1954 Indianapolis 500
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates
Template:Infobox Indy500 1911to1941
The 38th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1954. The event was part of the 1954 AAA National Championship Trail, and was also race 2 of 9 in the 1954 World Championship of Drivers.
Time trialsEdit
Time trials was scheduled for four days.
- Saturday May 15 – Pole Day time trials
- Sunday May 16 – Second day time trials
- Saturday May 22 – Third day time trials
- Sunday May 23 – Fourth day time trials
Bob Scott Qualifying RunEdit
Late in the afternoon on the final day of time trials, Bob Scott was bumped from the field. With help from his friend Bob Sweikert, Scott was able to find a new car to qualify, the number 18 owned by Ray Brady. With only minutes left in time trials, Scott went on track to qualify. His first three laps were fast enough to bump into the starting lineup. As the sun was setting low in the sky, Scott was unable to see the flag waved by the flagman, having lost track of how many laps he had run, and mistook the white flag for the checkered flag. He also saw Sweikert waving his hands over his head, thinking Sweikert was congratulating him on the completion of his run. After only three of four required laps, Scott slowed and returned to the pits, thinking his run was over.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref> Upon his return to the pits, Scott was informed what had happened. Scott and Sweikert were left in tears over the disappointment and realization over how much money was lost by missing the race.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref> Scott died in a crash at Darlington Raceway over a month later.
Starting gridEdit
Template:Color box = Indianapolis 500 rookie; Template:Color box = Former Indianapolis 500 winner
AlternatesEdit
- First alternate: Eddie Johnson (#26)<ref>The Talk of Gasoline Alley – 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004</ref> — Johnson drove relief during the race
Failed to qualifyEdit
- Henry Banks (#26) - Retired
- Joe Barzda Template:Color box(#54)
- Bill Boyd Template:Color box (#47)
- Wally Campbell Template:Color box (#66, #81) - Failed rookie test
- Bob Christie Template:Color box (#66)
- George Connor (#27, #32) - Retired
- Ray Crawford Template:Color box (#32) - Entry declined
- Jimmy Davies (#53)
- Billy Devore (#93)
- Duke Dinsmore (#62, #67)
- Walt Faulkner (#44, #97)
- Pat Flaherty (#39, #76, #89)
- Johnny Fedricks Template:Color box (#89)
- George Fonder (#33, #36)
- Potsy Goacher Template:Color box (#67)
- Cliff Griffith (#22)
- Al Herman Template:Color box (#36)
- Bill Holland Template:Color box#38)
- Frank Mundy Template:Color box (#41)
- Duke Nalon (#8)
- Danny Oakes Template:Color box (#47, #49)
- Eddie Russo Template:Color box (#37)
- Eddie Sachs Template:Color box (#54)
- Bob Scott (#18, #21)
- Joe Sostilio Template:Color box (#45)
- Marshall Teague (#3)
- George Tichenor Template:Color box (#22)
- Johnnie Tolan Template:Color box (#69)
- Lee WallardTemplate:Color box(#99) - Retired
- Leroy Warriner (#67) - Withdrew, injured
- Chuck Weyant Template:Color box (#52)<ref name="champcarstats">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Template:Div col end
Race summaryEdit
Bill Vukovich had to work much harder in this race due to his car was now 2 years old and the team had trouble getting it up to speed leading to a 19th place starting spot inside of row 7 for the race. Vukovich did not see the lead until lap 61 when he led 1 lap. He then after losing positions during pitstops worked his way forward, seeing the lead again on lap 92 leading for the next 38 laps until falling back due to another round of pitstops. Then Vukovich took the lead for good on 150 to win his second consecutive 500, setting a record (at the time) 130.840 mph average race speed. The record would stand until the 1957 Indianapolis 500. Vukovich died the following year attempting to win his third consecutive Indy 500.
Box scoreEdit
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Color box Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Template:Color box Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
<templatestyles src="Citation/styles.css"/>^1{{#if:| }} – Includes 1 point for fastest lead lap
Race statisticsEdit
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-break
| Lap Leaders | |
|---|---|
| Laps | Leader |
| 1–44 | Jack McGrath |
| 45–50 | Jimmy Daywalt |
| 51–54 | Art Cross |
| 55 | Jimmy Daywalt |
| 56–59 | Art Cross |
| 60 | Jimmy Daywalt |
| 61 | Bill Vukovich |
| 62 | Sam Hanks |
| 63–88 | Jimmy Bryan |
| 89–91 | Jack McGrath |
| 92–129 | Bill Vukovich |
| 130–149 | Jimmy Bryan |
| 150–200 | Bill Vukovich |
| Total laps led | |
|---|---|
| Driver | Laps |
| Bill Vukovich | 90 |
| Jack McGrath | 47 |
| Jimmy Bryan | 46 |
| Art Cross | 8 |
| Jimmy Daywalt | 8 |
| Sam Hanks | 1 |
| Yellow Lights: 21 minutes, 16 seconds | |
|---|---|
| Laps* | Reason |
| 55 | Troy Ruttman spin in turn 3 (1:01) |
| 111–115 | Jimmy Daywalt, Pat Flaherty crash in turn 4 (12:25) |
| 183–190 | Pat O'Connor spin in turn 2; Rain & wind (6:37) |
| 197 | Jim Rathmann spin on mainstretch (1:13) |
| * – Approximate lap counts<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref> | |
Additional statsEdit
- Pole position: Jack McGrath – 4:15.26 (4 laps)
- Pole Speed: 141.033 mph (average for 4 laps)
- Fastest Lead Lap: Jack McGrath – 1:04.04 (140.540 mph)
- Relief drivers:
- Troy Ruttman (130 laps) & Duane Carter (70) shared car no 34. Shared points for 4th position.
- Paul Russo (150) & Jerry Hoyt (50) shared car no 5.
- Art Cross (120), Jimmie Davies (30), Johnnie Parsons (22), Andy Linden (17) & Sam Hanks (11) shared car no 45.
- Chuck Stevenson (82), Walt Faulkner (117) shared car no 98.
- Duane Carter (76), Jimmy Jackson (57), Tony Bettenhausen (34) & Marshall Teague (29) shared car no 16.
- Ed Elisian (148) & Bob Scott (45) shared car no 27.
- Frank Armi (179) & George Fonder (14) shared car no 71.
- Sam Hanks (112), Jimmie Davies (36) & Jim Rathmann (43) shared car no 1.
- Rodger Ward (105) & Eddie Johnson (67) shared car no 12.
- Gene Hartley (151) & Marshall Teague (17) shared car no 31.
- Andy Linden (113) & Bob Scott (52) shared car no 74.
- Johnny Thomson (113), Andy Linden (27) & Jimmy Daywalt (25) shared car no 43.
- Jim Rathmann (95) & Pat Flaherty (15) shared car no 38.
- Spider Webb (54) & Danny Kladis (50) shared car no 65.
- Len Duncan (43) & George Fonder (58) shared car no 33.
- It was the first Indy 500 where the entire field on race day had Offenhauser engines.
BroadcastingEdit
RadioEdit
The race was carried live flag-to-flag on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network. It was the second time the race was carried in its entirety. The broadcast was anchored by Sid Collins, his third as chief announcer, and seventh year overall with the crew. Charlie Brockman served as booth analyst and statistician, and also reported from victory lane.<ref name="Heroes">"Heroes of the 500: The 1954 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast" – WIBC, May 2014</ref> For the first time ever, a female reporter was part of the radio crew. Paula Carr of WIRE served as a roving reporter, interviewing celebrities and other special guests.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref>
Of note, the network expanded its coverage to include four qualifying wrap-up shows during time trials weekends.
The network expanded to include four qualifying wrap-up shows, and the number of affiliate stations increased to 210. All five major radio stations in Indianapolis carried the broadcast. The 1954 broadcast is notable in that it featured for the first time the famous phrase "Stay tuned for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Due to the increased number of affiliates at the time, the network needed a scripted "out-cue" to alert producers when to manually insert local commercials. A young WIBC marketing staff member named Alice Greene (née Bunger) is credited with inventing the phrase, and chief announcer Sid Collins coined it on-air. It has been used ever since, with all of the chief announcers proudly reciting it during their respective tenures.
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth Announcers | Turn Reporters | Pit/garage reporters |
|
South Turns: Bill Frosch |
Luke Walton (north pits) Greg Smith (south pits) Dick Lingle Paula Carr | |
World Drivers' ChampionshipEdit
Template:Infobox Grand Prix race report
BackgroundEdit
The Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Championship of Drivers from 1950 through 1960. The race was sanctioned by AAA through 1955, and then by USAC beginning in 1956. At the time the new world championship was announced and first organized by the CSI, the United States did not yet have a Grand Prix. Indianapolis Motor Speedway vice president and general manager Theodore E. "Pop" Meyers lobbied that the Indianapolis 500 be selected as the race to represent the country and to pay points towards the world championship.<ref name="TOGA 5-23-07">Template:Cite episode</ref><ref name="TOGA 5-19-16">Template:Cite episode</ref>
Drivers competing at the Indianapolis 500 in 1950 through 1960 were credited with participation in and earned points towards the World Championship of Drivers.<ref name="TOGA 5-05-12">Template:Cite episode</ref> However, the machines competing at Indianapolis were not necessarily run to Formula One specifications and regulations.<ref name="Capps 2000">Template:Cite journal</ref> The drivers also earned separate points (on a different scale) towards the respective AAA or USAC national championships. No points, however, were awarded by the FIA towards the World Constructors Championship.
SummaryEdit
The 1954 Indianapolis 500 was round 2 of 9 on the 1954 World Championship. The event, however, failed to attract interest from any of the regular competitors on the Grand Prix circuit. Race winner Bill Vukovich earned 8 points towards the World Championship. Despite not competing in any of the other World Championship events, he finished sixth in the final season standings.
World Drivers' Championship standings after the raceEdit
| Pos | Driver | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 1 | Template:Flagicon Juan Manuel Fangio | 8 | |
| File:1uparrow green.svg 16 | 2 | Template:Flagicon Bill Vukovich | 8 | |
| File:1downarrow red.svg 1 | 3 | Template:Flagicon Nino Farina | 6 | |
| File:1uparrow green.svg 14 | 4 | Template:Flagicon Jimmy Bryan | 6 | |
| File:1downarrow red.svg 2 | 5 | Template:Flagicon José Froilán González | 5 | |
| Source:<ref name="Championship standings">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |||
- Note: Only the top five positions are included.
AAA Championship car standings after the raceEdit
| Pos | Driver | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 1 | Template:Flagicon Bill Vukovich | 1,000 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 2 | Template:Flagicon Jimmy Bryan | 800 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 3 | Template:Flagicon Jack McGrath | 700 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 4 | Template:Flagicon Mike Nazaruk | 500 |
| File:1rightarrow blue.svg | 5 | Template:Flagicon Fred Agabashian | 400 |
| Source:<ref name="champcarstats" /> | |||
- Note: Only the top five positions are included.
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats – Official Site
- 1954 Indianapolis 500 at RacingReference.info (Relief driver statistics)
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