154	Crash SC
18	22	USA Ralph Mulford
(Billy Chandler)	Duesenberg Brothers	Duesenberg	Duesenberg	82.720	18	124	Rod
12	12	USA George C. Babcock ****	Peugeot Auto Import Company	Peugeot	Peugeot	89.46	12	117	Cylinder
8	9	USA Art Klein
(Billy Chandler)	Art Klein	Duesenberg	Duesenberg	90.450	8	111	Smoking
20	23	USA Eddie Rickenbacker	United States Motor Company	Maxwell	Maxwell	81.970	20	103	Rod
23	27	USA Louis Chevrolet ****	Louis Chevrolet	Cornelian	Sterling	81.010	23	76	Valve
13	17	USA John DePalma ****	James E. Watson	Delage	Delage	87.040	13	41	Loose flywheel
19	24	GER John A. Mais ****	John A. Mais	Mais	Mercer	81.970	19	23	Left course
22	26	USA George Hill ****	C. W. Fuller	Bugatti	Bugatti	81.520	22	20	Water pump gear
21	25	USA C. C. Cox ****	Edward D. McNay	Cino	Mercer	81.520	21	12	Timing gears

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses

**** Former Indianapolis 500 winner

**** Indianapolis 500 Rookie

Race statistics

Lap Leaders	Laps	Leader
1	Dario Resta
2–6	Howdy Wilcox
7–32	Gil Andersen
33–61	Dario Resta
62–127	Ralph DePalma
128–134	Dario Resta
135–200	Ralph DePalma

Total laps led	Laps	Leader
Ralph DePalma	132
Dario Resta	37
Gil Andersen	26
Howdy Wilcox	5

Race details

For 1915, riding mechanics were required.{{cite book
When about 2,000 unsuspecting fans showed up on May 29 for the race (which had already been rescheduled to May 31), Ralph DePalma entertained the fans with a tire changing exhibition.

Gallery

Image:Indy500winningcar1915.jpg|1915 winning car File:1915Indianapolis500StartNewYorkTimes.jpg|Composite image showing the front row at the start of the 1915 Indianapolis 500 File:Ralph DePalma (1882-1956) at the 1915 Indianapolis 500.jpg|Ralph DePalma at the 1915 Indianapolis 500

References

(1914 Indianapolis 500) (1922 Indianapolis 500)

References

Fox, Jack C.. (1994). "The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994". Carl Hungness Publishing.
Rankin, William H.. (June 1, 1915). "Race Best Ever Says W.H. Rankin". The Indianapolis Star.
(April 1, 1956). "Ralph De Palma, Noted Racer, Dies. Driver Triumphed in 1915 at Indianapolis. Elected to Sport's Hall of Fame". [[The New York Times]].
"1915 Indianapolis 500". Ultimate Racing History.
(1998). "The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle". Publications International, Ltd..
"International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 31, 1915". ChampCarStats.com.
Nussbaum, Lowell. (June 1, 1967). "No Confusion In '15 Race Daly". The Indianapolis Star.

Info: Wikipedia Source

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