1925 Indianapolis 500

Last updated

13th Indianapolis 500
1925 Indianapolis 500 program cover.jpg
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body AAA
DateMay 30, 1925
Winner Peter DePaolo
Winning Entrant Duesenberg
Average speed101.127 mph (162.748 km/h)
Pole position Leon Duray
Pole speed113.196 mph (182.171 km/h)
Most laps led Peter DePaolo (115)
Pre-race
Pace car Rickenbacker 8
Pace car driver Eddie Rickenbacker
Starter Seth Klein [1]
Honorary referee Charles M. Schwab [1]
Estimated attendance150,000 [2]
Chronology
PreviousNext
1924 1926

The 13th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1925.

Contents

Race winner Peter DePaolo became the first driver to complete the 500 miles in under five hours, and have an average over 100 mph. Norman Batten drove 21 laps of relief (laps 106–127) while DePaolo had his hands bandaged due to blisters and bruises.

Time trials

Four-lap (10 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. Leon Duray won the pole position with a 4-lap track record of 113.196 mph. Peter DePaolo, who qualified second, set the 1-lap track record at 114.285 mph.

Qualifying Results
DateDriverLap 1
(mph)
Lap 2
(mph)
Lap 3
(mph)
Lap 4
(mph)
Average Speed
(mph)
5/26/1925 Leon Duray 113.22113.44113.44113.41113.196

Starting grid

RowInsideMiddleOutside
128 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Leon Duray 12 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Pete DePaolo 6 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry Hartz
22 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Earl Cooper 1 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dave Lewis 17 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph Hepburn  R 
310 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jules Ellingboe 22 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Pietro Bordino  R 38 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Pete Kreis  R 
427 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Elliott 4 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tommy Milton  W 5 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Comer
53 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bennett Hill 15 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg W. E. Shattuc  R 24 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Earl Devore  R 
623 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Wade Morton 29 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Herbert Jones  R 8 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph DePalma  W 
719 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ira Vail 14 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bob McDonogh 7 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Melville Jones  R  (*)
89 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Phil Shafer  R 
R Indianapolis 500 rookie
W Indianapolis 500 winner

Note: (*) Car qualified by Harold J. Skelly

Race summary

The 1925 winning car Indy500winningcar1925.jpg
The 1925 winning car

DePaolo jumped into the lead at the start, with Earl Cooper close behind. Phil Shafer led briefly, but DePaolo returned to the lead by half-distance. On lap 106, DePaolo came in for relief from Norman Batten while his bloody, blistered hands were bandaged. Dave Lewis then took over the lead in a front-wheel-drive Miller. The front wheels providing good grip in the turns, Lewis began to pull away. Batten soon pitted and DePaolo returned to the cockpit, and set his sights on Lewis.

At about 400 miles, Lewis began to slow, physically exhausted from the grind over the bricks. His crew called him in, but he overshot his pit stall and had to continue for another lap. When he finally stopped, crewmen lifted him out and Bennett Hill climbed in, now 1 1/2 laps behind DePaolo after the botched pit entry and eventual stop.

Hill sped after DePaolo, unlapping himself with about 25 laps to go and gaining several seconds with each lap. But DePaolo crossed the finish line with a record sub-5-hour 500 57 seconds ahead of Hill. [3]

Box score

FinishStartNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus
1212 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Peter DePaolo
(Norman Batten Laps 106–127)
Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 113.0832200Running
251 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Dave Lewis
(Bennett Hill Laps 174–200)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 109.0615200Running
3229 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Phil Shafer  R 
(Wade Morton Laps 160–200)
Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 103.52316200Running
436 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry Hartz Harry Hartz Miller Miller 112.4333200Running
5114 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tommy Milton  W  Tommy Milton Miller Miller 104.36613200Running
6128 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Leon Duray
(Fred Comer Laps 105–155)
Harry Hartz Miller Miller 113.1961200Running
7188 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph DePalma  W 
(L. L. Corum Laps 106–145)
Ralph DePalma Miller Miller 108.6076200Running
8938 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Pete Kreis  R 
(Norman Batten Laps 136–200)
Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 106.33810200Running
91415 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg W. E. Shattuc  R  Dr. W. E. Shattuc, M.D. Miller Miller 102.07017200Running
10822 Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg Pietro Bordino  R 
(Antoine Mourre Laps 74–179)
Pietro Bordino Fiat Fiat 107.6619200Running
11125 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Comer
(Ira Vail Laps 86–132)
Harry Hartz Miller Miller 104.29614200Running
121027 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Elliott
(Ora Haibe Laps 81–130)
Richard G. Doyle Miller Miller 104.91011200Running
131524 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Earl Devore  R 
(Glenn Shultz Laps 92–115)
(L. L. Corum Laps 170–198)
Bancroft & Pope Miller Miller 97.79919198Flagged
142014 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bob McDonogh
(Bennett Hill Laps 129–140)
Tommy Milton Miller Miller 101.93118188Truss rod
151623 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Wade Morton
(Jimmy Gleason Laps 110–156)
Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 95.82120156Crash BS
16617 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph Hepburn  R  Earl Cooper Miller Miller 108.4897144Gas tank
1742 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Earl Cooper R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 110.4874127Crash T1
18133 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bennett Hill
(Jules Ellingboe Laps 30–52)
(Ray Cariens Laps 57–68)
(Jerry Wunderlich Laps 69)
Harry A. Miller Miller Miller 104.1671569Rear spring
191729 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Herbert Jones  R 
(Alfred Moss Laps 13–58)
(Alfred Moss Laps 66–68)
Herbert Jones Miller Miller 89.4012169Crash T1
201919 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ira Vail R. J. Johnson Miller Miller 104.7851263Rod
21217 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Melville Jones  R 
(Fred Harder Laps 11–13)
H. J. Skelly Ford T Fronty-Ford 88.4782233Transmission
22710 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jules Ellingboe Jerry Wunderlich Miller Miller 107.832824Steering
[4] [5]

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses [6]

 W  Former Indianapolis 500 winner

 R  Indianapolis 500 Rookie

Race statistics

Race details

References

  1. 1 2 Fox, Jack C. (1994). The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 (4th ed.). Carl Hungness Publishing. p. 22. ISBN   0-915088-05-3.
  2. Patton, W. Blaine (May 31, 1925). "DePaolo Wins Sweepstakes In Indianapolis-Made Car At Dazzling Speed of 101.13". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 63-65
  4. "Indianapolis 500 1925". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on September 13, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  5. Popely, Rick; Riggs, L. Spencer (1998). The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. ISBN   0-7853-2798-3.
  6. "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1925". ChampCarStats.com.
  7. Blazier, John E.; Rollings, Tom (1994). Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics.
  8. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  9. Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 63
Grand Prix Race
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1924 Italian Grand Prix
1925 Grand Prix season
Grandes Épreuves
Next race:
1925 Belgian Grand Prix
Previous race:
1924 Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500 Next race:
1926 Indianapolis 500
1924 Indianapolis 500
Lora L. Corum and Joe Boyer
1925 Indianapolis 500
Peter DePaolo
1926 Indianapolis 500
Frank Lockhart
Preceded by
98.234 mph
(1924 Indianapolis 500)
Record for the fastest average speed
101.127 mph
Succeeded by