The 8th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1920.
Ralph DePalma held a two lap lead when the car stalled on lap 187. His riding mechanic Pete DePaolo ran to the pits to get a can of gasoline, thinking they were out of fuel. DePalma was able to get the car rolling again, and the two rejoined the race. However, during the delay, the lead went to Gaston Chevrolet. Chevrolet himself ran out of fuel on lap 197, but he was able to coast to the pits and refuel. Chevrolet held on to win. About six months later, he was fatally injured in a crash at Beverly Hills.
Chevrolet won the race without a single tire change, a remarkable feat at the time. Chevrolet was accompanied by riding mechanic John Bresnahan. Chevrolet's victory was the last by a driver born outside of the United States until George Robson's victory in the 1946 running.
Time trials
Four-lap () qualifying runs were introduced in 1920. Previously one-lap runs were used. Ralph DePalma won the pole position at . None of his four laps matched the track record () set the previous year.
Qualifying Results Date Driver Lap 1(mph) Lap 2(mph) Lap 3(mph) Lap 4(mph) Average Speed(mph)5/26/1920 Ralph DePalma98.199.499.599.9599.65
Starting grid RowInsideInside CenterOutside CenterOutside 1 Pace car position2 Ralph DePalma 6 Joe Boyer3 Louis Chevrolet 226 Jean Chassagne8 Art Klein4 Gaston Chevrolet5 Roscoe Sarles 37 Bennett Hill 31 Eddie Hearne9 Ray Howard10 Tommy Milton 429 Eddie O'Donnell34 Willie Haupt32 John Boling 12 Jimmy Murphy 517 André Boillot15 Pete Henderson25 René Thomas 28 Joe Thomas 618 Howdy Wilcox 16 Jules Goux 19 Jean Porporato33 Ralph Mulford
Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantCarQualRankLapsStatus164 Gaston ChevroletWilliam Small CompanyFrontenac91.5508200 88.618 mph21825 René Thomas Ernest BallotBallot93.9505200 +6:19.6031110 Tommy MiltonDuesenberg BrothersDuesenberg90.20011200 +6:30.4841512 Jimmy Murphy Duesenberg BrothersDuesenberg88.70013200 +13:59.35512 Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalmaBallot99.1501200 +26:47.156931 Eddie HearneDuesenberg BrothersDuesenberg88.05015200 +31:49.557426 Jean ChassagneErnest BallotBallot95.4504200 +36:44.6581928 Joe Thomas (Art Klein Laps 105–115)(Harry Thicksten Laps 116–125)William Small CompanyFrontenac92.8006200 +43:09.5592333 Ralph MulfordRalph MulfordMulford–Duesenberg——200 +1:38:42.25101715 Pete Henderson(Tom Alley Laps 93–200)Revere Motor Car CorporationDuesenberg81.15021200 +1:45:21.95111432 John Boling (Riley Brett Laps 99–199)C. L. RichardsBrett81.85020199Flagged1226 Joe Boyer(Ira Vail Laps 155–191)Frontenac Motor CorporationFrontenac96.9002192Crash T313109 Ray Howard(Aldo Franchi Laps 41–90)Peugeot Auto Racing CompanyPeugeot84.60018150Camshaft141229 Eddie O'DonnellDuesenberg BrothersDuesenberg88.20014149Oil line152116 Jules Goux Jules GouxPeugeot84.30019148Engine trouble161334 Willie Haupt(Wade Morton Laps 55–111)Meteor Motors CompanyDuesenberg85.48016146Rod1787 Bennett Hill (Roscoe Sarles Laps 75–115)Frontenac Motor CorporationFrontenac90.55010115Crash T41833 Louis Chevrolet(Salvatore Barbarino Laps 64–79)(Jerry Wunderlich Laps 80–94)William Small CompanyFrontenac96.300394Steering192018 Howdy Wilcox Jules GouxPeugeot88.8201265Engine trouble2075 Roscoe SarlesWilliam Small CompanyFrontenac90.750958Crash T42158 Art KleinFrontenac Motor CorporationFrontenac92.700740Crash222219 Jean PorporatoJean PorporatoGrégoire79.9802223Ruled off231617 André BoillotJules GouxPeugeot85.4001716Engine trouble
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
Statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–11 Joe Boyer12 Art Klein13 Jean Chassagne14–37 Joe Boyer38–42 Ralph DePalma43–62 Joe Boyer63–69 René Thomas70–107 Joe Boyer108–112 René Thomas113–186 Ralph DePalma187–200 Gaston Chevrolet
Total laps led Leader LapsJoe Boyer 93Ralph DePalma 79Gaston Chevrolet 14René Thomas 12Jean Chassagne 1Art Klein 1
Race details For 1920, riding mechanics were required. First alternate: noneThe Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
References