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1939 Indianapolis 500

27th running of the Indianapolis 500

27th running of the Indianapolis 500

FieldValue
race_name27th Indianapolis 500
race_logoIndy500winningcar1939-1940.JPG
sanctionAAA
dateMay 30, 1939
winnerWilbur Shaw
teamBoyle Racing Headquarters
mph115.035 mi/h
poleJimmy Snyder
pole_speed130.138 mi/h
leaderLouis Meyer (79)
pace_carBuick Roadmaster 80
pace_driverCharles Chayne
starterSeth Klein
honoraryPaul G. Hoffman
attendance145,000
previous[1938](1938-indianapolis-500)
next[1940](1940-indianapolis-500)

The 27th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1939. The race was won by the number two car of Wilbur Shaw, who started in the third position, driving a Maserati 8CTF. The race was notable for a three car accident on lap 109, when Floyd Roberts, the reigning champion, was killed when his car went through the wooden outer wall at over 100 mi an hour at the backstretch. In Louis Meyer's final Indy 500, he too would crash at the backstretch at over 100 mi an hour, but he walked away unharmed.

Time trials

Ten-lap qualifying runs were eliminated for 1939, and the distance reverted to four-lap (10 mile) runs. This change was made permanent, and four-lap runs have been used ever since.

Starting grid

RowInsideMiddleOutside1234567891011
10USA Jimmy Snyder45USA Louis Meyer2USA Wilbur Shaw
4USA Ted Horn3USA Chet Miller17USA George Bailey
47USA Shorty Cantlon16USA Mauri Rose9USA Herb Ardinger
54USA Cliff Bergere29USA Frank Brisko18USA George Connor
25USA Ralph Hepburn49USA Mel Hansen41USA George Barringer
31USA Babe Stapp14USA Frank Wearne37USA Ira Hall
15USA Rex Mays8USA Joel Thorne44USA Emil Andres
32USA Bob Swanson1USA Floyd Roberts35USA Kelly Petillo
21USA Russ Snowberger51USA Tony Willman62USA Tony Gulotta
42USA Al Miller56USA Floyd Davis58USA Louis Tomei
53USA Deacon Litz38USA Harry McQuinn26USA Billy Devore

Alternates

  • First alternate: George Robson ****

Failed to Qualify

  • Henry Banks (#39)
  • Sam Hanks **** (#42)
  • Tommy Hinnershitz **** (#33)
  • Ronney Householder (#26)
  • Frank McGurk (#41)
  • Zeke Meyer (#27)
  • Duke Nalon (#7)
  • Johnny Seymour (#61)
  • Lou Webb **** (#59)
  • Doc Williams (#36)

Floyd Roberts crash

With Roberts on lap 109, the car driven by Bob Swanson lost control and went sideways. Roberts' car contacted Swanson's, causing Swanson's car to eject Swanson, flip over, and catch fire, while Roberts' car went through the outer wall. Attempting to avoid the accident, Chet Miller swerved into the debris field. His car flipped, and went into the inner wall. Two spectators were also injured by flying debris. The three drivers were taken to hospitals, while it took over 30 minutes to clear the burning wreck of Swanson's car from the track. Roberts death due to brain injuries was announced before the race was completed.

First rear-engined car

George Bailey became the first driver to compete with a rear-engined car in the Indianapolis 500 when he contested the 1939 race in a Gulf-Miller.

Box score

FinishStartNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233
32United States Wilbur Shaw ****Boyle Racing HeadquartersMaseratiMaserati128.9774200115.035 mph
110United States Jimmy SnyderJoel Thorne, Inc.AdamsSparks130.1381200+1:48.12
1054United States Cliff BergereLewis W. WelchMiller-FordOffenhauser123.83515200+3:03.91
44United States Ted HornBoyle Racing HeadquartersMillerMiller127.7236200+7:21.33
1631United States Babe StappBill White Race Cars, Inc.Alfa Romeo-WeilAlfa Romeo125.00012200+8:55.19
1541United States George BarringerBill White Race Cars, Inc.WeilOffenhauser120.93528200+9:25.11
208United States Joel ThorneJoel Thorne, Inc.AdamsSparks122.17723200+10:54.55
816United States Mauri RoseW. Wilbur ShawShawOffenhauser124.89613200+13:04.31
1714United States Frank WearneMoore & RobertsWetterothOffenhauser125.07411200+17:29.16
3326United States Billy Devore
(Henry Banks Laps 146–189)Leon DurayWeilDuray+26:55.8833200Running
2762United States Tony Gulotta
(Harry McQuinn Laps 111–127)George LyonsStevensOffenhauser121.74924200+27:50.52
245United States Louis Meyer ****Bowes Racing, Inc.StevensWinfield130.0672197Crash BS
1218United States George ConnorJoseph MarksAdamsOffenhauser123.20819195Stalled
2651United States Tony WillmanJoe LenckiLenckiLencki122.77121188Fuel pump
3058United States Louis Tomei
(Mel Hansen Laps 161–186)Frank T. GriswoldAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo118.42630186Flagged
1915United States Rex MaysThorne Engineering Corp.AdamsSparks126.4137145Rings
99United States Herb Ardinger
(Frank Brisko Laps 76–94)
(Mel Hansen Laps 137–141)Harry HartzWetterothMiller124.12514141Clutch
2435United States Kelly Petillo ****Kelly PetilloWetterothOffenhauser123.66016141Pistons
1449United States Mel Hansen ****Joel Thorne, Inc.ShawOffenhauser121.68325113Crash Pits
3238United States Harry McQuinn
(Al Putnam Laps 12–36)
(Frank Brisko Laps 37–42)
(Al Putnam Laps 43–76)
(George Robson Laps 77–110)F. BurrenBlumeBrisko117.28732110Ignition
53United States Chet MillerBoyle Racing HeadquartersSummersMiller126.3188109Crash BS
1325United States Ralph Hepburn
(Bob Swanson Laps 104–107)Anthony GulottaStevensOffenhauser122.20422107Crash BS
231United States Floyd Roberts **** ✝Lou Moore, Inc.WetterothOffenhauser128.9685106Crash BS
1837United States Ira HallMagnee & NowiakNowiakStudebaker121.1882789Head gasket
2521United States Russ SnowbergerRussell SnowbergerSnowbergerMiller123.1992050Radiator
617United States George BaileyHarry A. MillerMillerMiller125.821947Valve
2956United States Floyd DavisEd WalshMillerOffenhauser119.3752943Shock absorber
2842United States Al MillerPaul WeirickAdamsOffenhauser123.2331841Accelerator
1129United States Frank BriskoFrank BriskoStevensBrisko123.3511738Air pump
2144United States Emil AndresJimmy SnyderStevensOffenhauser121.2122622Spark plugs
2232United States Bob SwansonSampson Motors, Inc.StevensSampson129.431319Rear axle
747United States Shorty CantlonAssoc. Enterprises, Ltd.StevensOffenhauser125.5671015Main bearing
3153United States Deacon LitzRichard T. WhartonMaseratiMaserati117.979317Valve

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses

**** Former Indianapolis 500 winner

**** Indianapolis 500 Rookie

All entrants utilized Firestone tires.

Race statistics

Lap LeadersLapsLeader
1–36Jimmy Snyder
37–69Wilbur Shaw
70–73Louis Meyer
74Rex Mays
75–103Jimmy Snyder
104–130Louis Meyer
131–134Ted Horn
135–182Louis Meyer
183–200Wilbur Shaw
Total laps ledDriverLaps
Louis Meyer79
Jimmy Snyder65
Wilbur Shaw51
Ted Horn4
Rex Mays1
Yellow LightsLaps*Reason
106–125Floyd Roberts crash on backstretch (31:30)
* – *Approximate lap counts*

References

References

  1. Fox, Jack C.. (1994). "The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994". Carl Hungness Publishing.
  2. Brooks, Ralph L.. (May 31, 1939). "Oh, Yes, the Crowd! It Was There Too; 145,000 of It and All Well-Red". The Indianapolis Star.
  3. "1939 Indianapolis 500 Official Box Score :: Indianapolis 500".
  4. (May 31, 1939). "Wilbur Shaw Wins. Floyd Roberts Dies". [[Associated Press]].
  5. ''[[Donald Davidson (historian). The Talk of Gasoline Alley]]'' - [[WIBC (FM). 1070-AM WIBC]], May 14, 2004
  6. "1939 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes".
  7. Reginald Cleveland. (May 31, 1939). "Roberts, 1938 Victor, Dies in Triple Crash as Shaw Takes Indianapolis Race. Just After Accident At Indianapolis And Finish Of The Race". [[The New York Times]].
  8. [http://indymotorspeedway.com/v1/500d-40.htm George Bailey, indymotorspeedway.com] Retrieved 7 December 2015
  9. "Indianapolis 500 1939". Ultimate Racing History.
  10. (1998). "The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle". Publications International, Ltd..
  11. "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1939". ChampCarStats.com.
  12. McLemore, Henry. (May 31, 1939). "1938 Winner Roberts Dies After Racer Smacks Wall". Winston-Salen Journal.
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