Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
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Indianapolis 500 | |||||
Sanctioning body | AAA | ||||
Date | 30 May 1912 | ||||
Winner | Joe Dawson | ||||
Winning Entrant | National Motor Vehicle Company | ||||
Average speed | 78.719 mph (126.686 km/h) | ||||
Pole position | Gil Andersen | ||||
Pole speed | N/A | ||||
Most laps led | Ralph DePalma (196) | ||||
Pre-race | |||||
Pace car | Stutz | ||||
Pace car driver | Carl G. Fisher | ||||
Starter | Fred J. Wagner [1] | ||||
Honorary referee | R. P. Hooper [1] | ||||
Estimated attendance | 75,000 [2] | ||||
Chronology | |||||
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The 1912 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the second such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 30, 1912. Indiana-born driver Joe Dawson won the race, leading only the final two laps. Ralph DePalma dominated the race, leading 196 of the 200 laps, and pulling out to an over 5-lap lead. But with just over two laps to go, his car failed with a broken connecting rod.
In the aftermath of victory by Ray Harroun in the single-seat Marmon "Wasp" in the first 500-Mile Race the year before, new rules made the presence of riding mechanics mandatory; maximum engine size remained 600 cubic inches (9.83 liters) displacement. At $50,000, the race purse was nearly double that of 1911.
Out of 29 original entries, 24 qualified for the race by sustaining a speed faster than a minimum of 75 mph (120.7 km/h) for a full lap, an increase from the quarter-mile qualifying distance of the inaugural year. David Bruce-Brown was fastest at 88.45 mph (142.35 km/h), but starting positions were again determined by entry date. Lining up five cars to the first four rows and four to a fifth, a change from the previous year's starting method was movement of the pace car, a Stutz, from the inside of the first row to out in front of the field.
Upon wave of the then-red starting flag, Teddy Tetzlaff took the lead in a Fiat from the third starting position in the center of the first row, and lead for the first two laps before being overtaken by the grey # 4 Mercedes of Ralph DePalma.
DePalma's domination of most of the event was total, as he built an eventual five-and-a-half lap, eleven-minute advantage over second, and lead uncontested for the next 194 laps. On lap 87, DePalma led his 85th lap and became the all-time Indianapolis 500 lap leader with 89 laps led (he led 4 laps in the 1911 race), a title he would hold until lap 200 of the 1987 race, 75 years later. But at the beginning of lap 197, as his Mercedes began misfiring, and slowed on the main stretch at the conclusion of the lap. Nursed through the 198th lap by DePalma at reduced speed, the car finally lost all power at the end of the backstretch on lap 199, as a broken connecting rod tore a hole in the crankcase.
With the car's momentum carrying it around to the fourth turn, DePalma and riding mechanic Rupert Jeffkins then entered themselves into motor racing lore, as well as inspired the cheers of the more than 80,000 in attendance, as they climbed from the vehicle and begin pushing it down the five-eighths of a mile main stretch toward the start-finish line.
Indianapolis driver Joe Dawson and riding mechanic Harry Martin, running in the second position for most of the race in their blue and white National Motor Vehicle Company entry, finally passed DePalma midway down the main stretch to assume the lead for the concluding two laps, a record that would be held for the fewest led laps in history until 2011, following DePalma's 196 laps in the lead being the most ever in a race by a non-winner. Finishing more than ten minutes ahead of newly-second place Tetzlaff, Dawson completed another two laps for good measure upon fear of a scoring miscue. Sometime thereafter, DePalma and Jeffkins finally brought their car across the line, but in twofold futile endeavour: Speedway rules, requiring that all entries move under their own power, marked DePalma's final number of circuits at 198, and the push across the line, even if it counted, brought them only to the beginning of the final lap.
Dawson's run in the American-manufactured, four-cylinder National, with a winning time of 6:21:06 and averaging 78.719 mph (126.686 km/h), was twenty-one minutes two seconds faster than the previous 1911 record; The National team garnered $20,000 and additional contingency awards.
Throughout the remainder of the field, only the top ten finishers earned prize money, rules stipulating all entries complete the 500 miles (800 km) to collect. Ralph Mulford, being forced to stop numerous times due to clutch problems in his Knox, found irritation with the requirement and proceeded to drive on, long after all others were presented the chequered flag...and even after Speedway president Carl Fisher and starter Fred Wagner left the grounds (the latter after getting into an argument over whether to flag Mulford off before he had completed the distance, Wagner in favor and Fisher against).
Through numerous accounts of the run, including his reportedly changing shock absorbers for a gentler ride, as well as stopping for a dinner-on-the-go of fried chicken and ice-cream with his riding mechanic, Mulford's finish finally arrived, amid deserted grandstands and a setting sun over the main straightaway, 8 hours and 53 minutes after the start (approximately 6:53 p.m. local time), and with an average speed of 56.285 mph (90.582 km/h), which remains a record: the slowest finishing speed to date in 500 history.
Driver | Far Inside | Inside Center | Center | Outside Center | Far Outside | ||||||||||||
Time | Speed | ||||||||||||||||
(mph) | (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||
Row 1 | Gil Andersen | Len Zengel R | Teddy Tetzlaff | Ralph DePalma | Eddie Hearne | ||||||||||||
0:01:51.21 | 80.93 | 130.24 | 0:01:54.14 | 78.85 | 126.90 | 0:01:46.84 | 84.24 | 135.57 | 0:01:44.63 | 86.02 | 138.44 | 0:01:49.96 | 81.85 | 131.72 | |||
Row 2 | Spencer Wishart | Joe Dawson | Howdy Wilcox | Harry Knight | Bert Dingley R | ||||||||||||
0:01:47.21 | 83.95 | 135.10 | 0:01:44.49 | 86.13 | 138.61 | 0:01:43.21 | 87.20 | 140.33 | 0:01:58.55 | 75.92 | 122.18 | 0:01:51.43 | 80.77 | 129.99 | |||
Row 3 | John Jenkins R | Bob Burman | Eddie Rickenbacker R Qualified by Lee Frayer | Billy Leisaw R | Bill Endicott | ||||||||||||
0:01:51.36 | 80.82 | 130.07 | 0:01:47.00 | 84.11 | 135.36 | 0:01:56.43 | 77.30 | 124.40 | 0:01:56.11 | 77.51 | 124.74 | 0:01:51.70 | 80.57 | 129.66 | |||
Row 4 | Ralph Mulford | Hughie Hughes | Joe Horan R | Mel Marquette | Len Ormsby R | ||||||||||||
0:01:42.41 | 87.88 | 141.43 | 0:01:50.01 | 81.81 | 131.66 | 0:01:51.83 | 80.48 | 129.52 | 0:01:55.27 | 78.08 | 125.66 | 0:01:47.03 | 84.09 | 135.33 | |||
Row 5 | Joe Matson R | Charlie Merz | David Bruce-Brown | Louis Disbrow | |||||||||||||
0:01:52.64 | 79.90 | 128.59 | 0:01:54.10 | 78.88 | 126.95 | 0:01:41.75 | 88.45 | 142.35 | 0:01:57.59 | 76.54 | 123.18 |
Pos | No | Driver | Car | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Cyl | Displ (in3) (L) | Color | Qual Speed (mph) (km/h) | Rank | Start Pos | Laps Led | Laps Run | Time | Speed (mph) (km/h) | Status | Prize Money ($) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 8 | Joe Dawson* [3] | National | National Motor Vehicle Company | National | National | 4 | 491 8.05 | blue / white | 86.13 138.61 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 200 | 6:21:06 | 78.719 126.686 | finished | 20,000 |
2 | 3 | Teddy Tetzlaff | Fiat | E. E. Hewlett | Fiat | Fiat | 4 | 589 9.65 | red | 84.24 135.57 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 200 | 6:31:29 +0:10:23 | 76.632 123.327 | finished | 10,000 |
3 | 21 | Hughie Hughes | Mercer | Mercer Motors Company | Mercer | Mercer | 4 | 301 4.93 | yellow | 81.81 131.66 | 11 | 17 | 0 | 200 | 6:33:09 +0:12:03 | 76.307 122.804 | finished | 5,000 |
4 | 28 | Charlie Merz | Stutz | Ideal Motor Car Company | Stutz | Wisconsin | 4 | 390 6.39 | gray | 78.88 126.95 | 18 | 22 | 0 | 200 | 6:34:40 +0:13:34 | 76.014 122.333 | finished | 3,000 |
5 | 18 | Bill Endicott | Schacht | Schacht Motor Car Company | Schacht | Wisconsin | 4 | 390 6.39 | red | 80.57 129.66 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 200 | 6:46:28 +0:25:22 | 73.807 118.781 | finished | 2,500 |
6 | 2 | Len Zengel R | Stutz | Ideal Motor Car Company | Stutz | Wisconsin | 4 | 390 6.39 | gray | 78.85 126.90 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 200 | 6:50:28 +0:29:22 | 73.088 117.624 | finished | 2,000 |
7 | 14 | John Jenkins R | White | White Motor Company | White | White | 6 | 490 8.03 | white | 80.82 130.07 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 200 | 6:52:38 +0:31:32 | 72.704 117.006 | finished | 1,500 |
7 | 22 | Joe Horan R | Lozier | Dr. W. H. Chambers | Lozier | Lozier | 4 | 545 8.39 | white / red | 80.48 129.52 | 16 | 18 | 0 | 200 | 6:59:38 +0:38:32 | 71.491 115.054 | finished | 1,400 |
9 | 9 | Howdy Wilcox | National | National Motor Vehicle Company | National | National | 4 | 590 9.67 | blue / white | 87.20 140.33 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 200 | 7:11:30 +0:50:24 | 69.525 111.890 | finished | 1,300 |
10 | 19 | Ralph Mulford | Knox | Ralph Mulford | Knox | Knox | 6 | 597 9.78 | white / red | 87.88 141.43 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 200 | 8:53:00 +2:31:54 | 56.285 90.582 | finished | 1,200 |
11 | 4 | Ralph DePalma | Mercedes | E. J. Schroeder | Mercedes | Mercedes | 4 | 583 9.55 | gray | 86.02 138.44 | 5 | 4 | 196 | 198 | did not finish | connecting rod | 0 | |
12 | 15 | Bob Burman | Cutting | Clark-Carter Auto Company | Cutting | Cutting | 4 | 598 9.80 | white / red | 84.11 135.36 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 157 | did not finish | accident, turn two | 0 | |
13 | 12 | Bert Dingley R | Simplex | Bert Dingley | Simplex | Simplex | 4 | 597 9.67 | red / white | 80.77 129.99 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 116 | did not finish | connecting rod | 0 | |
14 | 25 | Joe Matson R | Lozier | O. Applegate | Lozier | Lozier | 4 | 545 8.93 | white / red | 79.90 128.59 | 17 | 21 | 0 | 110 | did not finish | crackshaft | 0 | |
15 | 7 | Spencer Wishart | Mercedes | Spencer Wishart | Mercedes | Mercedes | 4 | 583 9.55 | gray / black / red | 83.95 135.10 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 82 | did not finish | water connection | 0 | |
16 | 1 | Gil Andersen | Stutz | Ideal Motor Car Company | Stutz | Wisconsin | 4 | 390 6.39 | gray / white | 80.93 130.24 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 80 | did not finish | accident, turn three | 0 | |
17 | 17 | Billy Leisaw R | Marquette-Buick | Will Thomson | Marquette | Buick | 4 | 594 9.73 | tan / red | 77.51 124.74 | 21 | 14 | 0 | 72 | did not finish | caught fire | 0 | |
18 | 46 | Louis Disbrow | Case | J. I. Case T. M. Company | Case | Case | 6 | 450 7.37 | white / red | 76.54 123.18 | 23 | 24 | 0 | 67 | did not finish | differential pin | 0 | |
19 | 23 | Mel Marquette | McFarlan | Speed Motors Company | McFarlan | McFarlan | 6 | 425 6.96 | gray | 78.08 125.66 | 20 | 19 | 0 | 63 | did not finish | broken wheels | 0 | |
20 | 6 | Eddie Hearne | Case | J. I. Case T. M. Company | Case | Case | 6 | 450 7.37 | white / red | 81.85 131.72 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 55 | did not finish | burned bearing | 0 | |
21 | 16 | Eddie Rickenbacker R | Firestone-Columbus | Columbus Buggy Company | Fiat | Firestone-Columbus | 4 | 345 5.65 | crimson / black | 77.30 124.40 | 22 | 13 | 0 | 43 | did not finish | intake valve | 0 | |
22 | 29 | David Bruce-Brown | National | National Motor Vehicle Company | National | National | 4 | 590 9.67 | blue / white | 88.45 142.35 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 25 | did not finish | valve trouble | 0 | |
23 | 10 | Harry Knight | Lexington | Lexington Motor Car Company | Lexington | Lexington | 6 | 422 6.92 | brown / white | 75.92 122.18 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 6 | did not finish | engine trouble | 0 | |
24 | 26 | Len Ormsby R | Opel | I. C. Stern & B. C. Noble | Opel | Opel | 4 | 450 7.37 | gray / red | 84.09 135.33 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 5 | did not finish | connecting rod | 0 | |
Race field average engine displacement:
Race field average qualifying speed:
Finishing entries average time and finishing speed:
The 1911 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1911. It was the inaugural running of the Indianapolis 500, which is one of the most prestigious automobile races in the world. Ray Harroun, an engineer with the Marmon Motor Car Company, came out of retirement to drive, and won the inaugural event before re-retiring for good in the winner's circle.
This article discusses the year-by-year history of the Indianapolis 500 race.
The 6th International 300-Mile Sweepstakes Race was the sixth running of the Indianapolis 500. It was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1916. The management scheduled the race for 120 laps, 300 miles (480 km), the only Indianapolis 500 scheduled for less than 500 miles (800 km).
The 7th Liberty 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 31, 1919.
The 25th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1937. With temperatures topping out at 92 °F (33 °C), it is one of the hottest days on record for the Indy 500.
The 23rd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 30, 1935. Despite attempts to improve participant safety by requiring crash helmets and installing green and yellow lights around the track, the event that year would prove to be one of the worst in terms of fatalities.
The 22nd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1934. The winner was the number seven car driven by Bill Cummings, an Indianapolis native, at an average speed of 104.863 miles per hour. Cummings led for 57 laps total, including the last 26. Of the 33 cars that began the race, only 12 were running at the finish, although there were no crashes resulting in serious injuries. One serious incident involved George Bailey, whose car went over the outside wall, but resulted in only a broken wrist to the driver. The finish was the closest in the history of the race to that point, with second-place finisher Mauri Rose within 100 yards of Cummings at the finish. Rose would also file a protest that Cummings had illegally gained ground during a "slow-down" period following a crash.
The 21st International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1933. Louis Meyer defeated Wilbur Shaw by a time of 401.89 seconds. The average speed of the race was 104.162 miles per hour (167.632 km/h) while Bill Cummings achieved the pole position with a speed of 118.521 miles per hour (190.741 km/h). The race was part of the 1933 AAA Championship Car season.
The 20th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1932. Attrition was the story of the race, with 26 of the 40 cars dropping out due to crashes or mechanical failure. A record eight different drivers led laps during the race, with no driver seemingly able to hold the lead without experiencing some sort of trouble. For the third year in a row, Billy Arnold looked as if he would be the dominant car, but he sailed over the turn three wall on lap 59. Rookie Bob Carey also hit the wall while leading. Fred Frame took the lead for good on lap 152, and won from the 27th starting position - the furthest back of any winner except for Ray Harroun in 1911 and later, Louis Meyer in 1936. Frame was accompanied by riding mechanic Jerry Houck.
The 19th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1931. Race winner Louis Schneider, who led the final 34 laps, was accompanied by riding mechanic Jigger Johnson.
The 17th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 30, 1929. Ray Keech, who finished fourth a year earlier, took the lead for the final time on lap 158 and won his first Indianapolis 500. Keech won for car owner Maude A. Yagle, the first and to-date, only female winning owner in Indy history. Only two weeks after winning the race, Ray Keech was fatally injured in a crash at Altoona Speedway on June 15, 1929. The race was part of the 1929 AAA Championship Car season.
The 15th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1927.
The 14th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1926. Louis Chevrolet drove the Chrysler pace car for the start.
The 13th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1925.
The 12th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1924.
The 10th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1922.
The 9th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1921.
The 8th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1920.
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The Third International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1913. Frenchman Jules Goux became the first foreign-born, and first European winner of the Indianapolis 500. His margin of victory of 13 minutes, 8 seconds over second place Spencer Wishart still stands, as of 2023, as the largest margin of victory in Indianapolis 500 history.
Joseph Dawson, winner of the 500 mile national sweepstakes auto race at ...