Bob Sweikert won the 1955 Indianapolis 500, but the race was overshadowed by the death of defending winner Bill Vukovich. Sweikert emerged from a contest shaped by wind, accidents and mechanical failures to take the biggest victory of his career.
Race Guide
Season: 1955 F1 World Championship
Race date: 30 May 1955
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC-05:00)
Circuit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Laps: 200 laps
Circuit length: 4.023 km
1954 winner: Bill Vukovich
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Jerry Hoyt | Stevens |
| Pole speed | 140.045 mph (225.381 km/h) | |
| Fastest lap | Bill Vukovich | Kurtis Kraft |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:03.670 on lap 27 | |
| First | Bob Sweikert | Kurtis Kraft |
| Second | Tony Bettenhausen / Paul Russo | Kurtis Kraft |
| Third | Jimmy Davies | Kurtis Kraft |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| May 1955; individual session dates vary | May practice | Start time unconfirmed |
| 14 May 1955 | Pole Day time trials | Start time unconfirmed |
| 15 May 1955 | Second-day time trials | Start time unconfirmed |
| 21 May 1955 | Third-day time trials | Start time unconfirmed |
| 22 May 1955 | Final-day time trials | Start time unconfirmed |
| 30 May 1955 | Race | Start time unconfirmed |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Maurice Trintignant arrived at round 3 leading the 1955 F1 World Championship on 11 1/3 points, with Juan Manuel Fangio on 10.
Race entries
Vukovich returned seeking an unprecedented third consecutive Indianapolis victory. The field also included several championship newcomers, among them Keith Andrews, Johnny Boyd and Ray Crawford. Indianapolis remained governed by AAA’s own regulations while awarding points towards the World Drivers’ Championship.
May practice
The Speedway’s extended preparation period allowed established contenders and newcomers to work towards the four scheduled qualifying days. Conditions became a major concern as the first weekend approached, with gusty wind making a fast, consistent four-lap run particularly difficult. The available report provides its fullest preparation detail through the qualifying sessions below.
Pole Day time trials
Most teams agreed to wait for better weather, but Hoyt had not heard of that arrangement and made a late run. Bettenhausen followed, only to be slowed by a gust after two quick laps. With just two cars qualified, Hoyt secured an unexpected pole at 140.045 mph despite the likelihood of faster speeds on later days.
Second-day time trials
Improved conditions brought most of the leading contenders onto the track. McGrath recorded the meeting’s fastest average, 142.580 mph, but qualifying-day priority placed him third behind Saturday’s two qualifiers. The day ended tragically when Ayulo crashed; he died the following day.
Third-day time trials
Paul Russo attempted to qualify the front-drive Novi intended for Ruttman, but gearbox failure ended the effort. It marked the final Indianapolis appearance of a front-drive car. The remaining qualifying programme continued under the usual four-lap requirement.
Final-day time trials
The final scheduled day completed the selection process, with Len Duncan listed as first alternate. Several experienced names failed to qualify, while Russo later arranged to share Bettenhausen’s car in the race. The consulted account does not supply a detailed narrative of each final-day attempt.
Qualifying Classification
Qualifying-day priority explains why Hoyt took pole despite recording only the eighth-fastest average. Race relief drivers are retained in the results, while the qualifying table identifies the original qualifier.
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: Len Duncan (#24, #73) |
| Manny Ayulo (#88) – Fatal accident |
| Tony Bonadies R (#36) |
| Bob Christie R (#7) |
| Elmer George R (#74) |
| Gene Hartley (#28) |
| Bill Homeier (#72, #77) |
| Johnny Kay R (#76) |
| Danny Kladis (#93) |
| Russ Klar R (#61) |
| Ernie McCoy (#69) |
| Earl Motter R (#81) |
| Duke Nalon (#31) |
| Roy Newman R (#93) |
| Jiggs Peters R (#32) |
| Paul Russo (#10, #21) |
| Troy Ruttman (#18) |
| George Tichenor R (#78) |
| Johnnie Tolan R – Withdrew, ill |
| Leroy Warriner R (#64) |
| Spider Webb (#9) |
What happened in the 1955 Indianapolis 500?
McGrath and Vukovich exchanged the early lead before McGrath retired with magneto trouble. Vukovich then encountered an accident involving cars ahead and was caught in the resulting collision. He suffered fatal injuries, bringing a tragic end to his attempt at a third consecutive win.
After a lengthy caution, the race continued with several changes of leader. Bryan, Cross and Freeland all encountered trouble. Sweikert took the lead for the final time on lap 160 and managed the closing stages to secure victory.
Bettenhausen and Russo shared second, followed by Jimmy Davies and Johnny Thomson. Faulkner and Homeier shared fifth. Vukovich received the fastest-lap point. The deaths of Ayulo and Vukovich were part of a devastating year for motor racing, after which AAA withdrew from sanctioning the sport.
After the race, Maurice Trintignant headed the drivers’ standings with 11 1/3 points, followed by Juan Manuel Fangio on 10.
1955 Indianapolis 500 race results
The 1955 Indianapolis 500 was held on 30 May 1955.
1955 Indianapolis 500 Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Bill Vukovich | Kurtis Kraft | 27 | 1:03.670 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. One championship point was awarded for fastest lap, divided equally when shared.
1955 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1955 Indianapolis 500.
1955 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
There was no constructors’ championship in this season; the manufacturers’ competition began in 1958.
Drivers counted their best 5 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.
1955 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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