13th Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning bodyAAA
DateMay 30, 1925
WinnerPeter DePaolo
Winning EntrantDuesenberg
Average speed101.127 mph (162.748 km/h)
Pole positionLeon Duray
Pole speed113.196 mph (182.171 km/h)
Most laps ledPeter DePaolo (115)
Pre-race
Pace carRickenbacker 8
Pace car driverEddie Rickenbacker
StarterSeth Klein[1]
Honorary refereeCharles M. Schwab[1]
Estimated attendance150,000[2]
Chronology
Previous Next
1924 1926

The 13th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1925.

Race winner Peter DePaolo became the first driver to complete the 500 miles in under five hours, and have an average over 100 mph. Norman Batten drove 21 laps of relief (laps 106–127) while DePaolo had his hands bandaged due to blisters and bruises.

Time trials

Four-lap (10 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. Leon Duray won the pole position with a 4-lap track record of 113.196 mph. Peter DePaolo, who qualified second, set the 1-lap track record at 114.285 mph.

Qualifying Results
DateDriverLap 1
(mph)		Lap 2
(mph)		Lap 3
(mph)		Lap 4
(mph)		Average Speed
(mph)
5/26/1925Leon Duray113.22113.44113.44113.41113.196

Race summary and results

The 1925 winning car

DePaolo jumped into the lead at the start, with Earl Cooper close behind. Phil Shafer led briefly, but DePaolo returned to the lead by half-distance. On lap 106, DePaolo came in for relief from Norman Batten while his bloody, blistered hands were bandaged. Dave Lewis then took over the lead in a front-wheel-drive Miller. The front wheels providing good grip in the turns, Lewis began to pull away. Batten soon pitted and DePaolo returned to the cockpit, and set his sights on Lewis.

At about 400 miles, Lewis began to slow, physically exhausted from the grind over the bricks. His crew called him in, but he overshot his pit stall and had to continue for another lap. When he finally stopped, crewmen lifted him out and Bennett Hill climbed in, now 1 1/2 laps behind DePaolo after the botched pit entry and eventual stop.

Hill sped after DePaolo, unlapping himself with about 25 laps to go and gaining several seconds with each lap. But DePaolo crossed the finish line with a record sub-5-hour 500 57 seconds ahead of Hill.[3]

Finish Start No Name Entrant Chassis Engine Qual Rank Laps Led Status
1 2 12 United States Peter DePaolo Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 113.083 2 200 115 Running
2 5 1 United States Dave Lewis R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 109.061 5 200 50 Running
3 22 9 United States Phil Shafer  R  Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 103.523 16 200 13 Running
4 3 6 United States Harry Hartz Harry Hartz Miller Miller 112.433 3 200 3 Running
5 11 4 United States Tommy Milton  W  Tommy Milton Miller Miller 104.366 13 200 0 Running
6 1 28 United States Leon Duray Harry Hartz Miller Miller 113.196 1 200 0 Running
7 18 8 United States Ralph DePalma  W  Ralph DePalma Miller Miller 108.607 6 200 0 Running
8 9 38 United States Pete Kreis  R  Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 106.338 10 200 0 Running
9 14 15 United States W. E. Shattuc  R  Dr. W. E. Shattuc, M.D. Miller Miller 102.070 17 200 0 Running
10 8 22 Italy Pietro Bordino  R  Pietro Bordino Fiat Fiat 107.661 9 200 0 Running
11 12 5 United States Fred Comer Harry Hartz Miller Miller 104.296 14 200 0 Running
12 10 27 United States Frank Elliott Richard G. Doyle Miller Miller 104.910 11 200 0 Running
13 15 24 United States Earl Devore  R  Bancroft & Pope Miller Miller 97.799 19 198 0 Flagged
14 20 14 United States Bob McDonogh Tommy Milton Miller Miller 101.931 18 188 0 Truss rod
15 16 23 United States Wade Morton Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 95.821 20 156 0 Crash BS
16 6 17 United States Ralph Hepburn  R  Earl Cooper Miller Miller 108.489 7 144 15 Gas tank
17 4 2 United States Earl Cooper R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 110.487 4 127 4 Crash T1
18 13 3 United States Bennett Hill Harry A. Miller Miller Miller 104.167 15 69 0 Rear spring
19 17 29 United States Herbert Jones  R  Herbert Jones Miller Miller 89.401 21 69 0 Crash T1
20 19 19 United States Ira Vail R. J. Johnson Miller Miller 104.785 12 63 0 Rod
21 21 7 United States M. C. Jones  R  H. J. Skelly Ford T Fronty-Ford 88.478 22 33 0 Transmission
22 7 10 United States Jules Ellingboe Jerry Wunderlich Miller Miller 107.832 8 24 0 Steering
[4][5]

Race details

  • For 1925, riding mechanics were optional,[6] however, no teams utilized them.
  • First alternate: none[7]
  • Ralph DePalma would be the only driver in the race who had competed in the first Indy 500 in 1911.
  • Though Pete DePaolo is widely recognized as the first driver to complete (and win) the Indianapolis 500 in under five hours (over 100 mph average speed), he was not eligible for the prestigious Champion Spark Plug 100 mph Club founded in 1935. Since DePaolo briefly received relief help from Norman Batten during the race, DePaolo failed the strict criteria for the club. He never managed to complete the full 500 miles again, and accomplish the feat solo.
  • The race marked the first appearance of a front-wheel-drive car. Harry Miller built the car on the suggestion of driver Jimmy Murphy, who thought the concept would be quick on Indy's bricks while having less tire wear. The "Junior 8", without a driveshaft to the rear wheels, was only 36 inches tall, and a flyweight sub-1500 lbs. It showed its effectiveness and began a wave of front-drive cars for the next quarter-century. Murphy never got to drive it; he was killed in a crash at Syracuse the previous September. Miller hired Dave Lewis for the 500.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 Fox, Jack C. (1994). The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 (4th ed.). Carl Hungness Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 0-915088-05-3.
  2. ↑ Patton, W. Blaine (May 31, 1925). "DePaolo Wins Sweepstakes In Indianapolis-Made Car At Dazzling Speed of 101.13". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  3. ↑ Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 63-65
  4. ↑ "Indianapolis 500 1925". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  5. ↑ Popely, Rick; Riggs, L. Spencer (1998). The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. ISBN 0-7853-2798-3.
  6. ↑ Blazier, John E.; Rollings, Tom (1994). Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics.
  7. ↑ The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  8. ↑ Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 63
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