1950 Indianapolis 500

The 34th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1950. The event was sanctioned by the AAA and served as the premier event on the calendar of the 1950 AAA National Championship Trail. For the first time, the race was included as a points-paying event towards the FIA-sanctioned World Drivers' Championship. The race was originally scheduled for 200 laps (500 miles), but was stopped after 138 laps (345 miles) due to rain.

A rumor circulated in racing circles during and after this race that Johnnie Parsons's team discovered an irreparable crack in the engine block on race morning. The discovery supposedly precipitated Parsons to charge for the lap leader prizes.<ref>"Great Moments From the Indy 500" (VanCamp's Pork and Beans Presents/Freetwood Sounds), 1975</ref> Presumably, he set his sights on leading as many laps as possible before the engine inevitably was to fail. Furthermore, the race ending early due to rain supposedly saved Parsons's day allowing him to secure the victory before the engine let go. However, the engine block crack was proved to be an urban myth,<ref>"The Talk of Gasoline Alley" – WFNI, May 20, 2012</ref> and it was said to be a very minor but acceptable level of porosity, which did not significantly affect the performance.

Parsons's win saw him score 9 points and move to a temporary first-place tie (after 3 races on the Formula One season calendar) in the first ever World Drivers' Championship, alongside Nino Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio, and also saw him become the first American to win a World Championship race. Parsons is one of only three drivers to have won his first World Championship race, the other two being Farina, who won the first World Championship race (the 1950 British Grand Prix, 17 days earlier) and Giancarlo Baghetti, who won the 1961 French Grand Prix. Despite the 500 being his only race in the Template:F1 World Championship, it would be enough to see him finish the championship 6th in points.

During the month, Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck were at the track to film scenes for the film To Please a Lady. Stanwyck was on hand in victory lane after the race for the traditional celebratory kiss to the winner. During 1951 a young Mario Andretti saw the film in his native Italy - where it was titled Indianapolis - an event which exposed the future Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time National Champion to the race for the first time.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Time trials

1950 Cummins Diesel

Time trials was scheduled for six days.

• Saturday May 13: Walt Faulkner won the pole position with a record run of 134.343 mph.
• Sunday May 14
• Saturday May 20: The third day of time trials saw six cars complete runs. Bayliss Levrett (131.181 mph) was the fastest of the afternoon. Charles Van Acker was ruled physically disqualified, after a crash he suffered at the Speedway from 1949.<ref>Vet Van Acker Is Ruled Out (May 22, 1950)</ref>
• Sunday May 21
• Saturday May 27: The day began with 11 spots open in the grid.<ref>Speedway Qualifications End Tomorrow; 11 Vacancies</ref>
• Sunday May 28: Only one driver managed to bump his way into the field. Johnny McDowell bumped Cliff Griffith, while 15 other cars failed to make the field. The two Novi entries failed to qualify – Chet Miller had engine trouble in one of the cars, while the other snapped a supercharger shaft. Rain and two crashes cut the track time to less than three hours. Cy Marshall was among the few left in line when time trials closed at 6 p.m.<ref>One Change In Lineup For Big Race (May 29, 1950)</ref>

Starting grid

Row	Inside		Middle		Outside
1	98	Template:Flagicon Walt Faulkner Template:Color box	28	Template:Flagicon Fred Agabashian	31	Template:Flagicon Mauri Rose Template:Color box
2	5	Template:Flagicon George Connor	1	Template:Flagicon Johnnie Parsons	49	Template:Flagicon Jack McGrath
3	69	Template:Flagicon Duke Dinsmore	14	Template:Flagicon Tony Bettenhausen	17	Template:Flagicon Joie Chitwood
4	3	Template:Flagicon Bill Holland Template:Color box	59	Template:Flagicon Pat Flaherty Template:Color box	54	Template:Flagicon Cecil Green Template:Color box
5	18	Template:Flagicon Duane Carter	21	Template:Flagicon Spider Webb	81	Template:Flagicon Jerry Hoyt Template:Color box
6	2	Template:Flagicon Myron Fohr	24	Template:Flagicon Bayliss Levrett	45	Template:Flagicon Dick Rathmann Template:Color box
7	7	Template:Flagicon Paul Russo	4	Template:Flagicon Walt Brown	12	Template:Flagicon Henry Banks
8	67	Template:Flagicon Bill Schindler Template:Color box	8	Template:Flagicon Lee Wallard	55	Template:Flagicon Troy Ruttman
9	23	Template:Flagicon Sam Hanks	15	Template:Flagicon Mack Hellings	22	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Davies Template:Color box
10	76	Template:Flagicon Jim Rathmann	27	Template:Flagicon Walt Ader Template:Color box	77	Template:Flagicon Jackie Holmes
11	75	Template:Flagicon Gene Hartley Template:Color box	61	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Jackson	62	Template:Flagicon Johnny McDowell

Box score

Finish	Grid	No.	Driver	Constructor	Qualifying		Laps	Time/Retired	Points
					Speed	Rank			Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr
1	5	1	Template:Flagicon Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	132.04	8	138	2:46:55.97	690	9Template:Ref
2	10	3	Template:Flagicon Bill Holland Template:Color box	Diedt-Offenhauser	130.48	21	137	- 1 Lap	552	6
3	3	31	Template:Flagicon Mauri Rose Template:Color box	Diedt-Offenhauser	132.31	6	137	- 1 Lap	483	4
4	12	54	Template:Flagicon Cecil Green Template:Color box	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	132.91	2	137	- 1 Lap	414	3
5	9	17	Template:Flagicon Joie Chitwood (Tony Bettenhausen Laps 86–136)	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	130.75	19	136	- 2 Laps	217½ 127½	1 1
6	23	8	Template:Flagicon Lee Wallard	Moore-Offenhauser	132.43	5	136	- 2 Laps	276
7	1	98	Template:Flagicon Walt Faulkner Template:Color box	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	134.34	1	135	- 3 Laps	207
8	4	5	Template:Flagicon George Connor	Lesovsky-Offenhauser	132.16	7	135	- 3 Laps	172½
9	19	7	Template:Flagicon Paul Russo	Nichels-Offenhauser	130.79	18	135	- 3 Laps	138
10	11	59	Template:Flagicon Pat Flaherty Template:Color box	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	129.60	30	135	- 3 Laps	103½
11	16	2	Template:Flagicon Myron Fohr	Marchese-Offenhauser	131.71	11	133	- 5 Laps	69
12	13	18	Template:Flagicon Duane Carter	Stevens-Offenhauser	131.66	12	133	- 5 Laps	34½
13	26	15	Template:Flagicon Mack Hellings	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	130.68	20	132	- 6 Laps
14	6	49	Template:Flagicon Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	131.86	10	131	Spun Off
15	24	55	Template:Flagicon Troy Ruttman	Lesovsky-Offenhauser	131.91	9	130	- 8 Laps
16	31	75	Template:Flagicon Gene Hartley Template:Color box	Langley-Offenhauser	129.21	32	128	- 10 Laps
17	27	22	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Davies Template:Color box	Ewing-Offenhauser	130.40	23	128	- 10 Laps
18	33	62	Template:Flagicon Johnny McDowell	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	129.69	27	128	- 10 Laps
19	20	4	Template:Flagicon Walt Brown	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	130.45	22	127	- 11 Laps
20	14	21	Template:Flagicon Spider Webb	Maserati-Offenhauser	129.74	26	126	- 12 Laps
21	15	81	Template:Flagicon Jerry Hoyt Template:Color box	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	129.52	31	125	- 13 Laps
22	29	27	Template:Flagicon Walt Ader Template:Color box	Rae-Offenhauser	129.94	25	123	- 15 Laps
23	30	77	Template:Flagicon Jackie Holmes	Olson-Offenhauser	129.69	28	123	Spun Off
24	28	76	Template:Flagicon Jim Rathmann	Wetteroth-Offenhauser	129.95	24	122	- 16 Laps
25	21	12	Template:Flagicon Henry Banks (Fred Agabashian Laps 72–112)	Maserati-Offenhauser	129.64	29	112	Oil Line
26	22	67	Template:Flagicon Bill Schindler Template:Color box	Snowberger-Offenhauser	132.69	4	111	Transmission
27	17	24	Template:Flagicon Bayliss Levrett (Bill Cantrell Laps 106–108)	Adams-Offenhauser	131.18	14	108	Oil Pressure
28	2	28	Template:Flagicon Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	132.79	3	64	Oil Leak
29	32	61	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Jackson	Kurtis Kraft-Cummins	129.20	33	52	Compressor
30	25	23	Template:Flagicon Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	131.59	13	42	Oil Pressure
31	8	14	Template:Flagicon Tony Bettenhausen	Diedt-Offenhauser	130.94	16	30	Wheel Bearing
32	18	45	Template:Flagicon Dick Rathmann Template:Color box	Watson-Offenhauser	130.92	17	25	Stalled
33	7	69	Template:Flagicon Duke Dinsmore	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	131.06	15	10	Oil Leak
Source:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> {{safesubst:#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=|preview=Page using Template:Center with unknown parameter "_VALUE_"|ignoreblank=y| 1 | style }}

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:Color box Former Indianapolis 500 winner

Template:Color box Indianapolis 500 Rookie

All entrants utilized Firestone tires.

Template:Note – Includes 1 point for fastest lead lap.

Race statistics

Lap Leaders
Laps	Leader
1–9	Mauri Rose
10–32	Johnnie Parsons
33	Mauri Rose
34–104	Johnnie Parsons
105–109	Mauri Rose
110–117	Bill Holland
118–138	Johnnie Parsons

Total laps led
Driver	Laps
Johnnie Parsons	115
Mauri Rose	15
Bill Holland	8

Yellow Lights: 7 minutes, 30 seconds
Laps*	Reason
95–97	Bill Schindler spin in turn 3 Jackie Holmes spin in turn 3 (2:40)
135–138	Rain; race ended (4:50)
* – Approximate lap counts<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref>

Notes

• Pole position: Walt Faulkner – 4:27.97
• Fastest Lead Lap: Johnnie Parsons – 1:09.77
• Shared drivers:
  • Joie Chitwood (82 laps) and Tony Bettenhausen (54 laps), after Bettenhausen retired. Points for 5th position were shared between the drivers.
  • Henry Banks (71 laps) and Fred Agabashian (41 laps)
  • Bayliss Levrett (105 laps) and Bill Cantrell (3 laps)
• First win for Firestone in the World Championship.

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Constructor	Lap	Gap
1	98	Template:Flagicon Walt Faulkner	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:27.97	–
2	28	Template:Flagicon Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:31.10	+ 3.13
3	31	Template:Flagicon Mauri Rose	Diedt-Offenhauser	4:32.07	+ 4.10
4	5	Template:Flagicon George Connor	Lesovsky-Offenhauser	4:32.39	+ 4.42
5	1	Template:Flagicon Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:32.43	+ 4.46
6	49	Template:Flagicon Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:33.00	+ 5.03
7	69	Template:Flagicon Duke Dinsmore	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:34.67	+ 6.70
8	14	Template:Flagicon Tony Bettenhausen	Diedt-Offenhauser	4:34.92	+ 6.95
9	17	Template:Flagicon Joie Chitwood	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:35.32	+ 7.35
10	3	Template:Flagicon Bill Holland	Diedt-Offenhauser	4:35.90	+ 7.93
11	59	Template:Flagicon Pat Flaherty	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:37.76	+ 9.79
12	54	Template:Flagicon Cecil Green	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:30.86	+ 2.89
13	18	Template:Flagicon Duane Carter	Stevens-Offenhauser	4:33.42	+ 5.45
14	21	Template:Flagicon Spider Webb	Maserati-Offenhauser	4:37.46	+ 9.49
15	81	Template:Flagicon Jerry Hoyt	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:37.95	+ 9.98
16	2	Template:Flagicon Myron Fohr	Marchese-Offenhauser	4:33.32	+ 5.35
17	24	Template:Flagicon Bayliss Levrett	Adams-Offenhauser	4:34.43	+ 6.46
18	45	Template:Flagicon Dick Rathmann	Watson-Offenhauser	4:34.96	+ 6.99
19	7	Template:Flagicon Paul Russo	Nichels-Offenhauser	4:35.25	+ 7.28
20	4	Template:Flagicon Walt Brown	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:35.96	+ 7.99
21	12	Template:Flagicon Henry Banks	Maserati-Offenhauser	4:37.68	+ 9.71
22	67	Template:Flagicon Bill Schindler	Snowberger-Offenhauser	4:31.31	+ 3.34
23	8	Template:Flagicon Lee Wallard	Moore-Offenhauser	4:31.83	+ 3.86
24	55	Template:Flagicon Troy Ruttman	Lesovsky-Offenhauser	4:32.91	+ 4.94
25	23	Template:Flagicon Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:33.57	+ 5.60
26	15	Template:Flagicon Mack Hellings	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:35.32	+ 7.35
27	22	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Davies	Ewing-Offenhauser	4:36.07	+ 8.10
28	76	Template:Flagicon Jim Rathmann	Wetteroth-Offenhauser	4:37.01	+ 9.04
29	27	Template:Flagicon Walt Ader	Rae-Offenhauser	4:37.05	+ 9.08
30	77	Template:Flagicon Jackie Holmes	Olson-Offenhauser	4:37.57	+ 9.60
31	75	Template:Flagicon Gene Hartley	Langley-Offenhauser	4:38.61	+ 10.64
32	61	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Jackson	Kurtis Kraft-Cummins	4:38.62	+ 10.65
33	62	Template:Flagicon Johnny McDowell	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	4:37.58	+ 9.61

First alternate

No	Driver	Constructor
66	Template:Flagicon Cliff Griffith Template:Color box<ref>The Talk of Gasoline Alley – 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004</ref>	Miller-Offenhauser

Non-qualifiers

No	Driver	Constructor
9	Template:Flagicon Andy Linden Template:Color box	Bromme-Offenhauser
9	Template:Flagicon Bud Rose Template:Color box	Bromme-Offenhauser
10	Template:Flagicon Bill Vukovich Template:Color box	Maserati-Maserati
10	Template:Flagicon Hal Cole	Kurtis-Kraft-Offenhauser
16	Template:Flagicon Ted Duncan Template:Color box	Kurtis-Kraft-Offenhauser
19	Template:Flagicon Ralph Pratt Template:Color box	Bardazon-Offenhauser
19	Template:Flagicon Kenny Eaton Template:Color box	Bardazon-Offenhauser
25	Template:Flagicon Johnny Mauro	Alfa Romeo-Alfa Romeo
26	Template:Flagicon George Fonder	Diedt-Sparks
29	Template:Flagicon Charles Van Acker	Stevens-Offenhauser
33	Template:Flagicon Joel Thorne	Kurtis-Kraft-Sparks
34	Template:Flagicon Johnny Fedricks Template:Color box	Kupiec-Offenhauser
36	Template:Flagicon George Lynch	Snowberger-Offenhauser
38	Template:Flagicon Duke Nalon	Kurtis-Kraft-Novi
39	Template:Flagicon Danny Kladis	Maserati-Maserati
41	Template:Flagicon Milt Fankhouser	Stevens-Offenhauser
43	Template:Flagicon Chet Miller	Kurtis-Kraft-Novi
44	Template:Flagicon Bill Cantrell	Kurtis-Kraft-Offenhauser
47	Template:Flagicon Ralph Pratt Template:Color box	Gdula-Offenhauser
51	Template:Flagicon Mark Light Template:Color box	Stevens-Offenhauser
52	Template:Flagicon Mark Light Template:Color box	Meyer-Offenhauser
52	Template:Flagicon Dick Frazier Template:Color box	Meyer-Offenhauser
58	Template:Flagicon Billy Devore	Scopa-Offenhauser
63	Template:Flagicon Joe James Template:Color box	Kurtis-Kraft-Offenhauser
63	Template:Flagicon Bob Gregg Template:Color box	Kurtis-Kraft-Offenhauser
64	Template:Flagicon Bob Sweikert Template:Color box	Wetteroth-Offenhauser
65	Template:Flagicon Marvin Burke Template:Color box	Kurtis-Kraft-Duray
65	Template:Flagicon Norm Houser	Kurtis-Kraft-Duray
74	Template:Flagicon Carl Forberg Template:Color box	Miller-Offenhauser
78	Template:Flagicon Cy Marshall	Miller-Miller
79	Template:Flagicon Chuck Leighton Template:Color box	Cantarano-Wayne
82	Template:Flagicon Joe James Template:Color box	Weidel-Mercury
83	Template:Flagicon Al Miller	Miller-Miller
84	Template:Flagicon Mike Burch Template:Color box	Miller-Offenhauser
85	Template:Flagicon Manuel Ayulo	Maserati-Offenhauser
85	Template:Flagicon Jim Rigsby Template:Color box	Maserati-Offenhauser
87	Template:Flagicon Bill Vukovich Template:Color box	Rounds Rocket-Offenhauser
99	Template:Flagicon Kenny Eaton Template:Color box	Kurtis-Kraft-Offenhauser
99	Template:Flagicon Emil Andres	Kurtis-Kraft-Offenhauser

World Drivers' Championship

Background

The Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Championship of Drivers from 1950 through 1960. The race was sanctioned by AAA through 1955, and then by USAC beginning in 1956. At the time the new world championship was announced and first organized by the CSI, the United States did not yet have a Grand Prix. Indianapolis Motor Speedway vice president and general manager Theodore E. "Pop" Meyers lobbied that the Indianapolis 500 be selected as the race to represent the country and to pay points towards the world championship.<ref name="TOGA 5-23-07">Template:Cite episode</ref><ref name="TOGA 5-19-16">Template:Cite episode</ref>

Drivers competing at the Indianapolis 500 in 1950 through 1960 were credited with participation in and earned points towards the World Championship of Drivers.<ref name="TOGA 5-05-12">Template:Cite episode</ref> However, the machines competing at Indianapolis were not necessarily run to Formula One specifications and regulations.<ref name="Capps 2000">Template:Cite journal</ref> The drivers also earned separate points (on a different scale) towards the respective AAA or USAC national championships. No points, however, were awarded by the FIA towards the World Constructors' Championship.

Summary

The 1950 Indianapolis 500 was round 3 of 7 on the 1950 World Championship. The event, however, failed to attract significant interest from any of the regular competitors on the Grand Prix circuit. Giuseppe Farina and Franco Rol submitted Maserati entries, but their cars never arrived, and the race took place without any European competitors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Race winner Johnnie Parsons earned 9 points towards the World Championship (8 points for first place, and 1 point for the fastest lap). Despite not competing in any of the other World Championship events, he finished sixth in the final season standings.

Parsons is one of only three drivers to win on their WDC début. The other two are Farina, who won the inaugural World Championship race – the 1950 British Grand Prix, 17 days earlier – and Giancarlo Baghetti, who won the 1961 French Grand Prix.

World Drivers' Championship standings after the race

Change	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	Template:Flagicon Giuseppe Farina	9
	2	Template:Flagicon Juan Manuel Fangio	9
31	3	Template:Flagicon Johnnie Parsons	9
1	4	Template:Flagicon Luigi Fagioli	6
1	5	Template:Flagicon Alberto Ascari	6

• Template:Small

Broadcasting

Radio

The race was carried live on the Mutual Broadcasting System, the precursor to the IMS Radio Network. The broadcast was sponsored by Perfect Circle Piston Rings and Bill Slater served as the anchor. Sid Collins moved into the booth for the first time to serve as analyst, and conducted the victory lane interview at the conclusion of the race. The broadcast feature live coverage of the start, the finish, and live updates throughout the race.

Prior to the race, it was reported that Slater might miss the race, due to illness. WIBC personality Sid Collins was named as a replacement, however, Slater was able to arrive in time for race day. Collins, who had previously served as a turn reporter, was invited to be the co-anchor in the booth.<ref name="IMS 60th">Template:Cite news</ref> For the first time, Collins interviewed the winner in victory lane at the conclusion of the race. Collins claims he burned his trousers on Parsons's hot exhaust pipe during the interview, which took place in the rain.

Because the race was shortened, Mutual had to interrupt Queen for a Day to cover the finish of the abbreviated event. This was cited by some as a reason why the Speedway would begin flag-to-flag coverage in 1953.

Mutual Broadcasting System
Booth Announcers	Turn Reporters	Pit reporters
Booth Announcer: Bill Slater Analyst: Sid Collins	South turns: Easy Gwynn North turns: Jim Shelton	Gordon Graham Sid Collins (victory lane)

Television

The race was carried live for the second year in a row on local television on WFBM-TV channel 6 of Indianapolis. Earl Townsend Jr. was the announcer, along with Dick Pittenger and Paul Roberts. After the race, Speedway management disallowed WFBM from broadcasting the race live again, feeling that gate attendance had been negatively affected.

WFBM-TV
Play-by-play	Pit reporters
Announcer: Earl Townsend, Jr Color: Dick Pittenger	Paul Roberts

External links

• Indianapolis 500 History: Race & All-Time Stats – Official Site
• 1950 Indianapolis 500 Radio Broadcast, Mutual
• Van Camp's Pork & Beans Presents: Great Moments From the Indy 500 – Fleetwood Sounds, 1975
• 1950 Indianapolis 500 at RacingReference.info (Relief driver statistics)

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