1912 Indianapolis 500

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1912 Indianapolis 500

The 1912 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the second such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500 race.It has existed since 1909, and is the original "Speedway," the first racing facility historically to incorporate the word....
on Thursday, May 30, 1912.

In the aftermath of victory by Ray Harroun

Ray Harroun

Ray Harroun was an United States racecar driver, born in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania....
in the single-seat Marmon

Marmon

Marmon was an automobile brand name manufactured by Nordyke Marmon & Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, from 1902 through 1933, and a brand of Texas-made premium trucks from 1963 through 1997....
"Wasp" in the first

1911 Indianapolis 500

The 1911 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the first recorded automobile automobile racing of such distance in history, and cause for the largest public gathering in the Indianapolis up to that time, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1911....
500-Mile Race the year before, new rules make the presence of riding mechanics mandatory; maximum engine size remains 600 cubic inches (9.83 liters) displacement

Engine displacement

Engine displacement is the volume swept by the all pistons of an engine in a single movement from top dead center to bottom dead center....
.

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The 1912 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the second such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Ray Harroun

Ray Harroun was an United States racecar driver, born in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania....
in the single-seat Marmon

Marmon

1911 Indianapolis 500

Engine displacement

Engine displacement is the volume swept by the all pistons of an engine in a single movement from top dead center to bottom dead center....
. At $50,000, the race purse is nearly double that of 1911.

Out of 29 original entries, 24 qualify for the race by sustaining a speed faster than a minimum of 75 mph (120.7 km/h) for a full lap, an increase from the quarter-mile qualifying distance of the inaugural year. David L. Bruce-Brown

David L. Bruce-Brown

David Loney Bruce-Brown was an United States racecar driver. Having bluffed his way into auto racing at the age of 18, he turned out to be a natural talent behind the wheel and won the 1908 Daytona Speed Trials....
runs fastest at 88.45 mph (142.35 km/h), but starting positions are again determined by entry date. Lining up five cars to the first four rows and four to a fifth, a change from the previous year's starting method is movement of the pace car, a Stutz

Stutz

PeopleJosef Stutz , Swiss Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland politician...
, from the inside of the first row to out in front of the field.

Upon wave of the then-red starting flag

Racing flags

Racing flags are traditionally used in auto racing and similar motorsports to communicate important messages to drivers. Typically, the primary flagman, sometimes the Grand Marshal of a race, waves the flags atop a flagstand near the start/finish line....
, Teddy Tetzlaff

Teddy Tetzlaff

Teddy Tetzlaff was an United States racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. He competed in the first four Indianapolis 500s, with a highest finish of second in 1912 Indianapolis 500....
takes the lead in a Fiat

Fiat

Fiat S.p.A. Fiat based cars are constructed all around the world?the largest concern outside Italy is in Brazil . It also has factories in Argentina and Poland....
from the third starting position in the center of the first row, and leads for the first two laps before being overtaken by the grey # 4 Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz in motorsport

Throughout its long history, Mercedes-Benz has been involved in a range of motorsport activities, including sportscar racing and rally racing, and is currently active in Formula Three, Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft and Formula One....
of Italian

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
-born Ralph DePalma

Ralph DePalma

Ralph DePalma was an Italian-American racecar driving champion, most notably winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2000 races, and he is credited with winning 24 American Championship Car Racing races....
.

DePalma's domination of most of the event is total, as he builds an eventual five-and-a-half lap, eleven minute advantage over second, and leads uncontested for the next 194 laps...before suffering one of the most confounding mechanical failures in motorsport

Motorsport

Motorsport is the collection of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. It was a Olympic_sports#Demonstration_sports event in the 1900 olympics....
history at the beginning of lap 197, as his Mercedes begins misfiring, and slowing on the mainstretch at the conclusion of the lap. Nursed on the 198th lap by DePalma at reduced speed, the car finally loses all power at the end of the backstretch on lap 199, as a broken connecting rod

Connecting rod

In a reciprocating piston engine, the connecting rod or conrod connects the piston to the crank or crankshaft. The connecting rod was invented sometime between 1174 and 1200 when a Inventions in medieval Islam, Timeline of Islamic science and engineering and Artisan named al-Jazari built five machines to pump water for the kings of t...
rips a hole in the crankcase

Crankcase

:For the Transformers characters see Crankcase .In an internal combustion engine, the crankcase is the housing for the crankshaft. The enclosure forms the largest cavity in the engine and is located below the cylinder block....
.

With the car's momentum carrying it around to the fourth turn, DePalma and riding mechanic Rupert Jeffkins then enter themselves into motor racing lore, as well as inspire the cheers of the more than 80,000 in attendance, as they climb from the vehicle and begin pushing it down the five-eighths of a mile mainstretch toward the start-finish line.

Indianapolis driver Joe Dawson

Joe Dawson (racecar driver)

Joe Dawson was an United States race car driver.Born in Odon, Indiana, Indiana, Dawson competed in the Indianapolis 500 race three times, beginning in 1911 when he drove a Marmon to a fifth place finish....
, running in the second position for most of the race in his blue and white National Motor Vehicle Company entry, finally passes DePalma midway down the mainstretch to assume the lead for the concluding two laps, the fewest led to date in either a single race or an entire career by a race winner, following DePalma's 196 laps in the lead being the most ever in a race by a non-winner. Finishing more than ten minutes ahead of newly-second place Tetzlaff, Dawson completes another two laps for good measure upon fear of a scoring miscue. Sometime thereafter, DePalma and Jeffkins finally bring their car across the line, but in twofold futile endeavour: Speedway rules, requiring that all entries move under their own power, mark DePalma's final number of circuits at 198, and the push across the line, even if to be counted, bringing them only to the beginning of the final lap.

Dawson's run in the American-manufactured, four-cylinder

Cylinder (engine)

A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically casting from aluminum or cast iron before precision features are machined into it....
National, with a winning time of 6:21:06 and averaging 78.719 mph (126.686 km/h), is twenty-one minutes two seconds faster than the previous 1911 record; he garners $20,000 and additional contingency awards.

Throughout the remainder of the field, only the top ten finishers earn prize money, rules stipulating all entries complete the to collect. Ralph Mulford

Ralph Mulford

Ralph Mulford was an United States racecar driver active during the formative years of the auto racing.Indy 500 results...
, involved in the controversial finish the year before, and being forced to stop numerous times due to clutch problems in his Knox, finds irritation with the requirement and proceeds to drive on, long after all others are presented the chequered flag...and even after Speedway president Carl Fisher

Carl G. Fisher

Carl Graham Fisher was an United States entrepreneur. Despite having severe astigmatism , he became a seemingly tireless pioneer and promoter of the automotive, auto racing, and real estate development industries....
and starter Fred Wagner leave the grounds (the latter after getting into an argument over whether to flag Mulford off before he had completed the distance, Wagner in favor and Fisher against).

Through numerous accounts of the run, including his reportedly changing shock absorber

Shock absorber

A shock absorber in common parlance is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damping shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy....
s for a gentler ride, as well as stopping for a dinner-on-the-go of fried chicken

Fried chicken

Fried chicken is chicken which is dipped in a breading mixture and then deep frying, frying or pressure frying. The breading seals in the juices but also absorbs the fat of the fryer....
and ice-cream with his riding mechanic, Mulford's finish finally arrives, amid deserted grandstands and a setting sun over the mainstraightaway, 8:53:00 after the start, and with an average speed of 56.285 mph (90.582 km/h), which remains a record: the slowest finishing speed to date in 500 history.

Official Results

Qualification Results

Entries required to complete one lap in excess of 75 mph (120.7 km/h) to qualify, but starting grid determined by order of entry date.

Driver			Far Inside			Inside Center			Center			Outside Center			Far Outside
Time	(mph Miles per hour The mile per hour is a physical unit of speed, expressing the number of Mile covered per hour.It is currently the Unit of measurement used for speed limits, and speeds, on roads in the United Kingdom and United States.... )	(km/h)
Row 1			Gil Andersen Gil Andersen Gil Andersen was an Norwegian-American racecar driver active during the formative years of auto racing. Born in Horten, Norway, he competed in the first six Indianapolis 500 races....			Len Zengel Len Zengel Len Zengel was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...			Teddy Tetzlaff Teddy Tetzlaff Teddy Tetzlaff was an United States racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. He competed in the first four Indianapolis 500s, with a highest finish of second in 1912 Indianapolis 500....			† Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalma was an Italian-American racecar driving champion, most notably winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2000 races, and he is credited with winning 24 American Championship Car Racing races....			Eddie Hearne Eddie Hearne Eddie Hearne Indy 500 results...
			0:01:51.21	80.93	130.24	0:01:54.14	78.85	126.90	0:01:46.84	84.24	135.57	0:01:44.63	86.02	138.44	0:01:49.96	81.85	131.72
Row 2			Spencer Wishart Spencer Wishart Spencer Wishart was an United States racecar driver. He was active during the early years of the Indianapolis 500. Wishart was killed when he clipped another car during an AAA national championship race and crashed into a tree....			Joe Dawson Joe Dawson (racecar driver) Joe Dawson was an United States race car driver.Born in Odon, Indiana, Indiana, Dawson competed in the Indianapolis 500 race three times, beginning in 1911 when he drove a Marmon to a fifth place finish....			Howdy Wilcox Howdy Wilcox Howard Wilcox was an United States racecar driver active in formative years of auto racing.Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Howdy Wilcox led the last 98 laps of the 1919 Indianapolis 500 after starting in the 2nd position....			Harry Knight Harry Knight Harry Knight was an United States racecar driver. Knight was killed in an AAA National race.Indy 500 results ...			Bert Dingley Bert Dingley Bert Dingley was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...
			0:01:47.21	83.95	135.10	0:01:44.49	86.13	138.61	0:01:43.21	87.20	140.33	0:01:58.55	75.92	122.18	0:01:51.43	80.77	129.99
Row 3			Johnny Jenkins Johnny Jenkins (racing driver) Johnny Jenkins was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...			Bob Burman Bob Burman Bob Burman was an United States racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. He competed at the 1911 Indianapolis 500 in 1911....			Eddie Rickenbacker Eddie Rickenbacker Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an United States fighter aircraft Flying ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation.... Qualified by Lee Frayer Lee Frayer Lee Frayer was an United States racecar driver who competed in the Indianapolis 500.Indy 500 results...			Billy Liesaw Billy Liesaw Billy Liesaw was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...			Bill Endicott Bill Endicott Bill Endicott was an United States racecar driver. He was the brother of fellow racer Harry Endicott.Indy 500 results...
			0:01:51.36	80.82	130.07	0:01:47.00	84.11	135.36	0:01:56.43	77.30	124.40	0:01:56.11	77.51	124.74	0:01:51.70	80.57	129.66
Row 4			Ralph Mulford Ralph Mulford Ralph Mulford was an United States racecar driver active during the formative years of the auto racing.Indy 500 results...			Hughie Hughes Hughie Hughes Hughie Hughes was an United States racecar driver. He was killed in a board track crash.Indy 500 results ...			Joe Horan Joe Horan Joe Horan was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...			Mel Marquette Mel Marquette Melvon Marquette was an United States racecar driver. He was also an early aviator.Indy 500 results...			Len Ormsby Len Ormsby Len Ormsby was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...
			0:01:42.41	87.88	141.43	0:01:50.01	81.81	131.66	0:01:51.83	80.48	129.52	0:01:55.27	78.08	125.66	0:01:47.03	84.09	135.33
Row 5			Joe Matson Joe Matson Joe Matson was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...			Charlie Merz Charlie Merz Charlie Merz was an United States racecar driver. Active in the early years of the Indianapolis 500, he later became Chief Steward of the Memorial Day Classic....			David L. Bruce-Brown David L. Bruce-Brown David Loney Bruce-Brown was an United States racecar driver. Having bluffed his way into auto racing at the age of 18, he turned out to be a natural talent behind the wheel and won the 1908 Daytona Speed Trials....			Louis Disbrow Louis Disbrow Louis Disbrow was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...
			0:01:52.64	79.90	128.59	0:01:54.10	78.88	126.95	0:01:41.75	88.45	142.35	0:01:57.59	76.54	123.18

Race Results

Race finishing times recorded down to second intervals.

All entries still running at conclusion scored ahead of non-finishing entries, regardless of race completion percentage.

Position colors reflect the American
American Championship Car Racing

Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars....
formula motorsports standard for finishing positions.

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	Cyl	Displ Engine displacement Engine displacement is the volume swept by the all pistons of an engine in a single movement from top dead center to bottom dead center.... (in³) (L)	Color	Qual Speed (mph Miles per hour The mile per hour is a physical unit of speed, expressing the number of Mile covered per hour.It is currently the Unit of measurement used for speed limits, and speeds, on roads in the United Kingdom and United States.... ) (km/h)	Rank	Start Pos	Laps Led	Laps Run	Time	Speed (mph) (km/h)	Status	Prize Money ($ United States dollar The United States dollar is the unit of currency of the United States and was defined by the Coinage Act of 1792 to be between 371 and 416 grains of silver .... )
1	8	Joe Dawson Joe Dawson (racecar driver) Joe Dawson was an United States race car driver.Born in Odon, Indiana, Indiana, Dawson competed in the Indianapolis 500 race three times, beginning in 1911 when he drove a Marmon to a fifth place finish.... *	National	National Motor Vehicle Company	National	National	4	491 8.05	blue / white	86.13 138.61	4	7	2	200	6:21:06	78.719 126.686	finished	20,000
2	3	Teddy Tetzlaff Teddy Tetzlaff Teddy Tetzlaff was an United States racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. He competed in the first four Indianapolis 500s, with a highest finish of second in 1912 Indianapolis 500....	Fiat Fiat Fiat S.p.A. Fiat based cars are constructed all around the world?the largest concern outside Italy is in Brazil . It also has factories in Argentina and Poland....	E. E. Hewlett	Fiat	Fiat	4	589 9.65	red	84.24 135.57	6	3	2	200	6:31:29 +0:10:23	76.632 123.327	finished	10,000
3	21	Hughie Hughes Hughie Hughes Hughie Hughes was an United States racecar driver. He was killed in a board track crash.Indy 500 results ...	Mercer	Mercer Motors Company	Mercer	Mercer	4	301 4.93	yellow	81.81 131.66	11	17	0	200	6:33:09 +0:12:03	76.307 122.804	finished	5,000
4	28	Charlie Merz Charlie Merz Charlie Merz was an United States racecar driver. Active in the early years of the Indianapolis 500, he later became Chief Steward of the Memorial Day Classic....	Stutz Stutz PeopleJosef Stutz , Swiss Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland politician...	Ideal Motor Car Company	Stutz	Wisconsin	4	390 6.39	gray	78.88 126.95	18	22	0	200	6:34:40 +0:13:34	76.014 122.333	finished	3,000
5	18	Bill Endicott Bill Endicott Bill Endicott was an United States racecar driver. He was the brother of fellow racer Harry Endicott.Indy 500 results...	Schacht Schacht Schacht is a German language word meaning "mine shaft" and may refer to:* Schacht-Audorf, a municipality in Schleswig-Holstein, GermanySchacht is the surname of:...	Schacht Motor Car Company	Schacht	Wisconsin	4	390 6.39	red	80.57 129.66	15	15	0	200	6:46:28 +0:25:22	73.807 118.781	finished	2,500
6	2	Len Zengel Len Zengel Len Zengel was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...	Stutz	Ideal Motor Car Company	Stutz	Wisconsin	4	390 6.39	gray	78.85 126.90	19	2	0	200	6:50:28 +0:29:22	73.088 117.624	finished	2,000
7	14	Johnny Jenkins Johnny Jenkins (racing driver) Johnny Jenkins was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...	White	White Indianapolis Company	White	White	6	490 8.03	white	80.82 130.07	13	11	0	200	6:52:38 +0:31:32	72.704 117.006	finished	1,500
8	22	Joe Horan Joe Horan Joe Horan was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...	Lozier Lozier The Lozier Motor Company was a Brass Era car producer of automobiles in the United States. The company produced luxury automobiles from 1900 to 1915, with a factory at 3703 Mack Avenue, Detroit, Michigan....	Dr. W. H. Chambers	Lozier	Lozier	4	545 8.39	white / red	80.48 129.52	16	18	0	200	6:59:38 +0:38:32	71.491 115.054	finished	1,400
9	9	Howdy Wilcox Howdy Wilcox Howard Wilcox was an United States racecar driver active in formative years of auto racing.Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Howdy Wilcox led the last 98 laps of the 1919 Indianapolis 500 after starting in the 2nd position....	National	National Motor Vehicle Company	National	National	4	590 9.67	blue / white	87.20 140.33	3	8	0	200	7:11:30 +0:50:24	69.525 111.890	finished	1,300
10	19	Ralph Mulford Ralph Mulford Ralph Mulford was an United States racecar driver active during the formative years of the auto racing.Indy 500 results...	Knox	Ralph Mulford	Knox	Knox	6	597 9.78	white / red	87.88 141.43	2	16	0	200	8:53:00 +2:31:54	56.285 90.582	finished	1,200
11	4	Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalma was an Italian-American racecar driving champion, most notably winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2000 races, and he is credited with winning 24 American Championship Car Racing races....	Mercedes	E. J. Schroeder	Mercedes	Mercedes	4	583 9.55	gray	86.02 138.44	5	4	196	198	did not finish		connecting rod	0
12	15	Bob Burman Bob Burman Bob Burman was an United States racecar driver active in the formative years of auto racing. He competed at the 1911 Indianapolis 500 in 1911....	Cutting	Clark-Carter Auto Company	Cutting	Cutting	4	598 9.80	white / red	84.11 135.36	7	12	0	157	did not finish		accident, turn two	0
13	12	Bert Dingley Bert Dingley Bert Dingley was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...	Simplex	Bert Dingley	Simplex	Simplex	4	597 9.67	red / white	80.77 129.99	14	10	0	116	did not finish		connecting rod	0
14	25	Joe Matson Joe Matson Joe Matson was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...	Lozier	O. Applegate	Lozier	Lozier	4	545 8.93	white / red	79.90 128.59	17	21	0	110	did not finish		crackshaft	0
15	7	Spencer Wishart Spencer Wishart Spencer Wishart was an United States racecar driver. He was active during the early years of the Indianapolis 500. Wishart was killed when he clipped another car during an AAA national championship race and crashed into a tree....	Mercedes	Spencer Wishart	Mercedes	Mercedes	4	583 9.55	gray / black / red	83.95 135.10	9	6	0	82	did not finish		water connection	0
16	3	Gil Andersen Gil Andersen Gil Andersen was an Norwegian-American racecar driver active during the formative years of auto racing. Born in Horten, Norway, he competed in the first six Indianapolis 500 races....	Stutz	Ideal Motor Car Company	Stutz	Wisconsin	4	390 6.39	gray / white	80.93 130.24	12	1	0	80	did not finish		accident, turn three	0
17	17	Billy Liesaw Billy Liesaw Billy Liesaw was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...	Marquette-Buick	Will Thomson	Marquette	Buick Buick Buick is a marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel by General Motors Corporation. Since the demise of Oldsmobile in 2004, it is GM's only North America-based entry-level luxury brand....	4	594 9.73	tan / red	77.51 124.74	21	14	0	72	did not finish		caught fire	0
18	46	Louis Disbrow Louis Disbrow Louis Disbrow was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...	Case	J. I. Case T. M. Company	Case	Case	6	450 7.37	white / red	76.54 123.18	23	24	0	67	did not finish		differential pin	0
19	23	Mel Marquette Mel Marquette Melvon Marquette was an United States racecar driver. He was also an early aviator.Indy 500 results...	McFarlan McFarlan Automobile McFarlan is an American automobile manufactured in Connersville, Indiana from 1909 to 1928 as an outgrowth of the McFarlan Carriage Company founded in 1856 by English-born John B....	Speed Motors Company	McFarlan	McFarlan	6	425 6.96	gray	78.08 125.66	20	19	0	63	did not finish		broken wheels	0
20	6	Eddie Hearne Eddie Hearne Eddie Hearne Indy 500 results...	Case	J. I. Case T. M. Company	Case	Case	6	450 7.37	white / red	81.85 131.72	10	5	0	55	did not finish		burned bearing	0
21	16	Eddie Rickenbacker Eddie Rickenbacker Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an United States fighter aircraft Flying ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation....	Firestone-Columbus	Columbus Buggy Company	Fiat	Firestone-Columbus	4	345 5.65	crimson / black	77.30 124.40	22	13	0	43	did not finish		intake valve	0
22	29	David L. Bruce-Brown David L. Bruce-Brown David Loney Bruce-Brown was an United States racecar driver. Having bluffed his way into auto racing at the age of 18, he turned out to be a natural talent behind the wheel and won the 1908 Daytona Speed Trials....	National	National Motor Vehicle Company	National	National	4	590 9.67	blue / white	88.45 142.35	1	23	0	25	did not finish		valve trouble	0
23	10	Harry Knight Harry Knight Harry Knight was an United States racecar driver. Knight was killed in an AAA National race.Indy 500 results ...	Lexington	Lexington Motor Car Company	Lexington	Lexington	6	422 6.92	brown / white	75.92 122.18	24	9	0	6	did not finish		engine trouble	0
24	26	Len Ormsby Len Ormsby Len Ormsby was an United States racecar driver.Indy 500 results...	Opel	I. C. Stern & B. C. Noble	Opel	Opel	4	450 7.37	gray / red	84.09 135.33	8	20	0	5	did not finish		connecting rod	0

*Joe Dawson was relieved by Don Herr for laps 108-144.

† De Palma is usually shown as American, but his application for a US passport (available at ) reveals that he did not become a US citizen until 1920