1958 Indianapolis 500: F1 Race, Qualifying & Winners

Jimmy Bryan won the 1958 Indianapolis 500 in the same car that had carried Sam Hanks to victory a year earlier. His success ahead of rookie George Amick came on a tragic afternoon: a major opening-lap accident claimed the life of Pat O'Connor and overshadowed the race.

Result	Driver / Time	Team
Pole position	Dick Rathmann	Watson
Pole speed	145.974 mph (234.922 km/h)
Fastest lap	Tony Bettenhausen	Epperly
Fastest-lap time	1:02.370 on lap 55
First	Jimmy Bryan	Salih
Second	George Amick	Epperly
Third	Johnny Boyd	Kurtis Kraft

Weekend Schedule

Date	Session	Local Time
May 1958; individual session dates vary	May practice	Start time unconfirmed
17 May 1958	Pole Day time trials	Start time unconfirmed
18 May 1958	Second-day time trials	Start time unconfirmed
24 May 1958	Third-day time trials	Start time unconfirmed
25 May 1958	Final-day time trials	Start time unconfirmed
30 May 1958	Race	Start time unconfirmed

All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.

Championship background

Stirling Moss arrived at round 4 leading the 1958 F1 World Championship on 17 points, with Luigi Musso on 12.

Race entries

A. J. Foyt arrived for his first Indianapolis 500, while five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio explored a rare crossover from Grand Prix racing. Fangio practised but withdrew after concluding that the available cars were not competitive enough. Indianapolis counted towards the drivers’ championship under its own USAC regulations, without contributing to the new constructors’ competition.

May practice

Fangio’s appearance attracted considerable interest as he tried both Novi-powered and Offenhauser-powered machinery. Neither offered the performance he wanted, and he withdrew before qualifying; other drivers eventually placed those cars on the back row. For the American regulars and rookies, the extended practice period was preparation for a four-lap qualifying run and the demands of the full 500 miles.

Pole Day time trials

Ed Elisian raised the one-lap record to 146.508 mph and put himself provisionally on pole with a four-lap average of 145.926 mph. Dick Rathmann then produced a slightly stronger complete run, averaging 145.974 mph. He could not match Elisian’s fastest individual lap, but beat his total time by only eight-hundredths of a second to claim pole.

Second-day time trials

Qualifying continued on the second scheduled day. Successful later qualifiers lined up behind those who had completed their runs on Pole Day, rather than being inserted into a single overall speed ranking. The available race account does not describe this day’s individual attempts in detail.

Third-day time trials

The second qualifying weekend gave the remaining entrants another opportunity to secure a place in the thirty-three-car field. Indianapolis required a sustained four-lap performance, rather than one quick lap. A separate narrative of this day’s runs is not available in the consulted race account.

Final-day time trials

The closing trials settled the field, with Gene Hartley left as first alternate. Several established competitors missed out, including Fred Agabashian and Troy Ruttman. Foyt secured his first start, beginning an Indianapolis career that would become one of the event’s most celebrated.

Qualifying Classification

Four-lap average speeds and qualifying-day priority determined the Indianapolis grid. Rathmann’s precise pole average was 145.974 mph; the table retains the published box-score precision. World Championship points are shown separately from the event’s domestic USAC scoring.

Grid	No.	Driver	Car	Four-lap average (mph)
1	97	Dick Rathmann	Watson	145.97
2	5	Ed Elisian	Watson	145.92
3	16	Jimmy Reece	Watson	145.51
4	14	Bob Veith	Kurtis Kraft	144.88
5	4	Pat O'Connor	Kurtis Kraft	144.82
6	45	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft	144.68
7	1	Jimmy Bryan	Salih	144.18
8	9	Johnny Boyd	Kurtis Kraft	144.02
9	33	Tony Bettenhausen	Epperly	143.91
10	25	Jack Turner	Lesovsky	143.43
11	8	Rodger Ward	Lesovsky	143.26
12	29	A. J. Foyt	Kuzma	143.13
13	26	Don Freeland	Phillips	143.03
14	15	Paul Russo	Kurtis Kraft	142.95
15	43	Billy Garrett	Kurtis Kraft	142.77
16	31	Paul Goldsmith	Kurtis Kraft	142.74
17	65	Bob Christie	Kurtis Kraft	142.25
18	88	Eddie Sachs	Kuzma	144.66
19	44	Jud Larson	Watson	143.51
20	2	Jim Rathmann	Epperly	143.14
21	52	Al Keller	Kurtis Kraft	142.93
22	7	Johnny Thomson	Kurtis Kraft	142.90
23	83	Shorty Templeman	Kurtis Kraft	142.81
24	92	Jerry Unser	Kurtis Kraft	142.75
25	99	George Amick	Epperly	142.71
26	61	Eddie Johnson	Kurtis Kraft	142.67
27	68	Len Sutton	Kurtis Kraft	142.65
28	57	Art Bisch	Kuzma	142.63
29	89	Chuck Weyant	Dunn	142.60
30	19	Johnnie Tolan	Kuzma	142.30
31	77	Mike Magill	Kurtis Kraft	142.27
32	59	Dempsey Wilson	Kuzma	143.27
33	54	Bill Cheesbourg	Kurtis Kraft	142.54

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: Gene Hartley (#24)
Fred Agabashian (#14, #56, #57, #75)
Tony Bonadies R (#58)
Bud Clemons R (#59)
Bob Cortner R (#93) – Did not finish rookie test
Ray Crawford (#49)
Jimmy Daywalt (#57, #69, #82)
Rex Easton R (#10, #72)
Don Edmunds (#92)
Jack Ensley R (#17)
Juan Manuel Fangio R (#54, #77)
Pat Flaherty W (#5) – Entry declined, failed physical
Elmer George (#10, #28)
Joe Giba R (#62)
Gene Hartley (#24)
Al Herman (#68, #75)
Bill Homeier (#74, #95)
Van Johnson R (#58)
Jim McWithey R (#66)
Earl Motter R (#61) – Passed rookie test
Tom Pistone R (#66) – Entry declined, lack of experience
Eddie Russo (#55)
Troy Ruttman W (#98)
Dutch Schaefer R (#61) – Entry declined, lack of experience
Carroll Shelby R (#17) – Did not begin rookie test
Marshall Teague (#18)
Leroy Warriner R (#95)

What happened in the 1958 Indianapolis 500?

Confusion during the formation procedure required an extra pace lap before the start. On the opening racing lap, Elisian spun into Rathmann at the third turn, triggering a fifteen-car accident. O’Connor suffered fatal injuries, and Jerry Unser was injured when his car went over the wall. A prolonged caution followed while the wreckage was cleared.

Bryan, Eddie Sachs, Tony Bettenhausen and Amick contested the lead after racing resumed. Sachs retired with transmission trouble, and Johnny Boyd became Bryan’s principal challenger. Efficient pit work helped Bryan retain control, while Boyd’s late tyre stop cost him second place. Foyt’s debut ended after he spun on oil and stalled.

Bryan led 139 laps, including the final 75, to win ahead of Amick and Boyd. Bettenhausen finished fourth and received the fastest-lap point, with Jim Rathmann fifth. The result gave the Salih car consecutive victories with different drivers, but the loss of O’Connor defined the day and prompted changes to starting procedures and safety requirements for the following year.

After the race, Stirling Moss headed the drivers’ standings with 17 points, followed by Luigi Musso on 12.

1958 Indianapolis 500 race results

The 1958 Indianapolis 500 was held on 30 May 1958.

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Laps	Time / Retired	Pts.
1	1	Jimmy Bryan	Salih	200	3:44:13.80	8
2	99	George Amick	Epperly	200	+27.63	6
3	9	Johnny Boyd	Kurtis Kraft	200	+1:09.67	4
4	33	Tony Bettenhausen	Epperly	200	+1:34.81	4
5	2	Jim Rathmann	Epperly	200	+1:35.62	2
6	16	Jimmy Reece	Watson	200	+2:16.95	0
7	26	Don Freeland	Phillips	200	+2:21.06	0
8	44	Jud Larson	Watson	200	+5:34.02	0
9	61	Eddie Johnson	Kurtis Kraft	200	+6:15.76	0
10	54	Bill Cheesbourg	Kurtis Kraft	200	+8:03.59	0
11	52	Al Keller	Kurtis Kraft	200	+9:14.20	0
12	45	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft	200	+9:40.85	0
13	19	Johnnie Tolan	Kuzma	200	+9:52.24	0
14	65	Bob Christie	Kurtis Kraft	189	Spun off	0
15	59	Dempsey Wilson	Kuzma	151	Fire	0
16	29	A. J. Foyt	Kuzma	148	Spun off	0
17	77	Mike Magill	Kurtis Kraft	136	Disqualified	0
18	15	Paul Russo	Kurtis Kraft	122	Radiator	0
19	83	Shorty Templeman	Kurtis Kraft	116	Brakes	0
20	8	Rodger Ward	Lesovsky	93	Magneto	0
21	43	Billy Garrett	Kurtis Kraft	80	Magneto	0
22	88	Eddie Sachs	Kuzma	68	Transmission	0
23	7	Johnny Thomson	Kurtis Kraft	52	Steering	0
24	89	Chuck Weyant	Dunn	38	Accident	0
25	25	Jack Turner	Lesovsky	21	Fuel pump	0
26	14	Bob Veith	Kurtis Kraft	1	Accident	0
27	97	Dick Rathmann	Watson	0	Accident	0
28	5	Ed Elisian	Watson	0	Accident	0
29	4	Pat O'Connor	Kurtis Kraft	0	Died in crash	0
30	31	Paul Goldsmith	Kurtis Kraft	0	Accident	0
31	92	Jerry Unser	Kurtis Kraft	0	Accident	0
32	68	Len Sutton	Kurtis Kraft	0	Accident	0
33	57	Art Bisch	Kuzma	0	Accident	0

1958 Indianapolis 500 Fastest Laps

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Lap	Time
1	33	Tony Bettenhausen	Epperly	55	1:02.370

Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. One championship point was awarded for fastest lap, divided equally when shared.

1958 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings

Championship standings after the 1958 Indianapolis 500.

1958 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings

POS	Driver	Nationality	Car	PTS
1	Stirling Moss	British	Cooper / Vanwall	17
2	Luigi Musso	Italian	Ferrari	12
3	Maurice Trintignant	French	Cooper	8
4	Jimmy Bryan	American	Epperly	8
5	Harry Schell	American	Maserati / BRM	8
6	Mike Hawthorn	British	Ferrari	7
7	George Amick	American	Epperly	6
8	Jean Behra	French	Maserati / BRM	6
9	Peter Collins	British	Ferrari	4
10	Johnny Boyd	American	Kurtis Kraft	4
11	Juan Manuel Fangio	Argentine	Maserati	4
12	Tony Bettenhausen	American	Epperly	4
13	Jack Brabham	Australian	Cooper	3
14	Roy Salvadori	British	Cooper	3
15	Jim Rathmann	American	Epperly	2
—	Cliff Allison	British	Team Lotus	0
—	Jimmy Reece	American	Watson	0
—	Carlos Menditeguy	Argentine	Maserati	0
—	Don Freeland	American	Phillips	0
—	Paco Godia	Spanish	Maserati	0
—	Jud Larson	American	Watson	0
—	Horace Gould	British	Maserati	0
—	Eddie Johnson	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Jo Bonnier	Swedish	Maserati	0
—	Bill Cheesbourg	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Carel Godin de Beaufort	Dutch	Porsche	0
—	Al Keller	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Johnnie Parsons	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Johnnie Tolan	American	Kuzma	0
—	Wolfgang von Trips	German	Ferrari	0
—	Graham Hill	British	Team Lotus	0
—	Giorgio Scarlatti	Italian	Maserati	0
—	Stuart Lewis-Evans	British	Vanwall	0
—	Bob Christie	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Tony Brooks	British	Vanwall	0
—	Dempsey Wilson	American	Kuzma	0
—	Masten Gregory	American	Maserati	0
—	Anthony Foyt	American	Kuzma	0
—	Mike Magill	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Paul Russo	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Shorty Templeman	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Rodger Ward	American	Lesovsky	0
—	Billy Garrett	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Eddie Sachs	American	Kuzma	0
—	Johnny Thomson	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Chuck Weyant	American	Dunn	0
—	Jack Turner	American	Lesovsky	0
—	Bob Veith	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Dick Rathmann	American	Watson	0
—	Ed Elisian	American	Watson	0
—	Pat O'Connor	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Paul Goldsmith	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Jerry Unser	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Len Sutton	American	Kurtis Kraft	0
—	Art Bisch	American	Kuzma	0

1958 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings

POS	Car	PTS
1	Cooper	19
2	Ferrari	14
3	Vanwall	8
4	BRM	8
5	Maserati	3
—	Team Lotus	0
—	Porsche	0

Drivers counted their best 6 results. The first five places earned 8–6–4–3–2 points, with one further point for fastest lap, shared equally when necessary. Shared drives earned no championship points. Constructors also retained their best 6 results, scoring through only their highest-placed eligible car, without fastest-lap points. Indianapolis counted for drivers only.

1958 Formula 1 Race Calendar

Round	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
1	1958 Argentine Grand Prix	Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez, Buenos Aires	19 January
2	1958 Monaco Grand Prix	Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo	18 May
3	1958 Dutch Grand Prix	Circuit Zandvoort, Zandvoort	26 May
4	1958 Indianapolis 500	Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana	30 May
5	1958 Belgian Grand Prix	Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot	15 June
6	1958 French Grand Prix	Reims-Gueux, Reims	6 July
7	1958 British Grand Prix	Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone	19 July
8	1958 German Grand Prix	Nürburgring, Nürburg	3 August
9	1958 Portuguese Grand Prix	Circuito da Boavista, Porto	24 August
10	1958 Italian Grand Prix	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza	7 September
11	1958 Moroccan Grand Prix	Ain-Diab Circuit, Casablanca	19 October