The 28th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1940. The winner was Wilbur Shaw in the same Maserati 8CTF he had driven to victory in 1939. Shaw became the first driver in the history of the race to win in consecutive years. It also marked Shaw's third win in four years, making him the second three-time winner of the race. Shaw's average speed was 114.277 mph, slowed by rain which caused the last 50 laps to be run under caution. Shaw took home $31,875 () in prize winnings, plus additional prizes that included a car and a refrigerator.The New York Times, "First Place Nets $31,875 for Shaw", June 1, 1940, Sports page 16
The first three finishers – Shaw, Rex Mays, and Mauri Rose – were allowed to finish the race. Fourth place finisher Ted Horn, however, was flagged due to the rain shower. Though it appears he may have actually completed all 200 laps, officials ceased scoring Horn (as well as all other cars) immediately after third place Rose crossed the finish line. Horn was officially credited with completing 199 laps – one lap short of the full distance. This marked the only blemish on his noteworthy record of nine consecutive races completing every lap. He eventually completed 1,799 out of a possible 1,800 laps from 1936 to 1948.
The top four starting positions finished in the top four places, albeit in shuffled order.
Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 133 Rex Mays1 Wilbur Shaw 7 Mauri Rose 23 Ted Horn31 Mel Hansen5 Cliff Bergere 39 Frank Wearne16 Frank Brisko27 Tommy Hinnershitz 48 Joel Thorne19 Russ Snowberger24 Babe Stapp 535 Kelly Petillo 28 Sam Hanks 41 Harry McQuinn 66 George Barringer10 George Connor26 Louis Tomei 736 Doc Williams32 Bob Swanson54 Ralph Hepburn 825 Emil Andres17 George Robson 29 Raúl Riganti 921 Duke Nalon42 Joie Chitwood 34 Chet Miller 1044 Al Putnam38 Paul Russo 58 Al Miller 1149 René Le Bègue 14 Billy Devore61 Floyd Davis
Alternates First alternate: Tony WillmanThe Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
Failed to qualify George Bailey (#56) - Fatal accident Henry Banks (#39) Shorty Cantlon (#24) - Replaced by Babe Stapp Wesley Crawford (#62) Port DeFraties (#51) René Dreyfus (#22) - drove two stints of relief for René Le Bègue during the race Louis Durant (#12) Ira Hall (#47) Bill Lipscomb (#57) Louis Unser - Passed driver's test Lou Webb (#37) Freddie Winnai (#59)
Box score FinishStartNoNameChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus121 Wilbur Shaw MaseratiMaserati127.0652200 114.277 mph2133 Rex MaysStevensWinfield127.8501200 +1:14.14337 Mauri RoseWetterothOffenhauser125.6243200 +1:37.79443 Ted HornMillerMiller125.5454199Flagged5108 Joel ThorneAdamsSparks122.43420197Flagged62032 Bob SwansonStevensSampson124.8826196Flagged779 Frank WearneStevensOffenhauser123.21612195Flagged8531 Mel HansenWetterothMiller124.7537194Flagged9816 Frank BriskoStevensBrisko122.71616193Flagged103149 René Le Bègue (Laps 1–45 and 98–150) René Dreyfus(Laps 46–97 and 151–192)MaseratiMaserati118.98133192Flagged111541 Harry McQuinnA-R WeilAlfa Romeo122.48619192Flagged122225 Emil AndresStevensOffenhauser122.96315192Flagged131428 Sam Hanks WeilDuray123.06413192Flagged14166 George BarringerWeilOffenhauser121.88922191Flagged152642 Joie Chitwood AdamsOffenhauser121.75725190Flagged161826 Louis TomeiMillerOffenhauser119.98032190Exhaust pipe172734 Chet Miller(Henry Banks Laps 148–189)Alfa RomeoAlfa Romeo121.39227189Flagged183214 Billy Devore(George Connor Laps 107–181)ShawOffenhauser122.19721181Flagged192844 Al PutnamAdamsOffenhauser120.81828179Flagged203361 Floyd Davis(Lou Webb Laps 27–57)(George Connor Laps 58–59)(Lou Webb Laps 60–157)LenckiLencki120.79730157Flagged211335 Kelly Petillo WetterothOffenhauser125.3315128Bearing222521 Duke NalonSilnesOffenhauser121.79024120Rod232317 George Robson MillerOffenhauser122.5621867Shock absorber241224 Babe Stapp(Started in substitution for Shorty Cantlon)(Tony Willman Lap 13–64)StevensOffenhauser123.3671164Oil line251936 Doc WilliamsCooperMiller122.9631461Oil line261710 George ConnorLenckiLencki124.585852Rod2765 Cliff BergereWetterothOffenhauser123.6731051Oil line282938 Paul Russo BlumeBrisko120.8092948Oil leak292154 Ralph HepburnMillerOffenhauser123.860947Steering303058 Al MillerAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo120.2883141Clutch311119 Russ SnowbergerSnowbergerMiller121.5642638Water pump32927 Tommy Hinnershitz AdamsOffenhauser122.6141732Crash FS332429 Raúl RigantiMaseratiMaserati121.8272324Crash T2
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
Race statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–33 Rex Mays34–73 Wilbur Shaw74–99 Rex Mays100–104 Mauri Rose105–200 Wilbur Shaw
Total laps led Driver LapsWilbur Shaw 136Rex Mays 59Mauri Rose 5
Yellow Lights Laps* Reason25 Raúl Riganti crash in turn 233 Tommy Hinnershitz crash on mainstretch47 Ralph Hepburn crash on mainstretch151–200 Rain (approx. 1 hr., 18 mins.)* – Approximate lap counts
See also 1940 AAA Championship Car season
References