1952 Indianapolis 500: Full Weekend Report & Highlights

The 1952 Indianapolis 500 was the second round of the eight-race 1952 World Championship season. Unlike previous years, the race featured a notable entry from a European-based F1 driver competing for the title—Alberto Ascari, driving for Ferrari. He became the first serious World Championship contender to attempt the Indy 500, opting to skip the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix to participate. However, his race ended early, and he finished 31st without scoring any points.

Season: 1952 F1 World Championship
Race date: 30 May 1952
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laps: 200
Circuit length: 4.023 km (2.500 miles)

Despite this setback, Ascari went on to dominate the remainder of the season, winning all seven of the remaining races and securing the 1952 World Championship.

Troy Ruttman claimed victory at Indianapolis, earning 8 points toward the championship, which placed him seventh in the final standings. Jim Rathmann finished second, while Sam Hanks secured third place.

Qualifying

POS.	NO.	DRIVER	TEAM	TIME
1	28	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft Cummins	4:20.850
2	9	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:22.770
3	4	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:23.420
4	36	Duke Nalon	Kurtis Kraft Novi	4:24.340
5	18	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:25.220
6	1	Duane Carter	Lesovsky Offenhauser	4:25.640
7	98	Troy Ruttman	Kuzma Offenhauser	4:25.950
8	26	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:20.470
9	22	Cliff Griffith	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:23.510
10	59	Jim Rathmann	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:24.040
11	16	Chuck Stevenson	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:24.430
12	2	Henry Banks	Lesovsky Offenhauser	4:24.780
13	65	George Fonder	Sherman Offenhauser	4:24.810
14	54	George Connor	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:25.470
15	7	Bill Schindler	Stevens Offenhauser	4:26.690
16	14	Joe James	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:26.760
17	55	Bobby Ball	Stevens Offenhauser	4:27.210
18	67	Gene Hartley	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:27.970
19	12	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	4:28.040
20	33	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.080
21	77	Jimmy Bryan	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.370
22	34	Rodger Ward	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.380
23	37	Jimmy Reece	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.670
24	81	Eddie Johnson	Trevis Offenhauser	4:28.710
25	93	Bob Scott	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.750
26	29	Jim Rigsby	Watson Offenhauser	4:28.850
27	21	Chet Miller	Kurtis Kraft Novi	4:18.930
28	8	Manny Ayulo	Lesovsky Offenhauser	4:24.740
29	48	Spider Webb	Bromme Offenhauser	4:24.780
30	27	Tony Bettenhausen	Deidt Offenhauser	4:25.910
31	5	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:26.020
32	73	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:26.700
33	31	Johnny McDowell	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.780

1952 Indianapolis 500 Starting Grid

POS.	NO.	DRIVER	TEAM	TIME
1	28	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft Cummins	4:20.850
2	9	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:22.770
3	4	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:23.420
4	36	Duke Nalon	Kurtis Kraft Novi	4:24.340
5	18	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:25.220
6	1	Duane Carter	Lesovsky Offenhauser	4:25.640
7	98	Troy Ruttman	Kuzma Offenhauser	4:25.950
8	26	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:20.470
9	22	Cliff Griffith	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:23.510
10	59	Jim Rathmann	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:24.040
11	16	Chuck Stevenson	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:24.430
12	2	Henry Banks	Lesovsky Offenhauser	4:24.780
13	65	George Fonder	Sherman Offenhauser	4:24.810
14	54	George Connor	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:25.470
15	7	Bill Schindler	Stevens Offenhauser	4:26.690
16	14	Joe James	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:26.760
17	55	Bobby Ball	Stevens Offenhauser	4:27.210
18	67	Gene Hartley	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:27.970
19	12	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	4:28.040
20	33	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.080
21	77	Jimmy Bryan	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.370
22	34	Rodger Ward	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.380
23	37	Jimmy Reece	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.670
24	81	Eddie Johnson	Trevis Offenhauser	4:28.710
25	93	Bob Scott	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.750
26	29	Jim Rigsby	Watson Offenhauser	4:28.850
27	21	Chet Miller	Kurtis Kraft Novi	4:18.930
28	8	Manny Ayulo	Lesovsky Offenhauser	4:24.740
29	48	Spider Webb	Bromme Offenhauser	4:24.780
30	27	Tony Bettenhausen	Deidt Offenhauser	4:25.910
31	5	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:26.020
32	73	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:26.700
33	31	Johnny McDowell	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	4:28.780

1952 Indianapolis 500 Race Results

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/retired	Pts
1	98	Troy Ruttman	Kuzma Offenhauser	200	3:52:41.880	8
2	59	Jim Rathmann	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200	+242.329s	6
3	18	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		4
4	1	Duane Carter	Lesovsky Offenhauser	200		3
5	33	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		2
6	77	Jimmy Bryan	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		0
7	37	Jimmy Reece	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		0
8	54	George Connor	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		0
9	22	Cliff Griffith	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		0
10	5	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		0
11	4	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		0
12	29	Jim Rigsby	Watson Offenhauser	200		0
13	14	Joe James	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	200		0
14	7	Bill Schindler	Stevens Offenhauser	200		0
15	65	George Fonder	Sherman Offenhauser	197	+3 laps	0
16	81	Eddie Johnson	Trevis Offenhauser	193	+7 laps	0
17	26	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	191	DNF	1
18	16	Chuck Stevenson	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	187	+13 laps	0
19	2	Henry Banks	Lesovsky Offenhauser	184	+16 laps	0
20	8	Manny Ayulo	Lesovsky Offenhauser	184	+16 laps	0
21	31	Johnny McDowell	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	182	+18 laps	0
22	48	Spider Webb	Bromme Offenhauser	162	DNF	0
23	34	Rodger Ward	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	130	DNF	0
24	27	Tony Bettenhausen	Deidt Offenhauser	93	DNF	0
25	36	Duke Nalon	Kurtis Kraft Novi	84	DNF	0
26	73	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	77	DNF	0
27	28	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft Cummins	71	DNF	0
28	67	Gene Hartley	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	65	DNF	0
29	93	Bob Scott	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	49	DNF	0
30	21	Chet Miller	Kurtis Kraft Novi	41	DNF	0
31	12	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	40	DNF	0
32	55	Bobby Ball	Stevens Offenhauser	34	DNF	0
33	9	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft Offenhauser	20	DNF	0

1952 Post-Race F1 Drivers’ Championship Standings

Pos	Driver	Points
1	Piero Taruffi	9
2	Troy Ruttman	8
3	Rudi Fischer	6
4	Jim Rathmann	6
5	Jean Behra	4

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Ben is a staff writer specialising in F1 from the 1990s to the modern era. Ben has been following Formula 1 since 1986 and is an avid researcher who loves understanding the technology that makes it one of the most exciting motorsport on the planet. He listens to podcasts about F1 on a daily basis, and enjoys reading books from the inspirational Adrian Newey to former F1 drivers.