1940 Indianapolis 500

Last updated

28th Indianapolis 500
Wilbur Shaw in Boyle Special.jpg
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body AAA
DateMay 30, 1940
Winner Wilbur Shaw
Winning EntrantBoyle Racing Headquarters
Average speed114.277 mph
Pole position Rex Mays
Pole speed127.850 mph
Most laps led Wilbur Shaw (136)
Pre-race
Pace car Studebaker Champion
Pace car driver Ab Jenkins
Starter Seth Klein [1]
Honorary referee Roscoe Turner [1]
Estimated attendance150,000 [2]
Chronology
PreviousNext
1939 1941

The 28th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1940. The winner was Wilbur Shaw in the same Maserati 8CTF he had driven to victory in 1939. Shaw became the first driver in the history of the race to win in consecutive years. It also marked Shaw's third win in four years, making him the second three-time winner of the race. Shaw's average speed was 114.277 mph, slowed by rain which caused the last 50 laps to be run under caution. [3] Shaw took home $31,875 (equivalent to $715,408in 2024) in prize winnings, plus additional prizes that included a car and a refrigerator. [4]

Contents

Fourth place finisher Ted Horn was flagged due to the rain shower, and was officially credited with completing only 199 laps - one lap short of the full distance. This marked the only blemish on his noteworthy record of nine consecutive races completing every lap. He eventually completed 1,799 out of a possible 1,800 laps from 1936 to 1948.

The top four starting positions finished in the top four places, albeit in shuffled order.

Starting grid

RowInsideMiddleOutside
133 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Rex Mays 1 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Wilbur Shaw  W 7 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mauri Rose
23 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ted Horn 31 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mel Hansen 5 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Cliff Bergere
39 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Wearne 16 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Brisko 27 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tommy Hinnershitz  R 
48 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joel Thorne 19 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Russ Snowberger 24 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Babe Stapp
535 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Kelly Petillo  W 28 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sam Hanks  R 41 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry McQuinn
66 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Barringer 10 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Connor 26 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Louis Tomei
736 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Doc Williams 32 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bob Swanson 54 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph Hepburn
825 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Emil Andres 17 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Robson  R 29 Flag of Argentina (1818-1819, 1820-1829, 1861-2010).svg Raúl Riganti
921 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duke Nalon 42 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joie Chitwood  R 34 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Chet Miller
1044 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Putnam 38 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Paul Russo  R 58 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Miller
1149 Flag of France.svg René Le Bègue  R 14 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Devore 61 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Floyd Davis
R Indianapolis 500 rookie
W Indianapolis 500 winner

Alternates

Failed to qualify

Box score

FinishStartNoNameChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus
121 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Wilbur Shaw  W  Maserati Maserati 127.0652200114.277 mph
2133 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Rex Mays Stevens Winfield127.8501200+1:14.14
337 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mauri Rose Wetteroth Offenhauser 125.6243200+1:37.79
443 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ted Horn Miller Miller 125.5454199Flagged
5108 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joel Thorne Adams Sparks122.43420197Flagged
62032 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bob Swanson Stevens Sampson124.8826196Flagged
779 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Wearne Stevens Offenhauser 123.21612195Flagged
8531 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mel Hansen Wetteroth Miller 124.7537194Flagged
9816 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Brisko Stevens Brisko122.71616193Flagged
103149 Flag of France.svg René Le Bègue  R 
(Laps 1–45 and 98–150)
Flag of France.svg René Dreyfus
(Laps 46–97 and 151–192)
Maserati Maserati 118.98133192Flagged
111541 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry McQuinn A-R Weil Alfa Romeo 122.48619192Flagged
122225 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Emil Andres Stevens Offenhauser 122.96315192Flagged
131428 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sam Hanks  R WeilDuray123.06413192Flagged
14166 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Barringer Weil Offenhauser 121.88922191Flagged
152642 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joie Chitwood  R  Adams Offenhauser 121.75725190Flagged
161826 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Louis Tomei Miller Offenhauser 119.98032190Exhaust pipe
172734 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Chet Miller
(Henry Banks Laps 148–189)
Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 121.39227189Flagged
183214 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Devore
(George Connor Laps 107–181)
Shaw Offenhauser 122.19721181Flagged
192844 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Putnam Adams Offenhauser 120.81828179Flagged
203361 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Floyd Davis
(Lou Webb Laps 27–57)
(George Connor Laps 58–59)
(Lou Webb Laps 60–157)
LenckiLencki120.79730157Flagged
211335 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Kelly Petillo  W  Wetteroth Offenhauser 125.3315128Bearing
222521 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duke Nalon Silnes Offenhauser 121.79024120Rod
232317 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Robson  R  Miller Offenhauser 122.5621867Shock absorber
241224 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Babe Stapp
(Started in substitution for Shorty Cantlon)
(Tony Willman Lap 13–64)
Stevens Offenhauser 123.3671164Oil line
251936 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Doc Williams Cooper Miller 122.9631461Oil line
261710 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Connor LenckiLencki124.585852Rod
2765 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Cliff Bergere Wetteroth Offenhauser 123.6731051Oil line
282938 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Paul Russo  R BlumeBrisko120.8092948Oil leak
292154 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph Hepburn Miller Offenhauser 123.860947Steering
303058 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Miller Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo 120.2883141Clutch
311119 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Russ Snowberger Snowberger Miller 121.5642638Water pump
32927 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tommy Hinnershitz  R  Adams Offenhauser 122.6141732Crash FS
332429 Flag of Argentina.svg Raúl Riganti Maserati Maserati 121.8272324Crash T2
[7] [8] [9]

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses [10]

 W  Former Indianapolis 500 winner

 R  Indianapolis 500 Rookie

All entrants utilized Firestone tires.

Race statistics

See also

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. Brooks, Ralph L. (May 31, 1940). "Nearly 150,000 Fans Eat, Nap, Cheer, And Even Watch Race at '40 Classic". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. "1940 Indianapolis 500 Official Box Score :: Indianapolis 500". Archived from the original on May 14, 2008. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
  4. The New York Times, "First Place Nets $31,875 for Shaw", June 1, 1940, Sports page 16
  5. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  6. "1940 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  7. "Indianapolis 500 1940". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  8. "Indianapolis Motor Speedway". www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  9. Kern, Cleo L. (May 31, 1940). "Winning Driver In Pits Twice". The Indianapolis Star . p. 14. Retrieved April 24, 2024 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1940". ChampCarStats.com.
  11. Peck, Phillips J. (May 30, 1940). "Becomes Second 3-Time Winner (Part 1)". Palladium-Item. p. 1. Retrieved April 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  12. Peck, Phillips J. (May 30, 1940). "Becomes Second 3-Time Winner (Part 2)". Palladium-Item. p. 12. Retrieved April 25, 2024 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
1939 Indianapolis 500
Wilbur Shaw
1940 Indianapolis 500
Wilbur Shaw
1941 Indianapolis 500
Mauri Rose
Floyd Davis