1949 Indianapolis 500

Last updated
33rd Indianapolis 500
Indy500winningcar1949.JPG
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body AAA
DateMay 30, 1949
Winner Bill Holland
Winning Entrant Lou Moore
Average speed121.327 mph (195.257 km/h)
Pole position Duke Nalon
Pole speed132.939 mph (213.945 km/h)
Most laps led Bill Holland (146)
Pre-race
Pace car Oldsmobile 88
Pace car driver Wilbur Shaw
Starter Seth Klein [1]
Honorary referee J. Emmett McManamon [1]
Estimated attendance150,000 [2]
Chronology
PreviousNext
1948 1950

The 33rd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was an automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1949.

Contents

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. [3]

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

RowInsideMiddleOutside
154 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duke Nalon 5 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Rex Mays 33 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jack McGrath
27 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Holland 17 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duane Carter 22 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Connor
361 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jimmy Jackson 26 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Lynch  R 98 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Johnny Mantz
43 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mauri Rose  W 14 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Hal Cole 12 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Johnnie Parsons  R 
52 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Myron Fohr  R 8 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mack Hellings 29 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duke Dinsmore
677 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joie Chitwood 57 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jackie Holmes  R 64 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Troy Ruttman  R 
719 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Paul Russo 6 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Lee Wallard 68 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jim Rathmann  R 
84 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Sheffler 18 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sam Hanks 71 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Norm Houser  R 
938 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Fonder  R 37 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Spider Webb 10 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Charles Van Acker
1032 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Johnny McDowell  R 69 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bayliss Levrett  R 74 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Cantrell
1115 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Agabashian 9 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Emil Andres 52 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Manny Ayulo  R 
R Indianapolis 500 rookie
W Indianapolis 500 winner

Alternates

Failed to Qualify

Box score

FinishStartNoNameChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus
147 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Holland Diedt Offenhauser 128.6739200121.327 mph
21212 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Johnnie Parsons  R  Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 132.9002200+3:11.00
3622 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Connor Lesovsky Offenhauser 128.22813200+3:34.81
4132 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Myron Fohr  R  Marchese Offenhauser 129.7763200+5:16.68
51677 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joie Chitwood Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 126.86327200+5:21.00
6761 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jimmy Jackson Diedt Offenhauser 128.02315200+7:15.03
7998 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Johnny Mantz Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 127.78618200+8:50.04
81919 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Paul Russo Slines Offenhauser 129.4875200+20:55.31
9329 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Emil Andres
(Walt Brown Laps 19–197)		Slines Offenhauser 126.04231197Flagged
102471 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Norm Houser  R  Langley Offenhauser 127.75620181Flagged
112168 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jim Rathmann  R  Wetteroth Offenhauser 126.51629175Flagged
121864 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Troy Ruttman  R  Wetteroth Offenhauser 125.94532151Flagged
13103 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mauri Rose  W  Diedt Offenhauser 127.75919192Magneto strap
14517 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duane Carter Stevens Offenhauser 128.23312182Spun T3
151529 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duke Dinsmore Olson Offenhauser 127.75021174Radius rod
16148 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Mack Hellings Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 128.26011172Valve
17224 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Sheffler Bromme Offenhauser 128.52110160Rod
182832 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Johnny McDowell  R Meyer Offenhauser 126.13930142Magneto
191114 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Hal Cole Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 127.16824117Rod bearing
202538 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Fonder  R 
(Mel Hansen Laps 68–116)		 Adams Sparks127.28922116Valve
213074 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Cantrell Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 127.1912395Drive shaft
221757 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jackie Holmes  R  Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 128.0871465Drive shaft
23206 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Lee Wallard Maserati Maserati 128.912755Gears
242969 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bayliss Levrett  R  Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 129.236652Drain plug
2525 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Rex Mays Kurtis Kraft Novi 129.552448Engine
26333 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jack McGrath Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 128.884839Oil pump
273115 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Agabashian Maserati Maserati 127.0072538Overheating
283352 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Manny Ayulo  R  Bromme Offenhauser 125.7993324Rod
29154 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Duke Nalon Kurtis Kraft Novi 132.939123Crash T3
302318 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Sam Hanks Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 127.8091720Oil leak
312710 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Charles Van Acker Stevens Offenhauser 126.5242810Crash T4
32826 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg George Lynch  R Rassey Offenhauser 127.823161Crash T1
332637 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Spider Webb Bromme Offenhauser 127.002260Transmission
[6] [7]

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses [8]

 W  Former Indianapolis 500 winner

 R  Indianapolis 500 Rookie

All entrants utilized Firestone tires.

Race statistics

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 AnnouncersTurn Reporters Roving reporters

Booth Announcer: Bill Slater
Analyst: Gordon Graham

South turns: Sid Collins
Backstretch: Gene Kelly
North turns: Jim Shelton

Barry Lake

Television

The race was carried live for the first time in the history of local television on WFBM-TV channel 6 of Indianapolis. The station signed on for the first time race in the morning of May 30, 1949, with a documentary about the race entitled The Crucible of Speed, then covered the race itself. The race broadcast utilized three cameras located along the main 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

Announcer: Earl Townsend, Jr.
Color: Dick Pittenger
Color: Paul Roberts

Robert Robbins

See also

Notes

Works cited

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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. ↑ Stranahan, Bob (May 31, 1949). "Sizzling Pace Sets New Record; Nalon Burned in Crash". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 1, 2017– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. ↑ "Career Summary:Maurice 'Mauri' Rose". www.snaplap.net. 20 April 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  4. ↑ The Talk of Gasoline Alley – 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  5. ↑ ""1949 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes"". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Indianapolis 500 1949". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "Indianapolis Motor Speedway". www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  8. ↑ "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1949". ChampCarStats.com.
  9. ↑ O'Brien, J.E. (May 31, 1949). "Race Cashier to Greet Old Pals-Blue Crown Boys". Indianapolis News . p. 6. Retrieved April 22, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  10. ↑ Stewart, Walter (May 31, 1949). "Lou Moore Has The Know-How". The Commercial Appeal. p. 16. Retrieved April 22, 2024– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
1948 Indianapolis 500
Mauri Rose 		1949 Indianapolis 500
Bill Holland 		1950 Indianapolis 500
Johnnie Parsons
Preceded by
119.814 mph
(1948 Indianapolis 500)
 Record for the fastest average speed
121.327 mph		Succeeded by
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