# 1939 Indianapolis 500

The 27th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1939. The race was won by the number two car of Wilbur Shaw, 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 100 miles (160 km) an hour at the backstretch. In Louis Meyer's final Indy 500, he too would crash at the backstretch at over 100 miles (160 km) 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.

## Starting grid

| Row | Inside | Inside | Middle | Middle | Outside | Outside |
| 1 | 10 | Jimmy Snyder | 45 | Louis Meyer W | 2 | Wilbur Shaw W |
| 2 | 4 | Ted Horn | 3 | Chet Miller | 17 | George Bailey |
| 3 | 47 | Shorty Cantlon | 16 | Mauri Rose | 9 | Herb Ardinger |
| 4 | 54 | Cliff Bergere | 29 | Frank Brisko | 18 | George Connor |
| 5 | 25 | Ralph Hepburn | 49 | Mel Hansen R | 41 | George Barringer |
| 6 | 31 | Babe Stapp | 14 | Frank Wearne | 37 | Ira Hall |
| 7 | 15 | Rex Mays | 8 | Joel Thorne | 44 | Emil Andres |
| 8 | 32 | Bob Swanson | 1 | Floyd Roberts W | 35 | Kelly Petillo W |
| 9 | 21 | Russ Snowberger | 51 | Tony Willman | 62 | Tony Gulotta |
| 10 | 42 | Al Miller | 56 | Floyd Davis | 58 | Louis Tomei |
| 11 | 53 | Deacon Litz | 38 | Harry McQuinn | 26 | Billy Devore |

### Alternates

* First alternate: George Robson R

### Failed to Qualify

* Henry Banks (#39)
* Sam Hanks R (#42)
* Tommy Hinnershitz R (#33)
* Ronney Householder (#26)
* Frank McGurk (#41)
* Zeke Meyer (#27)
* Duke Nalon (#7)
* Johnny Seymour (#61)
* Lou Webb R (#59)
* Doc Williams (#36)

## 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 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.

## Box score

| Finish | Start | No | Name | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Qual | Rank | Laps | Status |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | Wilbur Shaw W | Boyle Racing Headquarters | Maserati | Maserati | 128.977 | 4 | 200 | 115.035 mph |
| 2 | 1 | 10 | Jimmy Snyder | Joel Thorne, Inc. | Adams | Sparks | 130.138 | 1 | 200 | +1:48.12 |
| 3 | 10 | 54 | Cliff Bergere | Lewis W. Welch | Miller-Ford | Offenhauser | 123.835 | 15 | 200 | +3:03.91 |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | Ted Horn | Boyle Racing Headquarters | Miller | Miller | 127.723 | 6 | 200 | +7:21.33 |
| 5 | 16 | 31 | Babe Stapp | Bill White Race Cars, Inc. | Alfa Romeo-Weil | Alfa Romeo | 125.000 | 12 | 200 | +8:55.19 |
| 6 | 15 | 41 | George Barringer | Bill White Race Cars, Inc. | Weil | Offenhauser | 120.935 | 28 | 200 | +9:25.11 |
| 7 | 20 | 8 | Joel Thorne | Joel Thorne, Inc. | Adams | Sparks | 122.177 | 23 | 200 | +10:54.55 |
| 8 | 8 | 16 | Mauri Rose | W. Wilbur Shaw | Shaw | Offenhauser | 124.896 | 13 | 200 | +13:04.31 |
| 9 | 17 | 14 | Frank Wearne | Moore & Roberts | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | 125.074 | 11 | 200 | +17:29.16 |
| 10 | 33 | 26 | Billy Devore (Henry Banks Laps 146–189) | Leon Duray | Weil | Duray | +26:55.88 | 33 | 200 | Running |
| 11 | 27 | 62 | Tony Gulotta (Harry McQuinn Laps 111–127) | George Lyons | Stevens | Offenhauser | 121.749 | 24 | 200 | +27:50.52 |
| 12 | 2 | 45 | Louis Meyer W | Bowes Racing, Inc. | Stevens | Winfield | 130.067 | 2 | 197 | Crash BS |
| 13 | 12 | 18 | George Connor | Joseph Marks | Adams | Offenhauser | 123.208 | 19 | 195 | Stalled |
| 14 | 26 | 51 | Tony Willman | Joe Lencki | Lencki | Lencki | 122.771 | 21 | 188 | Fuel pump |
| 15 | 30 | 58 | Louis Tomei (Mel Hansen Laps 161–186) | Frank T. Griswold | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo | 118.426 | 30 | 186 | Flagged |
| 16 | 19 | 15 | Rex Mays | Thorne Engineering Corp. | Adams | Sparks | 126.413 | 7 | 145 | Rings |
| 17 | 9 | 9 | Herb Ardinger (Frank Brisko Laps 76–94) (Mel Hansen Laps 137–141) | Harry Hartz | Wetteroth | Miller | 124.125 | 14 | 141 | Clutch |
| 18 | 24 | 35 | Kelly Petillo W | Kelly Petillo | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | 123.660 | 16 | 141 | Pistons |
| 19 | 14 | 49 | Mel Hansen R | Joel Thorne, Inc. | Shaw | Offenhauser | 121.683 | 25 | 113 | Crash Pits |
| 20 | 32 | 38 | Harry McQuinn (Al Putnam Laps 12–36) (Frank Brisko Laps 37–42) (Al Putnam Laps 43–76) (George Robson Laps 77–110) | F. Burren | Blume | Brisko | 117.287 | 32 | 110 | Ignition |
| 21 | 5 | 3 | Chet Miller | Boyle Racing Headquarters | Summers | Miller | 126.318 | 8 | 109 | Crash BS |
| 22 | 13 | 25 | Ralph Hepburn (Bob Swanson Laps 104–107) | Anthony Gulotta | Stevens | Offenhauser | 122.204 | 22 | 107 | Crash BS |
| 23 | 23 | 1 | Floyd Roberts W ✝ | Lou Moore, Inc. | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | 128.968 | 5 | 106 | Crash BS |
| 24 | 18 | 37 | Ira Hall | Magnee & Nowiak | Nowiak | Studebaker | 121.188 | 27 | 89 | Head gasket |
| 25 | 25 | 21 | Russ Snowberger | Russell Snowberger | Snowberger | Miller | 123.199 | 20 | 50 | Radiator |
| 26 | 6 | 17 | George Bailey | Harry A. Miller | Miller | Miller | 125.821 | 9 | 47 | Valve |
| 27 | 29 | 56 | Floyd Davis | Ed Walsh | Miller | Offenhauser | 119.375 | 29 | 43 | Shock absorber |
| 28 | 28 | 42 | Al Miller | Paul Weirick | Adams | Offenhauser | 123.233 | 18 | 41 | Accelerator |
| 29 | 11 | 29 | Frank Brisko | Frank Brisko | Stevens | Brisko | 123.351 | 17 | 38 | Air pump |
| 30 | 21 | 44 | Emil Andres | Jimmy Snyder | Stevens | Offenhauser | 121.212 | 26 | 22 | Spark plugs |
| 31 | 22 | 32 | Bob Swanson | Sampson Motors, Inc. | Stevens | Sampson | 129.431 | 3 | 19 | Rear axle |
| 32 | 7 | 47 | Shorty Cantlon | Assoc. Enterprises, Ltd. | Stevens | Offenhauser | 125.567 | 10 | 15 | Main bearing |
| 33 | 31 | 53 | Deacon Litz | Richard T. Wharton | Maserati | Maserati | 117.979 | 31 | 7 | Valve |
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
W Former Indianapolis 500 winner
R Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.

### Race statistics

Lap Leaders :
| Laps | Leader |
| 1–36 | Jimmy Snyder |
| 37–69 | Wilbur Shaw |
| 70–73 | Louis Meyer |
| 74 | Rex Mays |
| 75–103 | Jimmy Snyder |
| 104–130 | Louis Meyer |
| 131–134 | Ted Horn |
| 135–182 | Louis Meyer |
| 183–200 | Wilbur Shaw |
Total laps led :
| Driver | Laps |
| Louis Meyer | 79 |
| Jimmy Snyder | 65 |
| Wilbur Shaw | 51 |
| Ted Horn | 4 |
| Rex Mays | 1 |
Yellow Lights :
| Laps* | Reason |
| 106–125 | Floyd Roberts crash on backstretch (31:30) |
| * – Approximate lap counts ||