# 1951 Indianapolis 500

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. 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. It was estimated he lost 15 pounds during the race.
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".

## Time trials

Time trials were scheduled for six days. Rain, however, pushed qualifying into a seventh day.
* Saturday May 12 – Pole Day time trials
* Sunday May 13 – Second day time trials
* Saturday May 19 – Third day time trials
* Sunday May 20 – Fourth day time trials
* Saturday May 26 – Fifth day time trials
* Sunday May 27 – Sixth day time trials (rained out)
* Monday May 28 – Seventh day time trials (rain makeup day)

## Starting grid

| Row | Inside | Inside | Middle | Middle | Outside | Outside |
| 1 | 18 | Duke Nalon | 99 | Lee Wallard | 9 | Jack McGrath |
| 2 | 27 | Duane Carter | 16 | Mauri Rose W | 98 | Troy Ruttman |
| 3 | 83 | Mike Nazaruk R | 3 | Johnnie Parsons W | 5 | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 4 | 4 | Cecil Green | 59 | Fred Agabashian | 25 | Sam Hanks |
| 5 | 44 | Walt Brown | 2 | Walt Faulkner | 73 | Carl Scarborough R |
| 6 | 10 | Bill Schindler | 1 | Henry Banks | 23 | Cliff Griffith R |
| 7 | 8 | Chuck Stevenson R | 81 | Bill Vukovich R | 22 | George Connor |
| 8 | 69 | Gene Force R | 19 | Mack Hellings | 68 | Carl Forberg R |
| 9 | 48 | Rodger Ward R | 12 | Johnny McDowell | 76 | Jimmy Davies |
| 10 | 32 | Chet Miller | 52 | Bobby Ball R | 26 | Joe James R |
| 11 | 57 | Andy Linden R | 6 | Duke Dinsmore | 71 | Bill Mackey R |

### Alternates

* First alternate: Bob Sweikert R (#37)

### Failed to qualify

* Jean Achard (real name – Jean-Jacques Grosman) (R) (#100) — Did not appear
* Frank Armi R (#35, #58, #64)
* Manny Ayulo (#31)
* Joe Barzda R (#49)
* Bill Boyd R (#42)
* Jimmy Bryan R (#72)
* Bill Cantrell (#62, #79)
* Jimmy Daywalt R (#33, #47)
* Kenny Eaton R (#66)
* Myron Fohr (#56)
* George Fonder (#29, #53, #63)
* Potsy Goacher R (#45)
* Jackie Holmes (#24, #45)
* Norm Houser (#61)
* Jerry Hoyt (#14)
* Bill Johnson R (#15)
* Danny Kladis (#89)
* Ray Knepper R (#78)
* Bayliss Levrett (#46)
* Mark Light R (#33)
* George Lynch (#36)
* Dick Page R (#64)
* Roscoe Rann R (#14)
* Gordon Reid R (#67)
* Paul Russo (#7)
* Mike Salay (#41)
* Bob Scott R (#82)
* Bud Sennett R (#51)
* Doc Shanebrook R (#77)
* Roy Sherman R (#57)
* Joel Thorne (#88)
* Johnnie Tolan R (#34)
* Leroy Warriner R (#75)

## Box score

| Pos | Grid | No | Driver | Constructor | Qual | Rank | Laps | Time/Retired | Points | WDC Points |
| 1 | 2 | 99 | Lee Wallard | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.03 | 5 | 200 | 3:57:38.05 | 1,000 | 9 |
| 2 | 7 | 83 | Mike Nazaruk R | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 132.18 | 26 | 200 | + 1:47.24 | 800 | 6 |
| 3 | 3 | 9 | Jack McGrath (Laps 1–100) Manny Ayulo (Laps 101–200) | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 134.30 | 8 | 200 | + 2:51.39 | 350 350 | 2 2 |
| 4 | 31 | 57 | Andy Linden R | Sherman-Offenhauser | 132.22 | 25 | 200 | + 4:40.12 | 600 | 3 |
| 5 | 29 | 52 | Bobby Ball R | Schroeder-Offenhauser | 134.09 | 9 | 200 | + 4:52.23 | 500 | 2 |
| 6 | 17 | 1 | Henry Banks | Moore-Offenhauser | 133.89 | 12 | 200 | + 5:40.02 | 400 | |
| 7 | 24 | 68 | Carl Forberg R | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 132.89 | 22 | 193 | -7 Laps | 300 | |
| 8 | 4 | 27 | Duane Carter | Diedt-Offenhauser | 133.74 | 15 | 180 | -20 Laps | 250 | |
| 9 | 9 | 5 | Tony Bettenhausen | Diedt-Offenhauser | 131.95 | 29 | 178 | Spun Off | 200 | |
| 10 | 1 | 18 | Duke Nalon | Kurtis Kraft-Novi | 136.49 | 2 | 151 | Retirement | 150 | |
| 11 | 22 | 69 | Gene Force R | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 133.10 | 20 | 142 | Engine | 100 | |
| 12 | 12 | 25 | Sam Hanks | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 132.99 | 21 | 135 | Engine | 50 | |
| 13 | 16 | 10 | Bill Schindler | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 134.03 | 11 | 129 | Engine | | |
| 14 | 5 | 16 | Mauri Rose W | Diedt-Offenhauser | 133.42 | 18 | 126 | Accident | | |
| 15 | 14 | 2 | Walt Faulkner | Kuzma-Offenhauser | 136.87 | 1 | 123 | Engine | | |
| 16 | 27 | 76 | Jimmy Davies | Pawl-Offenhauser | 133.51 | 17 | 110 | Axle | | |
| 17 | 11 | 59 | Fred Agabashian | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.02 | 6 | 109 | Clutch | | |
| 18 | 15 | 73 | Carl Scarborough R | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 135.61 | 4 | 100 | Fire | | |
| 19 | 33 | 71 | Bill Mackey R | Stevens-Offenhauser | 131.47 | 32 | 97 | Clutch | | |
| 20 | 19 | 8 | Chuck Stevenson R | Marchese-Offenhauser | 133.76 | 14 | 93 | Fire | | |
| 21 | 8 | 3 | Johnnie Parsons W | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 132.15 | 27 | 87 | Magneto | | |
| 22 | 10 | 4 | Cecil Green | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 131.89 | 31 | 80 | Engine | | |
| 23 | 6 | 98 | Troy Ruttman | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 132.31 | 24 | 78 | Engine | | |
| 24 | 32 | 6 | Duke Dinsmore | Schroeder-Offenhauser | 131.97 | 28 | 73 | Overheating | | |
| 25 | 28 | 32 | Chet Miller | Kurtis Kraft-Novi | 135.79 | 3 | 56 | Ignition | | |
| 26 | 13 | 44 | Walt Brown | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 131.90 | 30 | 55 | Magneto | | |
| 27 | 25 | 48 | Rodger Ward R | Bromme-Offenhauser | 134.86 | 7 | 34 | Oil Pipe | | |
| 28 | 18 | 23 | Cliff Griffith R | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 133.83 | 13 | 30 | Axle | | |
| 29 | 20 | 81 | Bill Vukovich R | Trevis-Offenhauser | 133.72 | 16 | 29 | Oil leak | | |
| 30 | 21 | 22 | George Connor | Lesovsky-Offenhauser | 133.35 | 19 | 29 | Transmission | | |
| 31 | 23 | 19 | Mack Hellings | Diedt-Offenhauser | 132.92 | 33 | 18 | Engine | | |
| 32 | 26 | 12 | Johnny McDowell | Maserati-Offenhauser | 132.47 | 23 | 15 | Fuel leak | | |
| 33 | 30 | 26 | Joe James R | Watson-Offenhauser | 134.09 | 10 | 8 | Transmission | | |
| Source: |||||||||||
W Former Indianapolis 500 winner
R Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
* ^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lead lap

### Race statistics

Lap Leaders :
| Laps | Leader |
| 1–2 | Lee Wallard |
| 3–4 | Jack McGrath |
| 5–6 | Lee Wallard |
| 7–15 | Jack McGrath |
| 16–26 | Lee Wallard |
| 27 | Cecil Green |
| 28–51 | Lee Wallard |
| 52–76 | Jimmy Davies |
| 77–80 | Cecil Green |
| 81–200 | Lee Wallard |
Total laps led :
| Driver | Laps |
| Lee Wallard | 159 |
| Jimmy Davies | 25 |
| Jack McGrath | 11 |
| Cecil Green | 5 |
Yellow Lights: 1 minute, 30 seconds :
| Laps* | Reason |
| 126 | Mauri Rose crash in turn 3 |
| * – Approximate lap counts ||