The 22nd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1934. The winner was the number seven car driven by Bill Cummings, an Indianapolis native, at an average speed of 104.863 miles per hour. Cummings led for 57 laps total, including the last 26. Of the 33 cars that began the race, only 12 were running at the finish, although there were no crashes resulting in serious injuries. One serious incident involved George Bailey, whose car went over the outside wall, but resulted in only a broken wrist to the driver. The finish was the closest in the history of the race to that point, with second-place finisher Mauri Rose within 100 yards of Cummings at the finish (officially 27.25 seconds behind). Rose would also file a protest that Cummings had illegally gained ground during a "slow-down" period following a crash. Associated Press as printed in the New York Times May 31, 1934, page 26, sports. (requires subscription to read full article)
Cummings was accompanied by riding mechanic Earl Unversaw. The race was part of the 1934 AAA Championship Car season.
Background In an effort to improve safety, the maximum field size was capped at 33 cars. 33 starters has remained the maximum field size since, with the exception of the 1979 and 1997 races. After several consecutive 500s with multiple fatalities, efforts were also made to reduce speeds through fuel limits; entries were limited to of fuel for qualification and of fuel for the race.Book "The Indianapolis: A Complete Pictorial History" p.103
For 1934, riding mechanics were required.
Time trials Ten-lap (25 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. Kelly Petillo earned the pole position with a speed of . Babe Stapp and Charles Tramison were both disqualified for exceeding the fuel limit in their qualifying runs.
During a qualification attempt, driver Pete Kreis lost control in turn 1, climbed over the wall, and struck a tree outside of the track. He and his riding mechanic were fatally injured.
Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 117 Kelly Petillo 3 Wilbur Shaw32 Frank Brisko 29 Mauri Rose4 Chet Gardner26 Phil Shafer 38 Tony Gulotta36 Al Miller10 Russ Snowberger 47 Bill Cummings31 Ralph Hepburn18 George Barringer 51 Louis Meyer 24 Herb Ardinger 15 Shorty Cantlon 658 George Bailey 51 Al Gordon22 Cliff Bergere 712 Deacon Litz2 Lou Moore41 Johnny Sawyer 86 Dave Evans35 Rex Mays 16 Joe Russo 942 Dusty Fahrnow 73 Doc MacKenzie45 Rick Decker 1049 Charles Crawford 5 Stubby Stubblefield63 Harry McQuinn 1129 Gene Haustein46 Chet Miller33 Johnny Seymour
Alternates First alternate: Willard PrentissThe Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
Failed to Qualify
Bill Chittum (#59) Maynard Clark (#56) George Connor (#39) Wesley Crawford (#44) Danny Day (#62) Pete DePaolo (#27) - Withdrew Leon Duray (#54) Fred Frame (#34) Sam Hoffman (#47) Ted Horn (#53) Harry Hunt (#43) Pete Kreis (#14) - Fatal accident Harry Lewis (#52) Tee Linn (#62) Milt Marion (#57) Vern Ornduff (#62) Jack Petticord (#52) Harold Shaw (#65) - Driver refused Orville Smith (#61) - Driver rejected Babe Stapp (#44, #54) Al Theisen (#53) Charles Tramison (#72) Bob Wallace (#53) Doc Williams (#38) - Driver rejected
Race summary At the start, polesitter Petillo took the lead for the first 4 laps. But the pace was 8 mph off the record of the previous year, owing to new fuel regulations that limited cars to 45 gallons for the entire race. Frank Brisko lead much of the first half of the race, but began to fall back as the race approached half-distance. By half-distance, Mauri Rose was leading, but close behind him was Cummings. "Wild Bill" first assumed the lead at 325 miles as Rose pitted for fuel, then lost it as he too made a stop. Cummings then closed on Rose and passed him with 70 miles to go. Both drivers, confident that they had enough fuel, then upped their pace to reach 140 mph on the straights. Cummings and Rose were never more than 30 seconds apart in the last part of the race. Cummings took the checkered with a new record average speed, despite the new fuel limitations. Rose was second, 27 seconds behind.Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 193
Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus1107 Bill CummingsH. C. HenningMillerMiller116.1166200 104.863 mph249 Mauri RoseLeon DurayStevensMiller116.0447200 +27.233202 Lou Moore(Wilbur Shaw Laps 77–152)California Racers, Inc.MillerMiller113.44216200 +6:14.4341912 Deacon Litz(Babe Stapp Laps 67–172)A. B. LitzMillerMiller113.73114200 +11:41.0752416 Joe RussoJoe E. RussoDuesenbergDuesenberg113.11518200 +14:14.016836 Al Miller(Zeke Meyer Laps 169–200)Phil ShaferRiglingBuick113.30717200 +19:12.8871822 Cliff Bergere(Tony Gulotta Laps 119–130)(Billy Winn Laps 131–141)William S. WhiteWeilMiller115.2438200 +20:36.348910 Russ SnowbergerRussell SnowbergerSnowbergerStudebaker111.42823200 +22:14.859332 Frank Brisko(Rex Mays Laps 130–200)F.W.D. Auto CompanyMillerMiller116.8944200 +23:52.43101424 Herb Ardinger (Danny Day Laps 93–133)Angelo LucentiGrahamGraham111.72222200 +26:37.2711117 Kelly PetilloJoe MarksAdamsMiller119.3291200 +35:00.1512295 Stubby Stubblefield(Dave Evans Laps 124–144)Cummins Engine CompanyDuesenbergCummins105.92132200 +52:38.63132849 Charles Crawford Detroit Gasket & ManufacturingFordFord V8108.78430110In pits141131 Ralph Hepburn(Louis Meyer Laps 138–164)Ralph HepburnMillerMiller114.32110164Connecting rod151218 George Barringer (Chet Gardner Laps 98–161)H. C. HenningMillerMiller113.85911161Bent front axle16626 Phil Shafer(Zeke Meyer Laps 97–130)Phil ShaferRiglingBuick113.81612130Camshaft drive1778 Tony GulottaFloyd SmithCooperStudebaker113.7331394Rod18131 Louis Meyer Louis MeyerStevensMiller112.3322092Oil tank19226 Dave EvansCummins Engine CompanyDuesenbergCummins102.4143381Transmission201515 Shorty Cantlon(Billy Winn Laps 39–76)William J. CantlonStevensMiller117.875276Crankshaft2154 Chet GardnerAlden Sampson IIStevensMiller114.786972Rod221751 Al GordonPaul WeirickAdamsMiller116.273566Crash T1232335 Rex Mays Fred FrameDuesenbergMiller113.6391553Front axle242542 Dusty Fahrnow Irving GoldbergCooperCooper113.0701928Rod252141 Johnny SawyerLencki & UngerMillerLencki109.8082727Rod263333 Johnny SeymourFred FrameAdamsMiller108.5913122Pinion gear272745 Rick DeckerRickliffe DeckerMillerMiller110.8952617Clutch2823 Wilbur ShawJoe MarksStevensMiller117.647315Lost oil292673 Doc MacKenzieMikan & CarsonMikan-CarsonStudebaker111.9332115Crash NC303129 Gene HausteinLawrence J. MartzHudsonHudson109.4262813Crash T4313063 Harry McQuinn Michel DeBaetsRiglingMiller111.0672413Rod321658 George Bailey Roy ScottSnowbergerStudebaker111.0632512Crash T3333246 Chet MillerBohn Aluminum and Brass CorporationFordFord V8109.2522911Crash T1
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
Race statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–6 Kelly Petillo7–71 Frank Brisko72–78 Bill Cummings79–109 Mauri Rose110–113 Frank Brisko114–124 Mauri Rose125–148 Bill Cummings149–174 Mauri Rose175–200 Bill Cummings
Total laps led Driver LapsFrank Brisko 69Mauri Rose 68Bill Cummings 57Kelly Petillo 6
Yellow Flags ("Slow-down" periods) Laps* Reason 11–13 Chet Miller crash turn 1, George Bailey crash turn 3 13–15 Gene Haustein, Doc MacKenzie crash turn 4* – Approximate lap counts
References