Ralph De Palma was an Italian-American racecar driving champion, most notably winner of the
1915 Indianapolis 500Results of the 1915 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1915.-Notes:1 - Louis Chevrolet is usually shown as American but his application for a US passport reveals that he did not become a US citizen until June 1915...
. His entry at the
International Motorsports Hall of FameThe International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...
estimates that he won about 2000 races. DePalma won the 1908, 1909, 1910, and 1911 American AAA national dirt track championships and is credited with winning 24
American Champ carSince 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
races. He won the Canadian national championship in 1929. DePalma estimated that he had earned $1.5 million by 1934 after racing for 27 years. He is inducted in numerous halls of fame. He competed on
boardsBoard track, or motordrome, racing was a type of motorsport popular in the United States between the second and third decades of the 20th century. Competition was conducted on oval race courses with surfaces composed of wooden planks...
and
dirtDirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on oval tracks. It began in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 30s. Two different types of racecars predominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South...
road courses and ovals.
Biography
Born in
BiccariBiccari is a town and comune in the province of Foggia in the Apulia region of southeast Italy....
,
ApuliaApulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, DePalma's family emigrated to the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1893. As a young man he tried bicycle racing with mixed success, but at the age of twenty-two he began racing motorcycles before switching to the automobile dirt track racing circuit in 1909, the year that the
American Automobile AssociationAAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
established the
national driving championshipSince 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
.
DePalma was immediately successful in car racing. In 1911, DePalma won the first
Milwaukee MileThe Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
Championship Car race. However, he is still remembered for the dramatic manner in which he lost the
1912 Indianapolis 500The 1912 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the second such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 30, 1912....
. After leading the entire race since the third lap, for some 196 of the 200 laps, his
MercedesMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
cracked a piston and with only 2 laps remaining, he and his mechanic had to push the car across the finish line to take eleventh place. At that time, only cars completing the full 200 laps received any prize money. This Mercedes remains on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. He went on to earn the U.S. national driving championship that year, but was almost killed in an accident at on October 5 at the
Milwaukee MileThe Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
during the 400-mile
Vanderbilt CupThe Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing.-History:An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held at a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York. The announcement that the race was to be held caused...
. After being impaled by a corn stalk, he was hospitalized for 11 weeks; he recovered and was back to racing the following spring.
In 1912 and again in 1914, DePalma won the Elgin National Trophy at
Elgin, IllinoisElgin is a city in northern Illinois located roughly northwest of Chicago on the Fox River. Most of Elgin lies within Kane County, Illinois, with a portion in Cook County, Illinois...
and in 1914 he scored what he called his greatest victory when he beat
Barney OldfieldBerna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval...
to capture the
Vanderbilt CupThe Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing.-History:An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held at a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York. The announcement that the race was to be held caused...
on the roads of
Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. He entered the
1914 Indianapolis 500The 1914 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the fourth such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1914....
but was not able to finish the course.
DePalma had been let go by the
Mercer Automobile Co.Mercer was an American automobile manufacturer from 1909 until 1925. It was notable for its high-performance cars, especially the Type 35 Raceabout.-Early history:...
racing team in favor of Barney Oldfield. In a Mercedes "Gray Ghost," he showed he was a master tactician in beating Oldfield's much faster car. He ended 1914 by winning his second U.S. national driving championship. The following year, 1915, he drove to victory at
1915 Indianapolis 500Results of the 1915 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1915.-Notes:1 - Louis Chevrolet is usually shown as American but his application for a US passport reveals that he did not become a US citizen until June 1915...
with a Mercedes 4.5 liter Gp car.
Ralph DePalma was an intense competitor but one of the most popular racers with his fellow drivers and the fans because of his good sportsmanship, a quality he displayed on and off the track. In June 1917 he lost to
Barney OldfieldBerna Eli "Barney" Oldfield was an automobile racer and pioneer. He was born on a farm on the outskirts of Wauseon, Ohio. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour on an oval...
in a series of 10 to 25 mile match races at the
Milwaukee MileThe Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
. On February 12, 1919 at
Daytona Beach, FloridaDaytona Beach Road Course was a race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR. It originally became famous as the location where fifteen world land speed records were set...
, he drove a
PackardPackard was an American luxury-type automobile marque built by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, and later by the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana...
to a world speed record of 149.875 mi/h over a measured mile (1.6 km). International competition began following the adoption of the three liter engine limit in the U.S. and
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1920. DePalma began the year driving for the French manufacturer,
BallotBallot was a French automobile manufacturer who made cars between 1921 and 1932.The Ballot brothers, Edouard and Maurice, founded their company in 1905. Before World War I they manufactured automobile and marine engines. The company was re-founded as Etablissements Ballot SA in 1910.Edouard...
. His Ballot vehicle won the pole position for the 1920 Indy race and he led for many laps but bad luck dogged him in the race (faulty bearings on the Ballot) and he did not finish. Then in 1921 DePalma traveled with other Americans to
Le MansLe Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
to compete in the
French Grand PrixThe 1921 French Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Le Mans on 25 July 1921.- Classification :-References:...
. There, he finished second to the
DuesenbergDuesenberg was an Auburn, Indiana based American luxury automobile company active in various forms from 1913 to 1937, most famous for its high-quality passenger cars and record-breaking racing cars.-History:...
driven by fellow American,
Jimmy MurphyJames Anthony Murphy was a race car driver who was the American Racing Champion in 1922 and 1924.-Background:...
. DePalma won the Canadian national championship in 1929.
DePalma later competed in
stock carsStock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
until he retired from racing in 1936. In his career, he competed in 2,889 races in America and Europe and won 2,557, according to his Associated Press obituary that appeared in the Detroit Free Press on April 1, 1956. He was an honorary referee for the Indianapolis 500, the last time in 1954.
Death
He died at his home in
South Pasadena, CaliforniaSouth Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 25,619, up from 24,292 at the 2000 census. It is located in in the West San Gabriel Valley...
, from cancer in 1956. He was interred in the
Holy Cross CemeteryHoly Cross Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery at 5835 West Slauson Avenue in Culver City, California, operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles....
in
Culver City, CaliforniaCulver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
.
Media appearances
Ralph DePalma had a small role in the 1920 Hollywood film,
High SpeedHigh Speed is a 1986 pinball game designed by Steve Ritchie and released by Williams Electronics. This game was based on Ritchie's real-life police chase inside a 1979 Porsche 928....
and in 1924 played the part of the Champion in an action/drama written by
Wilfred LucasWilfred Lucas was a Canadian stage and film actor, film director, and screenwriter.-Career:A native of Ontario, Canada, Lucas headed to New York City to work in the theater, making his Broadway acting debut in 1904 at the Savoy Theater in the production of The Superstition of Sue...
titled
Racing for Life. In 1923, he established the DePalma Manufacturing Company in Detroit to build race cars and engines for automobiles and aircraft.
Family
DePalma was the brother of 500 competitor
John DePalmaJohn DePalma was an Italian-born American racecar driver.A native of Biccari in Apulia, southern Italy, he was the brother of 1915 Indy winner Ralph DePalma and the uncle of 1925 Indy winner Pete DePaolo....
and the uncle of 1925 Indy winner Peter DePaolo.
Awards
- In 1973, he was made a posthumous member of the Automotive Hall of Fame
The Automotive Hall of Fame is an American museum and hall of fame covering automotive innovations.-Location:Located in the metro Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, the museum shares a parking lot with The Henry Ford.-External links:*...
in Dearborn, Michigan-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
.
- In 1991, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame
The International Motorsports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame dedicated to enshrining those who have contributed the most to auto racing either as a driver, owner, developer or engineer...
.
- He was named to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame
The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a Hall of Fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members....
in 1991.
- He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America is a Hall of Fame and museum for American motorsports legends. It was originally located in Novi, Michigan and it moved to the Detroit Science Center in 2009.-Museum:...
in 1992.
Indy 500 results
| Year |
Car |
Start |
Qual |
Rank |
Finish |
Laps |
Led |
Retired |
| 1911 The 1911 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1911...
|
2 |
2 |
— |
12 |
6 |
200 |
4 |
Running |
| 1912 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 on Thursday, May 30, 1912....
|
4 |
4 |
86.020 |
5 |
11 |
198 |
196 |
Rod |
| 1913 The 1913 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the third such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1913.-Qualification results:...
|
21 |
12 |
76.300 |
24 |
23 |
15 |
0 |
Bearing |
| 1915 Results of the 1915 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1915.-Notes:1 - Louis Chevrolet is usually shown as American but his application for a US passport reveals that he did not become a US citizen until June 1915...
|
2 |
2 |
98.580 |
2 |
1 |
200 |
132 |
Running |
| 1919 Results of the 1919 Liberty Sweepstakes held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 31, 1919....
|
4 |
4 |
98.200 |
10 |
6 |
200 |
93 |
Running |
| 1920 Results of the 1920 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1920....
|
2 |
1 |
99.150 |
1 |
5 |
200 |
79 |
Running |
1921Results of the 1921 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1921....
|
4 |
1 |
100.750 |
1 |
12 |
112 |
108 |
Rod |
| 1922 Results of the 1922 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1922....
|
17 |
3 |
99.550 |
3 |
4 |
200 |
0 |
Running |
| 1923 Results of the 1923 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 30, 1923....
|
2 |
11 |
100.420 |
5 |
15 |
69 |
0 |
Head gasket |
| 1925 Results of the 1925 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1925....
|
8 |
18 |
108.607 |
6 |
7 |
200 |
0 |
Running |
| Totals |
1594 |
612 |
|
|
| Starts |
10 |
| Poles |
2 |
| Front Row |
5 |
| Wins |
1 |
| Top 5 |
3 |
| Top 10 |
6 |
| Retired |
4 |
|
- DePalma's total of 613 laps led stood as the all time Indy lap leader record until bested by Al Unser
Alfred "Al" Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....
on the 200th lap of the 1987 Indianapolis 500The 71st Indianapolis 500 was held Sunday May 24, 1987 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During the month of May, an unusually high 25 crashes occurred during practice and qualifying. After dominating practice, qualifying, and most of the race, leader Mario Andretti slowed with mechanical...
.
External links