Race of Two Worlds
Encyclopedia
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
race
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
held at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
, Italy in 1957 and again in 1958. It was intended as an exhibition event, allowing American teams from the United States Auto Club (USAC) National Championship
American Championship Car Racing
Since 1916 there has been a recognized United States national automobile racing National Championship for drivers of professional-level, single-seat open wheel race cars. The championship has been under the auspices of several different sanctioning bodies since 1909. Since 1911, the Indianapolis...
to compete directly against teams from the Formula One World Championship
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
based in Europe. The two types of cars competed on the banked oval at Monza which had been completed in 1955. Due to the similarity to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
, where the USAC teams ran the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
, the event earned the nickname Monzanapolis.
American drivers and teams won the event in both the years in which it was run. Jimmy Bryan
Jimmy Bryan
James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:...
won the 1957 event, while Jim Rathmann
Jim Rathmann
Jim Rathmann was an American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1960....
swept the 1958 race. Although some Formula One teams did participate and even build special cars specifically for the event, several withdrew over safety concerns. Continued concern over the speeds on the track and the cost of the event led to the race being canceled after the 1958 running.
Initial concept
In 1954, redevelopment of the Autodromo Nazionale MonzaAutodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
circuit began for the first time since 1948, concentrating on rebuilding the oval portion of the track which had been abandoned during World War II. The 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) banked oval, which had last been used in 1933, was dismantled. The southern Sud Alta Velocita corner was relocated, moving it northward by several meters, shortening the lap distance length to 4.25 km (2.6 mi). Both banked corners were rebuilt on a curving gradient which reached 80 degrees
Degree (angle)
A degree , usually denoted by ° , is a measurement of plane angle, representing 1⁄360 of a full rotation; one degree is equivalent to π/180 radians...
, replacing the flat banking which had been previously used. The reconstruction was completed in August 1955, in time for the Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Italian Grand Prix
Italian Grand Prix
The Italian Grand Prix is one of the longest running events on the motor racing calendar. The first Italian Grand Prix motor racing championship took place on 4 September 1921 at Brescia...
, which combined the new oval with the Monza road course for a full 9.8 km (6.1 mi).
Duane Carter
Duane Carter was an American racecar driver. He raced midget cars, sprint cars, and IndyCars. Carter was born in Fresno, California, and he died in Indianapolis, Indiana...
, competition director of USAC, to attend the second running of the Italian Grand Prix on the new circuit. The two discussed the similarities between Monza's new oval and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
, which also held a round of the 1957 Formula One season
1957 Formula One season
The 1957 Formula One season was the eighth season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1957 World Championship of Drivers which commenced on January 13, 1957 and ended on September 8 after eight races. Juan Manuel Fangio won his fourth consecutive title, his fifth in total, in his...
, the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
. Although the 500 counted as part of the championship, only a few Europeans attempted to participate in the event since the formation of the World Championship. Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
's Alberto Ascari
Alberto Ascari
Alberto Ascari was an Italian racing driver and twice Formula One World Champion. He is one of only two Italian Formula One World Champions in the history of the sport, and the only one winning his two championships in a Ferrari....
in 1952
1952 Indianapolis 500
The 1952 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Friday, May 30, 1952 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the second round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship. Troy Ruttman won the race, bringing the Borg-Warner Trophy home for car owner J.C. Agajanian.Bill Vukovich led...
was the only European competitor to actually qualify for the race. Bacciagaluppi and Carter believed that an oval race held in Europe instead of the United States could attract Formula One teams, and USAC and the Automobile Club of Italy began work on making such an event possible.
A race was scheduled for June 1957, running just the 4.25 km oval at Monza. Volunteering USAC teams were to be transported from the United States, while Formula One teams were also free to participate if those chose. In preparation, Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
transported a USAC Kurtis Kraft
Kurtis Kraft
Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars....
–Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
to Monza in April 1957 in order to conduct tests on tyres made for the event. American driver Pat O'Connor
Pat O'Connor (auto racer)
Pat O'Connor was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a 15-car pileup, after sustaining a fatal head injury after rolling his car and catching fire on the first lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500.He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in May 1958 adding to the legend of the Sports...
completed 364 km (226.2 mi) on the oval, setting a best lap speed of 273 km/h (169.6 mph), nearly 48 km/h (29.8 mph) faster than lap speeds reached at Indianapolis.
Format
The rules for the race were based on those used by USAC in North America. Engines were limited to 4200 cubic centimetres (256.1 cu in) in naturally aspirated form, 2800 cm³ (170.7 cu in) for supercharged engines. An USAC rolling startRolling start
A rolling start is one of two modes of initiating or restarting an auto race; the other mode is the standing start. In a rolling start, the cars are ordered on the track and are led on a certain number of laps at a pre-determined safe speed by the safety car or pace car...
was also used, instead of Formula One's usual standing start
Standing start
A standing start is a type of start in auto racing events, in which cars are stationary when the race begins. In a standing start, cars are completely still when a green signal is given to start the race, often preceded by a set of lights...
. The race was planned for a total distance of 500 miles (804.7 km), similar to the Indianapolis 500. However, unlike Indianapolis, the 500 miles would not be run continuously. Instead, three separate 63-lap heats were planned, with an hour break for repairs and rest between each heat, for a total of approximately 500 miles. The overall race winner would be determined by the driver which finished all three heats with the highest average speed. The circuit would be run in an anti-clockwise direction, the same used at Indianapolis, but opposite the direction used by Formula One at Monza.
1957
1957 Indianapolis 500
The 1957 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Thursday, May 30, 1957 at Indianapolis. The event was the third round of the 1957 World Drivers' Championship and the first round of the 1957 USAC Championship Car season.- Classification :- Notes :...
, and a few weeks before the running of the French Grand Prix
1957 French Grand Prix
The 1957 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 7 July 1957 at Rouen-Les-Essarts. It was the fourth round of the 1957 World Drivers' Championship.-Classification:-Notes:* Pole position: Juan Manuel Fangio - 2:21.5...
. USAC's entries in the event traveled from Indianapolis to New York City, from which they were loaded onto a ship and sailed to Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. The drivers and personnel traveled separate from their cars, arriving by plane. The teams and equipment was then transported from Genoa to Monza, where teams began practice on Tuesday the 18th.
Entrants
A total of fifteen cars were entered for the event. Ten cars traveled across the Atlantic from USAC, while only two teams arrived with Formula One equipment. Mario Bornigia used a privateerPrivateer (motorsport)
In motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
while Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
entered their factory driver Jean Behra
Jean Behra
Jean Marie Behra was a Formula One driver who raced for the Gordini, Maserati, BRM, Ferrari and Porsche teams.-Appearance and personality:...
. The rest of the Formula One teams however chose to boycott the event. The Union des Pilotes Professionnels Internationaux (International Union of Professional Pilots), which had been formed only a few months prior, cited the dangers of the speeds able to be obtained on the Monza banking and the wear on tires posing threats to safety. A further three entries arrived from the World Sportscar Championship
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
, thanks to the Scottish Ecurie Ecosse
Ecurie Ecosse
Ecurie Ecosse was a motor racing team from Scotland. The team was founded in 1952 by Edinburgh businessman and racing driver David Murray and mechanic Wilkie Wilkinson, its most notable achievement was winning both the 1956 and 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans. The team also raced in three Formula One races...
Jaguar team, who had just won the 24 Hours of Le Mans
1957 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1957 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 25th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 22 and 23 1957. It was also the fifth round of the World Sportscar Championship.-Official results:-Did Not Finish:-Statistics:...
the weekend before.
EWLINE
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style="margin-right:0; font-size:85%" class="wikitable"> | ||||
| Key | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour | Car Type | ||||
| Gray | USAC | ||||
| Red | Formula One | ||||
| Blue | Sportscar | ||||
Practice and qualifying
Eddie Sachs
Edward Julius Sachs, Jr, born May 28, 1927 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, died May 30, 1964 in Speedway, Indiana was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the "Clown Prince of Auto Racing." He coined the phrase "If you can't win, be spectacular."...
led the first day's practice with a lap time of 56.4 seconds, one of few drivers to lap under a minute. On Thursday, Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
arrived to enter Jean Behra
Jean Behra
Jean Marie Behra was a Formula One driver who raced for the Gordini, Maserati, BRM, Ferrari and Porsche teams.-Appearance and personality:...
in the event, but the two cars which Behra practiced with suffered handling problems when they were fitted with larger diameter Firestone
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
tyres, recording a best lap time of 1:03.2 in the team's Formula One car. Maserati chose to not return the following day, joining the already withdrawn Ferrari, and leaving the race without any Formula One machinery.
Qualification was held on Friday, and the USAC teams continued to lower their lap times. Tony Bettenhausen
Tony Bettenhausen
Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958....
, in the Novi
Novi engine
The Novi engine was a dual overhead cam supercharged V8 engine used in the Indianapolis 500. It was designed by Bud Winfield and Leo Goossen and built by Fred Offenhauser.-Early years:...
Special, took pole position with a lap time of 53.7 seconds, averaging a speed of 284.927 km/h (177 mph), over 50 km/h faster than the pole speed at that year's Indianapolis 500. Eight other USAC cars also qualified, with Paul Russo
Paul Russo
Paul Russo was an American racecar driver.-Midget car career:...
in the other Novi Special suffering a terminal flywheel
Flywheel
A flywheel is a rotating mechanical device that is used to store rotational energy. Flywheels have a significant moment of inertia, and thus resist changes in rotational speed. The amount of energy stored in a flywheel is proportional to the square of its rotational speed...
failure during its qualification attempt and withdrawing. The three Ecurie Ecosse Jaguars also qualified, but all slower than the USAC entries, due in part to being limited to their Dunlop
Dunlop Rubber
Dunlop Rubber was a company based in the United Kingdom which manufactured tyres and other rubber products for most of the 20th century. It was acquired by BTR plc in 1985. Since then, ownership of the Dunlop trade-names has been fragmented.-Early history:...
tyres, which were smaller than the Firestones. The best Ecurie Ecosse time was earned by Jack Fairman
Jack Fairman
Jack Fairman was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 13 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1953...
, lapping in 59.8 seconds.
Heat one
The first heat started on Sunday, with temperatures at the circuit reaching 40 °C (104 °F). Bettenhausen slowly lead the field to the starting line where an official waved the Italian flagFlag of Italy
The flag of Italy is a tricolour featuring three equally sized vertical pales of green, white, and red, with the green at the hoist side...
to begin the race. The trio of Jaguars, although starting at the back, managed to jump to an early lead due to their use of a four-speed gearbox, allowing them to out-accelerate the USAC roadsters with two-speed gearboxes. Fairman lead the first of 63 laps before the roadsters were able to build enough speed to catch and eventually pass the Jaguars. Bettenhausen returned to the front of the field, but was forced to relinquish the lead during the fourth lap with a broken throttle linkage. Pat O'Connor
Pat O'Connor (auto racer)
Pat O'Connor was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a 15-car pileup, after sustaining a fatal head injury after rolling his car and catching fire on the first lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500.He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in May 1958 adding to the legend of the Sports...
and Jimmy Bryan
Jimmy Bryan
James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:...
moved to the front and traded off the lead for half of the heat.
Sway bar
A sway bar or anti-roll bar or stabilizer bar is a part of an automobile suspension that helps reduce the roll of a vehicle that is induced by cornering or road irregularities. It connects opposite wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring...
broke on Lap 45. The USAC entries dominated, earning the first seven positions. Only Bob Veith
Bob Veith
Bob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts...
's Phillips-Offy was unable to finish ahead of the trio of Jaguars.
| Heat One Results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Chassis-Engine | Laps | Notes |
| 1 | 1 |  Jimmy BryanJimmy Bryan James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 2 | 12 | Pat O'Connor Pat O'Connor (auto racer) Pat O'Connor was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a 15-car pileup, after sustaining a fatal head injury after rolling his car and catching fire on the first lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500.He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in May 1958 adding to the legend of the Sports... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 3 | 73 | Andy Linden |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 4 | 35 | Eddie Sachs Eddie Sachs Edward Julius Sachs, Jr, born May 28, 1927 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, died May 30, 1964 in Speedway, Indiana was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the "Clown Prince of Auto Racing." He coined the phrase "If you can't win, be spectacular."... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
62 | |
| 5 | 52 | Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, and , he is the youngest winner of the race.... |
Watson A. J. Watson A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder.... –Offy |
61 | |
| 6 | 98 | Johnnie Parsons Johnnie Parsons Johnnie Parsons was an American race car driver from Los Angeles, California who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1950.... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
59 | |
| 7 | 49 | Ray Crawford Ray Crawford Ray Crawford was an American racecar driver.Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Crawford became a U.S. Army fighter pilot and flew P-38 Lightnings in combat over North Africa in 1943. Rotated home after six aerial victories, eventually he became an early jet pilot... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
58 | |
| 8 | 4 |  Jack FairmanJack Fairman Jack Fairman was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 13 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1953... |
Jaguar | 58 | |
| 9 | 2 | John Lawrence |
Jaguar | 57 | |
| 10 | 6 | Ninian Sanderson Ninian Sanderson Ninian Sanderson was a car dealer, sports car racing driver, and winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.... |
Jaguar | 53 | |
| 11 | 7 | Bob Veith Bob Veith Bob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts... |
Phillips Phillips (constructor) Phillips was an American racing car constructor. Phillips cars competed in seven FIA World Championship races - the - Indianapolis 500.-World Championship Indianapolis 500 results:... –Offy |
51 | |
| DNF | 27 | Tony Bettenhausen Tony Bettenhausen Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958.... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Novi Novi engine The Novi engine was a dual overhead cam supercharged V8 engine used in the Indianapolis 500. It was designed by Bud Winfield and Leo Goossen and built by Fred Offenhauser.-Early years:... |
45 | Broken sway bar |
Heat two
Following an hour of repairs, the field began a rolling start for the second heat. In preparation for the Jaguar's ability to accelerate at the start, the lead USAC entries attempted to block the front stretch by running alongside one another. Troy RuttmanTroy Ruttman
Troy Ruttman was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, and , he is the youngest winner of the race....
took the early lead, followed closely by O'Connor, Sachs, Bryan, and the Jaguar of Fairman. O'Connor soon retired with a broken fuel tank, followed several laps later by Sachs with broke cam house bolts. Ruttman was eventually caught and passed by Bryan, and the two finished in first and second at the end of the 63 laps. Only seven cars were still running at the end of the race, including the three Jaguars running in fifth, sixth, and seventh places.
| Heat Two Results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Chassis-Engine | Laps | Notes |
| 1 | 1 | Jimmy Bryan Jimmy Bryan James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 2 | 52 | Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, and , he is the youngest winner of the race.... |
Watson A. J. Watson A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 3 | 98 | Johnnie Parsons Johnnie Parsons Johnnie Parsons was an American race car driver from Los Angeles, California who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1950.... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
61 | |
| 4 | 49 | Ray Crawford Ray Crawford Ray Crawford was an American racecar driver.Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Crawford became a U.S. Army fighter pilot and flew P-38 Lightnings in combat over North Africa in 1943. Rotated home after six aerial victories, eventually he became an early jet pilot... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
59 | |
| 5 | 4 | Jack Fairman Jack Fairman Jack Fairman was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 13 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1953... |
Jaguar | 59 | |
| 6 | 2 | John Lawrence |
Jaguar | 57 | |
| 7 | 6 | Ninian Sanderson Ninian Sanderson Ninian Sanderson was a car dealer, sports car racing driver, and winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.... |
Jaguar | 53 | |
| DNF | 35 | Eddie Sachs Eddie Sachs Edward Julius Sachs, Jr, born May 28, 1927 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, died May 30, 1964 in Speedway, Indiana was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the "Clown Prince of Auto Racing." He coined the phrase "If you can't win, be spectacular."... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
45 | Broken cam house bolts |
| DNF | 73 | Andy Linden |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
27 | Cracked frame |
| DNF | 12 | Pat O'Connor Pat O'Connor (auto racer) Pat O'Connor was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a 15-car pileup, after sustaining a fatal head injury after rolling his car and catching fire on the first lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500.He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in May 1958 adding to the legend of the Sports... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
16 | Split fuel tank |
| DNF | 7 | Bob Veith Bob Veith Bob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts... |
Phillips Phillips (constructor) Phillips was an American racing car constructor. Phillips cars competed in seven FIA World Championship races - the - Indianapolis 500.-World Championship Indianapolis 500 results:... –Offy |
1 | Steering problems |
Heat three
Another hour for repairs allowed for O'Connor to repair his fuel tank, bringing the entry to eight cars for the final heat. Only seven managed to begin the rolling start, as Ray CrawfordRay Crawford
Ray Crawford was an American racecar driver.Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Crawford became a U.S. Army fighter pilot and flew P-38 Lightnings in combat over North Africa in 1943. Rotated home after six aerial victories, eventually he became an early jet pilot...
remained in his pits to finish repairs. Bryan and Ruttman took the early lead once again as O'Connor was once again forced to retire, his repairs to the fuel tank not holding up to the bumps of the Monza banking. Jack Fairman's Jaguar managed to lead Johnnie Parsons
Johnnie Parsons
Johnnie Parsons was an American race car driver from Los Angeles, California who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1950....
' Kuzma-Offy early, but eventually the three remaining USAC cars lead the three Jaguars to the finish line. Ruttman finished ahead of Bryan, while Fairman once more led the Jaguar trio.
| Heat Three Results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Chassis-Engine | Laps | Notes |
| 1 | 52 | Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, and , he is the youngest winner of the race.... |
Watson A. J. Watson A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 2 | 1 | Jimmy Bryan Jimmy Bryan James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 3 | 98 | Johnnie Parsons Johnnie Parsons Johnnie Parsons was an American race car driver from Los Angeles, California who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1950.... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
62 | |
| 4 | 4 | Jack Fairman Jack Fairman Jack Fairman was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 13 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1953... |
Jaguar | 60 | |
| 5 | 2 | John Lawrence |
Jaguar | 57 | |
| 6 | 6 | Ninian Sanderson Ninian Sanderson Ninian Sanderson was a car dealer, sports car racing driver, and winner of the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans.... |
Jaguar | 55 | |
| DNF | 12 | Pat O'Connor Pat O'Connor (auto racer) Pat O'Connor was an American racecar driver. He was killed in a 15-car pileup, after sustaining a fatal head injury after rolling his car and catching fire on the first lap of the 1958 Indianapolis 500.He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated in May 1958 adding to the legend of the Sports... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
9 | Split fuel tank |
| DNF | 49 | Ray Crawford Ray Crawford Ray Crawford was an American racecar driver.Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Crawford became a U.S. Army fighter pilot and flew P-38 Lightnings in combat over North Africa in 1943. Rotated home after six aerial victories, eventually he became an early jet pilot... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
1 | Retired |
Final result
With two heat wins, and being the only driver to complete all 189 laps, Jimmy Bryan was declared the winner in front of a crowd of 20,000. For his victory, he won US$35,000 in prize money, as well as a unique trophy created for the event. Bryan averaged 257 km/h (159.7 mph) over the full race distance, making it the fastest race in history, while Tony BettenhausenTony Bettenhausen
Melvin E. "Tony" Bettenhausen was an American racing driver, who won the National Championship in 1951 and 1958....
also earned a world record by recording a lap speed of 284.561 km/h (176.8 mph) breaking a closed circuit speed record.
1958
Following a successful running of the first Race of Two Worlds, the Automobile Club of Italy and USAC announced a second running in 1958, to be held on Sunday, June 29. Several Formula One teams, impressed by the speeds achieved by the USAC teams but also enticed by the large prize sum, promised to attend the event. Ferrari, initially reluctant, entered their own team after the Automobile Club of Italy announced that the Race of Two Worlds was a required event for teams vying for club's cash award for most successful Italian constructor.Once again, USAC teams were transported from New York City on ships shortly after the Indianapolis 500
1958 Indianapolis 500
The 1958 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Friday, May 30, 1958 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the fourth round of the 1958 World Drivers' Championship....
. Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
provided trucks for transport of the teams once they arrived in Genoa.
Entrants
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio , nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro , was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing...
and Maurice Trintignant
Maurice Trintignant
Maurice Bienvenu Jean Paul Trintignant was a motor racing driver and vintner from France. He competed in the Formula One World Championship for fourteen years, between 1950 and 1964, one of the longest careers in the early years of F1...
, but set up and run by the American crews. Ferrari, as part of their requirement with the Automobile Club of Italia, brought two unique cars. The first was an older 375 F1
Ferrari 375 F1
After finding only modest success with the supercharged 125 F1 car in Formula One, Ferrari decided to switch for 1950 to the naturally aspirated 4.5 L formula for the series...
chassis using a modified 4100 cc V12 engine
V12 engine
A V12 engine is a V engine with 12 cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of six cylinders, usually but not always at a 60° angle to each other, with all 12 pistons driving a common crankshaft....
from one of Ferrari's sports cars, and renamed the 412 MI. The second was a modified 246 featuring a Ferrari-built Dino
Dino (car)
Not to be confused with Fiat DinoDino was a brand for mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars produced by Ferrari from 1968 to 1976. The Dino brand was meant to be used for cars with engines that had fewer than 12 cylinders, reserving the Ferrari name for the V-12 and flat 12 models. The Dino name was...
V6 engine
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
, and equally renamed the 296 MI. Luigi Chinetti
Luigi Chinetti
Luigi Chinetti was an Italian-born racecar driver, who emigrated to the United States during World War II and became an American citizen....
's new North American Racing Team
North American Racing Team
The North American Racing Team was created by Luigi Chinetti to promote the Ferrari marque in America through success in Gran Turismo motorsport....
also entered a third Ferrari in the event, using an older V12 car which had originally attempted to qualify for the 1952 Indianapolis 500
1952 Indianapolis 500
The 1952 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held on Friday, May 30, 1952 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event was the second round of the 1952 World Drivers' Championship. Troy Ruttman won the race, bringing the Borg-Warner Trophy home for car owner J.C. Agajanian.Bill Vukovich led...
. Ferrari also chose to use the Firestone tires which USAC teams used, rather than the Englebert
Englebert (tyre manufacturer)
Englebert was a Belgian tyre manufacturing company founded by Oscar Englebert at Liège in 1877.-History:In 1898 Oscar Englebert, who till then had worked with rubberised coatings and mats, set up a tyre factory in Belgium, manufacturing pneumatic tyres for bicycles and automobiles, and by 1912 the...
tires the company had a contract with.
Maserati also built a custom car, their only entry in the event. Based on the design of USAC's cars, the car (designated the 420M/58) featured an alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
-fueled V8 engine
V8 engine
A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft....
which was placed off-center to counteract centripetal force
Centripetal force
Centripetal force is a force that makes a body follow a curved path: it is always directed orthogonal to the velocity of the body, toward the instantaneous center of curvature of the path. The mathematical description was derived in 1659 by Dutch physicist Christiaan Huygens...
of running on an oval. Learning from their problems the previous year, the car was specifically designed to use the larger Firestone tyres. A two-speed gearbox was also used. The Italian Eldorado Ice Cream Company helped fund the effort and so the entire car was painted white with their logo written across the side.
Jaguar also had a custom-built car entered, thanks to Lister Cars. A Lister sports car chassis was purchased by the team, modified into a single-seater body style, and fitted with a Jaguar Straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
engine from the D-Type. The bodywork was aluminium, and remained unpainted for the event, giving it a near mirror finish. Dunlop tyres remained on the front, but the rear was adapted to handle the larger Firestone tyres. The team also entered two standard Jaguar D-Types as they had done the previous year, although these were also altered to adapt to Monza's oval. Air scoops were added to the rear fenders in an attempt to help keep the cars' Dunlop tyres from overheating.
EWLINE
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style="margin-right:0; font-size:85%" class="wikitable"> | ||||
| Key | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour | Car Type | ||||
| Gray | USAC | ||||
| Red | Modified Formula One | ||||
| Blue | Sportscar | ||||
| Green | Custom-built | ||||
Practice and qualifying
Juan Manuel FangioJuan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio , nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro , was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing...
started practice early by setting one of the first laps around the circuit on Wednesday in a USAC entry loaned to him. Jim Rathmann set the fastest lap of the day with a time of 54.4 seconds, or 280 km/h (174 mph). Monza was drenched by rain on Thursday when official practice began, but Fangio chose to use the circuit anyway and set a lap speed over 233 km/h (144.8 mph), while the American teams chose to not run.
Qualifying began on a dry track late on Friday, with Fangio once again setting early laps, and increasing his pace to record a 55.2 second lap. Luigi Musso
Luigi Musso
Luigi Musso was an Italian racing driver.-Racing career:Musso began his racing career driving sports cars before debuting on the Formula One circuit on 17 January 1954, driving a Maserati. In 1954 he won the Coppa Acerbo, a non-championship Formula One race. At Zandvoort, in the 1955 Dutch Grand...
recorded the fastest time for the European entries, with a 55.3 second lap in a Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
. Qualifying continued again on Saturday, with the Americans quickly jumping to the top of the time charts. Bob Veith
Bob Veith
Bob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts...
recorded a 54.0 second lap at a speed of 283 km/h (175.8 mph), however qualifying was determined by an average of three laps. Musso was able to improve on his previous day's performance in the Ferrari and recorded an average speed of 280.8 km/h (174.5 mph) to earn pole position. Veith qualified second, and Fangio ended the day third. Stirling Moss
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
' Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
qualified eleventh, while Phil Hill
Phil Hill
Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero...
's Ferrari was fourteenth. Masten Gregory
Masten Gregory
Masten Gregory was a racing driver from the United States. He raced in Formula One between and , participating in 43 World Championship races, and numerous non-Championship races....
lead the Jaguar trio in sixteenth with the older D-Type
Jaguar D-type
The Jaguar D-Type, like its predecessor the C-Type, was a factory-built race car. Although it shared the basic straight-6 XK engine design with the C-Type, the majority of the car was radically different...
.
Heat one
Sunday was race day, once again running as three 63-lap heats. Problems occurred early for Fangio as he was forced to withdraw from the first heat after his team discovered that his OffenhauserOffenhauser
Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which...
engine had a cracked piston. The other eighteen cars took the rolling start and, as in the year before, the Jaguars' gearing allowed them to jump to the early lead before Ferrari's Musso and several USAC drivers reclaimed it before the end of the first lap of the race. Eddie Sachs
Eddie Sachs
Edward Julius Sachs, Jr, born May 28, 1927 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, died May 30, 1964 in Speedway, Indiana was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the "Clown Prince of Auto Racing." He coined the phrase "If you can't win, be spectacular."...
and Musso traded off the lead over the next several laps before Sachs remained in the lead, Jimmy Bryan
Jimmy Bryan
James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:...
also slipping into second. Rathmann worked his way through the field and took the lead from Sachs on Lap 11. Sachs was forced to drop from second place a few laps later when he broke a connecting rod
Connecting rod
In a reciprocating piston engine, the connecting rod or conrod connects the piston to the crank or crankshaft. Together with the crank, they form a simple mechanism that converts linear motion into rotating motion....
, giving second to Musso. Musso however also dropped back after succumbing to methanol
Methanol
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...
fumes, pitting on Lap 27 and handing the car to Mike Hawthorn
Mike Hawthorn
John Michael Hawthorn was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.-Racing career:...
. Rathmann continued to lead until the finish, followed by Bryan, Veith, and the Moss Maserati in fourth. Musso, who returned to his Ferrari on the final lap, brought the car home in sixth, three laps behind.
| Heat One Results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Chassis-Engine | Laps | Notes |
| 1 | 5 | Jim Rathmann Jim Rathmann Jim Rathmann was an American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1960.... |
Watson A. J. Watson A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 2 | 1 | Jimmy Bryan Jimmy Bryan James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:... |
Salih-Offy | 63 | |
| 3 | 9 | Bob Veith Bob Veith Bob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
62 | |
| 4 | 10 | Stirling Moss Stirling Moss Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England... |
Maserati Maserati Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993... |
62 | |
| 5 | 75 | Johnny Thomson Johnny Thomson Johnny Thomson was an American racecar driver. Thomson was nicknamed "the Flying Scot."-Midget cars:... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
61 | |
| 6 | 12 |  Luigi MussoLuigi Musso Luigi Musso was an Italian racing driver.-Racing career:Musso began his racing career driving sports cars before debuting on the Formula One circuit on 17 January 1954, driving a Maserati. In 1954 he won the Coppa Acerbo, a non-championship Formula One race. At Zandvoort, in the 1955 Dutch Grand... |
Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947... –Dino Dino (car) Not to be confused with Fiat DinoDino was a brand for mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars produced by Ferrari from 1968 to 1976. The Dino brand was meant to be used for cars with engines that had fewer than 12 cylinders, reserving the Ferrari name for the V-12 and flat 12 models. The Dino name was... |
60 | Hawthorn relieved Musso from Laps 27 to 60 |
| Mike Hawthorn Mike Hawthorn John Michael Hawthorn was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.-Racing career:... |
|||||
| 7 | 98 | Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, and , he is the youngest winner of the race.... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
60 | |
| 8 | 24 | Jimmy Reece Jimmy Reece Jimmy Reece was an American racecar driver. He died in a racing accident during a 1958 champ car race at Trenton International Speedway.-Indy 500 results:... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
59 | |
| 9 | 55 |  Maurice TrintignantMaurice Trintignant Maurice Bienvenu Jean Paul Trintignant was a motor racing driver and vintner from France. He competed in the Formula One World Championship for fourteen years, between 1950 and 1964, one of the longest careers in the early years of F1... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
59 | |
| 10 | 49 | Ray Crawford Ray Crawford Ray Crawford was an American racecar driver.Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Crawford became a U.S. Army fighter pilot and flew P-38 Lightnings in combat over North Africa in 1943. Rotated home after six aerial victories, eventually he became an early jet pilot... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
58 | |
| 11 | 2 | Jack Fairman Jack Fairman Jack Fairman was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 13 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1953... |
Lister–Jaguar | 57 | |
| 12 | 16 | Harry Schell Harry Schell Harry O'Reilly Schell was an American Grand Prix motor racing driver.-Early life:... |
Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947... |
56 | |
| 13 | 4 | Masten Gregory Masten Gregory Masten Gregory was a racing driver from the United States. He raced in Formula One between and , participating in 43 World Championship races, and numerous non-Championship races.... |
Jaguar | 55 | |
| 14 | 6 | Ivor Bueb Ivor Bueb Ivor Léon John Bueb was a sports car racing and Formula One driver from England.... |
Jaguar | 45 | |
| DNF | 35 | Eddie Sachs Eddie Sachs Edward Julius Sachs, Jr, born May 28, 1927 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, died May 30, 1964 in Speedway, Indiana was a United States Auto Club driver who was known as the "Clown Prince of Auto Racing." He coined the phrase "If you can't win, be spectacular."... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
20 | Broken connecting rod |
| DNF | 26 | Don Freeland Don Freeland Don Freeland was an American racecar driver who is best known for competing in the Indianapolis 500 eight times.... |
Phillips Phillips (constructor) Phillips was an American racing car constructor. Phillips cars competed in seven FIA World Championship races - the - Indianapolis 500.-World Championship Indianapolis 500 results:... –Offy |
16 | Broken cam gear |
| DNF | 8 | Rodger Ward Rodger Ward Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:... |
Lesovsky Lesovsky Lesovsky was a racing car constructor. Lesovsky cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1950 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:... –Offy |
16 | Broken torsion bar |
| DNF | 14 | Phil Hill Phil Hill Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero... |
Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947... |
11 | Broken magneto |
Heat two
Heat two began with thirteen of the fourteen cars which had completed the first heat, Masten Gregory chose to not return with the Jaguar but Rodger WardRodger Ward
Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:...
was able to repair his car and compete. Fangio planned to race, but his team had not completed engine repairs by the end of the hour and a half break. Maurice Trintignant
Maurice Trintignant
Maurice Bienvenu Jean Paul Trintignant was a motor racing driver and vintner from France. He competed in the Formula One World Championship for fourteen years, between 1950 and 1964, one of the longest careers in the early years of F1...
, who had completed the first heat in the Sclavi & Amos Kuzma-Offenhauser, chose to be relieved by rookie A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...
for the rest of the race. Rathmann led the field to the start and remained in the lead throughout. Musso once again remained with the top drivers, but pitted after only nineteen laps to be replaced, this time by Phil Hill
Phil Hill
Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero...
whose Ferrari had retired in the first heat. Moss, Veith, Bryan, and Troy Ruttman
Troy Ruttman
Troy Ruttman was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, and , he is the youngest winner of the race....
all fought for second place, eventually lead to the finish by Veith, nearly 20 seconds behind winner Rathmann. Moss' Maserati suffered engine trouble and dropped back at the finish, earning fifth.
| Heat Two Results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Chassis-Engine | Laps | Notes |
| 1 | 5 | Jim Rathmann Jim Rathmann Jim Rathmann was an American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1960.... |
Watson A. J. Watson A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 2 | 9 | Bob Veith Bob Veith Bob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 3 | 1 | Jimmy Bryan Jimmy Bryan James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:... |
Salih-Offy | 63 | |
| 4 | 98 | Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, and , he is the youngest winner of the race.... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 5 | 10 | Stirling Moss Stirling Moss Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England... |
Maserati Maserati Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993... |
62 | |
| 6 | 55 | A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
61 | |
| 7 | 24 | Jimmy Reece Jimmy Reece Jimmy Reece was an American racecar driver. He died in a racing accident during a 1958 champ car race at Trenton International Speedway.-Indy 500 results:... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
60 | |
| 8 | 49 | Ray Crawford Ray Crawford Ray Crawford was an American racecar driver.Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Crawford became a U.S. Army fighter pilot and flew P-38 Lightnings in combat over North Africa in 1943. Rotated home after six aerial victories, eventually he became an early jet pilot... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
60 | |
| 9 | 12 | Luigi Musso Luigi Musso Luigi Musso was an Italian racing driver.-Racing career:Musso began his racing career driving sports cars before debuting on the Formula One circuit on 17 January 1954, driving a Maserati. In 1954 he won the Coppa Acerbo, a non-championship Formula One race. At Zandvoort, in the 1955 Dutch Grand... |
Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947... –Dino Dino (car) Not to be confused with Fiat DinoDino was a brand for mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars produced by Ferrari from 1968 to 1976. The Dino brand was meant to be used for cars with engines that had fewer than 12 cylinders, reserving the Ferrari name for the V-12 and flat 12 models. The Dino name was... |
60 | Hill relieved Musso from Laps 20 to 60 |
| Phil Hill Phil Hill Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero... |
|||||
| 10 | 2 | Jack Fairman Jack Fairman Jack Fairman was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 13 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1953... |
Lister–Jaguar | 57 | |
| 11 | 6 | Ivor Bueb Ivor Bueb Ivor Léon John Bueb was a sports car racing and Formula One driver from England.... |
Jaguar | 51 | |
| DNF | 8 | Rodger Ward Rodger Ward Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:... |
Lesovsky Lesovsky Lesovsky was a racing car constructor. Lesovsky cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1950 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:... –Offy |
31 | Retired |
| DNF | 16 | Harry Schell Harry Schell Harry O'Reilly Schell was an American Grand Prix motor racing driver.-Early life:... |
Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947... |
15 | Retired |
| DNF | 75 | Johnny Thomson Johnny Thomson Johnny Thomson was an American racecar driver. Thomson was nicknamed "the Flying Scot."-Midget cars:... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
4 | Broken crankshaft |
Heat three
Fuel pump
A fuel pump is a frequently essential component on a car or other internal combustion engined device. Many engines do not require any fuel pump at all, requiring only gravity to feed fuel from the fuel tank through a line or hose to the engine...
failed and he was forced to retire. Hawthorne suffered the same methanol inhalation problems as Musso and relinquished his car to Phil Hill after 24 laps. Moss, after bringing his Maserati up to fourth place, suffered steering failure on Lap 41, crashing into the guard rail
Guard rail
Guard rail or guardrail, sometimes referred to as guide rail or railing, is a system designed to keep people or vehicles from straying into dangerous or off-limits areas...
s at the top of the banking. Rathmann lead straight to the finish, ahead of Bryan. Hill brought the Ferrari up to third before giving the car back to Hawthorn, who finished the race in third.
| Heat Three Results | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Chassis-Engine | Laps | Notes |
| 1 | 5 | Jim Rathmann Jim Rathmann Jim Rathmann was an American race car driver who won the Indianapolis 500 in 1960.... |
Watson A. J. Watson A. J. Watson was a car builder and chief mechanic from 1949 through 1984 in the Indianapolis 500, winning the race seven times, which leaves him tied for the record for most wins by a builder.... –Offy |
63 | |
| 2 | 1 | Jimmy Bryan Jimmy Bryan James Ernest Bryan was an American racecar driver. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bryan died as a result of injuries sustained in a champ car race at Langhorne Speedway.-Career:... |
Salih-Offy | 63 | |
| 3 | 12 | Mike Hawthorn Mike Hawthorn John Michael Hawthorn was a racing driver, born in Mexborough, Yorkshire, England, and educated at Ardingly College, West Sussex.-Racing career:... |
Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947... –Dino Dino (car) Not to be confused with Fiat DinoDino was a brand for mid-engined, rear-drive sports cars produced by Ferrari from 1968 to 1976. The Dino brand was meant to be used for cars with engines that had fewer than 12 cylinders, reserving the Ferrari name for the V-12 and flat 12 models. The Dino name was... |
60 | Hill relieved Hawthorn from Laps 25 to 60 |
| Phil Hill Phil Hill Philip Toll Hill, Jr., was a United States automobile racer and the only American-born driver to win the Formula One World Drivers' Championship. Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle man" and once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero... |
|||||
| 4 | 49 | Ray Crawford Ray Crawford Ray Crawford was an American racecar driver.Born in Roswell, New Mexico, Crawford became a U.S. Army fighter pilot and flew P-38 Lightnings in combat over North Africa in 1943. Rotated home after six aerial victories, eventually he became an early jet pilot... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
60 | |
| 5 | 24 | Jimmy Reece Jimmy Reece Jimmy Reece was an American racecar driver. He died in a racing accident during a 1958 champ car race at Trenton International Speedway.-Indy 500 results:... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
59 | |
| DNF | 55 | A. J. Foyt A. J. Foyt Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
54 | Broken crankshaft |
| 7 | 6 | Ivor Bueb Ivor Bueb Ivor Léon John Bueb was a sports car racing and Formula One driver from England.... |
Jaguar | 52 | |
| DNF | 4 | Masten Gregory Masten Gregory Masten Gregory was a racing driver from the United States. He raced in Formula One between and , participating in 43 World Championship races, and numerous non-Championship races.... |
Jaguar | 44 | Retired |
| DNF | 10 | Stirling Moss Stirling Moss Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England... |
Maserati Maserati Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993... |
40 | Accident |
| DNF | 9 | Bob Veith Bob Veith Bob Veith was an American racecar driver.Veith drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing from 1955 to 1968 with 63 starts... |
Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft Kurtis Kraft was a designer and builder of race cars. The company was founded by Frank Kurtis.Kurtis Kraft designed and built midget cars, quartermidgets, sports cars, sprint cars and USAC Championship Cars.... –Offy |
28 | Lost a wheel |
| DNF | 98 | Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman Troy Ruttman was an American race car driver. He was the older brother of NASCAR driver Joe Ruttman.Ruttman won the Indianapolis 500 in 1952, and , he is the youngest winner of the race.... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
12 | Broken fuel line |
| DNF | 29 |  Juan Manuel FangioJuan Manuel Fangio Juan Manuel Fangio , nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro , was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing... |
Kuzma Kuzma (constructor) Kuzma was a racing car constructor founded by Eddie Kuzma in the USA. Kuzma cars competed in the FIA World Championship from 1951 to 1960.-World Championship Indy 500 results:Note: all cars were fitted with Offenhauser engines.... –Offy |
2 | Broken fuel pump |
Final result
Jim Rathmann, winning all three heats, was declared the race winner, although Jimmy Bryan had finished only a minute and a half behind Rathmann on aggregate time. Rathmann averaged a speed of 268.367 km/h (166.8 mph) over the 500 miles. Several thousand more spectators attending the 1958 running of the event than had attended the previous year.Cancellation
External links
- 8W - When? - The Race of Two Worlds
- John Starkey Cars - The Race of Two Worlds
- Dennis David - The Race of Two Worlds 1957-1958
- Champ Car Stats - Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
- Race of Two Worlds Monza - Video Retrieved May 23, 2010