The 34th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1950. The event was sanctioned by the AAA and served as the premier event on the calendar of the 1950 AAA National Championship Trail. For the first time, the race was included as a points-paying event towards the FIA-sanctioned World Drivers' Championship. The race was originally scheduled for 200 laps (500 miles), but was stopped after 138 laps (345 miles) due to rain.
 | |||||
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | AAA | ||||
| Date | May 30, 1950 | ||||
| Winner | Johnnie Parsons | ||||
| Winning Entrant | Frank Kurtis | ||||
| Average speed | 124.002 mph (199.562 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position | Walt Faulkner | ||||
| Pole speed | 134.343 mph (216.204 km/h) | ||||
| Most laps led | Johnnie Parsons (115) | ||||
| Pre-race | |||||
| Pace car | Mercury | ||||
| Pace car driver | Benson Ford | ||||
| Starter | Seth Klein[1] | ||||
| Honorary referee | Clarence Beesmyer[1] | ||||
| Estimated attendance | 175,000[2] | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
| |||||
A rumor circulated in racing circles during and after this race that Johnnie Parsons's team discovered an irreparable crack in the engine block on race morning. The discovery supposedly precipitated Parsons to charge for the lap leader prizes.[3] Presumably, he set his sights on leading as many laps as possible before the engine inevitably was to fail. Furthermore, the race ending early due to rain supposedly saved Parsons's day allowing him to secure the victory before the engine let go. However, the engine block crack was proved to be an urban myth,[4] and it was said to be a very minor but acceptable level of porosity, which did not significantly affect the performance.
Parsons's win saw him score 9 points and move to a temporary first-place tie (after 3 races on the Formula One season calendar) in the first ever World Drivers' Championship, alongside Nino Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio, and also saw him become the first American to win a World Championship race. Parsons is one of only three drivers to have won his first World Championship race, the other two being Farina, who won the first World Championship race (the 1950 British Grand Prix, 17 days earlier) and Giancarlo Baghetti, who won the 1961 French Grand Prix. Despite the 500 being his only race in the 1950 World Championship, it would be enough to see him finish the championship 6th in points.
During the month, Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck were at the track to film scenes for the film To Please a Lady. Stanwyck was on hand in victory lane after the race for the traditional celebratory kiss to the winner. During 1951 a young Mario Andretti saw the film in his native Italy - where it was titled Indianapolis - an event which exposed the future Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time National Champion to the race for the first time.[5]
Time trials
edit
Time trials was scheduled for six days.
- Saturday May 13: Walt Faulkner won the pole position with a record run of 134.343 mph.
- Sunday May 14
- Saturday May 20: The third day of time trials saw six cars complete runs. Bayliss Levrett (131.181 mph) was the fastest of the afternoon. Charles Van Acker was ruled physically disqualified, after a crash he suffered at the Speedway from 1949.[6]
- Sunday May 21
- Saturday May 27: The day began with 11 spots open in the grid.[7]
- Sunday May 28: Only one driver managed to bump his way into the field. Johnny McDowell bumped Cliff Griffith, while 15 other cars failed to make the field. The two Novi entries failed to qualify – Chet Miller had engine trouble in one of the cars, while the other snapped a supercharger shaft. Rain and two crashes cut the track time to less than three hours. Cy Marshall was among the few left in line when time trials closed at 6 p.m.[8]
Starting grid
edit| Row | Inside | Middle | Outside | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98 |  Walt Faulkner R
|
28 | Fred Agabashian
|
31 | Mauri Rose W
|
| 2 | 5 | George Connor
|
1 | Johnnie Parsons
|
49 | Jack McGrath
|
| 3 | 69 | Duke Dinsmore
|
14 | Tony Bettenhausen
|
17 | Joie Chitwood
|
| 4 | 3 | Bill Holland W
|
59 | Pat Flaherty R
|
54 | Cecil Green R
|
| 5 | 18 | Duane Carter
|
21 | Spider Webb
|
81 | Jerry Hoyt R
|
| 6 | 2 | Myron Fohr
|
24 | Bayliss Levrett
|
45 | Dick Rathmann R
|
| 7 | 7 | Paul Russo
|
4 | Walt Brown
|
12 | Henry Banks
|
| 8 | 67 | Bill Schindler R
|
8 | Lee Wallard
|
55 | Troy Ruttman
|
| 9 | 23 | Sam Hanks
|
15 | Mack Hellings
|
22 | Jimmy Davies R
|
| 10 | 76 | Jim Rathmann
|
27 | Walt Ader R
|
77 | Jackie Holmes
|
| 11 | 75 | Gene Hartley R
|
61 | Jimmy Jackson
|
62 | Johnny McDowell
|
Box score
edit| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Constructor | Qual | Rank | Laps | Time/Retired | Points | WDC Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 1 | Johnnie Parsons
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 132.04 | 8 | 138 | 2:46:55.97 | 690 | 91 |
| 2 | 10 | 3 | Bill Holland W
|
Diedt-Offenhauser | 130.48 | 21 | 137 | - 1 Lap | 552 | 6 |
| 3 | 3 | 31 | Mauri Rose W
|
Diedt-Offenhauser | 132.31 | 6 | 137 | - 1 Lap | 483 | 4 |
| 4 | 12 | 54 | Cecil Green R
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 132.91 | 2 | 137 | - 1 Lap | 414 | 3 |
| 5 | 9 | 17 | Joie Chitwood (Tony Bettenhausen Laps 86–136) |
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 130.75 | 19 | 136 | - 2 Laps | 217.5 127.5 |
1 1 |
| 6 | 23 | 8 | Lee Wallard
|
Moore-Offenhauser | 132.43 | 5 | 136 | - 2 Laps | 276 | |
| 7 | 1 | 98 | Walt Faulkner R
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 134.34 | 1 | 135 | - 3 Laps | 207 | |
| 8 | 4 | 5 | George Connor
|
Lesovsky-Offenhauser | 132.16 | 7 | 135 | - 3 Laps | 172.5 | |
| 9 | 19 | 7 | Paul Russo
|
Nichels-Offenhauser | 130.79 | 18 | 135 | - 3 Laps | 138 | |
| 10 | 11 | 59 | Pat Flaherty R
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 129.60 | 30 | 135 | - 3 Laps | 103.5 | |
| 11 | 16 | 2 | Myron Fohr
|
Marchese-Offenhauser | 131.71 | 11 | 133 | - 5 Laps | 69 | |
| 12 | 13 | 18 | Duane Carter
|
Stevens-Offenhauser | 131.66 | 12 | 133 | - 5 Laps | 34.5 | |
| 13 | 26 | 15 | Mack Hellings
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 130.68 | 20 | 132 | - 6 Laps | ||
| 14 | 6 | 49 | Jack McGrath
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 131.86 | 10 | 131 | Spun Off | ||
| 15 | 24 | 55 | Troy Ruttman
|
Lesovsky-Offenhauser | 131.91 | 9 | 130 | - 8 Laps | ||
| 16 | 31 | 75 | Gene Hartley R
|
Langley-Offenhauser | 129.21 | 32 | 128 | - 10 Laps | ||
| 17 | 27 | 22 | Jimmy Davies R
|
Ewing-Offenhauser | 130.40 | 23 | 128 | - 10 Laps | ||
| 18 | 33 | 62 | Johnny McDowell
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 129.69 | 27 | 128 | - 10 Laps | ||
| 19 | 20 | 4 | Walt Brown
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 130.45 | 22 | 127 | - 11 Laps | ||
| 20 | 14 | 21 | Spider Webb
|
Maserati-Offenhauser | 129.74 | 26 | 126 | - 12 Laps | ||
| 21 | 15 | 81 | Jerry Hoyt R
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 129.52 | 31 | 125 | - 13 Laps | ||
| 22 | 29 | 27 | Walt Ader R
|
Rae-Offenhauser | 129.94 | 25 | 123 | - 15 Laps | ||
| 23 | 30 | 77 | Jackie Holmes
|
Olson-Offenhauser | 129.69 | 28 | 123 | Spun Off | ||
| 24 | 28 | 76 | Jim Rathmann
|
Wetteroth-Offenhauser | 129.95 | 24 | 122 | - 16 Laps | ||
| 25 | 21 | 12 | Henry Banks (Fred Agabashian Laps 72–112) |
Maserati-Offenhauser | 129.64 | 29 | 112 | Oil Line | ||
| 26 | 22 | 67 | Bill Schindler R
|
Snowberger-Offenhauser | 132.69 | 4 | 111 | Transmission | ||
| 27 | 17 | 24 | Bayliss Levrett (Bill Cantrell Laps 106–108) |
Adams-Offenhauser | 131.18 | 14 | 108 | Oil Pressure | ||
| 28 | 2 | 28 | Fred Agabashian
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 132.79 | 3 | 64 | Oil Leak | ||
| 29 | 32 | 61 | Jimmy Jackson
|
Kurtis Kraft-Cummins | 129.20 | 33 | 52 | Compressor | ||
| 30 | 25 | 23 | Sam Hanks
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 131.59 | 13 | 42 | Oil Pressure | ||
| 31 | 8 | 14 | Tony Bettenhausen
|
Diedt-Offenhauser | 130.94 | 16 | 30 | Wheel Bearing | ||
| 32 | 18 | 45 | Dick Rathmann R
|
Watson-Offenhauser | 130.92 | 17 | 25 | Stalled | ||
| 33 | 7 | 69 | Duke Dinsmore
|
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 131.06 | 15 | 10 | Oil Leak | ||
Source:[9]
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Note: Relief drivers in parentheses[10]
W Former Indianapolis 500 winner
R Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lead lap.
Race statistics
edit
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|
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Notes
edit- Pole position: Walt Faulkner – 4:27.97
- Fastest Lead Lap: Johnnie Parsons – 1:09.77
- Shared drivers:
- Joie Chitwood (82 laps) and Tony Bettenhausen (54 laps), after Bettenhausen retired. Points for 5th position were shared between the drivers.
- Henry Banks (71 laps) and Fred Agabashian (41 laps)
- Bayliss Levrett (105 laps) and Bill Cantrell (3 laps)
- First win for Firestone in the World Championship.
Qualifying
editFirst alternate
edit| No | Driver | Constructor |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Cliff Griffith R [14]
|
Miller-Offenhauser |
Non-qualifiers
editWorld Drivers' Championship
edit| 1950 Indianapolis 500 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race 3 of 7 in the 1950 Formula One season
| |||||
 | |||||
| Race details | |||||
| Date | May 30, 1950 | ||||
| Location |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Speedway, Indiana | ||||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||||
| Course length | 4.023 km (2.500 miles) | ||||
| Distance | 138 laps, 555.224 km (345.000 miles) | ||||
| Scheduled distance | 200 laps, 804.672 km (500.000 miles) | ||||
Background
editThe 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.[15][16]
Drivers competing at the Indianapolis 500 in 1950 through 1960 were credited with participation in and earned points towards the World Championship of Drivers.[17] However, the machines competing at Indianapolis were not necessarily run to Formula One specifications and regulations.[18] 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.
Summary
editThe 1950 Indianapolis 500 was round 3 of 7 on the 1950 World Championship. The event, however, failed to attract significant interest from any of the regular competitors on the Grand Prix circuit. Giuseppe Farina and Franco Rol submitted Maserati entries, but their cars never arrived, and the race took place without any European competitors.[19] Race winner Johnnie Parsons earned 9 points towards the World Championship (8 points for first place, and 1 point for the fastest lap). Despite not competing in any of the other World Championship events, he finished sixth in the final season standings.
Parsons is one of only three drivers to win on their WDC début. The other two are Farina, who won the inaugural World Championship race – the 1950 British Grand Prix, 17 days earlier – and Giancarlo Baghetti, who won the 1961 French Grand Prix.
World Drivers' Championship standings after the race
edit| Change | Pos | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |  Giuseppe Farina
|
9 |
|
|
2 |  Juan Manuel Fangio
|
9 |
 31
|
3 | Johnnie Parsons
|
9 |
 1
|
4 | Luigi Fagioli
|
6 |
| 1
|
5 | Alberto Ascari
|
6 |
- Note: Only the top five positions are listed. Only the best four results counted towards the Championship.
Broadcasting
editRadio
editThe 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. Sid Collins moved into the booth for the first time to serve as analyst, and conducted the victory lane interview at the conclusion of the race. The broadcast feature live coverage of the start, the finish, and live updates throughout the race.
Prior to the race, it was reported that Slater might miss the race, due to illness. WIBC personality Sid Collins was named as a replacement, however, Slater was able to arrive in time for race day. Collins, who had previously served as a turn reporter, was invited to be the co-anchor in the booth.[20] For the first time, Collins interviewed the winner in victory lane at the conclusion of the race. Collins claims he burned his trousers on Parsons's hot exhaust pipe during the interview, which took place in the rain.
Because the race was shortened, Mutual had to interrupt Queen for a Day to cover the finish of the abbreviated event. This was cited by some as a reason why the Speedway would begin flag-to-flag coverage in 1953.
| Mutual Broadcasting System | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth Announcers | Turn Reporters | Pit reporters |
|
South turns: Easy Gwynn |
Gordon Graham Sid Collins (victory lane) | |
Television
editThe race was carried live for the second year in a row on local television on WFBM-TV channel 6 of Indianapolis. Earl Townsend, Jr. was the announcer, along with Dick Pittenger and Paul Roberts. After the race, Speedway management disallowed WFBM from broadcasting the race live again, feeling that gate attendance had been negatively affected.
| WFBM-TV | |
|---|---|
| Play-by-play | Pit reporters |
| Paul Roberts | |
References
edit
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ "Parsons Sets Record As Rain Halts 500-Mile Speedway Race". The Cincinnati Enquirer. May 31, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Great Moments From the Indy 500" (VanCamp's Pork and Beans Presents/Freetwood Sounds), 1975
- ^ "The Talk of Gasoline Alley" – WFNI, May 20, 2012
- ^ Oreovicz, John (2021). Indy Split: The Big Money Battle that Nearly Destroyed Indy Racing. Austin, TX: Octane Press. p. 365. ISBN 978-1-64234-056-3.
- ^ Vet Van Acker Is Ruled Out (May 22, 1950)
- ^ Speedway Qualifications End Tomorrow; 11 Vacancies
- ^ One Change In Lineup For Big Race (May 29, 1950)
- ^ "1950 Indianapolis 500". formula1.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
- ^ "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1950". ChampCarStats.com.
- ^ Sansbury, Ed (May 30, 1959). "Rain Calls For End Of Classic After 138 Laps". Tucson Citizen. p. 1. Retrieved April 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ O'Brien, J.E. (May 31, 1950). "Parsons waits booty after bobtailed 500". Indianapolis News. p. 13. Retrieved April 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Dunkley, Charles (May 31, 1950). "Johnny Parsons Wins Shortened 500-Mile Race". The Terra Haute Star. p. 1. Retrieved April 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ The Talk of Gasoline Alley – 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
- ^ The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 23, 2007. 1070 WIBC-AM.
- ^ The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 19, 2016. WFNI.
- ^ The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 5, 2012. WFNI.
- ^ Capps, Don; Cameron Argetsinger (October 25, 2000). "Where Upon Our Scribe, Sherman, & Mr. Peabody Once Again Crank Up The Way-Back Machine for 1961." AtlasF1. Rear View Mirror. 6 (43). Archived from the original on April 27, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2011.
- ^ "1950 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes". www.champcarstats.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
- ^ Davidson, Donald (2012-05-24). "IMS Radio Network celebrates 60th anniversary". Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Retrieved 2012-08-13.
External links
edit- Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats – Official Site
- 1950 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, Mutual
- Van Camp's Pork & Beans Presents: Great Moments From the Indy 500 – Fleetwood Sounds, 1975
- 1950 Indianapolis 500 at RacingReference.info (Relief driver statistics)