1954 Indianapolis 500

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.

1954 Indianapolis 500
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Winning car of the 1954 Indianapolis 500
Race details
Date 31 May 1954 (1954-05-31)
Official name 38th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes
Location Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.023 km (2.5 miles)
Distance 200 laps, 804.672 km (500 miles)
Weather Very hot and sunny
Attendance 175,000[1]
Pole position
Driver
Jack Hinkle
Time 4:15.26 (4 laps)
Podium
First
Howard B. Keck
Second
Dean Van Lines
Third
Jack Hinkle

Time trials

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

Starting grid

 R  = Indianapolis 500 rookie;  W  = Former Indianapolis 500 winner

Row Inside Middle Outside
1 2 Jack McGrath 19 Jimmy Daywalt 9 Jimmy Bryan
2 43 Johnny Thomson 98 Chuck Stevenson 7 Don Freeland
3 25 Jimmy Reece 16 Duane Carter 17 Bob Sweikert
4 1 Sam Hanks 34 Troy Ruttman  W  35 Pat O'Connor  R 
5 24 Cal Niday 73 Mike Nazaruk 15 Johnnie Parsons  W 
6 12 Rodger Ward 31 Gene Hartley 51 Bill Homeier  R 
7 14 Bill Vukovich  W  32 Ernie McCoy 10 Tony Bettenhausen
8 88 Manny Ayulo 74 Andy Linden 77 Fred Agabashian
9 28 Larry Crockett  R  33 Len Duncan  R  45 Art Cross
10 38 Jim Rathmann 65 Spider Webb 99 Jerry Hoyt
11 27 Ed Elisian  R  5 Paul Russo 71 Frank Armi  R 

Alternates
  • First alternate: Eddie Johnson (#26)[2] — Johnson drove relief during the race

Failed to qualify

Race summary

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. Sadly Vukovich died the following year attempting to win his third consecutive Indy 500. The race reportedly went 110 laps before the first yellow light.[4]

Box score
Pos Grid No Driver Constructor Qual Rank Laps Led Time/Retired Points
1 19 14 Bill Vukovich  W  Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.47 14 200 90 3:49:17.27 8
2 3 9 Jimmy Bryan Kuzma-Offenhauser 139.66 5 200 46 + 1:09.95 6
3 1 2 Jack McGrath Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 141.03 1 200 47 + 1:19.73 51
4 11 34 Troy Ruttman  W 
(Relieved by Duane Carter)		 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.73 31 200 0 + 2:52.68 1.5
1.5
5 14 73 Mike Nazaruk Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.58 6 200 0 + 3:24.55 2
6 24 77 Fred Agabashian Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.74 30 200 0 + 3:47.55  
7 6 7 Don Freeland Phillips-Offenhauser 138.33 16 200 0 + 4:13.35  
8 32 5 Paul Russo
(Relieved by Jerry Hoyt)		 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.67 32 200 0 + 5:01.17  
9 25 28 Larry Crockett  R  Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.55 8 200 0 + 7:07.24  
10 13 24 Cal Niday Stevens-Offenhauser 139.82 3 200 0 + 7:07.69  
11 27 45 Art Cross
(Relieved by Johnnie Parsons)
(Relieved by Sam Hanks)
(Relieved by Andy Linden)
(Relieved by Jimmy Davies)		 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.67 13 200 8 + 8:22.19  
12 5 98 Chuck Stevenson
(Relieved by Walt Faulkner)		 Kuzma-Offenhauser 138.77 12 199 0 + 1 Lap  
13 22 88 Manny Ayulo Kuzma-Offenhauser 138.16 22 197 0 + 3 Laps  
14 9 17 Bob Sweikert Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.20 21 197 0 + 3 Laps  
15 8 16 Duane Carter
(Relieved by Marshall Teague)
(Relieved by Jimmy Jackson)
(Relieved by Tony Bettenhausen)		 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.23 19 196 0 + 4 Laps  
16 20 32 Ernie McCoy Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.41 15 194 0 + 6 Laps  
17 7 25 Jimmy Reece Pankratz-Offenhauser 138.31 17 194 0 + 6 Laps  
18 31 27 Ed Elisian  R 
(Relieved by Bob Scott)		 Stevens-Offenhauser 137.79 29 193 0 + 7 Laps  
19 33 71 Frank Armi  R 
(Relieved by George Fonder)		 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.67 33 193 0 + 7 Laps  
20 10 1 Sam Hanks
(Relieved by Jimmy Davies)
(Relieved by Jim Rathmann)		 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.99 25 191 1 Spun Off  
21 12 35 Pat O'Connor  R  Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.08 23 181 0 Spun Off  
22 16 12 Rodger Ward
(Relieved by Eddie Johnson)		 Pawl-Offenhauser 139.92 2 172 0 Retirement  
23 17 31 Gene Hartley
(Relieved by Marshall Teague)		 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.06 10 168 0 Clutch  
24 4 43 Johnny Thomson
(Relieved by Andy Linden)
(Relieved by Jimmy Daywalt)		 Nichels-Offenhauser 138.78 11 165 0 Retirement  
25 23 74 Andy Linden
(Relieved by Bob Scott)		 Schroeder-Offenhauser 137.82 27 165 0 Suspension  
26 30 99 Jerry Hoyt Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.82 28 130 0 Engine  
27 2 19 Jimmy Daywalt Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.78 4 111 8 Accident  
28 28 38 Jim Rathmann
(Relieved by Pat Flaherty)		 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.22 20 110 0 Accident  
29 21 10 Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.27 18 105 0 Wheel Bearing  
30 29 65 Spider Webb
(Relieved by Danny Kladis)		 Bromme-Offenhauser 137.97 26 104 0 Fuel pump  
31 26 33 Len Duncan  R 
(Relieved by George Fonder)		 Schroeder-Offenhauser 139.21 9 101 0 Brakes  
32 15 15 Johnnie Parsons  W  Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.57 7 79 0 Engine  
33 18 51 Bill Homeier  R  Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.00 24 74 0 Accident  
Notes
  • ^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lead lap

Additional stats
  • 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.

Broadcasting

Radio

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.[4]

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 AnnouncersTurn ReportersPit/garage reporters

Chief Announcer: Sid Collins
Color: Charlie Brockman

South Turns: Bill Frosch
Backstretch: Jack Shapiro
North Turns: E. Z. Gwynn

 Luke Walton (north pits)
Greg Smith (south pits)

Championship standings after the race
World Drivers' Championship standings
Pos Driver Points
1 Juan Manuel Fangio 8
16 2 Bill Vukovich 8
1 3 Nino Farina 6
14 4 Jimmy Bryan 6
2 5 José Froilán González 5
Source: [5]
  • Note: Only the top five positions are included.
  • 1954 winning car

References
  1. Campbell, Don G. (June 1, 1954). "Even Weather Co-Operates At Speedway". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. The Talk of Gasoline Alley – 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  3. "1954 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  4. "Heroes of the 500: The 1954 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast" – WIBC, May 2014
  5. "Indianapolis 1954 - Championship • STATS F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
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