1913 Indianapolis 500

Third running of the Indianapolis 500 February 2025 3rd Indianapolis 500 1913 Indianapolis 500 program cover.jpg AAA May 30, 1913 Jules Goux Peugeot Emil Begin 6:35:05 75.933 mi/h km/h on Caleb Bragg N/A Jules Goux (138) Stoddard-Dayton Carl G. Fisher Charles P. RootFox Jack C. The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 Carl Hungness Publishing 4th 1994 22 en 0-915088-05-3 Laurence Enos 90,000Mighty Throng Hails Goux As New Speed King https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3189089/3rd_500_front_page/ Myron R. Green The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com May 31, 1913 June 3, 2017 1912 1914 The Third International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1913. Frenchman Jules Goux became the first foreign-born, and first European winner of the Indianapolis 500. His margin of victory of 13 minutes, 8 seconds (approximately 7 laps) over second place Spencer Wishart still stands, as of 2026, as the largest margin of victory in Indianapolis 500 history. Race Summary thumb|left|200px|Jules Goux at 1913 Indy 500 thumb|left|200px After the entries in the first two years of the Indianapolis 500 had been almost exclusively American, 1913 saw six drivers travel to the United States from Europe to enter, likely attracted by the impressive $20,000 first prize (US 20000 1913 eq). A total of 27 cars would meet the 75 mile per hour qualifying speed, led by Jack Tower at 88.230 mph.Indianapolis 500 Starting Grid - 1913 https://web.archive.org/web/20130520152048/http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/history/stats/startinggrids/?year=1913 2013-05-20 Official site of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The starting grid was determined by a random draw of names, and Caleb Bragg would be given the pole. Tower's car turned over on the southwest turn on lap 51, causing him to sustain a broken leg and his riding mechanic, Lee Dunning, to break three ribs.PEUGEOT CAR WINS $50,000 AUTO RACE; France Defeats America on Indianapolis Speedway - Mercer Finishes Second New York Times, May 30th, 1913 Bob Burman started the race as the favorite, and led 41 laps early, before his car caught fire on lap 55. Burman was able to repair his car and continue, however continuing problems led to several more stops and a replacement driver, who brought the car home in eleventh (unfortunately only the top ten finishers received prize money).Jules Goux, A Frenchman, wins big Automobile race The Lewiston Daily Sun, May 31st 1913. French-born Jules Goux, driving a car owned and manufactured by Peugeot (where his father was the factory Supervisor) would lead the race on four occasions. Bob Evans dueled with Goux, leading laps 125–135,Official Box Score 3rd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Friday, May 30, 1913 https://web.archive.org/web/20140725192845/http://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/indy500/history/stats/boxscore/?year=1913 2014-07-25 Official site of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway but would be forced out of the race on lap 158 due to a mechanical problem. Goux would dominate the remainder of the race, leading 138 laps en route to a victory of a more than 13 minute margin, making him the first non-American winner of the 500. The car contained a four-cylinder dual overhead camshaft engine, which would serve as a model for many future entries.Ralph Kramer The Indianapolis 500: A Century of Excitement https://books.google.com/books?id=jPGAp_8TMZcC 27 May 2013 4 November 2010 Krause Publications 978-1-4402-1758-6 Goux would state after the race that his manager forced him to stay below the car's top speed, feeling the lead was safe. Spencer Wishart was the top finishing American in second, while two of the other European cars would finish fourth and fifth. Rules at the time required the top ten drivers to finish the full 500 miles to receive prize money. This led to an interesting sight for spectators who remained after Goux's finish. Charlie Merz, in contention for second place, would have his car catch fire towards the end of lap 199. Merz, not wishing to surrender the prize money, drove the final lap on fire, while Harry Martin, his riding mechanic, crawled out on top of the hood of the still moving car to beat at the flames and release the straps that held the engine cover to allow the fire to be extinguished faster. Merz finished third. Martin would unfortunately be killed while helping test a car on the speedway less than two months later.Death cost of failure to obey The Indianapolis Star 3 27 June 1913 21 January 2021 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3433797/ Newspapers.com Champagne Urban legends claim that race winner Jules Goux consumed "six bottles of champagne" en route to victory. However, that claim is believed to be exaggerated. Instead, during Goux's six pit stops, only four bottles (each 4 5 pint) were shared between himself and his riding mechanic Emil Begin, with each taking some sips, but likely not enough to become intoxicated. Other swigs were spit out using the champagne as a mouthwash.The History of the 500 - WFNI/WIBC: Episode 10, 2013 It was a hot day, and given the punishing conditions, during his first pit stop Goux was quoted as saying "Rustle me a pint of wine or I'll blow"https://www.newspapers.com/clip/86597476/ Pitman's Lucky Discovery of Wine Saved Day for Driver of Peugeot The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com May 31, 1913 May 13, 2022 After the race, in victory lane, Goux stated "The heat was terrible. I suffered and but for the wine, I should have been unable to drive this race."https://www.newspapers.com/clip/101778870/ Goux is Pleased Over Victory in Race Evansville Journal-News 18 Newspapers.com June 1, 1913 May 13, 2022 In subsequent years, AAA officials banned the consumption of alcohol during competition.Beyond The Bricks - WFNI: May 12, 2022 Starting grid Entries were required to complete one lap in excess of 75 mph in order to qualify. However, starting positions were determined by blind draw held the night preceding the race. DriverFar InsideInside CenterOutside CenterFar OutsideTime(mph)Row 1USA 1912 Caleb BraggFRA Albert Guyot orange R silverUSA 1912 Billy LeisawUSA 1912 Robert Evans orange R silver1:43.0587.341:51.4680.751:55.3678.021:49.7482.01Row 2USA 1912 Don Herr orange R silverUSA 1912 Harry GrantFRA Jules Goux orange R silverUSA 1912 Teddy Tetzlaff1:48.6482.841:58.4875.961:44.6286.031:52.1480.26Row 3USA 1912 Bill EndicottUSA 1912 Harry EndicottUSA 1912 Billy KnipperUSA 1912 Ralph DePalma1:45.0285.701:57.8876.351:52.1480.261:57.9676.30Row 4BEL Théodore Pilette orange R silverUSA 1912 Gil AndersenUSA 1912 Willie Haupt orange R silverUSA 1912 Charlie Merz1:59.1775.521:48.9282.631:51.4980.721:46.5684.46Row 5USA 1912 John JenkinsITA 1861 Vincenzo Trucco orange R silverUSA 1912 Spencer WishartUSA 1912 Howdy Wilcox1:48.64382.841:49.8481.941:49.7781.991:50.4881.46Row 6USA 1912 Bob BurmanUSA 1912 Ralph MulfordUSA 1912 Louis DisbrowUSA 1912 Joe Nikrent orange R silver1:46.9384.171:51.4080.791:48.7582.761:54.0878.89Row 7USA 1912 Jack TowerITA 1861 Paul Zuccarelli orange R silverUSA 1912 George Clark orange R silver 1:41.9388.231:44.8685.831:58.5675.91 Box score FinishNo.DriverEntrantChassisEngineCylDispl(in3)ColorQual(mph)RankGridLapsTime/Status116 FRA Jules Goux orange R silver Peugeot Peugeot Peugeot4448blue/white86.03372006:35:05.00222 USA 1912 Spencer Wishart(Ralph DePalma) Mercer Automobile Company Mercer Mercer4300yellow81.991319200 +13:08.4032 USA 1912 Charlie Merz(Earl Cooper) Ideal Motor Car Company Stutz Wisconsin4400white/red84.46616200 +13:44.2549 FRA Albert Guyot orange R silver Sunbeam Motor Car Company Sunbeam Sunbeam6368gray80.75182200 +27:53.95523 BEL Théodore Pilette orange R silver E.C. Patterson Mercedes Knight4251gray/white75.522713200 +45:08.00612 USA 1912 Howdy Wilcox(Frank Fox) Frank Fox Pope-Hartford Pope-Hartford4390gray81.461520200 +48:21.55729 USA 1912 Ralph Mulford E. J. Schroeder Mercedes Mercedes4449gray80.791722200 +53:00.50831 USA 1912 Louis Disbrow(H. J. Kilpatrick) J. I. Case T. M. Company Case Case4449gray/red82.761023200 +54:04.00935 USA 1912 Willie Haupt orange R silver(Lee Oldfield) Mason Motor Company Duesenberg Duesenberg4350dark tan80.721915200 +1:17:30.101025 USA 1912 George Clark orange R silver(Tom Alley) Tulsa Auto Manufacturing Company Tulsa Wisconsin4340red/black75.912627200 +1:21:09.25114 USA 1912 Bob Burman(Hughie Hughes) Keeton Motor Company Keeton Wisconsin4449green/white84.17721190Flagged123 USA 1912 Gil Andersen(Earl Cooper) Ideal Motor Car Company Stutz Wisconsin4400white/red82.631114187Camshaft gears135 USA 1912 Robert Evans orange R silver(Lee Oldfield) Mason Motor Company Duesenberg Duesenberg4350dark tan82.01124158Clutch1417 USA 1912 Billy Leisaw(Lee Oldfield) Will Tompson Buick Buick4318orange/black78.02223148Loose rods1519 USA 1912 Caleb Bragg(Ralph DePalma) Mercer Automobile Company Mercer Mercer4424yellow87.3421128Pump shaft1610 USA 1912 Billy Knipper(Harry Grant) Henderson Motor Car Company Knipper Duesenberg4350azure blue80.262011125Clutch1727 USA 1912 Teddy Tetzlaff Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini4444red/green81.30168118Drive train1832 USA 1912 Joe Nikrent orange R silver(Eddie Hearne) J. I. Case T. M. Company Case Case4449gray/red78.89212467Burned bearing196 USA 1912 Jack Tower Mason Motor Company Duesenberg Duesenberg4350dark tan88.2312551Crash T12028 ITA 1861 Vincenzo Trucco orange R silver Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini4444red/green81.94141839Loose gas tank211 USA 1912 Harry Endicott(Ed Madden) Nyberg Auto Company Nyberg Nyberg6377red76.35231023Transmission2245* ITA 1861 Paul Zuccarelli orange R silver Peugeot Peugeot Peugeot4448blue/white85.8342618Main bearing2321 USA 1912 Ralph DePalma Mercer Automobile Company Mercer Mercer4340yellow76.30241215Burned bearing2426 USA 1912 Harry Grant Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini Isotta Fraschini4444red/green75.9625614Gas tank2518 USA 1912 John Jenkins Schacht Motor Car Company Schacht Schacht4299red/white82.8491713Crankshaft268 USA 1912 Don Herr orange R silver Ideal Motor Car Company Stutz Wisconsin4400white/red82.84857Clutch shaft2733 USA 1912 Bill Endicott J. I. Case T. M. Co. Case Case6448gray/red85.70591Drive shaftSources:Davidson Donald https://archive.org/details/autocourseoffici0000davi/ Autocourse Official History of the Indianapolis 500 Shaffer Rick Icon Publishing 2013 352 978-1-905334-82-7 Second Malvern, Worcestershire, England Donald Davidson (historian) registration Internet ArchivePopely Rick https://archive.org/details/indianapolis500c0000pope/ Indianapolis 500 Chronicle Riggs L. Spencer Publications International 1998 14–15 0-7853-2798-3 Lincolnwood, Illinois registration Internet Archive1913 International 500 https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1913_International_500/UO/ live November 28, 2023 Racing-Reference April 28, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210428143709/https://www.racing-reference.info/race-results/1913_International_500/UO/ orange R silver Indianapolis 500 Rookie Note: Several sources claim Zuccarelli's entry to have carried the numerical designation #15. Photographs taken of entries qualified for the 1913 race, however, exhibit #45 prominently displayed on the Peugeot's front-facing engine grill. Race statistics 30% Lap Leaders Laps Leader1 Caleb Bragg2–3 Bob Evans4–14 Jules Goux15–55 Bob Burman56–95 Jules Goux96–102 Gil Andersen103–124 Jules Goux125–135 Gil Andersen136–200 Jules Goux 70% Total laps led Laps Leader Jules Goux 138 Bob Burman 41 Gil Andersen 18 Bob Evans 2 Caleb Bragg 1 Race details For 1913, riding mechanics were required.Blazier, John E. Rollings, Tom Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics 1994 Notes Works cited Indianapolis 500 Chronicle, 1999, Rick Pope 2006 Indianapolis 500 Official Program References 1912 Joe Dawson 1913 Jules Goux 1914 René Thomas Category:Indianapolis 500 races Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500 Category:May 1913 sports events in the United States