The 27th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is an automobile racing circuit located in Speedway, Indiana, an enclave suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the home of the Indianapolis 500 and the Verizon 200, and and formerly the home of the United State ...
on May 30, 1939. The race was won by the number two car of
Wilbur Shaw
Warren Wilbur Shaw (October 31, 1902 – October 30, 1954) was an American racing driver. He was president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death in 1954. Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for '' Popular Science'' magaz ...
, who started in the third position, driving a Maserati 8CTF. The race was notable for a three car accident on lap 109, when Floyd Roberts, the reigning champion, was killed when his car went through the wooden outer wall at over an hour at the backstretch. In
Louis Meyer
Louis Meyer (July 21, 1904 – October 7, 1995) was an American Hall of Fame race car driver who was the first three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500.
Biography
Born in lower Manhattan, New York on July 21, 1904, he was the son of French imm ...
's final Indy 500, he too would crash at the backstretch at over an hour, but he walked away unharmed.
Time trials
Ten-lap qualifying runs were eliminated for 1939, and the distance reverted to four-lap (10 mile) runs. This change was made permanent, and four-lap runs have been used ever since.
Floyd Roberts crash
With Roberts on lap 109, the car driven by Bob Swanson lost control and went sideways. Roberts' car contacted Swanson's, causing Swanson's car to eject Swanson, flip over, and catch fire, while Roberts' car went through the outer wall. Attempting to avoid the accident,
Chet Miller
Chester Miller (July 19, 1902 – May 15, 1953) was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a crash in the south turn of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during practice for the 1953 Indianapolis 500. Yates, Brock W. "The Indianapolis 500 ...
swerved into the debris field. His car flipped, and went into the inner wall. Two spectators were also injured by flying debris. The three drivers were taken to hospitals, while it took over 30 minutes to clear the burning wreck of Swanson's car from the track. Roberts death due to brain injuries was announced before the race was completed.
First rear-engined car
George Bailey became the first driver to compete with a rear-engined car in the Indianapolis 500 when he contested the 1939 race in a Gulf-Miller.
Henry Banks
Henry Banks (June 14, 1913 – December 18, 1994) was an American midget car and "big car" driver.
"Married Roseanne Eisamann, two children, John Allen Banks, and Kathryn Roseanne Banks, three grandchildren Allen Edwin Banks, Jeffrey Henry Banks ...
(#39)
*
Sam Hanks
Samuel Dwight "Sam" Hanks (July 13, 1914 – June 27, 1994) was an American race car driver who won the 1957 Indianapolis 500. He was a barnstormer, and raced midget and Championship cars.
Racing career
Hanks was born in Columbus, Ohio and l ...
(#42)
*
Tommy Hinnershitz
Thomas Paul Hinnershitz (April 6, 1912 – August 1, 1999) was an American race car driver.
Hinnershitz was active through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s on dirt, asphalt and boards, driving "Big Cars" (later Sprint Cars), at that time slightly ...
(#33)
*
Ronney Householder Ronney Householder (May 5, 1908 in Omaha, Nebraska – November 11, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan) was an American race car driver. He raced most of the year, in the Midwest in summer and the West Coast in the winter.Frank McGurk (#41)
*
Zeke Meyer
Herbert Ernest "Zeke" Meyer (March 19, 1891 – April 27, 1962) was an American racecar driver. He was not related to fellow driver Louis Meyer
Louis Meyer (July 21, 1904 – October 7, 1995) was an American Hall of Fame race car drive ...
(#27)
*
Duke Nalon
Dennis "Duke" Nalon (March 2, 1913 – February 26, 2001) was an American midget car, sprint car, and Indy 500 driver from Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Racing career
Nalon began as a pit crew member for Wally Zale. Nalon occasionally warmed u ...
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...