The 5th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1915. The traditional race date of May 30 fell on a Sunday, but race organizers declined to schedule the race for Sunday. The race was set for Saturday May 29, but heavy rains in the days leading up to the race flooded the grounds and made some roads leading to the track impassible. Officials decided to postpone the race until Monday May 31 in order to allow the grounds to dry out. Speedway management would maintain their policy to not race on Sundays until 1974.
After a loss in 1912, Ralph DePalma succeeded in victory for 1915. DePalma was accompanied by riding mechanic Louis Fountaine.
Starting grid RowInsideInside CenterOutside CenterOutside 11 Howdy Wilcox2 Ralph DePalma3 Dario Resta 4 Earl Cooper 25 Gil Andersen6 Jean Porporato 8 Bob Burman9 Art Klein 310 Tom Alley 14 Harry Grant15 Eddie O'Donnell 12 George C. Babcock 417 John DePalma 7 Noel van Raalte 18 Joe Cooper 19 Billy Carlson 521 Tom Orr 22 Ralph Mulford24 John A. Mais 23 Eddie Rickenbacker 625 C. C. Cox 26 George Hill 27 Louis Chevrolet 28 Willie Haupt
Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus122 Ralph DePalmaE. C. PattersonMercedesMercedes98.5802200 89.84 mph233 Dario Resta Peugeot Auto Import CompanyPeugeotPeugeot98.4703200 +3:29.43355 Gil Andersen(Johnny Aitken)Stutz Motor Car CompanyStutzStutz95.1405200 +8:32.07444 Earl Cooper(Johnny Aitken)Stutz Motor Car CompanyStutzStutz96.7704200 +12:23.8551115 Eddie O'Donnell Duesenberg BrothersDuesenbergDuesenberg88.9311200 +34:17.76678 Bob BurmanBob BurmanPeugeotPeugeot92.4007200 +39:24.10711 Howdy WilcoxStutz Motor Car CompanyStutzStutz98.9001200 +40:24.228910 Tom Alley Duesenberg BrothersDuesenbergDuesenberg90.0009200 +41:12.5091619 Billy Carlson(Hughie Hughes)United States Motor CompanyMaxwellMaxwell84.11016200 +46:00.3910147 Noel van Raalte Sunbeam Motor Car CompanySunbeamSunbeam86.87014200 +1:01:06.19112428 Willie HauptR. E. DonaldsonEmdenEmden80.36024200 +1:30:06.19121014 Harry GrantFortuna Racing Team, Inc.SunbeamSunbeam89.2910184Loose mud apron131721 Tom Orr (Billy Carlson)United States Motor CompanyMaxwellMaxwell83.55017168Axle bearing1466 Jean Porporato Sunbeam Motor Car CompanySunbeamSunbeam94.7406164Piston151518 Joe Cooper E. E. Miles & J. W. GwinDuesenbergDuesenberg85.55015154Crash SC161822 Ralph Mulford(Billy Chandler)Duesenberg BrothersDuesenbergDuesenberg82.72018124Rod171212 George C. Babcock Peugeot Auto Import CompanyPeugeotPeugeot89.4612117Cylinder1889 Art Klein(Billy Chandler)Art KleinDuesenbergDuesenberg90.4508111Smoking192023 Eddie RickenbackerUnited States Motor CompanyMaxwellMaxwell81.97020103Rod202327 Louis Chevrolet Louis ChevroletCornelianSterling81.0102376Valve211317 John DePalma James E. WatsonDelageDelage87.0401341Loose flywheel221924 John A. Mais John A. MaisMaisMercer81.9701923Left course232226 George Hill C. W. FullerBugattiBugatti81.5202220Water pump gear242125 C. C. Cox Edward D. McNayCinoMercer81.5202112Timing gears
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
Race statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1 Dario Resta2–6 Howdy Wilcox7–32 Gil Andersen33–61 Dario Resta62–127 Ralph DePalma128–134 Dario Resta135–200 Ralph DePalma
Total laps led Laps Leader Ralph DePalma 132 Dario Resta 37 Gil Andersen 26 Howdy Wilcox 5
Race details For 1915, riding mechanics were required. When about 2,000 unsuspecting fans showed up on May 29 for the race (which had already been rescheduled to May 31), Ralph DePalma entertained the fans with a tire changing exhibition.
Gallery
References