The 19th 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 Saturday, May 30, 1931. Race winner
Louis Schneider
Louis Frank Schneider (December 19, 1901 – September 22, 1942) was an American racecar driver. He won the 1931 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
"Louie" Schneider was born in Indianapolis on December 19, 1901. He graduated from School No. 49, an ...
, who led the final 34 laps, was accompanied by riding mechanic Jigger Johnson.
The start of the race was delayed two hours due to rain. Defending race winner
Billy Arnold charged from 18th starting position to lead the race by lap 7. Arnold, who had dominated the
1930 race (led 198 laps), proceeded to lead the next 155 laps, and built up a five-lap lead over second place. His rear axle broke on lap 162. He spun in turn four, was hit by another car, driven by
Luther Johnson, and went over the outside wall. One of his errant wheels bounced across Georgetown Road, and struck and killed an 11-year-old boy, Wilbur C. Brink. Arnold suffered a broken pelvis, and his
riding mechanic
A riding mechanic was a mechanic that rode along with a race car during races, and who was tasked with maintaining, monitoring, and repairing the car during the race. The various duties included manually pumping oil and fuel, checking tire wear, ...
,
Spider Matlock, broke his shoulder.
The race was part of the
1931 AAA Championship Car season
The 1931 AAA Championship Car season consisted of seven races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 12. There was also one non-championship race. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 5 ...
.
Race schedule
Practice – Week 1
The deadline for entries to be received was midnight on Friday May 1.
A record 72 cars were entered, for 40 starting positions.
The track was made available for practice at the beginning of the month, and most entries were expected to arrive mid-month.
*Tuesday May 5: A total of seven complete cars had arrived to the garage area.
Tony Gulotta
Tony Gulotta (August 4, 1903 New Orleans, Louisiana – March 2, 1981 Los Angeles, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s and 1930s.
He competed in American Championship Car Racing and finished eighth in the 1927 Natio ...
was one of few cars to take to the track during the first few days, turning in laps around 100 mph.
*Thursday May 7: breakups in the track surface were being repaired. Floyd "Sparky" Sparks practiced during the repair work, turning laps around 75-80 mph.
By the end of the first full week of practice, track activity had been sparse.
Several of the top teams were expected to arrive within the next week. In addition, rain and cold weather kept drivers off the track over the weekend and into Monday.
Practice – Week 2
*Tuesday May 12:
Joe Russo, Jerry Houck, and
L. L. Corum
Lora Lawrence (L.L. "Slim") Corum (January 8, 1899 - March 7, 1949) was co-winner of the 1924 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
L.L. Corum was born on January 8, 1899, in Jonesville, Indiana to Margaret Hannah Marquette and William Cecil Corum.
During ...
, were among at least four cars that took practice laps. Houck lost a wheel on the backstretch, but suffered no other damage to the car.
*Wednesday May 13: Track activity picked up in earnest on Wednesday, owing much to the fair weather.
Leon Duray
Leon Duray (April 30, 1894 Cleveland, Ohio - May 12, 1956 Twentynine Palms, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s. Born George Stewart,1996 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network ( Do ...
took to the track for the first time in his
supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.
The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
two-cycle
A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of t ...
,
16-cylinder, Stutz Bearcat, after much anticipation. But Duray suffered a stuck piston, sometime after running a lap of 112 mph. Other drivers taking laps included
Tony Gulotta
Tony Gulotta (August 4, 1903 New Orleans, Louisiana – March 2, 1981 Los Angeles, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s and 1930s.
He competed in American Championship Car Racing and finished eighth in the 1927 Natio ...
(103 mph) and
Phil Pardee (90 mph).
Billy Arnold and
Harry Hartz
Harry Hartz (24 December 1896 – 26 September 1974) was an American auto mechanic and race car driver.
Career
Harry Hartz was born in Pomona, California, and grew up in the Los Angeles area. At age eighteen, he began to drive in support e ...
took turns in Arnold's car, with laps reported in the 109-110 mph range.
Joe Russo, repeating a stunt he performed a year earlier, took a lap around the Speedway blindfolded.
*Thursday May 14:
Billy Arnold turned the fastest practice lap of the month at 110 mph. Owner
Harry Hartz
Harry Hartz (24 December 1896 – 26 September 1974) was an American auto mechanic and race car driver.
Career
Harry Hartz was born in Pomona, California, and grew up in the Los Angeles area. At age eighteen, he began to drive in support e ...
also took some test laps in Arnold's car.
Russ Snowberger
Russell Snowberger (October 8, 1901 – September 28, 1968) was an American racecar driver and owner active from the 1920s through the 1950s. After his lengthy Indianapolis career, Snowberger continued his affiliation with the "500" by sponsori ...
was the second-fastest of the day, clocking in at 106 mph. Other drivers on the track included,
Ernie Triplett
Ernie Leo Triplett (September 25, 1906 in Barry, IllinoisThe Talk of Gasoline Alley, Network Indiana, May 25, 2006 – March 5, 1934 in El Centro, California) was an American racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, ...
(103 mph), Buddy Marr (100 mph),
L. L. Corum
Lora Lawrence (L.L. "Slim") Corum (January 8, 1899 - March 7, 1949) was co-winner of the 1924 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
L.L. Corum was born on January 8, 1899, in Jonesville, Indiana to Margaret Hannah Marquette and William Cecil Corum.
During ...
(93 mph),
Joe Caccia
Joseph Caccia (born Giuseppe Caccia; January 19, 1898 – May 26, 1931) was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a practice crash for the 1931 Indianapolis 500 along with riding mechanic Clarence Grove, when he crashed his car at tu ...
(96 mph),
Tony Gulotta
Tony Gulotta (August 4, 1903 New Orleans, Louisiana – March 2, 1981 Los Angeles, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s and 1930s.
He competed in American Championship Car Racing and finished eighth in the 1927 Natio ...
, Howard Seecomb, and
Phil Pardee.
Louis Schneider
Louis Frank Schneider (December 19, 1901 – September 22, 1942) was an American racecar driver. He won the 1931 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
"Louie" Schneider was born in Indianapolis on December 19, 1901. He graduated from School No. 49, an ...
took some initial laps with his riding mechanic Jigger Johnson, but an oil leak persisted. Johnson tried to plug the hole with his fingers, so the pair could complete at least a handful of laps, to no avail.
*Friday May 15:
Stubby Stubblefield (109 mph) led the practice speeds on a fairly light day of track activity.
Ernie Triplett
Ernie Leo Triplett (September 25, 1906 in Barry, IllinoisThe Talk of Gasoline Alley, Network Indiana, May 25, 2006 – March 5, 1934 in El Centro, California) was an American racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, ...
(109 mph),
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 ...
(100 mph),
L. L. Corum
Lora Lawrence (L.L. "Slim") Corum (January 8, 1899 - March 7, 1949) was co-winner of the 1924 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
L.L. Corum was born on January 8, 1899, in Jonesville, Indiana to Margaret Hannah Marquette and William Cecil Corum.
During ...
(94 mph), and
Jerry Houck (over 90 mph), were among others that took to the track. Some participants left the grounds to attend the
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-year ...
.
*Saturday May 16:
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 im ...
ran his first laps of the month in the
16-cylinder Sampson Sampson may refer to:
Military
* , several Royal Navy ships
* , several US Navy ships
* Sampson-class destroyer, a World War I US Navy class
* Sampson Air Force Base, near Seneca Lake, New York, closed in 1956
* SAMPSON, a multi-function radar ...
Special. Meyer completed a lap of 113.63 mph.
Milton Jones
Milton Hywel Jones (born 16 May 1964) is an English comedian. His style of humour is based on one-liners involving puns delivered in a deadpan and slightly neurotic style. Jones has had various shows on BBC Radio 4 and was a recurring guest pa ...
fishtailed his car exiting turn three, and made contact with the inside wall. The cars was expected to be repaired.
Practice – Week 3
*Sunday May 17: Cliff Durant took laps in Leon Duray's
supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.
The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
16-cylinder car, hitting top speeds of 125 mph on the straights. The car, which had been suffering from overheating problems for the past few days, blew the top off the radiator. The team went to work to install a new radiator and water pump in time for qualifying.
Louis Schneider
Louis Frank Schneider (December 19, 1901 – September 22, 1942) was an American racecar driver. He won the 1931 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
"Louie" Schneider was born in Indianapolis on December 19, 1901. He graduated from School No. 49, an ...
and
Tony Gulotta
Tony Gulotta (August 4, 1903 New Orleans, Louisiana – March 2, 1981 Los Angeles, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s and 1930s.
He competed in American Championship Car Racing and finished eighth in the 1927 Natio ...
were both over 103 mph, while
Joe Russo, and
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 ...
both hit laps of 100 mph.
L. L. Corum
Lora Lawrence (L.L. "Slim") Corum (January 8, 1899 - March 7, 1949) was co-winner of the 1924 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
L.L. Corum was born on January 8, 1899, in Jonesville, Indiana to Margaret Hannah Marquette and William Cecil Corum.
During ...
(96 mph) was steadily increasing his speed as the days passed.
*Monday May 18:
Cliff Durant
Russell Clifford "Cliff" Durant (November 26, 1890 – October 31, 1937) was an American racecar driver. He was the son of William C. Durant, the founder of General Motors and Durant's first wife, Clara Pitt. Cliff Durant had four wives: Lena ...
was forced to fly to Michigan to tend to urgent business, leaving
Leon Duray
Leon Duray (April 30, 1894 Cleveland, Ohio - May 12, 1956 Twentynine Palms, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s. Born George Stewart,1996 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network ( Do ...
as the driver remaining behind to qualify their
supercharged
In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.
The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
16-cylinder machine. The team was still waiting for a replacement radiator from Detroit. Durant was expected to return and drive relief in the race if needed.
Cliff Bergere
Cliff Bergere (December 6, 1896 Toledo, Ohio – June 18, 1980 Dade City, Florida) was an American stuntman and racecar driver.
Bergere did stunt driving for movies, including the 1923 film ''The Eagle's Talons'', before embarking on a racing ca ...
was named to the Elco Royale entry, having tested it at around 102-104 mph.
Babe Stapp
Elbert "Babe" Stapp (February 26, 1904 in San Antonio, Texas – September 17, 1980 in Indianapolis, Indiana) was an American racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involv ...
also arrived at the track.
*Tuesday May 19: By Tuesday, at least 30 cars had arrived at the track. Arriving at the track were car builder
Harry Miller and car owner William S. White. Their two cars, a 301-cubic inch, 16-cylinder machine to be driven by
Shorty Cantlon
William A. "Shorty" Cantlon
(October 8, 1903 – May 30, 1947) was an American racecar
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition.
Auto r ...
, and a four-cylinder for
Bert Karnatz, were en route from Los Angeles, expected for delivery on Wednesday. Miller and White kept the details of the much-anticipated 16-cylinder machine guarded. Of the cars on the track,
Lou Moore
Lewis Henry Moore (September 12, 1904 Hinton, Oklahoma – March 25, 1956 Atlanta, Georgia) was an American racecar driver. He was most known during his racing career for qualifying on the pole position of the 1932 Indianapolis 500. He was lat ...
in the twin 4-cylinder Coleman Special, raised eyebrows with a 104 mph lap.
*Wednesday May 20: Track activity was bustling by Wednesday, with many cars, mechanics, and representatives in the garage area.
Russ Snowberger
Russell Snowberger (October 8, 1901 – September 28, 1968) was an American racecar driver and owner active from the 1920s through the 1950s. After his lengthy Indianapolis career, Snowberger continued his affiliation with the "500" by sponsori ...
got some attention after he turned a lap of 113 mph in his nearly-stock motor Studebaker. Also fast for the day was
Ernie Triplett
Ernie Leo Triplett (September 25, 1906 in Barry, IllinoisThe Talk of Gasoline Alley, Network Indiana, May 25, 2006 – March 5, 1934 in El Centro, California) was an American racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, ...
(111 mph). The Bill White/Harry Miller 16-cylinder car was delivered to the track at noontime, and driver
Shorty Cantlon
William A. "Shorty" Cantlon
(October 8, 1903 – May 30, 1947) was an American racecar
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition.
Auto r ...
immediately took to the track for some shakedown laps.
*Thursday May 21: One day after arriving at the track,
Shorty Cantlon
William A. "Shorty" Cantlon
(October 8, 1903 – May 30, 1947) was an American racecar
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition.
Auto r ...
's Bill White/Harry Miller 16-cylinder machine broke a
connecting rod
A connecting rod, also called a 'con rod', is the part of a piston engine which connects the piston to the crankshaft. Together with the crank, the connecting rod converts the reciprocating motion of the piston into the rotation of the cranksh ...
and blew a hole in the crankcase. The catastrophic engine failure was traced to an error during assembly. Cantlon was out of contention for the pole position, and now had to wait for replacement parts and an engine rebuild. Also on the sidelines was
Leon Duray
Leon Duray (April 30, 1894 Cleveland, Ohio - May 12, 1956 Twentynine Palms, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s. Born George Stewart,1996 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network ( Do ...
, still waiting for delivery of a replacement radiator for the Durant 16-cylinder machine. At about 5 p.m., the steering failed on
Frank Brisko's car, causing him to lose control in turn 4 and hit the inside wall. The car then rebounded and hit the outside wall, coming to rest in the middle of the track. The car suffered heavy damage to the front end and front axle. Brisko and his riding mechanic Fred Winnai were not seriously injured, and planned to make repairs.
*Friday May 22: The much-anticipated and much-talked about
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, filtration, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipment, including fuel systems, controls, air ...
Diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
Special, entered by
Clessie Cummins
Clessie Lyle Cummins (December 27, 1888 – August 17, 1968) was the founder of the Cummins Engine Co. He was an entrepreneur who improved on existing diesel engines, created new diesel engine designs, was awarded 33 United States patents for h ...
, arrived at the Speedway on Friday.
Dave Evans took the diesel to the track and ran off laps of about 96-97 mph.
Earlier in the month, officials had announced a special exemption rule for diesel-powered entries, to encourage their participation. Any diesel that completed the four-lap qualifying attempt in excess of 80 mph average, would qualify for the field, regardless of overall speed rank.
["The Talk of Gasoline Alley" - WIBC-AM, May 20, 2002] The other gasoline-powered engines had a minimum speed of 90 mph in time trials.
Time trials
![1931CumminsDieselIndy500](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/1931CumminsDieselIndy500.jpg)
Four-lap (10 mile) qualifying runs were utilized, with 90 mph set as the required minimum speed. Diesel entries were allowed a special rules exception, given them a guaranteed starting position provided they complete their run at a speed of greater than 80 mph.
Riding mechanics were required to accompany the drivers on all cars during qualifying.
Saturday May 23
The first day of time trials was held Saturday May 23, with the track available for qualifying from 10:00 a.m. to 7:01 p.m. (sundown). The minimum qualifying speed for gasoline powered engines was set at 90 mph.
Dave Evans was the first car out to qualify, in the
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, filtration, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipment, including fuel systems, controls, air ...
Diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
Special. Evans completed his run at 96.871 mph, well above the 80 mph minimum speed required for diesel-powered entries.
Russ Snowberger
Russell Snowberger (October 8, 1901 – September 28, 1968) was an American racecar driver and owner active from the 1920s through the 1950s. After his lengthy Indianapolis career, Snowberger continued his affiliation with the "500" by sponsori ...
won the pole position with a four-lap average speed of 112.796 mph. A total of 19 cars took to the track, but only 17 cars officially qualified. Rounding out the front row was
Bill Cummings and first year driver
Paul Bost
Paul Bost (May 16, 1905 Lincolnton, North Carolina – September 4, 1974 Lincolnton, North Carolina) was an American racecar
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of ...
. Snowberger winning the pole was a surprise, not only because his nearly-stock motor Studebaker outperformed Cummings and others, but three of the favorites for the pole did not even get to put in a time. Cummings first attempt early in the day started out with a lap of 115.001 mph, but he suffered a failed clutch. Cumming's second attempt run managed only a 112.563 mph, just 0.66 seconds shy of bumping Snowberger from the pole.
Shorty Cantlon was kept off the track for the whole weekend, still awaiting an engine rebuild. He was expected to qualify on Tuesday. Louis Meyer, another favorite, took to the track to make an attempt in the 16-cylinder Sampson Special. He came down the mainstretch, but lost control in turn one, brushing the inside and outside wall. He drove back to the pits with a bent frame, and would be forced to make repairs.
Defending pole position and race winner
Billy Arnold was having trouble finding speed over the past couple of days, but scrambled to make an attempt late in the day on Saturday. He wheeled to the line at 7:08 p.m., past the deadline for the track to close. Officials decided to allow the run, and his four-lap average of 113.848 mph tentatively took the pole position. After the run, some drivers protested, and during a post-qualifying inspection, it was found that Arnold's brake cables were not connected. During the rush to get the car on the track, the crew had neglected to connect the brake cables, and technical committee chairman
Louis H. Schwitzer
Louis H Schwitzer ( – ) was born in Bielitz, Austria-Hungary, and emigrated to America before World War I.
As an engineer, Schwitzer was influential in designing hydraulics for use in bus transportation. He also pioneered improvements in aut ...
disallowed the run.
* Disqualified
*
Source: ''The Indianapolis News''
Sunday May 24
The second day of time trials was held on Sunday May 24. The track was for available for qualifying from 1 p.m. to 7:01 p.m. (sundown).
Only two cars completed qualifying runs. One day after having his run disallowed,
Billy Arnold put his car in the field at 116.080 mph. he became the fastest qualifier in the field.
During a practice run, the car of Floyd "Sparky" Sparks caught on fire down the backstretch, ignited from an oil or gasoline leak. Attempting to close off the fuel line, he hit the retaining wall in turn three. The car was badly burned. Sparks would not be able to qualify.
Tony Gulotta
Tony Gulotta (August 4, 1903 New Orleans, Louisiana – March 2, 1981 Los Angeles, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s and 1930s.
He competed in American Championship Car Racing and finished eighth in the 1927 Natio ...
was the only other driver to complete a qualifying attempt. Gulotta left the Bowes Seal Fast team and instead moved over to the Hunt Special entered by Ab Jenkins.
Freddy Winnai
Freddie Winnai (April 8, 1905 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – September 4, 1977 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American racecar driver during the AAA
AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer t ...
took his old seat. Gulotta would have been fast enough for the second row, but as a second day qualifier, he would line up 19th on the grid.
Lou Moore
Lewis Henry Moore (September 12, 1904 Hinton, Oklahoma – March 25, 1956 Atlanta, Georgia) was an American racecar driver. He was most known during his racing career for qualifying on the pole position of the 1932 Indianapolis 500. He was lat ...
tried to qualify
Pete DePaolo
Pete DePaolo (April 6, 1898 – November 26, 1980) was an American race car driver who won the 1925 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
Peter DePaolo was born on April 6, 1898, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pete saw his first race in 1919, where he w ...
's Boyle Valve Special, but a broken clutch prevented the attempt. At the end of the day, the field was filled to 19 cars, with 21 spots remaining.
*
Source: ''The Indianapolis News''
Monday May 25
The third day of qualifying was held Monday May 25, with the track available from 2 p.m. to 7:02 p.m. (sundown).
The day was marred by the fatal accident of
Joe Caccia
Joseph Caccia (born Giuseppe Caccia; January 19, 1898 – May 26, 1931) was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a practice crash for the 1931 Indianapolis 500 along with riding mechanic Clarence Grove, when he crashed his car at tu ...
and his
riding mechanic
A riding mechanic was a mechanic that rode along with a race car during races, and who was tasked with maintaining, monitoring, and repairing the car during the race. The various duties included manually pumping oil and fuel, checking tire wear, ...
Clarence Grover. Caccia was on the track in the morning for a practice run, when the car skidded out of control entering turn 2. The car slid about 150 feet, and then slid into the outside barrier. The car ripped a hole through the outside retaining wall, hurtled 100 feet down the embankment, and crashed into a tree. Both drivers were likely thrown from the car, landed next to it, and the car had burst into flames. Both drivers were killed instantly, and were enveloped by the flames.
Five cars completed qualification runs, filling the field to 24 cars.
Jimmy Gleason (111.400 mph) was the fastest car of the day.
Frank Farmer, formerly of the M.A. Yagle entry, took over the Jones-Miller Special, and was the second-fastest car of the day.
Still yet to qualify was Shorty Cantlon, who practiced unofficially over 118 mph, but suffered a broken universal joint during the day.
*
Source: ''The Indianapolis News''
Tuesday May 26
The fourth day of qualifying was held Tuesday May 26, with the track available from 2 p.m. to 7:02 p.m. (sundown).
Nine cars completed runs, led by
Lou Meyer in the Samson Special. Meyer was qualified comfortably, though probably below his potential speed, said to be playing it safe after his crash on Saturday. After considerable delay, Shorty Cantlon put his 16-cylinder machine in the field, as did Leon Duray. Duray had been suffering from overheating issues all week, and observers noted he qualified with water boiling from the radiator, indicating the problems were still not solved.
*
Source: ''The Indianapolis News''
Wednesday May 27
The final day of qualifying was held Wednesday May 26, with the track available from 2 p.m. to 7:04 p.m. (sundown).
The day opening with seven spots remaining in the grid. Out of a total of 72 entries, upwards of twenty cars were considered available for time trials.
During a busy day of track activity, a total of eight cars qualified for the starting field, filling the grid to 40 cars. At least twelve other cars attempted to qualify, but were too slow or failed to complete their run. The fastest car of the day was
Gene Haustein (107.823 mph), followed by Myron Stevens.
Car owner Fred Clemmons managed to get both of his Hoosier Pete entries qualified, despite the cars only arriving at the track for the first time Wednesday morning.
Billy Winn and
Herman Schurch
Herman Werner Schurch (born Hermann Werner Schurch, April 7, 1903 – November 8, 1931) was an American racing driver.
Biography
Schurch's family emigrated to the United States when he was a boy. He made five starts in AAA Championship Car f ...
both took to the track for shake down laps at slow speed, and practiced for only about 45 minutes. The cars were brought to the garage for adjustments to the springs and shock absorbers, and later in the afternoon were safely qualified to the grid with only about 20 laps of practice each.
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'' magazin ...
and
Ralph DePalma
Raffaele "Ralph" De Palma (December 19, 1882 – March 31, 1956) was an Italian-American racecar driving champion who won the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2,0 ...
were both at the track Wednesday, looking to qualify. Officials deemed that DePalma had not arrived in enough time to qualify, and the car he was to drive had not shown sufficient speed. Shaw took to the track for a qualifying attempt late in the day, but he pulled off with a broken crankshaft before starting the run.
With less than fifteen minutes remaining in the day,
Joe Huff was the final qualifier. Huff would have "crowded out"
Harry Butcher, the slowest qualifier. After qualifying was over, however,
Peter Kreis
A. J. "Peter" Kreis (January 19, 1900 – May 25, 1934) was an American racecar driver. He and riding mechanic Robert Hahn were killed in a turn one accident while practicing for the 1934 Indianapolis 500. As he was entering the turn, a c ...
in the Coleman Special withdrew due to handling problems. As a result,
Harry Butcher in the Butcher Brothers Special was restored to the starting field.
The track was to be available on Thursday for final "carburation tests." No track activity was scheduled for Friday.
*
Source: ''The Indianapolis News''
Starting grid
Alternates
*First alternate:
Ted Chamberlain
Failed to qualify
*
Peter Kreis
A. J. "Peter" Kreis (January 19, 1900 – May 25, 1934) was an American racecar driver. He and riding mechanic Robert Hahn were killed in a turn one accident while practicing for the 1934 Indianapolis 500. As he was entering the turn, a c ...
(withdrew)
*
Rick Decker (bumped)
*
Bill Denver (bumped)
*
Lora L. Corum (too slow; drove relief during the race)
*
C.C. Reeder (too slow)
*
Joe Thomas (too slow)
*
Ben Brandfon (too slow)
*
Bert Karnatz (incomplete attempt)
*
Malcolm Fox Malcolm Fox may refer to:
* Malcolm Fox (racing driver), American racing driver
* Malcolm Fox (tennis), American tennis player
* Malcolm Fox (detective)
This is a list of characters from the ''Inspector Rebus'' series of detective novels ...
(incomplete attempt)
*
James Patterson
James Brendan Patterson (born March 22, 1947) is an American author. Among his works are the ''Alex Cross'', '' Michael Bennett'', '' Women's Murder Club'', ''Maximum Ride'', '' Daniel X'', '' NYPD Red'', '' Witch & Wizard'', and ''Private'' se ...
(incomplete attempt)
*
Marion Trexler (incomplete attempt)
*
Gordon Condon (incomplete attempt)
*
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'' magazin ...
(incomplete attempt; drove relief during race)
*
Joe Caccia
Joseph Caccia (born Giuseppe Caccia; January 19, 1898 – May 26, 1931) was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a practice crash for the 1931 Indianapolis 500 along with riding mechanic Clarence Grove, when he crashed his car at tu ...
(fatal practice crash)
*
Wesley Crawford
Wesley Charles Crafford (January 4, 1904 – January 9, 1961) was an American racing driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition.
Aut ...
*
Harry Miller
*
Bryan Saulpaugh
William Bryan Saulpaugh (1905 – April 22, 1933) was an American racecar driver. Saulpaugh relieved Chet Miller in the 1931 Indianapolis 500 for 49 laps and qualified for the 1932 race in a Miller in the third position but was knocked out after ...
*
Eddie Burbach
*
Ralph DePalma
Raffaele "Ralph" De Palma (December 19, 1882 – March 31, 1956) was an Italian-American racecar driving champion who won the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2,0 ...
(insufficient speed)
*
Dusty Fahrnow
*
Norske Larson
*
Charles Moran
*
Milt Marion
Milt is the seminal fluid of fish, mollusks, and certain other water-dwelling animals which reproduce by spraying this fluid, which contains the sperm, onto roe (fish eggs). It can also refer to the sperm sacs or testes that contain the semen. ...
*
Rollin May
*
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 ...
*
Wally Zale
*
Roy Painter Roy Painter (born 1933) was a former leading figure on the British far right.
A cab driver, he was a leading member of the Conservatives in Tottenham and had stood as a candidate for them in the Greater London Council. A supporter of Enoch Powell ...
*
Carl Smith
*
Floyd "Sparky" Sparks (car fire)
*
Johnny Seymour
*
Ab Jenkins
David Abbott "Ab" Jenkins (January 25, 1883 – August 9, 1956) was the 24th mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah between 1940 to 1944. He was a professional race car driver. Jenkins' interest in motorsports began with racing motorcycles on dirt track ...
(illness)
*
Jerry Houck
*
Milton Jones
Milton Hywel Jones (born 16 May 1964) is an English comedian. His style of humour is based on one-liners involving puns delivered in a deadpan and slightly neurotic style. Jones has had various shows on BBC Radio 4 and was a recurring guest pa ...
*
Peter DePaolo
Pete DePaolo (April 6, 1898 – November 26, 1980) was an American race car driver who won the 1925 Indianapolis 500.
Biography
Peter DePaolo was born on April 6, 1898, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pete saw his first race in 1919, where he w ...
Race recap
Start
Overnight and morning rain delayed the start from 10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Indianapolis Drum and Bugle Corps. paraded and entertained the early arriving fans, including
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Harry G. Leslie
Harry Guyer Leslie (April 6, 1878December 10, 1937) was an American politician and Indiana Republican Party member, speaker of the state house and the 33rd governor of the state. His term as governor was marked by the start of the Great Depressi ...
and his entourage of seven other state governors. At noon, pace car driver Willard "Big Boy" Rader guided the field in the
Cadillac 370 V-12 pace car for one unscored pace lap. Speedway general manager Theodore E. Meyers rode as a passenger. Rader and Meyers pulled over on the mainstretch, and the green flag was displayed for the flying start. The race began with
Paul Bost
Paul Bost (May 16, 1905 Lincolnton, North Carolina – September 4, 1974 Lincolnton, North Carolina) was an American racecar
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of ...
grabbing the lead from the outside of the front row. Bost led the first two laps.
Bill Cummings took the lead for laps 3–6.
Defending winner
Billy Arnold, who started 18th (and was the fastest qualifier), went on a tear through the field at the start. He passed 17 cars, and took the lead on lap 7. He picked up where he left off a
year earlier, and started pulling out to about a 15-second lead.
After suffering constant overheating problems during practice and time trials,
Leon Duray
Leon Duray (April 30, 1894 Cleveland, Ohio - May 12, 1956 Twentynine Palms, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s. Born George Stewart,1996 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network ( Do ...
pitted his car after only six laps. The overheating problems persisted and he finished 37th.
First half
On lap 33,
rain returned to the area, and brought out the yellow flag. The race was slowed and run under the yellow flag for about the next 28 laps. Drivers were required to slow down to about an 80 mph pace, and passing was not allowed unless except those cars that entered the pit area.
The drizzling stopped, and the green flag came back out on the 61st lap. Only a few laps later, the yellow flag came out again when Wilbur Shaw (driving relief for Phil Pardee) wrecked spectacularly in turn three. The car leaped over the outside wall, and down the embankment. Shaw was uninjured, and walked back to the pits, ready to relieve another driver. While the crash was being cleaned up, more rain began to fall, and the yellow remained out for several minutes more.
By lap 70, the rain had stopped and the green flag was back out with Billy Arnold still leading. Ralph Hepburn was running second, Tony Gulotta third, Russ Snowberger fourth, and Fred Frame fifth.
Bill Cummings dropped out after completing 70 laps due to an oil leak. On lap 94, Cummins took over the car of
Deacon Litz
Artha Benson "Deacon" Litz (August 2, 1897 in DuBois, Pennsylvania – January 3, 1967 in Daytona Beach, Florida) was an American racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport in ...
. Also dropping out early with an oil leak was
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 im ...
(28 laps). He got back in the race on lap 73, taking over as relief for
Myron Stevens
Myron Stevens (February 17, 1901 Los Angeles, California – July 2, 1988 Sun City West, Arizona) was an American racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the ra ...
.
Billy Arnold continued to lead at the halfway point.
Second half
Louis Schneider made his first and only pit stop on lap 106, taking on gasoline and oil, as well as changing the right rear tire. After surviving a spectacular crash in the first half,
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'' magazin ...
was back in the race on lap 118, this time driving a stint of relief for Jimmy Gleason.
After leading 155 laps, Billy Arnold crashed on lap 162. In turn four, Arnold spun, and lost a wheel. He was hit by the car of
Luther Johnson. Arnold's car burst into flames, and hit the concrete wall. It slid for about 200 feet, and Arnold and his riding mechanic Spider Matlock were thrown from the machine. A wheel from Arnold's wrecked car bounced over the wall and across the street, striking and killing an 11-year-old boy playing in his yard. Johnson's car flipped over, but he was not seriously injured.
Louis Schneider took the lead after Arnold's crash. Five laps later
Tony Gulotta
Tony Gulotta (August 4, 1903 New Orleans, Louisiana – March 2, 1981 Los Angeles, California) was an American racecar driver active in the 1920s and 1930s.
He competed in American Championship Car Racing and finished eighth in the 1927 Natio ...
crashed in nearly the same spot as Arnold. Gulotta's car slid into the inside wall, then bounced up to the outside guardrail, ripping a portion of the barrier out, Neither Gulotta nor his riding mechanic were seriously injured.
With 30 laps to go, Schneider and second place Bill Cummings were nose-to-tail, battling for the lead. Cummings had taken over the car of
Deacon Litz
Artha Benson "Deacon" Litz (August 2, 1897 in DuBois, Pennsylvania – January 3, 1967 in Daytona Beach, Florida) was an American racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport in ...
. Cummings hit the wall in the south short chute on lap 177, leaving Schneider all alone out in front. Schneider led the final 39 laps en route to victory, and won by 43.19 seconds over second place
Fred Frame
Fredrick William Frame (June 3, 1894 – April 25, 1962) was an American race car driver. One of the leading AAA Championship Car drivers of the late 1920s and early 1930s, Frame is best remembered for his victory at the 1932 Indianapolis 500.
B ...
. At the time, it was the second-closest margin of victory in Indianapolis 500 history.
Polesitter
Russ Snowberger
Russell Snowberger (October 8, 1901 – September 28, 1968) was an American racecar driver and owner active from the 1920s through the 1950s. After his lengthy Indianapolis career, Snowberger continued his affiliation with the "500" by sponsori ...
was one of three drivers in the top five to complete the race without relief help. The car of
Myron Stevens
Myron Stevens (February 17, 1901 Los Angeles, California – July 2, 1988 Sun City West, Arizona) was an American racecar driver
Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the ra ...
, with
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 im ...
driving relief for most of the race, charged from 35th starting position to 4th place, a remarkable gain of 31 positions at the finish.
Box score
Race details
*For 1931,
riding mechanic
A riding mechanic was a mechanic that rode along with a race car during races, and who was tasked with maintaining, monitoring, and repairing the car during the race. The various duties included manually pumping oil and fuel, checking tire wear, ...
s were required.
*
Dave Evans drove the
Cummins
Cummins Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and distributes engines, filtration, and power generation products. Cummins also services engines and related equipment, including fuel systems, controls, air ...
Diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
Special entered by
Clessie Cummins
Clessie Lyle Cummins (December 27, 1888 – August 17, 1968) was the founder of the Cummins Engine Co. He was an entrepreneur who improved on existing diesel engines, created new diesel engine designs, was awarded 33 United States patents for h ...
. During time trials, a special exception rule was made for diesel-powered engines which stated that if a
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
entry completed the four-lap qualifying run in excess of 80 mph average, it would qualify for the field, regardless of overall speed rank.
Evans qualified at over 96 mph, but ranked 43rd overall. Evans was given the 40th and last starting position. On race day he finished 13th, performing the remarkable feat of completed the entire 500 miles without a
pit stop
In motorsports, a pit stop is a pause for refuelling, new tyres, repairs, mechanical adjustments, a driver change, as a penalty, or any combination of the above. These stops occur in an area called the pits, most commonly accessed via a pit la ...
. At some point during the race, Evans and his
riding mechanic
A riding mechanic was a mechanic that rode along with a race car during races, and who was tasked with maintaining, monitoring, and repairing the car during the race. The various duties included manually pumping oil and fuel, checking tire wear, ...
Thane Houser
Thane Houser (27 July 1891 Honey Creek, Indiana –23 November 1967 Columbus, Indiana) was an American racecar driver. He was the father of fellow driver Norm Houser.
Primarily a car builder and mechanic as well as a riding mechanic, Houser s ...
noticed that the water temperature was running high. Houser signaled back to the pit area, but
Jimmy Doolittle
James Harold Doolittle (December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993) was an American military general and aviation pioneer who received the Medal of Honor for his daring raid on Japan during World War II. He also made early coast-to-coast flights ...
who was working as the pit communicator, could not understand the message. Doolittle had misplaced a piece of paper which contained the key to the hand signals. Evans continued, having received no instruction from the pit area. After the race, Doolittle found the paper stuffed in his belt of his coat.
Notes
See also
*
1931 AAA Championship Car season
The 1931 AAA Championship Car season consisted of seven races, beginning in Speedway, Indiana on May 30 and concluding in Syracuse, New York on September 12. There was also one non-championship race. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 5 ...
Works cited
Indianapolis 500 Historical Stats: 1931
References
{{Indy 500
Indianapolis 500 races
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 ...
1931 in American motorsport