1941 Indianapolis 500

Last updated

29th Indianapolis 500
Indy500winningcar1941.JPG
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body AAA
DateMay 30, 1941
Winner Floyd Davis and
Mauri Rose (co-winners)
Winning Entrant Lou Moore
Average speed115.117 mph
Pole position Mauri Rose
Pole speed128.691 mph
Most laps led Wilbur Shaw (107)
Pre-race
Pace car Chrysler Newport Phaeton
Pace car driverA. B. Couture
Starter Seth Klein [1]
Honorary referee Guy Vaughan [1]
Estimated attendance160,000 [2]
Chronology
PreviousNext
1940 1942-45 (cancelled-WWII)

The 29th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1941. The start of the race was delayed due to a fire that swept through the garage area on race morning. No persons were injured, but one car in the field was destroyed. The race rolled off with only 31 cars, and ran to its scheduled distance. This would be the final "500" prior to the United States involvement in World War II along with the final race under with Eddie Rickenbacker as president of the speedway. He kept the track locked during the war before selling the track in November 1945 to Tony Hulman. The race returned a year later.

Contents

The 1941 race was the second, and most recent "500" to be recorded with co-winners. Floyd Davis started the race in the #16 Noc-Out Hose Clamp Special. His teammate Mauri Rose started the race on the pole position in the #3 car, but his dropped out early with spark plug trouble. Rose took over behind the wheel of the #16 car on lap 73, and drove that car to victory. Davis and Rose were credited as co-winners, and it was the first of three "500" victories for Rose.

Race details

Sam Hanks was injured in a practice crash the day before the race and withdrew. Rather than elevate the first alternate to the starting field, Hanks was credited with 33rd place.

Garage area fire

On the morning of the race a fire broke out in the "Gasoline Alley" garage area. George Barringer's revolutionary rear-engined car was destroyed. At the time, the car was being refueled (with gasoline). In a nearby garage, another car which was owned by Joel Thorne was being worked on with a welder. The fumes caught fire from the sparks of the welding, and a huge fire broke out which burned down about a third of the southern bank of garages. The start of the race was delayed by a couple hours, and fire fighters had trouble getting to the Speedway to put out the blaze due to the heavy race day traffic. Barringer's car was withdrawn, and he was credited with 32nd finishing position. With both Sam Hanks and Barringer out, the race lined up with only 31 cars.

Various equipment, tools, parts, and other supplies were lost in the fire. Two cars that did not qualify for the race were reported to have been damaged. However, all of the other cars that qualified for the race were safely evacuated. No major injuries were reported. The fire was put out, but the site smoldered throughout the day, and smoke continued to rise even after the race had safely started.

About a month later, the entire garage complex was demolished. At some point during summer and fall of 1941, a new Gasoline Alley garage area was built in its place. [3] [4] However, due to the war, the new garages would sit unused until 1946.

Wilbur Shaw

Two-time defending champion (and three-time winner overall) Wilbur Shaw crashed while leading on lap 152, and failed in his bid to become the first driver to three-peat at the Indianapolis 500 (and first four-time winner). As of 2025, no driver has ever won the Indianapolis 500 three consecutive years. Going down the mainstretch, the car lost control, and hit the outside wall, rupturing the gas tank. Shaw was drenched with fuel, and suffered a back injury which left him immobile for several minutes. Despite the fuel spill, the fuel did not ignite, and Shaw was brought to safety by the medical staff.

It is believed that the morning garage fire had an effect on Shaw's efforts. At some point before the race, Shaw's crew was preparing his tires for race day, and used chalk to write notes on the spare tires. One particular wheel was determined to be out of balance, and rather than being discarded, it was labeled in chalk with the words "USE LAST". [5] However, the firefighters' water hoses are believed to have washed off the chalk message. [6] Shaw inadvertently took on the bad wheel during a pit stop, which caused his crash. [7]

Shaw never drove another competitive lap at the Speedway. He did participate in a special private tire test at the Speedway during World War II and became president of the track in 1946. [8]

Floyd Davis & Mauri Rose

Floyd Davis was the starting driver for the #16 car. On lap 72, Davis came in for a pit stop, and was relieved by Mauri Rose. Rose had started the race in another car and dropped out earlier. Car owner Lou Moore was apparently unsatisfied with Davis' performance thus far in the race, and ordered Rose to take over. Rose charged up the standings and took the lead in the #16 car, and went on to win. Both drivers were credited as "co-winners," similar to what occurred in the 1924 race. This marked the last time that one car would carry two drivers to victory at Indy.

Starting grid

RowInsideMiddleOutside
13 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mauri Rose 1 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Rex Mays 2 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Wilbur Shaw  W 
215 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry McQuinn 36 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Doc Williams 7 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Wearne
334 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Cliff Bergere 23 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Devore 41 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Chet Miller
454 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph Hepburn 42 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Russ Snowberger 47 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Everett Saylor  R 
514 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Connor 12 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Miller 19 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Emil Andres
610 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Robson 16 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Floyd Davis 45 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Paul Russo
722 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Kelly Petillo  W 27 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tommy Hinnershitz 9 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mel Hansen
88 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Brisko 5 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joel Thorne 53 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Louis Tomei
962 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tony Willman 26 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Overton Phillips  R 25 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joie Chitwood
104 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ted Horn 32 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Deacon Litz 17 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duke Nalon
1155 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Putnam
R Indianapolis 500 rookie
W Indianapolis 500 winner

Did not start

Alternates

Failed to Qualify

Box score

FinishStartNoNameChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus
11716 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Floyd Davis (Laps 1–72)
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mauri Rose (Laps 73–200)
Wetteroth Offenhauser 121.10625200115.117 mph
221 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Rex Mays Stevens Winfield128.3012200+1:29.95
3284 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ted Horn AdamsSparks124.2978200+2:52.15
41054 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ralph Hepburn Miller Novi 120.65328200+3:24.55
5734 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Cliff Bergere Wetteroth Offenhauser 123.89013200+3:38.86
6941 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Chet Miller Miller Miller 121.54023200+7:26.51
7415 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry McQuinn
(Kelly Petillo Laps 98-200)
A-R Weil Alfa Romeo 125.4494200+7:44.72
867 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Wearne Shaw Offenhauser 123.89012200+10:06.68
91845 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Paul Russo
(Louis Durant Laps 100–138)
Marchese Miller 125.2175200+26:24.75
102027 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tommy Hinnershitz
(George Robson Laps 121–200)
Adams Offenhauser 121.02127200+24:41.81
112453 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Louis Tomei Miller Offenhauser 121.07026200+25:18.71
123155 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Putnam
(Louis Durant Laps 154–200)
Wetteroth Offenhauser 121.95120200+35:18.57
132626 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Overton Phillips  R 
(Mel Hansen Laps 104–187)
Bugatti Miller 116.29833187Flagged
142725 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joie Chitwood LenckiLencki120.32929177Flagged
153017 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duke Nalon Maserati Maserati 122.95117173Flagged
161314 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Connor Stevens Offenhauser 123.98410167Transmission
171247 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Everett Saylor  R Weil Offenhauser 119.86031155Crash T4
1832 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Wilbur Shaw  W  Maserati Maserati 127.8363151Crash T1
19823 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Devore Stevens Offenhauser 121.77021121Rod
202562 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tony Willman Stevens Offenhauser 123.92011117Rod
211142 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Russ Snowberger Snowberger Offenhauser 120.10430107Water pump
222932 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Deacon Litz Stevens Sampson123.4401589Oil trouble
23228 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Brisko Stevens Brisko123.3811670Valve
24536 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Doc Williams Cooper Offenhauser 124.014968Radiator
251610 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Robson WeilDuray121.5762266Oil leak
2613 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mauri Rose Maserati Maserati 128.691160Spark plugs
271922 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Kelly Petillo  W  Wetteroth Offenhauser 124.417748Rod
281412 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Al Miller Miller Miller 123.4781422Transmission
29219 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mel Hansen Miller Offenhauser 124.599611Rod
301519 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Emil Andres LenckiLencki122.266195Crash T1
31235 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joel Thorne AdamsSparks121.163245Crash T1
DNS35 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Barringer Miller Miller 122.299180Garage fire
DNS28 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sam Hanks Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 118.211320Practice crash
[11] [12]

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses [13]

 W  Former Indianapolis 500 winner

 R  Indianapolis 500 Rookie

All entrants utilized Firestone tires.

Race statistics

Other Notes

Speedway president Eddie Rickenbacker did not attend the race, and instead listened to it on the radio. [17] He was recovering from injuries suffered in a near-fatal plane crash a few months before the race.

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. Wilkins, Lloyd H. (May 31, 1941). "Nervous, Dusty, Affable Crowd Sees Race—Well, Part of the Time". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. "1942 Speedway Rules Unchanged". The Indianapolis Star. July 2, 1945. p. 18. Retrieved April 6, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. Bostwick, Mary E (February 3, 1946). "Old Speedway Office Lively Place Again; Orders Pour In". The Indianapolis Star. p. 3. Retrieved April 6, 2016 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  5. Davidson, Donald (May 20, 1993). "Wrong Wheel kept Shaw from 4th win". The Indianapolis Star . p. 43. Retrieved August 18, 2024 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  6. Cadou Jr., Jep (April 13, 1985). "Speedway to replace all-wooden garages". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved October 12, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  7. Stories of the 500: 1941, Wilbur Shaw
  8. The Talk of Gasoline Alley – WFNI, July 22, 2009
  9. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  10. "1941 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
  11. "Indianapolis 500 1941". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on September 17, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  12. "Indianapolis Motor Speedway". www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  13. "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1941". ChampCarStats.com.
  14. "Crowd Sets Record". The Commercial Appeal. May 31, 1941. p. 12. Retrieved April 23, 2024 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  15. Patton, W. Blaine (May 31, 1941). "Regains Lead Lost As Own Motor Fails". Indianapolis News . p. 1. Retrieved April 23, 2024 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  16. "Mays Led for While". Indianapolis News . May 30, 1941. p. 11. Retrieved April 23, 2024 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  17. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 10, 2010. WFNI.
1940 Indianapolis 500
Wilbur Shaw
1941 Indianapolis 500
Mauri Rose
Floyd Davis
1946 Indianapolis 500
George Robson