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 an hour at the backstretch. In Louis Meyer's final Indy 500, he too would crash at the backstretch at over 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 RowInsideMiddleOutside 110 Jimmy Snyder45 Louis Meyer 2 Wilbur Shaw 24 Ted Horn3 Chet Miller17 George Bailey 347 Shorty Cantlon16 Mauri Rose9 Herb Ardinger 454 Cliff Bergere29 Frank Brisko18 George Connor 525 Ralph Hepburn49 Mel Hansen 41 George Barringer 631 Babe Stapp14 Frank Wearne37 Ira Hall 715 Rex Mays8 Joel Thorne44 Emil Andres 832 Bob Swanson1 Floyd Roberts 35 Kelly Petillo 921 Russ Snowberger51 Tony Willman62 Tony Gulotta 1042 Al Miller56 Floyd Davis58 Louis Tomei 1153 Deacon Litz38 Harry McQuinn26 Billy Devore
Alternates First alternate: George Robson The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
Failed to Qualify Henry Banks (#39) Sam Hanks (#42) Tommy Hinnershitz (#33) Ronney Householder (#26) Frank McGurk (#41) Zeke Meyer (#27) Duke Nalon (#7) Johnny Seymour (#61) Lou Webb (#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.George Bailey, indymotorspeedway.com Retrieved 7 December 2015
Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus132 Wilbur Shaw Boyle Racing HeadquartersMaseratiMaserati128.9774200 115.035 mph2110 Jimmy SnyderJoel Thorne, Inc.AdamsSparks130.1381200 +1:48.1231054 Cliff BergereLewis W. WelchMiller-FordOffenhauser123.83515200 +3:03.91444 Ted HornBoyle Racing HeadquartersMillerMiller127.7236200 +7:21.3351631 Babe StappBill White Race Cars, Inc.Alfa Romeo-WeilAlfa Romeo125.00012200 +8:55.1961541 George BarringerBill White Race Cars, Inc.WeilOffenhauser120.93528200 +9:25.117208 Joel ThorneJoel Thorne, Inc.AdamsSparks122.17723200 +10:54.558816 Mauri RoseW. Wilbur ShawShawOffenhauser124.89613200 +13:04.3191714 Frank WearnesMoore & RobertsWetterothOffenhauser125.07411200 +17:29.16103326 Billy Devore(Henry Banks Laps 146–189)Leon DurayWeilDuray +26:55.8833200Running112762 Tony Gulotta(Harry McQuinn Laps 111–127)George LyonsStevensOffenhauser121.74924200 +27:50.5212245 Louis Meyer Bowes Racing, Inc.StevensWinfield130.0672197Crash BS131218 George ConnorJoseph MarksAdamsOffenhauser123.20819195Stalled142651 Tony WillmanJoe LenckiLenckiLencki122.77121188Fuel pump153058 Louis Tomei(Mel Hansen Laps 161–186)Frank T. GriswoldAlfa RomeoAlfa Romeo118.42630186Flagged161915 Rex MaysThorne Engineering Corp.AdamsSparks126.4137145Rings1799 Herb Ardinger(Frank Brisko Laps 76–94)(Mel Hansen Laps 137–141)Harry HartzWetterothMiller124.12514141Clutch182435 Kelly Petillo Kelly PetilloWetterothOffenhauser123.66016141Pistons191449 Mel Hansen Joel Thorne, Inc.AdamsSparks121.68325113Crash Pits203238 Harry McQuinn(Al Putnam Laps 12–36)(Frank Brisko Laps 37–42)(Al Putnam Laps 43–76)(George Robson Laps 77–110)F. BurrenBlumeBrisko117.28732110Ignition2153 Chet MillerBoyle Racing HeadquartersSummersMiller126.3188109Crash BS221325 Ralph Hepburn(Bob Swanson Laps 104–107)Anthony GulottaStevensOffenhauser122.20422107Crash BS23231 Floyd Roberts ✝Lou Moore, Inc.WetterothOffenhauser128.9685106Crash BS241837 Ira HallMagnee & NowiakNowiakStudebaker121.1882789Head gasket252521 Russ SnowbergerRussell SnowbergerSnowbergerMiller123.1992050Radiator26617 George BaileyHarry A. MillerMillerMiller125.821947Valve272956 Floyd DavisEd WalshMillerOffenhauser119.3752943Shock absorber282842 Al MillerPaul WeirickAdamsOffenhauser123.2331841Accelerator291129 Frank BriskoFrank BriskoStevensBrisko123.3511738Air pump302144 Emil AndresJimmy SnyderStevensOffenhauser121.2122622Spark plugs312232 Bob SwansonSampson Motors, Inc.StevensSampson129.431319Rear axle32747 Shorty CantlonAssoc. Enterprises, Ltd.StevensOffenhauser125.5671015Main bearing333153 Deacon LitzRichard T. WhartonMaseratiMaserati117.979317Valve
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
Race statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–36 Jimmy Snyder37–69 Wilbur Shaw70–73 Louis Meyer74 Rex Mays75–103 Jimmy Snyder104–130 Louis Meyer131–134 Ted Horn135–182 Louis Meyer183–200 Wilbur Shaw
Total laps led Driver LapsLouis Meyer 79Jimmy Snyder 65Wilbur Shaw 51Ted Horn 4Rex Mays 1
Yellow Lights Laps* Reason106–125 Floyd Roberts crash on backstretch (31:30)* – Approximate lap counts
See also 1939 AAA Championship Car season
References