1939 Indianapolis 500

The 27th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1939. The race was won by the number two car of Wilbur Shaw, who started in the third position, driving a Maserati 8CTF.[3] The race was notable for a three car accident on lap 109, when Floyd Roberts, the reigning champion, was killed when his car went through the wooden outer wall at over 100 miles (160 km) an hour at the backstretch.[4] In Louis Meyer's final Indy 500, he too would crash at the backstretch at over 100 miles (160 km) an hour, but he walked away unharmed.

27th Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning bodyAAA
DateMay 30, 1939
WinnerWilbur Shaw
Winning EntrantBoyle Racing Headquarters
Average speed115.035 mph (185.131 km/h)
Pole positionJimmy Snyder
Pole speed130.138 mph (209.437 km/h)
Most laps ledLouis Meyer (79)
Pre-race
Pace carBuick Roadmaster 80
Pace car driverCharles Chayne
StarterSeth Klein[1]
Honorary refereePaul G. Hoffman[1]
Estimated attendance145,000[2]
Chronology
Previous Next
1938 1940

Time trials

Ten-lap qualifying runs were eliminated for 1939, and the distance reverted to four-lap (10 mile) runs. This change was made permanent, and four-lap runs have been used ever since.

Floyd Roberts crash

With Roberts on lap 109, the car driven by Bob Swanson lost control and went sideways. Roberts' car contacted Swanson's, causing Swanson's car to eject Swanson, flip over, and catch fire, while Roberts' car went through the outer wall. Attempting to avoid the accident, Chet Miller swerved into the debris field. His car flipped, and went into the inner wall. Two spectators were also injured by flying debris. The three drivers were taken to hospitals, while it took over 30 minutes to clear the burning wreck of Swanson's car from the track. Roberts death due to brain injuries was announced before the race was completed.[5]

First rear-engined car

George Bailey became the first driver to compete with a rear-engined car in the Indianapolis 500 when he contested the 1939 race in a Gulf-Miller.[6]

Results
Finish Start No Name Qual Rank Laps Led Status
1 3 2 Wilbur Shaw  W  128.977 4 200 51 Running
2 1 10 Jimmy Snyder 130.138 1 200 65 Running
3 10 54 Cliff Bergere 123.835 15 200 0 Running
4 4 4 Ted Horn 127.723 6 200 4 Running
5 16 31 Babe Stapp 125.000 12 200 0 Running
6 15 41 George Barringer 120.935 28 200 0 Running
7 20 8 Joel Thorne 122.177 23 200 0 Running
8 8 16 Mauri Rose 124.896 13 200 0 Running
9 17 14 Frank Wearne 125.074 11 200 0 Running
10 33 26 Billy Devore 116.527 33 200 0 Running
11 27 62 Tony Gulotta 121.749 24 200 0 Running
12 2 45 Louis Meyer  W  130.067 2 197 79 Crash BS
13 12 18 George Connor 123.208 19 195 0 Stalled
14 26 51 Tony Willman 122.771 21 188 0 Fuel pump
15 30 58 Louis Tomei 118.426 30 186 0 Flagged
16 19 15 Rex Mays 126.413 7 145 1 Rings
17 9 9 Herb Ardinger 124.125 14 141 0 Clutch
18 24 35 Kelly Petillo  W  123.660 16 141 0 Pistons
19 14 49 Mel Hansen  R  121.683 25 113 0 Crash Pits
20 32 38 Harry McQuinn 117.287 32 110 0 Ignition
21 5 3 Chet Miller 126.318 8 109 0 Crash BS
22 13 25 Ralph Hepburn 122.204 22 107 0 Crash BS
23 23 1 Floyd Roberts  W  ✝ 128.968 5 106 0 Crash BS
24 18 37 Ira Hall 121.188 27 89 0 Head gasket
25 25 21 Russ Snowberger 123.199 20 50 0 Radiator
26 6 17 George Bailey 125.821 9 47 0 Valve
27 29 56 Floyd Davis 119.375 29 43 0 Shock absorber
28 28 42 Al Miller 123.233 18 41 0 Accelerator
29 11 29 Frank Brisko 123.351 17 38 0 Air pump
30 21 44 Emil Andres 121.212 26 22 0 Spark plugs
31 22 32 Bob Swanson 129.431 3 19 0 Rear axle
32 7 47 Shorty Cantlon 125.567 10 15 0 Main bearing
33 31 53 Deacon Litz 117.979 31 7 0 Valve
[7]

Alternates

Failed to Qualify

See also

References
  1. 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. Brooks, Ralph L. (May 31, 1939). "Oh, Yes, the Crowd! It Was There Too; 145,000 of It and All Well-Red". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-05-14. Retrieved 2008-06-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "Wilbur Shaw Wins. Floyd Roberts Dies". Associated Press. May 31, 1939. Retrieved 2012-10-08. Shaw swept through a trail of death and destruction Tuesday to win the twenty-seventh running of the Indianapolis motor speedway 500 mile race and stand ...
  5. Reginald Cleveland (May 31, 1939). "Roberts, 1938 Victor, Dies in Triple Crash as Shaw Takes Indianapolis Race. Just After Accident At Indianapolis And Finish Of The Race". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-10-08. Death in the afternoon struck at the twenty-seventh running of the 500 mile Speedway race today as Wilbur Shaw of Indianapolis, who won in 1938 ... Floyd Roberts, last year's popular victor, died in the Methodist Hospital ....
  6. George Bailey, indymotorspeedway.com Retrieved 7 December 2015
  7. "Indianapolis 500 1939". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on January 17, 2012. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  8. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  9. "1939 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
1938 Indianapolis 500
Floyd Roberts		 1939 Indianapolis 500
Wilbur Shaw		 1940 Indianapolis 500
Wilbur Shaw
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