1962 Indianapolis 500

Last updated
46th Indianapolis 500
Indy500winningcar1962.JPG
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body USAC
Season 1962 USAC season
DateMay 30, 1962
Winner Rodger Ward
Winning team Leader Cards
Average speed140.293 mph (225.780 km/h)
Pole position Parnelli Jones
Pole speed150.370 mph (241.997 km/h)
Fastest qualifier Parnelli Jones
Rookie of the Year Jim McElreath
Most laps led Parnelli Jones (120)
Pre-race ceremonies
National anthem Purdue Band
"Back Home Again in Indiana"C. David Cochard
Starting command Tony Hulman
Pace car Studebaker Lark Daytona Convertible
Pace car driver Sam Hanks
StarterPat Vidan [1]
Honorary referee Robert A. Stranahan, Jr. [1]
Estimated attendance230,000 [2]
TV in the United States
Network N/A
Announcers N/A
Nielsen ratings N/A / N/A
Chronology
PreviousNext
1961 1963

The 46th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Wednesday, May 30, 1962.

Contents

A historic pole day saw Parnelli Jones break the 150 mph (240 km/h) barrier in qualifying. Rodger Ward and Len Sutton finished 1st-2nd for Leader Cards Racing.

The 1962 Indy 500 marked the final 500 wherein the entire 33-car field consisted of U.S.-born participants. It was also the first race held with the track surface paved entirely in asphalt, with just the ceremonial single yard of bricks exposed at the start/finish line.[ citation needed ]

Race schedule

For 1962, the Opening Day of practice was shifted back to Saturday April 28. Time trials were held on the second and third weekends of May, allowing the 500 Festival Open Invitation golf tournament the entire fourth weekend of May. Bump Day was held May 20, ten days prior to the race. Carburetion Day, the final day of practice was held Monday May 28, along with the 500 Festival Parade later that evening.

Race schedule — April/May 1962
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
22
 
23
 
24
 
25
 
26
 
27
 
28
Practice
29
Practice
30
Practice
1
Practice
2
Practice
3
Practice
4
Practice
5
Practice
6
Practice
7
Practice
8
Practice
9
Practice
10
Practice
11
Practice
12
Pole Day
13
Time Trials
14
Practice
15
Practice
16
Practice
17
Practice
18
Practice
19
Time Trials
20
Bump Day
21
 
22
 
23
Pro-Am
24
500 Open
25
500 Open
26
500 Open
27
500 Open
28
Carb Day
29
Meeting
30
Indy 500
31
Banquet
  
ColorNotes
GreenPractice
Dark BlueTime trials
SilverRace day
BlankNo track activity

Time trials

Time trials were scheduled for four days.

Starting grid

RowInsideMiddleOutside
198 Flag of the United States.svg Parnelli Jones 3 Flag of the United States.svg Rodger Ward  W 54 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Marshman
27 Flag of the United States.svg Len Sutton 1 Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt  W 4 Flag of the United States.svg Shorty Templeman
315 Flag of the United States.svg Jim McElreath  R 34 Flag of the United States.svg Dan Gurney  R 17 Flag of the United States.svg Roger McCluskey
45 Flag of the United States.svg Bud Tingelstad 14 Flag of the United States.svg Don Branson 27 Flag of the United States.svg Don Davis
59 Flag of the United States.svg Dick Rathmann 62 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Russo 18 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Grim
619 Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Hulse  R 21 Flag of the United States.svg Elmer George 32 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Johnson
796 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Veith 88 Flag of the United States.svg Gene Hartley 67 Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Rodee  R 
883 Flag of the United States.svg Allen Crowe  R 44 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Rathmann  W 12 Flag of the United States.svg Lloyd Ruby
945 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Turner 53 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Goldsmith 2 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Sachs
1038 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Boyd 91 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Hurtubise 26 Flag of the United States.svg Troy Ruttman  W 
1129 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Christie 86 Flag of the United States.svg Ebb Rose 79 Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Daywalt
R Indianapolis 500 rookie
W Indianapolis 500 winner

Alternates

Failed to qualify

Race recap

First half

Parnelli Jones took the lead at the start, and led the first 59 laps. The first incident on the track occurred on lap 17. A four-car crash in turn four involved Jack Turner, Bob Christie, Allen Crowe, and Chuck Rodee. A lengthy yellow light period was needed to clean up the incident.

Second half

Rodger Ward led the final 31 laps en route to victory. It was his second 500 win, after winning also in 1959. His Leader Cards teammate Len Sutton finished second, accomplishing the first team "sweep" of 1st-2nd since the Blue Crown team did it in 1947 and 1948.

After dominating much of the early race, Parnelli Jones, who started on the pole and led 120 laps, finished 7th. Jones chances for victory faded around the lap 125 mark when he lost his brakes. Unable to easily bring his car to a halt during pit stops, his crew put out tires so he could bump up against them or ride over them in order to help stop the car.

Box score

FinishStartNoNameChassisEngineQualLapsStatus
123 Flag of the United States.svg Rodger Ward  W  Watson Offenhauser 149.371200Running
247 Flag of the United States.svg Len Sutton Watson Offenhauser 149.328200Running
3272 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Sachs Ewing Offenhauser 146.431200Running
41227 Flag of the United States.svg Don Davis Lesovsky Offenhauser 147.209200Running
5354 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Marshman Epperly Offenhauser 149.347200Running
6715 Flag of the United States.svg Jim McElreath  R  Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 149.025200Running
7198 Flag of the United States.svg Parnelli Jones Watson Offenhauser 150.370200Running
82412 Flag of the United States.svg Lloyd Ruby Watson Offenhauser 146.520200Running
92344 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Rathmann  W  Watson Offenhauser 146.610200Running
102838 Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Boyd Epperly Offenhauser 147.047200Running
1164 Flag of the United States.svg Shorty Templeman Watson Offenhauser 149.050200Running
121114 Flag of the United States.svg Don Branson Epperly Offenhauser 147.312200Running
132991 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Hurtubise Watson Offenhauser 146.963200Running
143286 Flag of the United States.svg Ebb Rose Porter Offenhauser 146.336200Running
15105 Flag of the United States.svg Bud Tingelstad Phillips Offenhauser 147.753200Running
16917 Flag of the United States.svg Roger McCluskey Watson Offenhauser 147.759168Spun T2
171721 Flag of the United States.svg Elmer George
(Paul Russo Laps 53–126)
(A. J. Foyt Laps 127–147)
Lesovsky Offenhauser 146.092147Engine
183026 Flag of the United States.svg Troy Ruttman  W  Kuzma Offenhauser 146.765140Piston
191518 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Grim Trevis Offenhauser 146.60496Oil Leak
20834 Flag of the United States.svg Dan Gurney  R  Thompson Buick 147.88692Rear End
211619 Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Hulse  R  Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 146.37791Fuel Pump
223379 Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Daywalt Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 146.31874Transmission
2351 Flag of the United States.svg A. J. Foyt  W  Trevis Offenhauser 149.07469Lost wheel
24139 Flag of the United States.svg Dick Rathmann Watson Offenhauser 147.16151Magneto
251832 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Johnson Trevis Offenhauser 146.59238Magneto
262653 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Goldsmith Epperly Offenhauser 146.43726Magneto
272088 Flag of the United States.svg Gene Hartley
(Bill Cheesbourg Laps 21–23)
Watson Offenhauser 146.96923Steering
281462 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Russo Watson Offenhauser 146.68720Piston
292545 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Turner Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 146.49617Crash FS
303129 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Christie Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser 146.34117Crash FS
312283 Flag of the United States.svg Allen Crowe  R  Watson Offenhauser 146.83117Crash FS
322167 Flag of the United States.svg Chuck Rodee  R  Christensen Offenhauser 146.96917Crash FS
331996 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Veith Elder Offenhauser 146.15712Engine
Sources: [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

Broadcasting

Radio

The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network. Sid Collins served as chief announcer. Fred Agabashian served as "driver expert." Newcomer Howdy Bell joined the crew, serving as a turn reporter. It was his first of over 40 years with the network. Turn reporter Mike Ahern, who debuted on the radio crew a year earlier, missed the 1962 race due to being in the Army. [11] He would return in 1963.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network
Booth AnnouncersTurn Reporters Pit/garage reporters

Chief Announcer: Sid Collins
Driver expert: Fred Agabashian
Statistician: Charlie Brockman

Turn 1: Bill Frosh
Turn 2: Howdy Bell  R 
Backstretch: Bernie Herman
Turn 3: Lou Palmer
Turn 4: Jim Shelton

Jack Shapiro (north)
Luke Walton (center)
John Peterson (south)

Television

Highlights of the time trials were shown on ABC's "Wide World Of Sports".

Notes

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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. Campbell, Don G. (May 31, 1962). "500 Crowd is Star Of Own Show". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 19, 2006. Network Indiana.
  4. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  5. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 8, 2011. WFNI.
  6. "1962 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  7. Davidson, Donald; Shaffer, Rick (2013). Autocourse Official History of the Indianapolis 500 (Second ed.). Malvern, Worcestershire, England: Icon Publishing. p. 374. ISBN   978-1-905334-82-7 via Internet Archive.
  8. Popely, Rick; Riggs, L. Spencer (1998). Indianapolis 500 Chronicle . Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International. p. 167. ISBN   0-7853-2798-3 via Internet Archive.
  9. "1962 Indianapolis 500". Racing-Reference. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
  10. "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1962". ChampCarStats.com.
  11. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. September 6, 2018. WFNI.

Works cited

1961 Indianapolis 500
A. J. Foyt
1962 Indianapolis 500
Rodger Ward
1963 Indianapolis 500
Parnelli Jones
Preceded by
139.130 mph
(1961 Indianapolis 500)
Record for the fastest average speed
140.293 mph
Succeeded by