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The 1954 Indianapolis 500 (officially the 38th Indianapolis International Motor Sweepstakes) was the 38th running of the Indianapolis 500 and was included as the second race of the 1954 FIA Formula One World Championship. The race, held on May 31, was won for the second-consecutive time by Bill Vukovich. It also marked Vukovich's final career victory.


Background[]

Practice[]

Qualifying[]

Qualifying Results[]

Pos. No. Driver Constructor Time Gap % Avg. speed
1 2 Jack McGrath Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:15.26 100.0% 226.970
2 19 Jimmy Daywalt Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:17.53 +2.27 100.9% 224.969
3 9 Jimmy Bryan Kuzma-Offenhauser 4:17.76 +2.50 101.0% 224.769
4 43 Johnny Thomson Nichels-Offenhauser 4:19.39 +4.13 101.6% 223.356
5 98 Chuck Stevenson Kuzma-Offenhauser 4:19.41 +4.15 101.6% 223.339
6 7 Don Freeland Phillips-Offenhauser 4:20.23 +4.97 101.9% 222.635
7 25 Jimmy Reece Pankratz-Offenhauser 4:20.28 +5.02 102.0% 222.593
8 16 Duane Carter Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:20.42 +5.16 102.0% 222.473
9 17 Bob Sweikert Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:20.48 +5.22 102.0% 222.422
10 1 Sam Hanks Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:20.88 +5.62 102.2% 222.081
11 34 Troy Ruttman Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:21.37 +6.11 102.4% 221.664
12 35 Pat O'Connor Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:20.71 +5.45 102.1% 222.225
13 24 Cal Niday Stevens-Offenhauser 4:17.46 +2.20 100.9% 225.031
14 73 Mike Nazaruk Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:17.90 +2.64 101.0% 224.647
15 15 Johnnie Parsons Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:17.92 +2.66 101.0% 224.629
16 12 Rodger Ward Pawl-Offenhauser 4:18.44 +3.18 101.2% 224.177
17 31 Gene Hartley Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:18.88 +3.62 101.4% 223.796
18 51 Bill Homeier Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:19.09 +3.83 101.5% 223.615
19 14 Bill Vukovich Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:19.97 +4.71 101.8% 222.858
20 32 Ernie McCoy Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:20.08 +4.82 101.9% 222.764
21 10 Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:20.35 +5.09 102.0% 222.533
22 88 Manny Ayulo Kuzma-Offenhauser 4:20.56 +5.30 102.1% 222.353
23 74 Andy Linden Schroeder-Offenhauser 4:21.21 +5.95 102.3% 221.800
24 77 Fred Agabashian Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:21.35 +6.09 102.4% 221.681
25 38 Larry Crockett Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:17.96 +2.70 101.1% 224.594
26 33 Len Duncan Schroeder-Offenhauser 4:18.59 +3.33 101.3% 224.047
27 45 Art Cross Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:19.60 +4.34 101.7% 223.176
28 38 Jim Rathmann Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:20.44 +5.18 102.0% 222.456
29 65 Spider Webb Bromme-Offenhauser 4:20.91 +5.65 102.2% 222.055
30 99 Jerry Hoyt Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:21.20 +5.94 102.3% 221.809
31 27 Ed Elisian Stevens-Offenhauser 4:21.26 +6.00 102.4% 221.758
32 5 Paul Russo Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:21.48 +6.22 102.4% 221.571
33 71 Frank Armi Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 4:21.49 +6.23 102.4% 221.562

Grid[]

Pos Pos Pos
Driver Driver Driver
______________
1 ______________
Jack McGrath 2 ______________
Jimmy Daywalt 3
Jimmy Bryan
______________
4 ______________
Johnny Thomson 5 ______________
Chuck Stevenson 6
Don Freeland
______________
7 ______________
Jimmy Reece 8 ______________
Duane Carter 9
Bob Sweikert
______________
10 ______________
Sam Hanks 11 ______________
Troy Ruttman 12
Pat O'Connor
______________
13 ______________
Cal Niday 14 ______________
Mike Nazaruk 15
Johnnie Parsons
______________
16 ______________
Rodger Ward 17 ______________
Gene Hartley 18
Bill Homeier
______________
19 ______________
Bill Vukovich 20 ______________
Ernie McCoy 21
Tony Bettenhausen
______________
22 ______________
Manny Ayulo 23 ______________
Andy Linden 24
Fred Agabashian
______________
25 ______________
Larry Crockett 26 ______________
Len Duncan 27
Art Cross
______________
28 ______________
Jim Rathmann 29 ______________
Spider Webb 30
Jerry Hoyt
______________
31 ______________
Ed Elisian 32 ______________
Paul Russo 33
Frank Armi

Non-Qualifiers[]

No. Driver Constructor
3 Marshall Teague Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
6 Art Cross Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
8 Duke Nalon Kurtis Kraft-Novi
18 Bob Scott Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
21 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
22 Cliff Griffith Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
George Tichenor
23 Jerry Hoyt Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
26 Henry Banks Lesovsky-Offenhauser
36 George Fonder Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
Al Herman
37 Eddie Russo Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
38 Bill Holland Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
39 Pat Flaherty Kurtis Kraft-Chrysler
89 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
41 Frank Mundy Schroeder-Offenhauser
44 Walt Faulkner Kuzma-Offenhauser
97 Lesovsky-Offenhauser
47 Danny Oakes Ferrari
49 Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
52 Chuck Weyant Silnes-Offenhauser
53 Jimmy Davies Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
54 Eddie Sachs Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
59 Jim Rathmann Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
62 Duke Dinsmore Ewing-Offenhauser
67 Ewing-Offenhauser
66 Bob Christie Lesovsky-Offenhauser
67 Potsy Goacher Moore-Offenhauser
68 Ed Elisian Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
69 Johnnie Tolan Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser
83 Eddie Johnson Turner-Offenhauser
93 Billy Devore Lesovsky-Offenhauser
99 Lee Wallard Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser

Race[]

Classification[]

Pos. Grid No. Driver Constructor Qual Rank Laps Led Time/Retired Points
1 19 14 Bill Vukovich Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.470 14 200 90 3:49:17.27 8
2 3 9 Jimmy Bryan Kuzma-Offenhauser 139.660 5 200 46 +1:09.95 6
3 1 2 Jack McGrath Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 141.030 1 200 47 +1:19.73 5
4 11 34 Troy Ruttman
Duane Carter
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.730 31 200 0 +2:52.68 1.5
1.5
5 14 73 Mike Nazaruk Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.580 6 200 0 +3:24.55 2
6 24 77 Fred Agabashian Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.740 30 200 0 +3:47.55
7 6 7 Don Freeland Phillips-Offenhauser 138.330 16 200 0 +4:13.35
8 32 5 Paul Russo
Jerry Hoyt
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.670 32 200 0 +5:01.17
9 25 38 Larry Crockett Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.550 8 200 0 +7:07.24
10 13 24 Cal Niday Stevens-Offenhauser 139.820 3 200 0 +7:07.69
11 27 45 Art Cross
Johnnie Parsons
Sam Hanks
Andy Linden
Jimmy Davies
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.670 13 200 8 +8:22.19
12 5 98 Chuck Stevenson
Walt Faulkner
Kuzma-Offenhauser 138.770 12 199 0 +1 lap
13 22 88 Manny Ayulo Kuzma-Offenhauser 138.160 22 197 0 +3 laps
14 9 17 Bob Sweikert Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.200 21 197 0 +3 laps
15 8 16 Duane Carter
Marshall Teague
Jimmy Jackson
Tony Bettenhausen
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.230 19 196 0 +4 laps
16 20 32 Ernie McCoy Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.230 15 194 0 +6 laps
17 7 25 Jimmy Reece Pankratz-Offenhauser 138.410 17 194 0 +6 laps
18 31 27 Ed Elisian
Bob Scott
Stevens-Offenhauser 137.790 29 193 0 +7 laps
19 33 71 Frank Armi
George Fonder
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.670 17 193 0 +7 laps
20 10 1 Sam Hanks
Jimmy Davies
Tony Bettenhausen
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.990 25 191 1 Spun off
21 12 35 Pat O'Connor Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.080 23 181 0 Spun off
22 16 12 Rodger Ward
Eddie Johnson
Pawl-Offenhauser 139.920 2 172 0 Retirement
23 17 31 Gene Hartley
Marshall Teague
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.060 10 168 0 Clutch
24 4 43 Johnny Thomson
Andy Linden
Jimmy Daywalt
Nichels-Offenhauser 138.780 11 165 0 Retirement
25 23 74 Andy Linden
Bob Scott
Schroeder-Offenhauser 137.820 27 165 0 Suspension
26 30 99 Jerry Hoyt Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 137.820 28 130 0 Engine
27 2 19 Jimmy Daywalt Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.780 4 111 8 Accident
28 28 38 Jim Rathmann
Pat Flaherty
Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.220 20 110 0 Accident
29 21 10 Tony Bettenhausen Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.270 18 105 0 Wheel bearing
30 29 65 Spider Webb
Danny Kladis
Bromme-Offenhauser 137.970 26 104 0 Fuel pump
31 26 33 Len Duncan
George Fonder
Schroeder-Offenhauser 139.210 9 101 0 Brakes
32 15 15 Johnnie Parsons Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 139.570 7 79 0 Engine
33 18 51 Bill Homeier Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser 138.000 24 74 0 Accident

Milestones[]

Standings[]

V T E United States Indianapolis 500
Circuit Indianapolis Motor Speedway
IMS oval
Races 1911 • 1912 • 1913 • 1914 • 1915 • 1916 • 1919 • 1920 • 1921 • 1922 • 1923 • 1924 • 1925 • 1926 • 1927 • 1928 • 1929 • 1930 • 1931–1949 • 1950 • 1951 • 1952 • 1953 • 1954 • 1955 • 1956 • 1957 • 1958 • 1959 • 1960 • 1961–2019
See also United States Grand PrixUnited States Grand Prix WestIndianapolis 500Detroit Grand PrixCaesars Palace Grand PrixDallas Grand PrixQuestor Grand PrixMiami Grand Prix
V T E 1954 Formula One Season
Constructors Connaught • Cooper • Ferrari • Gordini • HWM • Klenk • Lancia • Maserati • Mercedes-Benz • Vanwall
Engines Alta • BMW • Bristol • Ferrari • Gordini • Lancia • Lea-Francis • Maserati • Mercedes • Vanwall
Drivers Ascari • Bayol • Beauman • Behra • Berger • Bertocchi • Bira • Brandon • Brown • Bucci • Collins • Daponte • Fangio • Farina • Flockhart • Frère • Gerard • Godia-Sales • J. F. González • Gould • de Graffenried • Hawthorn • Helfrich • Herrmann • Kling • Lang • Loyer • Macklin • Maglioli • Mantovani • Marr • Manzon • Marimón • Menditeguy • Mieres • S. Moss • Musso • Nuckey • Parnell • Pilette • Pollet • Riseley-Prichard • de Riu • Rosier • Salvadori • Schell • Swaters • Taruffi • Thorne • Trintignant • Villoresi • Volonterio • Wacker • Wharton • Whitehead • Whitehouse
Cars Connaught A • Cooper T23 • Cooper T24 • Ferrari 500 • Ferrari 553 • Ferrari 625 • Gordini T16 • HWM 53 • Klenk Meteor  • Lancia D50  • Maserati 250F • Maserati A6GCM • Mercedes-Benz W196 • Vanwall Special
Tyres Avon • Continental • Dunlop • Englebert • Pirelli
Races Argentina • Indianapolis • Belgium • France • Britain • Germany • Switzerland • Italy • Spain
See also 1953 Formula One Season • 1955 Formula One Season • Category
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