 | |||||
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | AAA | ||||
| Date | May 30, 1932 | ||||
| Winner | Fred Frame | ||||
| Winning Entrant | Harry Hartz | ||||
| Average speed | 104.144 mph (167.604 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position | Lou Moore | ||||
| Pole speed | 117.363 mph (188.877 km/h) | ||||
| Most laps led | Fred Frame (58) | ||||
| Pre-race | |||||
| Pace car | Lincoln Model KB | ||||
| Pace car driver | Edsel Ford | ||||
| Starter | Gar Wood[1] | ||||
| Honorary referee | Edsel Ford[1] | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
| |||||
The 20th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1932. Attrition was the story of the race, with 26 of the 40 cars dropping out due to crashes or mechanical failure. A record eight different drivers led laps during the race, with no driver seemingly able to hold the lead without experiencing some sort of trouble. For the third year in a row, Billy Arnold looked as if he would be the dominant car, but he sailed over the turn three wall on lap 59. Rookie Bob Carey also hit the wall while leading. Fred Frame took the lead for good on lap 152, and won from the 27th starting position - the furthest back of any winner except for Ray Harroun in 1911 and later, Louis Meyer in 1936. Frame was accompanied by riding mechanic Jerry Houck.
In the third year of the "stock-based" formula (also known as the "Junk" formula), speeds were beginning to increase once again, but not quite to levels seen in the late-1920s. Lou Moore qualified for the pole position with an average speed of 117.363 mph, the fastest time trial run in three years. Likewise on race day, Frame's winning average speed of 104.144 mph broke Peter DePaolo's record set back in 1925.
The race was part of the 1932 AAA Championship Car season. The month was marred by two fatalities during practice. Riding mechanic Harry Cox was killed in a crash on May 25, and driver Milton Jones died from injuries suffered in a crash on May 27.
- ^ a b Fox, Jack C. (1994). The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 (4th ed.). Carl Hungness Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 0-915088-05-3.