From Surf Wiki (app.surf) — the open knowledge base
1949 Indianapolis 500
33rd running of the Indianapolis 500
33rd running of the Indianapolis 500
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| race_name | 33rd Indianapolis 500 |
| race_logo | Indy500winningcar1949.JPG |
| sanction | AAA |
| date | May 30, 1949 |
| winner | Bill Holland |
| team | Lou Moore |
| mph | 121.327 mi/h |
| pole | Duke Nalon |
| pole_speed | 132.939 mi/h |
| leader | Bill Holland (146) |
| pace_car | Oldsmobile 88 |
| pace_driver | Wilbur Shaw |
| starter | Seth Klein |
| honorary | J. Emmett McManamon |
| attendance | 150,000 |
| previous | [1948](1948-indianapolis-500) |
| next | [1950](1950-indianapolis-500) |
The 33rd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was an automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1949.
After two years of failures to his teammate, Bill Holland finally won one for himself. Giving car owner Lou Moore his third consecutive Indy victory. Mauri Rose was fired by the team after the race when he again ignored orders and tried to pass Holland, only to see his car fail with 8 laps to go.
Spider Webb suffered a broken transmission the morning of the race and failed to start. Rather than utilize an alternate starter, officials awarded Webb the 33rd finishing position.
Offenhauser-powered cars locked 28 out of the 33 starting positions, and the top 19 finishing positions.
Starting grid
| Row | Inside | Middle | Outside | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | USA Duke Nalon | 5 | USA Rex Mays | 33 | USA Jack McGrath | |||||||||
| 7 | USA Bill Holland | 17 | USA Duane Carter | 22 | USA George Connor | |||||||||
| 61 | USA Jimmy Jackson | 26 | USA George Lynch | 98 | USA Johnny Mantz | |||||||||
| 3 | USA Mauri Rose | 14 | USA Hal Cole | 12 | USA Johnnie Parsons | |||||||||
| 2 | USA Myron Fohr | 8 | USA Mack Hellings | 29 | USA Duke Dinsmore | |||||||||
| 77 | USA Joie Chitwood | 57 | USA Jackie Holmes | 64 | USA Troy Ruttman | |||||||||
| 19 | USA Paul Russo | 6 | USA Lee Wallard | 68 | USA Jim Rathmann | |||||||||
| 4 | USA Bill Sheffler | 18 | USA Sam Hanks | 71 | USA Norm Houser | |||||||||
| 38 | USA George Fonder | 37 | USA Spider Webb | 10 | USA Charles Van Acker | |||||||||
| 32 | USA Johnny McDowell | 69 | USA Bayliss Levrett | 74 | USA Bill Cantrell | |||||||||
| 15 | USA Fred Agabashian | 9 | USA Emil Andres | 52 | USA Manny Ayulo |
Alternates
- First alternate: Ralph Pratt **** (#34)
Failed to Qualify
- Les Anderson (#74)
- Henry Banks (#35)
- Frank Beardsley ****
- Randall Beinke **** (#42)
- Tony Bettenhausen (#16, #46)
- Lindley Bothwell **** (#66)
- Frank Brisko (#48)
- Walt Brown (#18)
- Jim Brubaker **** (#79)
- Frank Burany **** (#24)
- Jimmy Daywalt **** (#56)
- Billy Devore
- Ted Duncan **** (#72)
- Kenny Eaton **** (#55)
- Milt Fankhouser (#73)
- Pat Flaherty **** (#43)
- Dick Fraizer **** (#59)
- Eddie Haddad **** (#47)
- Mel Hansen (#44)
- Tommy Hinnershitz (#15, #18)
- Byron Horne **** (#39)
- Danny Kladis (#58)
- Tommy Mattson ****
- Johnny Mauro (#16)
- George Metzler **** (#67) - Fatal accident
- Chet Miller (#65)
- Hal Robson (#23)
- Mike Salay (#49)
- Wally Stokes **** (#75)
- Bill Taylor **** (#51)
- Joel Thorne (#81)
- Louis Tomei (#42)
- Doc Williams (#65)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 7 | United States Bill Holland | Diedt | Offenhauser | 128.673 | 9 | 200 | 121.327 mph | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | 12 | United States Johnnie Parsons **** | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 132.900 | 2 | 200 | +3:11.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 22 | United States George Connor | Lesovsky | Offenhauser | 128.228 | 13 | 200 | +3:34.81 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 | 2 | United States Myron Fohr **** | Marchese | Offenhauser | 129.776 | 3 | 200 | +5:16.68 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | 77 | United States Joie Chitwood | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 126.863 | 27 | 200 | +5:21.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 61 | United States Jimmy Jackson | Diedt | Offenhauser | 128.023 | 15 | 200 | +7:15.03 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | 98 | United States Johnny Mantz | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 127.786 | 18 | 200 | +8:50.04 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | 19 | United States Paul Russo | Slines | Offenhauser | 129.487 | 5 | 200 | +20:55.31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 32 | 9 | United States Emil Andres | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Walt Brown Laps 19–197) | Slines | Offenhauser | 126.042 | 31 | 197 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | 71 | United States Norm Houser **** | Langley | Offenhauser | 127.756 | 20 | 181 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 21 | 68 | United States Jim Rathmann **** | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | 126.516 | 29 | 175 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | 64 | United States Troy Ruttman **** | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | 125.945 | 32 | 151 | Flagged | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | 3 | United States Mauri Rose **** | Diedt | Offenhauser | 127.759 | 19 | 192 | Magneto strap | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 17 | United States Duane Carter | Stevens | Offenhauser | 128.233 | 12 | 182 | Spun T3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 | 29 | United States Duke Dinsmore | Olson | Offenhauser | 127.750 | 21 | 174 | Radius rod | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | 8 | United States Mack Hellings | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 128.260 | 11 | 172 | Valve | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | 4 | United States Bill Sheffler | Bromme | Offenhauser | 128.521 | 10 | 160 | Rod | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28 | 32 | United States Johnny McDowell **** | Meyer | Offenhauser | 126.139 | 30 | 142 | Magneto | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11 | 14 | United States Hal Cole | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 127.168 | 24 | 117 | Rod bearing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | 38 | United States George Fonder **** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Mel Hansen Laps 68–116) | Adams | Sparks | 127.289 | 22 | 116 | Valve | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 | 74 | United States Bill Cantrell | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 127.191 | 23 | 95 | Drive shaft | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | 57 | United States Jackie Holmes **** | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 128.087 | 14 | 65 | Drive shaft | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | 6 | United States Lee Wallard | Maserati | Maserati | 128.912 | 7 | 55 | Gears | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 29 | 69 | United States Bayliss Levrett **** | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 129.236 | 6 | 52 | Drain plug | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 5 | United States Rex Mays | Kurtis Kraft | Novi | 129.552 | 4 | 48 | Engine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 33 | United States Jack McGrath | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 128.884 | 8 | 39 | Oil pump | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 31 | 15 | United States Fred Agabashian | Maserati | Maserati | 127.007 | 25 | 38 | Overheating | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 33 | 52 | United States Manny Ayulo **** | Bromme | Offenhauser | 125.799 | 33 | 24 | Rod | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 54 | United States Duke Nalon | Kurtis Kraft | Novi | 132.939 | 1 | 23 | Crash T3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | 18 | United States Sam Hanks | Kurtis Kraft | Offenhauser | 127.809 | 17 | 20 | Oil leak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | 10 | United States Charles Van Acker | Stevens | Offenhauser | 126.524 | 28 | 10 | Crash T4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 26 | United States George Lynch **** | Rassey | Offenhauser | 127.823 | 16 | 1 | Crash T1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | 37 | United States Spider Webb | Bromme | Offenhauser | 127.002 | 26 | 0 | Transmission |
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
**** Former Indianapolis 500 winner
**** Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
Race statistics
| Lap Leaders | Laps | Leader |
|---|---|---|
| 1–23 | Duke Nalon | |
| 24–35 | Rex Mays | |
| 36–54 | Lee Wallard | |
| 55–200 | Bill Holland |
| Total laps led | Driver | Laps |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Holland | 146 | |
| Duke Nalon | 23 | |
| Lee Wallard | 19 | |
| Rex Mays | 12 |
| Yellow Lights: 8 minutes, 30 seconds | Laps* | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | George Lynch crash in turn 1 ( | |
| 12–13 | Charles Van Acker crash in turn 4 (1:35) | |
| 24–27 | Duke Nalon crash in turn 3 (6:00) | |
| * – *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 featured live coverage of the start, the finish, and live updates throughout the race.
| Mutual Broadcasting System | Booth Announcers | Turn Reporters | Roving reporters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barry Lake | |||
Television
The race was carried live for the first time in the history of television on WFBM-TV Channel 6 of Indianapolis. The station signed on for the first time on the morning of May 30, 1949, with a documentary about the race entitled The Crucible of Speed, then coverage of the race itself. The race broadcast used three cameras located along the front stretch. Earl Townsend Jr., who previously worked as a radio reporter, was the first television announcer. Dick Pittenger and Paul Roberts joined Townsend along with engineer Robert Robbins. The telecast reached approximately 3,000 local households.
| WFBM-TV Television | Play-by-play | Pit reporters |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Robbins |
Notes
Works cited
- 1949 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, Mutual: Re-broadcast on "The All-Night Race Party" – WIBC-AM (May 28, 2005)
- Van Camp's Pork & Beans Presents: Great Moments From the Indy 500 – Fleetwood Sounds, 1975
References
References
- Fox, Jack C.. (1994). "The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994". Carl Hungness Publishing.
- Stranahan, Bob. (May 31, 1949). "Sizzling Pace Sets New Record; Nalon Burned in Crash". The Indianapolis Star.
- (20 April 2015). "Career Summary:Maurice 'Mauri' Rose".
- ''[[Donald Davidson (historian). The Talk of Gasoline Alley]]'' – [[WIBC (FM). 1070-AM WIBC]], May 14, 2004
- ""1949 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes".
- "Indianapolis 500 1949". Ultimate Racing History.
- "Indianapolis Motor Speedway".
- "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1949". ChampCarStats.com.
- O'Brien, J.E.. (May 31, 1949). "Race Cashier to Greet Old Pals-Blue Crown Boys". [[Indianapolis News]].
- Stewart, Walter. (May 31, 1949). "Lou Moore Has The Know-How". The Commercial Appeal.
- (28 January 2025). "WFBM Radio & TV, Indianapolis".
This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.
Ask Mako anything about 1949 Indianapolis 500 — get instant answers, deeper analysis, and related topics.
Research with MakoFree with your Surf account
Create a free account to save articles, ask Mako questions, and organize your research.
Sign up freeThis content may have been generated or modified by AI. CloudSurf Software LLC is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of AI-generated content. Always verify important information from primary sources.
Report