1950 Indianapolis 500

The 1950 Indianapolis 500 was the third race of the inaugural Formula One World Championship in . The race was held on May 30, 1950 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Originally scheduled for 200 laps (500 mi), it was shortened to 138 laps (345 mi) due to rain. The race, which featured an all-American field, was won by Johnnie Parsons, his first and only Formula One World Championship race win.
__TOC__
== Background ==
=== Entry List ===
==Qualifying==
Qualifying for the 1950 Indianapolis 500 was held over four laps (10 miles) and over four days. Drivers achieved their grid positions based on the day on which the time was posted, then by order of fastest time. If a driver did not go out on the first day, their first run on their first day was considered. As a result, positions 1-11 were decided on the first run, 12-15 on the second, 16-21 on the third and 22-32 on the fourth. The final, 33rd position was decided by a "bumping" procedure: Once a 33rd driver has qualified, non-qualifiers could aim to "bump" the slowest driver in the field by beating their time. At the end of the final day, the driver in 33rd would qualify for the race, but would start at the back despite the possibility that they may have a better time than drivers ahead of them.
===Qualifying Results===
The full qualifying results for the are outlined below:
Pos.	No.	Driver 	Constructor	Time 	Ave. Speed
1 	98 	Walt Faulkner (R) 	 	4:27.97	134.343 mph
2 	28 	Fred Agabashian 	 	4:31.10	132.792 mph
3 	28 	Mauri Rose (W) 	 	4:32.07	132.319 mph
4 	28 	George Connor 	 	4:32.39	132.163 mph
5 	1 	Johnnie Parsons 	 	4:32.64	132.044 mph
6 	49 	Jack McGrath 	 	4:33.00	131.868 mph
7 	69 	Duke Dinsmore 	 	4:34.67	131.066 mph
8 	14 	Tony Bettenhausen 	 	4:34.92	130.947 mph
9 	17 	Joie Chitwood 	 	4:35.32	130.757 mph
10 	3 	Bill Holland (W) 	 	4:35.90	130.482 mph
11 	59 	Pat Flaherty (R) 	 	4:37.76	129.608 mph
12 	54 	Cecil Green (R) 	 	4:30.86	132.910 mph
13 	18 	Duane Carter 	 	4:33.42	131.666 mph
14 	21 	Spider Webb 	 	4:37.46	129.748 mph
15 	81 	Jerry Hoyt (R) 	 	4:37.95	129.520 mph
16 	2 	Myron Fohr 	 	4:33.32	131.714 mph
17 	24 	Bayliss Levrett 	 	4:34.43	131.181 mph
18 	45 	Dick Rathmann (R) 	 	4:34.96	130.928 mph
19 	7 	Paul Russo 	 	4:35.25	130.790 mph
20 	4 	Walt Brown 	 	4:35.96	130.454 mph
21 	12 	Henry Banks 	 	4:37.68	129.646 mph
22 	67 	Bill Schindler (R)	 	4:31.31	132.690 mph
23 	8 	Lee Wallard 	 	4:31.83	132.436 mph
24 	55 	Troy Ruttman 	 	4:32.91	131.912 mph
25 	23 	Sam Hanks 	 	4:33.57	131.593 mph
26 	15 	Mack Hellings 	 	4:35.47	130.687 mph
27 	22 	Jimmy Davies (R) 	 	4:36.07	130.402 mph
28 	76 	Jim Rathmann 	 	4:37.01	129.959 mph
29 	27 	Walt Ader (R) 	 	4:37.05	129.940 mph
30 	77 	Jackie Holmes 	 	4:37.57	129.697 mph
31 	75 	Gene Hartley (R) 	 	4:38.61	129.213 mph
32 	61 	Jimmy Jackson 	 	4:38.62	129.208 mph
33 	62 	Johnny McDowell 	 	4:37.58	129.692 mph
===Grid===
===Non-Qualifiers===
No.	Driver 	Constructor
9 	Andy Linden (R) 	
9 	Bud Rose (R) 	
10 	Bill Vukovich (R) 	
10 	Hal Cole 	
16 	Ted Duncan (R) 	
19 	Kenny Eaton (R) 	
19 	Ralph Pratt (R) 	
25 	Johnny Mauro 	
26 	George Fonder 	
29 	Charles Van Acker 	
33 	Joel Thorne 	
34 	Johnny Fedricks (R)	
36 	George Lynch 	
38 	Duke Nalon 	
39 	Danny Kladis 	
41 	Milt Fankhouser 	
43 	Chet Miller 	
44 	Bill Cantrell 	
47 	Ralph Pratt (R) 	
51 	Mark Light (R) 	
52 	Dick Fraizer (R) 	
52 	Mark Light (R) 	
58 	Billy Devore 	
63 	Bob Gregg (R) 	
63 	Joe James (R) 	
64 	Bob Sweikert (R) 	
65 	Marvin Burke (R) 	
65 	Norm Houser 	
66 	Cliff Griffith (R) 	
74 	Carl Forberg (R) 	
78 	Cy Marshall 	
79 	Chuck Leighton (R) 	
82 	Joe James (R) 	
83 	Al Miller 	
84 	Mike Burch (R) 	
85 	Manny Ayulo 	
85 	Jim Rigsby (R) 	
87 	Bill Vukovich (R) 	
99 	Emil Andres 	
99 	Kenny Eaton (R) 	
==Race Results==
* Note: American unless stated.
===Results===
Pos.	No.	Driver 	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired 	Avg Speed	Grid	Pts
1 	1 	Johnnie Parsons 	 	138 	2:46:55.97 	123.99 	5 	9
2 	3 	Bill Holland 	 	137 	+ 1 lap 	122.63 	10 	6
3 	31 	Mauri Rose 	 	137 	+ 1 lap 	121.77 	3 	4
4 	54 	Cecil Green 	 	137 	+ 1 lap 	121.76 	12 	3
5 	17 	Joie Chitwood 	 	136 	+ 2 laps 	121.74 	9 	1
5 	17 	Tony Bettenhausen	 	136 	+ 2 laps 	121.74 	 	1
6 	8 	Lee Wallard 	 	136 	+ 2 laps 	121.00 	23 	
7 	98 	Walt Faulkner 	 	135 	+ 3 laps 	120.46 	1 	
8 	5 	George Connor 	 	135 	+ 3 laps 	120.45 	4 	
9 	7 	Paul Russo 	 	135 	+ 3 laps 	119.95 	19 	
10 	59 	Pat Flaherty 	 	135 	+ 3 laps 	119.94 	11 	
11 	2 	Myron Fohr 	 	133 	+ 5 laps 	 	16 	
12 	18 	Duane Carter 	 	133 	+ 5 laps 	 	13 	
13 	15 	Mack Hellings 	 	132 	+ 6 laps 	 	26 	
14 	49 	Jack McGrath 	 	131 	Spin 	 	6 	
15 	55 	Troy Ruttman 	 	130 	+ 8 laps 	 	24 	
16 	75 	Gene Hartley 	 	128 	+ 10 laps 	 	31 	
17 	22 	Jimmy Davies 	 	128 	+ 10 laps 	 	27 	
18 	62 	Johnny McDowell 	 	128 	+ 10 laps 	 	33 	
19 	4 	Walt Brown 	 	127 	+ 11 laps 	 	20 	
20 	21 	Spider Webb 	 	126 	+ 12 laps 	 	14 	
21 	81 	Jerry Hoyt 	 	125 	+ 13 laps 	 	15 	
22 	27 	Walt Ader 	 	123 	+ 15 laps 	 	29 	
23 	77 	Jackie Holmes 	 	123 	Spin 	 	30 	
24 	76 	Jim Rathmann 	 	122 	+ 16 laps 	 	28 	
Ret 	12 	Henry Banks 	 	118 	Oil leak 	 	21 	
Ret 	12 	Fred Agabashian 	 	118 	Oil leak 	 	 	
Ret 	67 	Bill Schindler 	 	111 	Transmission 	 	22 	
Ret 	24 	Bayliss Levrett 	 	108 	Oil pressure 	 	17 	
Ret 	24 	Bill Cantrell 	 	108 	Oil pressure 	 	 	
Ret 	28 	Fred Agabashian 	 	64 	Oil leak 	 	2 	
Ret 	61 	Jimmy Jackson 	 	52 	Compressor 	 	32 	
Ret 	23 	Sam Hanks 	 	42 	Oil pressure 	 	25 	
Ret 	14 	Tony Bettenhausen	 	30 	Wheel bearing	 	8 	
Ret 	45 	Dick Rathmann 	 	25 	Engine 	 	18 	
Ret 	69 	Duke Dinsmore 	 	10 	Oil leak 	 	7 	
Did not qualify: 9 Andy Linden, 9 Bud Rose, 10/87 Bill Vukovich, 10 Hal Cole (accident), 16 Ted Duncan, 19/47 Ralph Pratt, 19/99 Kenny Eaton, 25 Johnny Mauro, 26 George Fonder, 29 Charles Van Acker, 33 Joel Thorne, 34 Johnny Fedricks, 36 George Lynch, 38 Duke Nalon, 39 Danny Kladis, 41 Milt Fankhouser, 43 Chet Miller, 44 Bill Cantrell, 51/52 Mark Light, 52 Dick Fraizer, 58 Billy Devore, 63/82 Joe James, 63 Bob Gregg, 63 Potsy Goacher, 64 Bob Sweikert, 65 Marvin Burke, 65 Norm Houser, 66 Cliff Griffith, 74 Carl Forberg, 78 Cy Marshall, 79 Chuck Leighton, 83 Al Miller, 84 Mike Burch, 84 Billy Earl (did not drive), 85 Manny Ayulo, 85 Jim Rigsby, 98 Johnny Mantz (practiced only), 99 Emil Andres, Carl Scarborough (passed rookie test).
Entry declined: 76 Ben Zukor (failed physical).
Did not appear: 46 Giuseppe Farina, 46 Piero Taruffi, 48 Franco Rol, Joe Adas.
Shared drive contributions:
* Number 12: Henry Banks 71, Fred Agabashian 47.
* Number 17: Joie Chitwood 85, Tony Bettenhausen 51.
* Number 24: Bayliss Levrett 105, Bill Cantrell 3.
Notes:
* Tony Bettenhausen retired on lap 30, and also took part in a shared drive with Joie Chitwood.
* Fred Agabashian retired on lap 64, and also took part in a shared drive with Henry Banks, which led to another retirement.
==Milestones==
* First World Championship win for Johnnie Parsons, , and Firestone tires, although the latter three had all won at Indianapolis before.
* First World Championship race for all drivers involved in the race.
* First Indianapolis 500 to be part of the FIA Formula One World Championship.
* First F1 race to be red-flagged.
==Standings==
Pos.	Driver 	Pts
1 	Juan Manuel Fangio 	9
 	Giuseppe Farina 	9
 	Johnnie Parsons 	9
4 	Luigi Fagioli 	6
 	Alberto Ascari 	6
 	Bill Holland 	6
7 	Louis Chiron 	4
 	Reg Parnell 	4
 	Mauri Rose 	4
10 	Yves Giraud-Cabantous	3
 	Raymond Sommer 	3
 	Cecil Green 	3
13 	Prince Bira 	2
 	Louis Rosier 	2
15 	Tony Bettenhausen 	1
 	Joie Chitwood 	1
==Video==
Very little video footage exists from the 1950 Indianapolis 500, however the following is one example of this.
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==Notes==
de:500 Meilen von Indianapolis 1950
Category:Indianapolis 500
Category:1950 Grands Prix
Category:Grand Prix articles
Category:Formula One races in the United States