The 1951 Indianapolis 500 was the second round of the eight-race World Championship season. However, as it took place just three days after the 1951 Swiss Grand Prix, it failed to attract any regular Grand Prix competitors, as participation was logistically impractical.
Race Guide
Season: 1951 F1 World Championship
Race date: Wednesday, 30 May 1951
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC-05:00)
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laps: 200 laps
Circuit length: 4.023 km
1950 winner: Johnnie Parsons
Previous race: 1951 Swiss Grand Prix
Next race: 1951 Belgian Grand Prix
Lee Wallard emerged as the race winner, earning 9 points towards the World Championship—8 for victory and 1 for setting the fastest lap. Despite not competing in any other World Championship rounds that season, he finished seventh in the final standings.
Mike Nazaruk secured second place, while third was shared between Jack McGrath, who led the first 100 laps, and Manny Ayulo, who took over for the second half of the race.
| Pole position | ||
|---|---|---|
| Driver | Duke Nalon | Kurtis Kraft |
| Speed | 136.498 mph (219.672 km/h) | |
| Fastest lap | ||
| Driver | Lee Wallard | Kurtis Kraft |
| Time | 1:07.260 on lap 23 | |
| Podium | ||
| First | Lee Wallard | Kurtis Kraft |
| Second | Mike Nazaruk | Kurtis Kraft |
| Third | Jack McGrath / Manny Ayulo | Kurtis Kraft |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| May 1951; individual practice dates vary | May practice | Time unconfirmed |
| 12 May 1951 | Pole Day time trials | Time unconfirmed |
| 13 May 1951 | Second-day time trials | Time unconfirmed |
| 19 May 1951 | Third-day time trials | Time unconfirmed |
| 20 May 1951 | Fourth-day time trials | Time unconfirmed |
| 26 May 1951 | Fifth-day time trials | Time unconfirmed |
| 27 May 1951 | Sixth-day time trials — cancelled | Time unconfirmed |
| 28 May 1951 | Additional Monday time trials | Time unconfirmed |
| 30 May 1951 | Race | Time unconfirmed |
Championship background
Juan Manuel Fangio arrived at round 2 leading the 1951 F1 World Championship on 9 points, with Piero Taruffi on 6.
Race entries
Nalon returned after missing the previous year’s race, leading the powerful Novi challenge. No European Grand Prix team entered. Most competitors relied on Offenhauser power, with Indianapolis retaining its separate AAA regulations while awarding World Championship points.
May practice
Technical variety remained visible despite Offenhauser’s numerical strength. Teams experimented with fuel injection, disc brakes and magnesium wheels, while cars using modified stock engines struggled to reach qualifying speed. The challenge was to combine outright performance with the durability needed for five hundred miles.
Pole Day time trials
Nalon secured pole in the Novi, marking a successful return after his earlier burns. His four-lap average of 136.498 mph set a new record. First-day priority protected his starting position against faster runs on later days.
Second-day time trials
The qualifying programme continued, with successful later entrants placed behind the opening day’s qualifiers. A separate detailed account of this day’s attempts is unavailable in the consulted sources.
Third-day time trials
Faulkner raised the four-lap record to 136.872 mph and also set a new single-lap benchmark. The achievement demonstrated the speed available from the Offenhauser-powered cars, but it did not displace first-day qualifier Nalon from pole.
Fourth-day time trials
The second qualifying weekend continued under the same four-lap rules. The final grid preserves the successful qualifiers without assigning undocumented incidents or individual runs to this day.
Fifth-day time trials
The final scheduled weekend offered further opportunities to secure a place in the thirty-three-car field. Detailed daily attempt records are not available in the consulted narrative sources.
Sixth-day time trials — cancelled
Rain prevented qualifying and required an additional day. The interruption delayed completion of the starting field until Monday.
Additional Monday time trials
The extra session completed the qualifying programme after Sunday’s rain. Later qualifiers retained their positions behind earlier groups, preserving Indianapolis’s qualifying-day priority.
Qualifying Classification
The extended programme comprised six scheduled qualifying days and an additional rain-replacement day. Four-lap averages determined qualifying speed, while day priority determined starting order.
Non-qualifying entries and alternates
This list includes unsuccessful entries, withdrawals and alternates; some drivers later qualified another car or drove relief. R denotes a rookie and W a previous Indianapolis winner.
| Entry and recorded outcome |
|---|
| First alternate: Bob Sweikert R (#37) |
| Jean Achard (real name – Jean-Jacques Grosman) (R) (#100) — Did not appear |
| Frank Armi R (#35, #58, #64) |
| Manny Ayulo (#31) |
| Joe Barzda R (#49) |
| Bill Boyd R (#42) |
| Jimmy Bryan R (#72) |
| Bill Cantrell (#62, #79) |
| Jimmy Daywalt R (#33, #47) |
| Kenny Eaton R (#66) |
| Myron Fohr (#56) |
| George Fonder (#29, #53, #63) |
| Potsy Goacher R (#45) |
| Jackie Holmes (#24, #45) |
| Norm Houser (#61) |
| Jerry Hoyt (#14) |
| Bill Johnson R (#15) |
| Danny Kladis (#89) |
| Ray Knepper R (#78) |
| Bayliss Levrett (#46) |
| Mark Light R (#33) |
| George Lynch (#36) |
| Dick Page R (#64) |
| Roscoe Rann R (#14) |
| Gordon Reid R (#67) |
| Paul Russo (#7) |
| Mike Salay (#41) |
| Bob Scott R (#82) |
| Bud Sennett R (#51) |
| Doc Shanebrook R (#77) |
| Roy Sherman R (#57) |
| Joel Thorne (#88) |
| Johnnie Tolan R (#34) |
| Leroy Warriner R (#75) |
What happened in the 1951 Indianapolis 500?
Mechanical failures steadily reduced the field as the pace remained high. Rose crashed and overturned without serious injury, ending what proved to be his final Indianapolis appearance. The powerful Novis also failed to finish.
Wallard continued despite losing his brakes and suffering exhaust and suspension trouble. The damaged car and his uncomfortable protective clothing made the closing stages physically punishing, but he maintained the lead.
Wallard won and received the fastest-lap point. Nazaruk finished second, McGrath and Ayulo shared third, Linden took fourth and Ball fifth. Wallard required treatment after the race, having endured an exceptional physical effort.
After the race, Juan Manuel Fangio headed the drivers’ standings with 9 points, followed by Lee Wallard on 9.
1951 Indianapolis 500 race results
The 1951 Indianapolis 500 was held on 30 May 1951.
1951 Indianapolis 500 Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99 | Lee Wallard | Kurtis Kraft | 23 | 1:07.260 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. One championship point was awarded for fastest lap, divided equally when shared.
1951 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1951 Indianapolis 500.
1951 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings
There was no constructors’ championship in this season; the manufacturers’ competition began in 1958.
Drivers counted their best 4 results. The first five places earned 8–6–4–3–2 points, with one further point for fastest lap, shared equally when necessary. Points from shared drives were divided between the eligible drivers; individual allocations are shown in driver order.
1951 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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