The 9th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1921.
Ralph DePalma dominated another early running of the 500, but again failed to win. He led 109 laps, and had a two-lap lead at the halfway point. A connecting rod broke, and he dropped out on lap 112. DePalma retired with one win, and 612 laps led in the "500." His laps led record would not be matched for 66 years until Al Unser Sr. reached it in 1987.
Tommy Milton won the first of two 500 victories. He was accompanied by riding mechanic Harry Franck. The only European car to finish was a 1921 Grand Prix Sunbeam driven by Ora Haibe who was placed fifth.
Time trials
Time trials was scheduled for five days, May 25–29. Four-lap (10 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. A short field of only 26 cars submitted entries, but only 23 cars arrived and prepared to qualify. Mervin Headley's entry was disallowed because only half the entry fee was paid.The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 5, 2004 Two other entries were no-shows.
Ralph DePalma completed his qualifying run on Wednesday May 25, at an average speed of 100.75 mph. He won the pole position as the only driver over the 100 mph mark. None of his four laps matched the track record (104.78 mph) set in 1919.
This would be the first 500 that featured the familiar starting grid of rows of cars three-abreast.
Qualifying Results Date Driver Lap 1(mph) Lap 2(mph) Lap 3(mph) Lap 4(mph) Average Speed(mph)5/26/1921 Ralph DePalma100.89100.53100.56101.00100.75
Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 14 Ralph DePalma 6 Roscoe Sarles7 Joe Boyer 21 Eddie Hearne22 Jules Ellingboe 19 Jean Chassagne 318 Louis Fountaine 23 Percy Ford 5 Eddie Miller 43 Ira Vail14 André Boillot10 Howdy Wilcox 516 Ora Haibe9 Albert Guyot21 Bennett Hill 617 Riley Brett 15 René Thomas 27 Tom Alley 724 Jimmy Murphy2 Tommy Milton8 Ralph Mulford 825 Joe Thomas 28 C. W. Van Ranst
Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantCarQualRankLapsStatus1202 Tommy MiltonLouis ChevroletFrontenac93.05011200 89.621 mph226 Roscoe SarlesDuesenberg BrothersDuesenberg98.3502200 +3:49.383823 Percy Ford (Jules Ellingboe)(Andy Burt)Stanley KandulFrontenac87.00019200 +18:05.65495 Eddie Miller (Jimmy Murphy)Duesenberg BrothersDuesenberg83.85020200 +19:40.3351316 Ora HaibeSunbeam Motor Car CompanySunbeam93.50010200 +21:13.556149 Albert Guyot(Joe Boyer)(Eddie Miller)Duesenberg BrothersDuesenberg87.80016200 +26:33.057103 Ira VailIra VailLeach–Miller82.35022200 +39:32.8281521 Bennett Hill(Jerry Wunderlich)John ThieleDuesenberg87.78017200 +44:22.099218 Ralph MulfordLouis ChevroletFrontenac91.70012177Flagged101715 René Thomas Sunbeam Motor Car CompanySunbeam83.75021144Water hose111827 Tom AlleyL. L. CorumFrontenac80.50023133Rod1214 Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalmaBallot100.7501112Rod1341 Eddie HearneE. A. HearneDuesenberg96.1806111Oil line141924 Jimmy Murphy(Eddie Pullen)Duesenberg BrothersDuesenberg93.6009107Crash T4151617 Riley Brett (Harry Thicksten)George L. WadeBrett87.7501891Hit wall162328 C. W. Van Ranst C. W. Van RanstFrontenac88.3501487Water hose1737 Joe BoyerDuesenberg BrothersDuesenberg96.650474Rear axle18619 Jean ChassagneJean ChassagnePeugeot91.0001365Lost hood19522 Jules Ellingboe Jules EllingboeFrontenac95.400849Steering201114 André BoillotLouis CoatalenSunbeam97.600341Rod bearing21718 Louis Fountaine George L. WadeBrett88.3001533Crash FS222225 Joe ThomasDuesenberg BrothersDuesenberg96.250525Crash T3231210 Howdy Wilcox Jules GouxPeugeot96.000722Rod
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
Statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1 Ralph DePalma2 Joe Boyer3–5 Ralph DePalma6 Roscoe Sarles7–110 Ralph DePalma111–200 Tommy Milton
Total laps led Leader LapsRalph DePalma 108Tommy Milton 90Joe Boyer 1Roscoe Sarles 1
Race details For 1921, riding mechanics were required. First alternate: noneThe Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
References