 | |||||
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | AAA | ||||
| Date | May 30, 1951 | ||||
| Winner | Lee Wallard | ||||
| Winning Entrant | Murrell Belanger | ||||
| Average speed | 126.244 mph (203.170 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position | Duke Nalon | ||||
| Pole speed | 136.498 mph (219.672 km/h) | ||||
| Most laps led | Lee Wallard (159) | ||||
| Pre-race | |||||
| Pace car | Chrysler New Yorker | ||||
| Pace car driver | David A. Wallace | ||||
| Starter | Seth Klein[1] | ||||
| Honorary referee | Clarence Beesmyer[1] | ||||
| Estimated attendance | 150,000[2] | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
| |||||
The 35th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 30, 1951. The event was part of the 1951 AAA National Championship Trail, and was also race 2 of 8 in the 1951 World Championship of Drivers. For the second year in a row, no European Formula One-based teams entered the race.
Duke Nalon, who had suffered serious burns in a crash in 1949, and who missed the 1950 race, made a comeback at Indy by winning the pole position in a Novi. Heavy attrition saw only eight cars running at the finish. Winner Lee Wallard's car lost its brakes, suffered a damaged exhaust pipe, and broke a shock absorber mounting.[3][4] In addition to the unbearably uncomfortable ride, Wallard had worn a fire retardant outfit, created by dipping his uniform in a mixture of borax crystals and water. Due to not wearing an undershirt, Wallard suffered serious chafing, and required treatment at the infield hospital after the victory lane celebration.[4] It was estimated he lost 15 pounds during the race.[4]
Wallard's winning car had the smallest displacement in the field. About a week after winning the race, Wallard suffered severe burns in a crash at Reading, which effectively ended his professional racing career. Three-time winner Mauri Rose, in his 15th Indy start, crashed and flipped on lap 126. It was his final 500, as he retired from driving after the crash.
Wallard's improbable victory helped earn him the nickname "Cinderella Man".[5][6]
- ^ 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.
- ^ Stranahan, Bob (May 31, 1951). "Pilot's Hoosier's Car To Victory; Nazaruk Second". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Van Camp's Pork & Beans Presents: Great Moments From the Indy 500 – Fleetwood Sounds, 1975
- ^ a b c The Talk of Gasoline Alley – 1070-AM WIBC/Network Indiana, May 17, 2007
- ^ Davidson, Donald (May 13, 2000). "'Cinderella Man' found his groove at the track". The Indianapolis Star. p. 31. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Davidson, Donald (May 13, 2005). "Winning in a broken car". The Indianapolis Star. p. 71. Retrieved October 17, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
