1933 Indianapolis 500

21st running of the Indianapolis 500 February 2025 21st Indianapolis 500 1933_500_program_cover.jpg AAA May 30, 1933 Louis Meyer Tydol-Meyer Lawson Harris 4:48:00.75 104.162 mph Bill Cummings 118.530 mph Louis Meyer (71) Chrysler Imperial Byron Foy Roscoe TurnerFox Jack C. The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 Carl Hungness Publishing 4th 1994 22 en 0-915088-05-3 Larry P. Fisher 100,000Race Gets Late Start First Time In History; Drivers Threaten "Strike" https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11444989/ The Indianapolis Star 9 Newspapers.com May 31, 1933 June 3, 2017 1932 1934 The 21st International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1933. Louis Meyer defeated Wilbur Shaw by a time of 401.89 seconds (6.69 minutes). The average speed of the race was 104.162 mph km/h while Bill Cummings achieved the pole position with a speed of 118.521 mph km/h. The race was part of the 1933 AAA Championship Car season. Meyer was accompanied by riding mechanic Lawson Harris. The 1933 month of May at Indianapolis was the deadliest running of the 500. Five participants were fatally injured. During practice, Bill Denver and his riding mechanic Bob Hurst were killed in a crash. On race day, Mark Billman was killed in a crash on lap 79 while Lester Spangler and his riding mechanic G.L. "Monk" Jordan were killed in a crash on lap 132. It was the fifth straight year at least one competitor died in a crash during the month. Time trials Ten-lap (25 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. 42 cars averaged faster than the designated 100 mph mark, making for the largest starting field in the race's history. Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 15 USA 1912 Bill Cummings 58 USA 1912 Frank Brisko12 USA 1912 Fred Frame gold W silver 237 USA 1912 Lou Moore16 USA 1912 Ernie Triplett36 USA 1912 Louis Meyer gold W silver 315 USA 1912 Lester Spangler orange R silver10 USA 1912 Ira Hall6 USA 1912 Cliff Bergere 48 USA 1912 Stubby Stubblefield2 USA 1912 Pete Kreis34 USA 1912 Tony Gulotta 525 USA 1912 Shorty Cantlon26 USA 1912 Deacon Litz21 USA 1912 Chet Gardner 69 USA 1912 Zeke Meyer4 USA 1912 Russ Snowberger47 USA 1912 L. L. Corum gold W silver 768 USA 1912 Bennett Hill46 USA 1912 Luther Johnson22 USA 1912 Louis Schneider gold W silver 864 USA 1912 Mark Billman orange R silver17 USA 1912 Wilbur Shaw19 USA 1912 Al Miller 927 USA 1912 Kelly Petillo32 USA 1912 Wesley Crawford14 ARG 1861 Raúl Riganti 1029 USA 1912 Gene Haustein45 USA 1912 Babe Stapp57 USA 1912 Malcolm Fox 1118 USA 1912 Joe Russo28 USA 1912 Chet Miller24 USA 1912 Paul Bost 1253 USA 1912 Johnny Sawyer orange R silver65 USA 1912 Freddie Winnai38 USA 1912 Dave Evans 1359 USA 1912 Ray Campbell61 USA 1912 Rick Decker51 USA 1912 Doc MacKenzie 1449 USA 1912 Willard Prentiss orange R silver23 USA 1912 Ralph Hepburn3 USA 1912 Mauri Rose orange R silver orange R Indianapolis 500 rookie solid 1px darkgray gold W Indianapolis 500 winner solid 1px darkgray Alternates First alternate: Sam Palmer orange R silverThe Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004 Howdy Wilcox II had qualified for the race, but officials disqualified him from the field when they learned that he had diabetes. On race day, he was replaced in the car by Mauri Rose.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pvZbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FFQNAAAAIBAJ&pg=1296,3901594&dq=carburetion+day&hl=en Wheeling, dealing for final spot in Indy 500 is under way St. Joseph Gazette 1984-05-24 2012-04-02 Failed to Qualify 28em Al Aspen (#42) George Barringer (#54) Paul Butler (#56) Ray Carter orange R silver (#63) Terry Curley orange R silver (#66) Frank Davidson orange R silver (#76) Danny Day orange R silver Leon DeHart orange R silver (#55) Bill Denver (#42) - Fatal accident Harry Falt orange R silver (#71) Speed Gardner (#31) George Howie (#48) - Withdrew L. A. Lariviere orange R silver (#75) Harry Lewis orange R silver (#44) Virgil Livengood orange R silver (#69) Jack Mertz orange R silver (#79) Roy Painter orange R silver (#72) Phil Shafer (#7) Overton Snell orange R silver (#52) Bill Sockwell orange R silver (#74) Howdy Wilcox II (#3) - Replaced by Mauri Rose Doc Williams orange R silver (#66)1933 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes http://www.champcarstats.com/races/193301.htm ChampCarStats.com 28 June 2015 Race summary Bill Cummings led early on from the pole, turning laps of 113 mph. He faded from the front and dropped out with mechanical problems. Louis Meyer came from 7th starting position to first lead at 325 miles. By 400 miles, he had a commanding lead and was signaled "E-Z" by his pit crew to slow from his 110 mph pace. He cruised to the checkered with a lead of over 5 laps over Wilbur Shaw, with a new record average speed.Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p.99-100 Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus1636United States 1912 Louis Meyer gold W silverLouis MeyerMillerMiller116.9777200 104.162 mph22317United States 1912 Wilbur ShawLeon DurayStevensMiller115.49712200 +6:41.893437United States 1912 Lou MooreMaley & ScullyDuesenbergMiller117.8434200 +7:16.0441521United States 1912 Chet GardnerAlden Sampson IIStevensMiller112.31922200 +8:28.965108United States 1912 Stubby StubblefieldPhil ShaferRiglingBuick114.78413200 +9:43.0763638United States 1912 Dave EvansArthur E. RoseRiglingStudebaker109.44836200 +10:43.0771234United States 1912 Tony GulottaThe Studebaker CorporationRiglingStudebaker113.57815200 +14:58.008174United States 1912 Russ Snowberger(George Howie Laps 110–115)(Mauri Rose Laps 116–200)Russell SnowbergerSnowbergerStudebaker110.76927200 +14:59.099169United States 1912 Zeke MeyerThe Studebaker CorporationRiglingStudebaker111.09925200 +17:43.74102046United States 1912 Luther Johnson(Ralph Hepburn Laps 116–147)(Sam Palmer Laps 148–200)The Studebaker CorporationRiglingStudebaker110.09731200 +20:21.471196United States 1912 Cliff Bergere(Sam Palmer Laps 83–120) The Studebaker CorporationRiglingStudebaker115.64311200 +22:39.63121847United States 1912 L. L. Corum gold W silverThe Studebaker CorporationRiglingStudebaker110.46529200 +22:48.64134049United States 1912 Willard Prentiss orange R silver(Harold Shaw Laps 145–146)J. W. KleinschmidtRiglingDuesenberg107.77641200 +32:31.08142714ARG Raúl Riganti(Juan Gaudino Laps 120–140)(Juan Gaudino Laps 158–174)Raúl RigantiChryslerChrysler108.08139200 +33:43.38152829United States 1912 Gene HausteinLawrence J. MartzHudsonHudson107.60342197Flagged161426United States 1912 Deacon Litz(Louis Schneider Laps 50–97)(Louis Schneider Laps 153–197)A. B. LitzMillerMiller113.13817197Flagged173118United States 1912 Joe RussoF. P. DuesenbergDuesenbergDuesenberg112.53120192Flagged183951United States 1912 Doc MacKenzieRay T. BradyDuesenbergStudebaker108.07340192Rear axle192527United States 1912 Kelly PetilloWilliam M. YahrSmithMiller113.03718168Spun & stalled203228United States 1912 Chet Miller(Shorty Cantlon Laps 102–145)R. G. "Buddy" MarrHudsonHudson112.02523163Rod212419United States 1912 Al MillerR. G. "Buddy" MarrHudsonHudson109.79935161Rod221968United States 1912 Bennett Hill(Frank Brisko Laps 110–130)S. C. GoldbergCooperCooper110.26430158Rod232945United States 1912 Babe StappM. J. BoyleMillerMiller116.6269156Out of gas242632United States 1912 Wesley Crawford(Billy Winn Laps 122–147)Frank BriskoStevensMiller109.86233147Crash T12515United States 1912 Bill Cummings(Frank Brisko Laps 113–120) M. J. BoyleMillerMiller118.5211136Radiator26715United States 1912 Lester Spangler orange R silver ✝Harry HartzMillerMiller116.9038132Died in crash at T1273565United States 1912 Freddie Winnai(Terry Curley Laps 100–104) James KempDuesenbergDuesenberg111.01826125Engine trouble283057United States 1912 Malcolm FoxWilliam RichardsStudebakerStudebaker112.92219121Crash T129312United States 1912 Fred Frame gold W silverHarry HartzWetterothMiller117.864385Valve302264United States 1912 Mark Billman orange R silver ✝James KempDuesenbergDuesenberg112.4102179Died in crash at T2313453United States 1912 Johnny Sawyer orange R silverLencki & UngerMillerMiller110.5902877Clutch32112United States 1912 Pete KreisFred FrameSummersMiller114.3701463Universal joint33516United States 1912 Ernie TriplettWilliam S. WhiteWeilMiller117.685561Piston341325United States 1912 Shorty CantlonWilliam CantlonStevensMiller113.3841650Rod35423United States 1912 Mauri Rose orange R silverJoe MarksStevensMiller117.649648Timing gears36258United States 1912 Frank BriskoF.W.D. Auto CompanyMillerMiller118.388247Oil too hot37810United States 1912 Ira HallDenny DuesenbergStevensDuesenberg115.7391037Piston384123United States 1912 Ralph HepburnS. C. GoldbergCooperCooper110.0013233Rod bearing393759United States 1912 Ray CampbellTulio GulottaHudsonHudson108.6503724Oil leak403324United States 1912 Paul BostFred FrameDuesenbergMiller111.3302413Oil line413861United States 1912 Rick DeckerBessie DeckerMillerMiller108.2803813Manifold422122United States 1912 Louis Schneider gold W silverW. R. BlackburnStevensMiller109.850341Stalled Indianapolis 500 1933 http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19556 Ultimate Racing History 16 January 2012 https://archive.today/20120918092826/http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19556 18 September 2012 live The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle Publications International, Ltd. Rick Popely L. Spencer Riggs 1998 0-7853-2798-3 Lincolnwood, Illinois Note: Relief drivers in parenthesesChampCarStats.com https://www.champcarstats.com/races/193301.htm International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1933 gold W silver Former Indianapolis 500 winner orange R silver Indianapolis 500 Rookie Race statistics Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–32 Bill Cummings33–36 Fred Frame37–38 Babe Stapp39–50 Fred Frame51–63 Babe Stapp64–84 Fred Frame85–129 Babe Stapp130–200 Louis Meyer Total laps led Driver LapsLouis Meyer 71Babe Stapp 60Fred Frame 37Bill Cummings 32 Race details For 1933, riding mechanics were required.Blazier, John E. Rollings, Tom Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics 1994 Despite the deadly month, three rules were installed to make the racing safer. Cars were allowed a maximum of 6 quarts of oil, and could not add oil during the race (a rule still in place today). These changes meant to send "leakers" to the garage and not make the track slippery. Also, fuel tanks were a maximum of 15 gallons, instead of 40 gallons or more. Cars would have to pit more often for fuel and crews could inspect tire wear and other problems.Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p.98 "Will Overhead" In 1933, one of the more famous bits of Indy 500 nostalgia occurred. Telegraph was still being used to transmit race information to newspapers and other outlets across the United States. George Zanaon, a typesetter for The World-Independent newspaper in the town of Walsenburg, Colorado was preparing a story for that day's Indianapolis 500. Since Memorial Day was a holiday, his young editor John B. Kirkpatrick was alone monitoring the Associated Press wire for race updates. The race took several hours to complete, and the AP wire was shut down prior to the finish. Kirkpatrick had nearly the entire story ready for print, minus the winner of the race. A helpful AP editor in Denver advised him that he would send the name of the winner via Western Union telegraph. The telegraph Kirkpatrick received, in typical newspaper shorthand lingo was: "WILL OVERHEAD WINNER OF INDIANAPOLIS 500," meaning that he would send the information by telegraph when the information was available. The young editor misunderstood the jargon in the message, and interpreted it as saying a driver named Will Overhead was the winner. The headline read "Will Overhead won the Indianapolis Memorial Day race today. At the two hundred fifty mile post Babe Stapp was leading the string of racing cars, but gave way to Overhead on the last half of the 500 mile grind." The true winner was Louis Meyer. The gaffe put the town of Walsenburg, and The World-Independent newspaper (now known as the Huerfano World Journal), on the map in racing circles.https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1454&dat=19830526&id=HcgsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gRMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7110,2958387 Will Overhead, a real no-name, once 'won' Indy 500 race Wilington Morning Star May 23, 1983 January 22, 2015The Talk of Gasoline Alley Donald Davidson (historian) 1070 WIBC-AM May 5, 2003The Talk of Gasoline Alley Donald Davidson (historian) WFNI May 12, 2008 References 1933 Indianapolis 500 - Racing Reference 1932 Fred Frame 1933 Louis Meyer 1934 Bill Cummings 104.162 104.144 mph(1932 Indianapolis 500) 104.863 mph(1934 Indianapolis 500) Category:Indianapolis 500 races Indianapolis 500 Indianapolis 500 Category:1933 in American motorsport Category:May 1933 sports events in the United States