1934 Indianapolis 500

22nd running of the Indianapolis 500 February 2025 22nd Indianapolis 500 Indy500winningcar1934.JPG AAA May 30, 1934 Bill Cummings H. C. Henning Earl Unversaw 4:46:05.20 104.863 mph Kelly Petillo 119.329 mph Frank Brisko (69) LaSalle Model 350 Willard "Big Boy" Rader Seth KleinFox Jack C. The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 Carl Hungness Publishing 4th 1994 22 en 0-915088-05-3 Roy D. Chapin 140,000Boy Who Listened to Racers' Drone In 1914 Realizes Childhood Ambition https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11444869/ Carl F. Ogle The Indianapolis Star 1 Newspapers.com May 31, 1934 June 3, 2017 1933 1935 The 22nd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1934. The winner was the number seven car driven by Bill Cummings, an Indianapolis native, at an average speed of 104.863 miles per hour. Cummings led for 57 laps total, including the last 26. http://www.indy500.com/stats/view/boxscore/year/1934 Reference at www.indy500.com 2008-06-19 2008-05-14 https://web.archive.org/web/20080514014754/http://www.indy500.com/stats/view/boxscore/year/1934 dead Of the 33 cars that began the race, only 12 were running at the finish, although there were no crashes resulting in serious injuries. One serious incident involved George Bailey, whose car went over the outside wall, but resulted in only a broken wrist to the driver. The finish was the closest in the history of the race to that point, with second-place finisher Mauri Rose within 100 yards of Cummings at the finish (officially 27.25 seconds behind). Rose would also file a protest that Cummings had illegally gained ground during a "slow-down" period following a crash. https://www.nytimes.com/1934/05/31/archives/cummings-victor-in-500mile-race-home-town-entrant-drives-over-line.html?sq=CUMMINGS&scp=1&st=p CUMMINGS VICTOR IN 500-MILE RACE The New York Times 31 May 1934 Associated Press as printed in the New York Times May 31, 1934, page 26, sports. (requires subscription to read full article) Cummings was accompanied by riding mechanic Earl Unversaw. The race was part of the 1934 AAA Championship Car season. Background In an effort to improve safety, the maximum field size was capped at 33 cars. 33 starters has remained the maximum field size since, with the exception of the 1979 and 1997 races. After several consecutive 500s with multiple fatalities, efforts were also made to reduce speeds through fuel limits; entries were limited to 2.5 USgal liters of fuel for qualification and 45 USgal liters of fuel for the race.The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle Publications International, Ltd. Rick Popely L. Spencer Riggs 1998 0-7853-2798-3 Lincolnwood, IllinoisBook "The Indianapolis: A Complete Pictorial History" p.103 For 1934, riding mechanics were required.Blazier, John E. Rollings, Tom Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics 1994 Time trials Ten-lap (25 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. Kelly Petillo earned the pole position with a speed of 119.329 mph kph on. Babe Stapp and Charles Tramison were both disqualified for exceeding the fuel limit in their qualifying runs. During a qualification attempt, driver Pete Kreis lost control in turn 1, climbed over the wall, and struck a tree outside of the track. He and his riding mechanic were fatally injured. Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 117 USA 1912 Kelly Petillo 3 USA 1912 Wilbur Shaw32 USA 1912 Frank Brisko 29 USA 1912 Mauri Rose4 USA 1912 Chet Gardner26 USA 1912 Phil Shafer 38 USA 1912 Tony Gulotta36 USA 1912 Al Miller10 USA 1912 Russ Snowberger 47 USA 1912 Bill Cummings31 USA 1912 Ralph Hepburn18 USA 1912 George Barringer orange R silver 51 USA 1912 Louis Meyer gold W silver24 USA 1912 Herb Ardinger orange R silver15 USA 1912 Shorty Cantlon 658 USA 1912 George Bailey orange R silver51 USA 1912 Al Gordon22 USA 1912 Cliff Bergere 712 USA 1912 Deacon Litz2 USA 1912 Lou Moore41 USA 1912 Johnny Sawyer 86 USA 1912 Dave Evans35 USA 1912 Rex Mays orange R silver16 USA 1912 Joe Russo 942 USA 1912 Dusty Fahrnow orange R silver73 USA 1912 Doc MacKenzie45 USA 1912 Rick Decker 1049 USA 1912 Charles Crawford orange R silver5 USA 1912 Stubby Stubblefield63 USA 1912 Harry McQuinn orange R silver 1129 USA 1912 Gene Haustein46 USA 1912 Chet Miller33 USA 1912 Johnny Seymour orange R Indianapolis 500 rookie solid 1px darkgray gold W Indianapolis 500 winner solid 1px darkgray Alternates First alternate: Willard PrentissThe Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004 Failed to Qualify 28em Bill Chittum orange R silver (#59) Maynard Clark orange R silver (#56) George Connor orange R silver (#39) Wesley Crawford (#44) Danny Day orange R silver (#62) Pete DePaolo (#27) - Withdrew Leon Duray (#54) Fred Frame (#34) Sam Hoffman orange R silver (#47) Ted Horn orange R silver (#53) Harry Hunt orange R silver (#43) Pete Kreis (#14) - Fatal accident Harry Lewis orange R silver (#52) Tee Linn orange R silver (#62) Milt Marion orange R silver (#57) Vern Ornduff orange R silver (#62) Jack Petticord (#52) Harold Shaw orange R silver (#65) - Driver refused Orville Smith orange R silver (#61) - Driver rejected Babe Stapp (#44, #54) Al Theisen orange R silver (#53) Charles Tramison orange R silver (#72) Bob Wallace orange R silver (#53) Doc Williams orange R silver (#38) - Driver rejected1934 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes http://www.champcarstats.com/races/193401.htm ChampCarStats.com 28 June 2015 Race summary At the start, polesitter Petillo took the lead for the first 4 laps. But the pace was 8 mph off the record of the previous year, owing to new fuel regulations that limited cars to 45 gallons for the entire race. Frank Brisko lead much of the first half of the race, but began to fall back as the race approached half-distance. By half-distance, Mauri Rose was leading, but close behind him was Cummings. "Wild Bill" first assumed the lead at 325 miles as Rose pitted for fuel, then lost it as he too made a stop. Cummings then closed on Rose and passed him with 70 miles to go. Both drivers, confident that they had enough fuel, then upped their pace to reach 140 mph on the straights. Cummings and Rose were never more than 30 seconds apart in the last part of the race. Cummings took the checkered with a new record average speed, despite the new fuel limitations. Rose was second, 27 seconds behind.Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 193 Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus1107United States 1912 Bill CummingsH. C. HenningMillerMiller116.1166200 104.863 mph249United States 1912 Mauri RoseLeon DurayStevensMiller116.0447200 +27.233202United States 1912 Lou Moore(Wilbur Shaw Laps 77–152)California Racers, Inc.MillerMiller113.44216200 +6:14.4341912United States 1912 Deacon Litz(Babe Stapp Laps 67–172)A. B. LitzMillerMiller113.73114200 +11:41.0752416United States 1912 Joe RussoJoe E. RussoDuesenbergDuesenberg113.11518200 +14:14.016836United States 1912 Al Miller(Zeke Meyer Laps 169–200)Phil ShaferRiglingBuick113.30717200 +19:12.8871822United States 1912 Cliff Bergere(Tony Gulotta Laps 119–130)(Billy Winn Laps 131–141)William S. WhiteWeilMiller115.2438200 +20:36.348910United States 1912 Russ SnowbergerRussell SnowbergerSnowbergerStudebaker111.42823200 +22:14.859332United States 1912 Frank Brisko(Rex Mays Laps 130–200)F.W.D. Auto CompanyMillerMiller116.8944200 +23:52.43101424United States 1912 Herb Ardinger orange R silver(Danny Day Laps 93–133)Angelo LucentiGrahamGraham111.72222200 +26:37.2711117United States 1912 Kelly PetilloJoe MarksAdamsMiller119.3291200 +35:00.1512295United States 1912 Stubby Stubblefield(Dave Evans Laps 124–144)Cummins Engine CompanyDuesenbergCummins105.92132200 +52:38.63132849United States 1912 Charles Crawford orange R silverDetroit Gasket & ManufacturingFordFord V8108.78430110In pits141131United States 1912 Ralph Hepburn(Louis Meyer Laps 138–164)Ralph HepburnMillerMiller114.32110164Connecting rod151218United States 1912 George Barringer orange R silver(Chet Gardner Laps 98–161)H. C. HenningMillerMiller113.85911161Bent front axle16626United States 1912 Phil Shafer(Zeke Meyer Laps 97–130)Phil ShaferRiglingBuick113.81612130Camshaft drive1778United States 1912 Tony GulottaFloyd SmithCooperStudebaker113.7331394Rod18131United States 1912 Louis Meyer gold W silverLouis MeyerStevensMiller112.3322092Oil tank19226United States 1912 Dave EvansCummins Engine CompanyDuesenbergCummins102.4143381Transmission201515United States 1912 Shorty Cantlon(Billy Winn Laps 39–76)William J. CantlonStevensMiller117.875276Crankshaft2154United States 1912 Chet GardnerAlden Sampson IIStevensMiller114.786972Rod221751United States 1912 Al GordonPaul WeirickAdamsMiller116.273566Crash T1232335United States 1912 Rex Mays orange R silverFred FrameDuesenbergMiller113.6391553Front axle242542United States 1912 Dusty Fahrnow orange R silverIrving GoldbergCooperCooper113.0701928Rod252141United States 1912 Johnny SawyerLencki & UngerMillerLencki109.8082727Rod263333United States 1912 Johnny SeymourFred FrameAdamsMiller108.5913122Pinion gear272745United States 1912 Rick DeckerRickliffe DeckerMillerMiller110.8952617Clutch2823United States 1912 Wilbur ShawJoe MarksStevensMiller117.647315Lost oil292673United States 1912 Doc MacKenzieMikan & CarsonMikan-CarsonStudebaker111.9332115Crash NC303129United States 1912 Gene HausteinLawrence J. MartzHudsonHudson109.4262813Crash T4313063United States 1912 Harry McQuinn orange R silverMichel DeBaetsRiglingMiller111.0672413Rod321658United States 1912 George Bailey orange R silverRoy ScottSnowbergerStudebaker111.0632512Crash T3333246United States 1912 Chet MillerBohn Aluminum and Brass CorporationFordFord V8109.2522911Crash T1 Indianapolis 500 1934 http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19555 Ultimate Racing History 16 January 2012 https://archive.today/20120913103403/http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19555 13 September 2012 live Note: Relief drivers in parenthesesChampCarStats.com https://www.champcarstats.com/races/193401.htm International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1934 gold W silver Former Indianapolis 500 winner orange R silver Indianapolis 500 Rookie Race statistics Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–6 Kelly Petillo7–71 Frank Brisko72–78 Bill Cummings79–109 Mauri Rose110–113 Frank Brisko114–124 Mauri Rose125–148 Bill Cummings149–174 Mauri Rose175–200 Bill Cummings Total laps led Driver LapsFrank Brisko 69Mauri Rose 68Bill Cummings 57Kelly Petillo 6 Yellow Flags ("Slow-down" periods) Laps* Reason 11–13 Chet Miller crash turn 1, George Bailey crash turn 3 13–15 Gene Haustein, Doc MacKenzie crash turn 4* – Approximate lap countsBrisko Loses his lead by a pit stop for fuel https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-indianapolis-news/149547209/ The Indianapolis News 1 Newspapers.com May 30, 1934 March 21, 2025 References 1933 Louis Meyer 1934 Bill Cummings 1935 Kelly Petillo 104.863 104.162 mph(1933 Indianapolis 500) 106.240 mph(1935 Indianapolis 500) Category:Indianapolis 500 races Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500 Category:1934 in American motorsport Category:May 1934 sports events in the United States