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1948 Indianapolis 500
32nd running of the Indianapolis 500
32nd running of the Indianapolis 500
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| race_name | 32nd Indianapolis 500 |
| race_logo | Indy500WinningCar19471948.JPG |
| sanction | AAA |
| date | May 31, 1948 |
| winner | Mauri Rose |
| team | Lou Moore |
| mph | 119.814 mi/h |
| pole | Rex Mays |
| pole_speed | 130.577 mi/h |
| leader | Mauri Rose (81) |
| pace_car | Chevrolet Fleetmaster |
| pace_driver | Wilbur Shaw |
| starter | Seth Klein |
| honorary | Albert G. Feeney |
| attendance | 200,000 |
| previous | [1947](1947-indianapolis-500) |
| next | [1949](1949-indianapolis-500) |
The 32nd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1948.
For the second year in a row, the Blue Crown Spark Plug teammates Mauri Rose and Bill Holland finished 1st-2nd. Rose became the second driver to win the Indianapolis 500 in consecutive years. Unlike the previous year's race, no controversy surrounds the results. Coupled with his co-victory in 1941, Rose became the third three-time winner at Indy.
Fourth place finisher Ted Horn completed a noteworthy record of nine consecutive races from 1936 to 1948 completing 1,799 out of a possible 1,800 laps. His nine consecutive finishes of 4th or better (however, with no victories) is the best such streak in Indy history. The only lap he missed in 1940 was due to being flagged for a rain shower.
Duke Nalon's third-place finish would be the best-ever result for the popular Novi engine.
Starting grid
| Row | Inside | Middle | Outside | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | USA Rex Mays | 2 | USA Bill Holland | 3 | USA Mauri Rose | |||||||||
| 61 | USA Jimmy Jackson | 1 | USA Ted Horn | 74 | USA Doc Williams | |||||||||
| 36 | USA Bill Cantrell | 98 | USA Johnny Mantz | 34 | USA Les Anderson | |||||||||
| 55 | USA Joie Chitwood | 54 | USA Duke Nalon | 4 | USA Charles Van Acker | |||||||||
| 52 | USA Jack McGrath | 63 | USA Hal Cole | 76 | USA Sam Hanks | |||||||||
| 8 | USA Emil Andres | 9 | USA George Connor | 64 | USA Hal Robson | |||||||||
| 31 | USA Chet Miller | 19 | USA Billy Devore | 35 | USA Mack Hellings | |||||||||
| 6 | USA Tony Bettenhausen | 7 | USA Tommy Hinnershitz | 53 | USA Bill Sheffler | |||||||||
| 25 | USA Paul Russo | 65 | USA Harry McQuinn | 33 | USA Johnny Mauro | |||||||||
| 91 | USA Lee Wallard | 16 | USA Duane Carter | 51 | USA Spider Webb | |||||||||
| 86 | USA Mike Salay | 26 | USA Fred Agabashian | 17 | USA Mel Hansen |
Alternates
- First alternate: Johnny Shackleford **** (#48)
Failed to Qualify
- Walt Ader **** (#15, #45)
- Manny Ayulo **** (#88)
- Henry Banks (#38)
- Cliff Bergere (#12, #85)
- Walt Brown (#69)
- Jim Brubaker **** (#14)
- Red Byron **** (#43)
- Bob Droeger **** (#44)
- Louis Durant (#29)
- Milt Fankhouser (#23)
- Myron Fohr **** (#32)
- Ken Fowler (#41)
- Roland Free (#73)
- Andy Granatelli **** (#39, #59)
- Art Hartsfeld **** (#27)
- Ralph Hepburn (#12) - Fatal accident
- Jackie Holmes **** (#24, #93)
- Ronney Householder (#68)
- George Lynch **** (#56)
- George Metzler **** (#47)
- Al Miller (#66)
- Cowboy O'Rourke **** (#45)
- Johnnie Parsons **** (#39)
- Joe Perkins **** (#62)
- Ralph Pratt ****(#87)
- Charlie Rogers **** (#89)
- Pete Romcevich (#49)
- Loral Tansy **** (#71)
- Joel Thorne (#57)
- Louis Tomei (#10)
- Eddie Zalucki **** (#21)
Box score
| Finish | Start | No | Name | Chassis | Engine | Qual | Rank | Laps | Status | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | United States Mauri Rose **** | Diedt | Offenhauser | 129.129 | 4 | 200 | 119.814 mph | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | United States Bill Holland | Diedt | Offenhauser | 129.515 | 3 | 200 | +1:23.77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 54 | United States Duke Nalon | Kurtis Kraft | Novi | 131.603 | 1 | 200 | +3:46.45 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 1 | United States Ted Horn | Maserati | Maserati | 126.565 | 9 | 200 | +4:07.14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | 35 | United States Mack Hellings **** | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 127.968 | 6 | 200 | +14:15.19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | 63 | United States Hal Cole | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 124.391 | 18 | 200 | +18:27.53 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28 | 91 | United States Lee Wallard **** | Meyer | Offenhauser | 128.420 | 5 | 200 | +24:23.67 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | 33 | United States Johnny Mauro **** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Louis Durant Laps 112–140) | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo | 121.790 | 33 | 198 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | 7 | United States Tommy Hinnershitz | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 125.122 | 14 | 198 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 61 | United States Jimmy Jackson | Diedt | Offenhauser | 127.510 | 7 | 193 | Spindle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 4 | United States Charles Van Acker | Stevens | Offenhauser | 125.440 | 13 | 192 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | 19 | United States Billy Devore | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 123.967 | 21 | 190 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 98 | United States Johnny Mantz **** | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 122.791 | 27 | 185 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | 6 | United States Tony Bettenhausen | Stevens | Offenhauser | 126.396 | 10 | 167 | Clutch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 64 | United States Hal Robson | Adams | Offenhauser | 122.796 | 26 | 164 | Valve | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 36 | United States Bill Cantrell **** | Stevens | Fageol | 123.733 | 22 | 161 | Steering | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 55 | United States Joie Chitwood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Paul Russo Laps 54–74) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Johnny Shackleford laps 106–136) | Shaw | Offenhauser | 124.619 | 15 | 138 | Fuel leak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | 53 | United States Bill Sheffler | Bromme | Offenhauser | 124.529 | 17 | 132 | Spark plugs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 5 | United States Rex Mays | Kurtis Kraft | Winfield | 130.577 | 2 | 129 | Fuel leak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 31 | United States Chet Miller | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Ken Fowler laps 30–50) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Louis Tomei laps 51–108) | Mercedes-Benz W154 | Mercedes | 127.249 | 8 | 108 | Oil trouble | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 52 | United States Jack McGrath **** | Bromme | Offenhauser | 124.580 | 16 | 70 | Stalled | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29 | 16 | United States Duane Carter **** | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | 126.015 | 11 | 59 | Lost wheel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 32 | 26 | United States Fred Agabashian | Kurtis Kraft | Duray | 122.737 | 28 | 58 | Oil line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 34 | United States Les Anderson | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 122.337 | 30 | 58 | Gears | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 33 | 17 | United States Mel Hansen | Adams | Sparks | 122.117 | 32 | 42 | Too slow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | 76 | United States Sam Hanks | Adams | Sparks | 124.266 | 19 | 34 | Clutch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 | 51 | United States Spider Webb **** | Bromme | Offenhauser | 125.545 | 12 | 27 | Oil line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | 9 | United States George Connor | Stevens | Offenhauser | 123.018 | 25 | 24 | Drive shaft | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 74 | United States Doc Williams | Cooper | Offenhauser | 124.151 | 20 | 19 | Clutch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 31 | 86 | United States Mike Salay **** | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | 123.393 | 24 | 13 | Stalled | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | 8 | United States Emil Andres | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 123.550 | 23 | 11 | Steering | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | 25 | United States Paul Russo | Maserati | Maserati | 122.595 | 29 | 7 | Oil leak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | 65 | United States Harry McQuinn | Maserati | Maserati | 122.154 | 31 | 1 | Supercharger |
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
**** Former Indianapolis 500 winner
**** Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
Race statistics
| Lap Leaders | Laps | Leader |
|---|---|---|
| 1–17 | Rex Mays | |
| 18–72 | Ted Horn | |
| 73–91 | Rex Mays | |
| 92–100 | Duke Nalon | |
| 101–123 | Mauri Rose | |
| 124–142 | Ted Horn | |
| 143–200 | Mauri Rose |
| Total laps led | Driver | Laps |
|---|---|---|
| Mauri Rose | 81 | |
| Ted Horn | 74 | |
| Rex Mays | 36 | |
| Duke Nalon | 9 |
| Yellow Lights: 10 minutes, 40 seconds | Laps* | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 60–69 | Duane Carter lost wheel in turn 2, spun on backstretch | |
| * – *Approximate lap counts* |
Broadcasting
Radio
The race was carried live on the Mutual Broadcasting System, the precursor to the IMS Radio Network. The broadcast was sponsored by Perfect Circle Piston Rings and Bill Slater served as the anchor. The broadcast feature live coverage of the start, the finish, and live updates throughout the race.
Sid Collins, from WIBC, joined the crew for the first time, serving as a turn reporter at the south end of the track.
Gallery
File:Alfa Romeo 308.jpg|Johnny Mauro's 1948 Alfa Romeo 308 File:1948NoviIndy500.jpg|1948 Novi
Notes
Works cited
References
References
- Fox, Jack C.. (1994). "The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994". Carl Hungness Publishing.
- Stranahan, Bob. (June 1, 1948). "Noses Out Teammate, Duke Nalon". The Indianapolis Star.
- ''[[Donald Davidson (historian). The Talk of Gasoline Alley]]'' - [[WIBC (FM). 1070-AM WIBC]], May 20, 2007
- ''[[Donald Davidson (historian). The Talk of Gasoline Alley]]'' - [[WIBC (FM). 1070-AM WIBC]], May 14, 2004
- ""1948 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes".
- "Indianapolis 500 1948". Ultimate Racing History.
- "Indianapolis Motor Speedway".
- "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 31, 1948". ChampCarStats.com.
- Fifer, Orien W.. (May 31, 1948). "Average Speed Slightly Over Last Year's Mark (clip 1)". [[Indianapolis News]].
- Fifer, Orien W.. (May 31, 1948). "Average Speed Slightly Over Last Year's Mark (clip 2)". [[Indianapolis News]].
- Clark, Al. (June 1, 1948). "The Witness Chair". [[Indianapolis News]].
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