The 42nd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1958. The event was part of the 1958 USAC National Championship Trail, and was also race 4 of 11 in the 1958 World Championship of Drivers.
The race is best known for a massive first-lap, 15-car pileup that resulted in the death of fan-favorite driver Pat O'Connor.
Jimmy Bryan was the race winner. This marked the first time that one car would carry two drivers to separate wins at the race, in back-to-back years, with Sam Hanks winning the previous year's race in the same car.
The race featured young rookie A. J. Foyt's debut at Indy. On lap 148, he spun in an oil slick, blew out the tires, and dropped out of the race.
Juan Manuel Fangio, the 46-year-old five-time Formula One Drivers' World Champion, had set pole and fastest lap in the first F1 race of the season, then was kidnapped in Cuba, and skipped the Monaco and Dutch Grands Prix he had already won in earlier years. He arrived at Indy under much fanfare as he attempted to qualify for the Indy 500 and score points towards the '58 World Championship. He practiced early in the month, but withdrew when he realised that neither the Kurtis Kraft #54 (with Novi engine) nor the #77 Offy-powered car gave him a chance to win.Popular Mechanics Aug. 1958 https://books.google.de/books?id=jd8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA110&hl=de&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false These cars were qualified by others for the last row only, proving Fangio's point. He soon retired from Formula One as his Maserati team was off pace compared to Ferrari and new British challengers.
Time trials Time trials were scheduled for four days.
Saturday May 17 – Pole Day time trials Ed Elisian set a new one-lap track record of 146.508 mph to sit tentatively on the pole position. His four-lap average stood at 145.926 mph. Later in the day, Dick Rathmann qualified at 145.974 mph to win the pole position. Rathmann was not able to beat Elisian's single-lap record, but his four-lap record eclipsed Elisian overall by a mere 0.08 seconds. Sunday May 18 – Second day time trials Saturday May 24 – Third day time trials Sunday May 25 – Fourth day time trials
Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 197 Dick Rathmann5 Ed Elisian16 Jimmy Reece 214 Bob Veith4 Pat O'Connor45 Johnnie Parsons 31 Jimmy Bryan9 Johnny Boyd33 Tony Bettenhausen 425 Jack Turner8 Rodger Ward29 A. J. Foyt 526 Don Freeland15 Paul Russo43 Billy Garrett 631 Paul Goldsmith 65 Bob Christie88 Eddie Sachs 744 Jud Larson 2 Jim Rathmann52 Al Keller 87 Johnny Thomson83 Shorty Templeman92 Jerry Unser 999 George Amick 61 Eddie Johnson68 Len Sutton 1057 Art Bisch 89 Chuck Weyant19 Johnnie Tolan 1177 Mike Magill59 Dempsey Wilson 54 Bill Cheesbourg
Alternates First alternate: Gene Hartley (#24)The Talk of Gasoline Alley – 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
Failed to qualify
Fred Agabashian (#14, #56, #57, #75) Tony Bonadies (#58) Bud Clemons (#59) Bob Cortner (#93) – Did not finish rookie test Ray Crawford (#49) Jimmy Daywalt (#57, #69, #82) Rex Easton (#10, #72) Don Edmunds (#92) Jack Ensley (#17) Juan Manuel Fangio (#54, #77) Pat Flaherty (#5) – Entry declined, failed physical Elmer George (#10, #28) Joe Giba (#62) Gene Hartley (#24) Al Herman (#68, #75) Bill Homeier (#74, #95) Van Johnson (#58) Jim McWithey (#66) Earl Motter (#61) – Passed rookie test Tom Pistone (#66) – Entry declined, lack of experience Eddie Russo (#55) Troy Ruttman (#98) Dutch Schaefer (#61) – Entry declined, lack of experience Carroll Shelby (#17) – Did not begin rookie test Marshall Teague (#18) Leroy Warriner (#95)
Race summary
Opening lap crash – Death of Pat O'Connor For the second year in a row, the starting grid was assembled single-file in the pit lane. The cars were instructed to pull away and assemble into the official eleven rows of three after they entered the racing surface. Confusion occurred on the pace lap, however, as the three drivers of the front row (Dick Rathmann, Ed Elisian, and Jimmy Reece) pulled away, and inadvertently escaped the pace car. The three cars were alone, and rather than wait for the grid to catch up, they rushed around to catch up to the back of the field. Sam Hanks pulled the pace car off the track and into the pits, but chief starter Bill Vanderwater displayed the yellow flag to wave off the start. An extra pace lap was allowed, and the front row re-took their position at the front of the pack. By the time Hanks was ready to pull the pace car back out on the track, the field had re-formed, and Vanderwater gave them the green flag.
At the start, Dick Rathmann took the lead in turn 1, Ed Elisian was second, and Jimmy Reece third. As the cars battled into turn three, Elisian spun and took Rathmann to the outside wall, triggering a huge 15-car pileup. Reece braked and was hit from behind by Pat O'Connor. O'Connor's car sailed fifty feet in the air, landed upside down and burst into flames. Several other cars spun to the wall and into the infield. Jerry Unser touched wheels with Paul Goldsmith, and flipped over the outside wall. Unser suffered a dislocated shoulder.
Although O'Connor was incinerated in the accident, medical officials said that he was probably killed instantly from a fractured skull.
First half Jimmy Bryan escaped the opening lap crash, and came around to lead the first lap. Eddie Sachs and Tony Bettenhausen also got by unscathed, to run second and third. Due to the crash, the yellow light stayed on for 25 minutes (approximately 18 laps). Four of the top five starting positions were out of the race from the crash, including polesitter Dick Rathmann, who placed 27th.
After a lengthy cleanup, the green flag came back out around lap 19. Bryan, Sachs, Bettenhausen, and rookie George Amick all traded time in the lead. There were 14 lead changes in the first half.
The second yellow came out on lap 38 when Chuck Weyant crashed in turn 4.
Eddie Sachs, a contender in the first quarter of the race, dropped out on lap 68 with transmission trouble.
Second half The second half of the race settled down to a battle between Jimmy Bryan and Johnny Boyd, with rookie George Amick also in contention. Boyd lost the lead during a pit stop on lap 126. Bryan's team had faster pit stops (three stops for 1 minute and 31 seconds), which allowed him to hold the lead.
Rookie A. J. Foyt spun out on lap 149. He hit an oil slick in turn one and went sideways, blowing out all four tires. The car did not make contact with the wall, but the engine stalled and Foyt was out of the race. He placed 16th.
With 25 laps to go, Boyd was running about one second behind Bryan, with Amick (a lap down in third place) running between them. Boyd suddenly slowed on lap 177 with a worn out right rear tire, sending him to the pits, and elevating Amick to second. Bryan led the final 75 laps (139 total) en route to victory. Bryan was victorious in the same car in which Sam Hanks won the 500 a year earlier. Amick stayed within striking distance of Bryan for the last part of the race, but Amick's crew chief decided to accept a safe second-place rather than risk pushing their rookie driver into a mistake.
During the race as the news of Pat O'Connor's death spread around the track, the mood among the spectators became somber and glum. Reportedly, some in attendance left the grounds upon hearing the news of the fatality, some never to return.
Aftermath Widely blamed for the accident, Ed Elisian was suspended by USAC for the accident (reinstated a few days later), and was shunned by many in the racing community.
Following the accident, race officials announced that they would change the starting procedure, abandoning the single-file trip down pit lane that was used in 1957 and 1958. Also, for the 1959 Indy 500, metal roll bars welded to the frame behind the driver's head were mandated, and helmets were required to pass safety certification by Speedway medical officials.
Box score FinishGridNo.DriverConstructorQualLapsStatusPoints171 Jimmy BryanSalih-Offenhauser144.18200 133.791 mph1000822599 George Amick Epperly-Offenhauser142.71200 +27.638006389 Johnny BoydKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser144.02200 +1:09.6770044933 Tony BettenhausenEpperly-Offenhauser143.91200 +1:34.8160045202 Jim RathmannEpperly-Offenhauser143.14200 +1:35.6250026316 Jimmy ReeceWatson-Offenhauser145.51200 +2:16.95400 71326 Don FreelandPhillips-Offenhauser143.03200 +2:21.06300 81944 Jud Larson Watson-Offenhauser143.51200 +5:34.02250 92661 Eddie JohnsonKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.67200 +6:15.76200 103354 Bill CheesbourgKurtis Kraft-Novi142.54200 +8:03.59150 112152 Al KellerKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.93200 +9:14.20100 12645 Johnnie Parsons Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser144.68200 +9:40.8550 133019 Johnnie TolanKuzma-Offenhauser142.30200 +9:52.24 141765 Bob ChristieKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.25189 Spun off 153259 Dempsey Wilson Kuzma-Offenhauser143.27151 Fire 161229 A. J. Foyt Kuzma-Offenhauser143.13148 Spun off 173177 Mike MagillKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.27136 Disqualified 181415 Paul RussoKurtis Kraft-Novi142.95122 Radiator 192383 Shorty TemplemanKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.81116 Brakes 20118 Rodger WardLesovsky-Offenhauser143.2693 Magneto 211543 Billy GarrettKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.7780 Magneto 221888 Eddie SachsKuzma-Offenhauser144.6668 Transmission 23227 Johnny ThomsonKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.9052 Steering 242989 Chuck WeyantDunn-Offenhauser142.6038 Accident 251025 Jack TurnerLesovsky-Offenhauser143.4321 Fuel pump 26414 Bob VeithKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser144.881 Accident 27197 Dick RathmannWatson-Offenhauser145.970 Accident 2825 Ed ElisianWatson-Offenhauser145.920Accident 2954 Pat O'Connor ✝Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 144.820Died in crash 301631 Paul Goldsmith Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.740Accident 312492 Jerry Unser Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.750Accident 322768 Len Sutton Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser142.650Accident 332857 Art Bisch Kuzma-Offenhauser142.630Accident
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
– Includes 1 point for fastest lead lap
Race statistics
Lap LeadersLapsLeader1–18 Jimmy Bryan19–20 Tony Bettenhausen21 Eddie Sachs22–25 Tony Bettenhausen26 Jimmy Bryan27–30 George Amick31 Jimmy Bryan32–34 George Amick35 Tony Bettenhausen36–46 George Amick47–48 Jimmy Bryan49 Tony Bettenhausen50–52 Jimmy Bryan53–65 Tony Bettenhausen66–104 Jimmy Bryan105–107 Tony Bettenhausen108–125 Johnny Boyd126–200 Jimmy Bryan
Total laps ledDriverLapsJimmy Bryan 139Tony Bettenhausen 24George Amick 18Johnny Boyd 18Eddie Sachs 1
Yellow Lights: 36 minutes, 38 secondsLaps*ReasonPace lap Field not properly aligned1–18 Multi-car crash in turn 3 (25:00)39-44 Chuck Weyant spin in turn 3 (5:19)169 A. J. Foyt spin in southchute (3:18)193-197 Bob Christie spin (3:01)* – Approximate lap counts
Race notes Fastest Lead Lap: Tony Bettenhausen – 1:02.370 (144.300 mph) Pat O'Connor had appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in the week leading up to the race. His subsequent death is considered an early example of the perceived "Sports Illustrated cover jinx." Only Appearance: George Amick (killed in 1959 USAC 100-mile race at Daytona) First Appearance: A. J. Foyt (First 4-time Indianapolis 500 winner.)
Broadcasting
Radio