United States GP 1955

United States GP, 1955

Indianapolis was once again counted for the World Championship but there were no European drivers entered and Jack McGrath set the pace in qualifying as he had the previous year. There was a nasty accident in qualifying involving Manuel Ayulo, who later died of his injuries.

A few days later news came from Europe that Alberto Ascari had been killed in an unexplained testing accident in a Ferrari sportscar at Monza.

On race day McGrath took the lead followed by Tony Bettenhausen but it was clear in the early laps that Bill Vukovich was going after a third consecutive win and he was ahead by the fourth lap. McGrath responded and retook the lead. The two battled and then Vukovich pulled away. At quarter-distance Rodger Ward lost control of his car in Turn Two. Two other drivers collided trying to avoid the crash and Vukovich arrived to find the track blocked. He hit one of the cars and his car was launched into a series of cartwheels which ended with the wreck over the wall in flames. Vukovich was killed. The race went on with Jimmy Bryan battling for the lead with Bob Sweikert. Sweikert would emerge the winner but it had been a disastrous day.

POSNODRIVERENTRANTLAPSTIME/RETIREMENTQUAL POS
B Sweikert Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 200 3h53m59.530s  14 
2= 10 T Bettenhausen Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 200 3h56m43.088s  
2= 10 P Russo Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C    
15 J Davies Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500B 200  10 
44 J Thomson Kuzma-Offenhauser  200  33 
5= 77 W Faulkner Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 200  
5= 77 B Homeier Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C    
19 A Linden Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4000 200  
71 A Herman Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser  200  16 
29 P O'Connor Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500D 200  19 
48 J Daywalt Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser  200  17 
10 89 P Flaherty Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500B 200  12 
11 98 D Carter Kuzma-Offenhauser  197  18 
12 41 C Weyant Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 3000 196  25 
13 83 E Johnson Trevis-Offenhauser  196  32 
14 33 J Rathmann Epperly-Offenhauser  191  20 
15r 12 D Freeland Phillips-Offenhauser  178 Transmission 21 
16r 22 C Niday Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500B 170 Accident/ Fire 
17r 99 A Cross Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 168 Engine 24 
18r 81 S Templeman Trevis-Offenhauser  142 Transmission 31 
19r S Hanks Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 134 Transmission 
20r 31 K Andrews Schroeder-Offenhauser  120 Ignition 28 
21r 16 J Parsons Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 119 Magneto 27 
22r 37 E Russo Pawl-Offenhauser  112 Ignition 13 
23r 49 R Crawford Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500B 111 Engine 23 
24r J Bryan Kuzma-Offenhauser  90 Fuel Pump 11 
25r B Vukovich Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 56 Fatal Accident 
26r J McGrath Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 54 Magneto 
27r 42 A Keller Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 2000 54 Accident 22 
28r 27 Rodger Ward Kuzma-Offenhauser  53 Accident 30 
29r 39 J Boyd Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500D 53 Accident 26 
30r 68 E Elisian Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4000 53 Stopped To Help Vukovich 29 
31r 23 J Hoyt Stevens-Offenhauser  40 Mechanical 
32r 14 F Agabashian Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 500C 39 Spin 
33r J Reece Pankratz-Offenhauser  10 Spin 15