1957 Indianapolis 500

The 41st International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the

Hanks received a record $103,844 purse, the first driver to win a $100,000 single-race payday. The total race purse was also a record, over $300,000 for the first time.

Hanks won the race in George Salih's "Lay-down Offy". The Offenhauser engine was mounted on its side and shifted off-center. This was done in order to lower the center of gravity, reduce frontal area, and counterbalance the body roll in the turns. The car that Hanks drove for the win in 1957 would win back-to-back Indy 500s, with Jimmy Bryan piloting the very same chassis to victory again in 1958.

Track improvements

For 1957, the Speedway introduced a new state-of-the-art pit lane and brand new Master Control Tower to house broadcasting as well as timing and scoring. For the first time, the pit area was separated from the mainstretch by an inside wall. The pit lane was paved in concrete (the mainstretch remained brick), while a grass strip went the length of the pit road to accommodate pit crew sign board men. Flagging duties would be done from a station on the grass strip at the start/finish line, and eventually a small wooden platform would be constructed for the flagman to stand atop. USAC officials also stationed themselves on the new grass parapet (which would be removed after the 1993 race when the parapet was narrowed and paved with concrete, and pit road become asphalt except for the pit boxes).

For the 1957 race, the field lined up in the pit area single-file, rather than the traditional eleven rows of three on the racing surface. On the pace lap, the field assembled into position, and was aligned for the green flag. By 1957, the field was now being taken around for two warm-up laps (one "parade" lap, and one "pace" lap), an increase over the single lap used previously. This single-file grid practice would eventually lead to confusion, and was utilized for only two years.

Practice and time trials

Time trials was scheduled for four days, but the second day was rained out. Rain affected practice days as well.^[6]

Giuseppe Farina was the only European driver on the entry list for the race, however, he did not attempt to qualify. Farina had difficulty getting his car up to speed, and had experienced handling problems. On May 15, his teammate Keith Andrews stepped into his car for a test run, but crashed. Down the frontstretch, Andrews began to slide, and when he attempted to correct, the car backed into the inside wall separating the pit area. Andrews was crushed to death between the cowl and the fuel tank, but no fire broke out.^[7] Farina withdrew after Andrews was killed, with no backup car to use.^[8]

Saturday May 18 – Pole Day time trials

Pat O'Connor qualified for the pole position. Showers delayed qualifying for nearly four hours, and at other points during the afternoon. A total of only nine cars completed runs.^[9]

O'Connor's speed of 143.948 mph was not a track record.^[10] Troy Ruttman was on the track, and after a lap of over 144 mph, rain forced him to abort the attempt. He was able to get back out to the track, but had to settle for a speed of only 142.772 mph.

The first rookie to make the field was Elmer George, the husband of Mari Hulman George, and son-in-law of Speedway president Tony Hulman.

Sunday May 19 – Second day time trials

The second day scheduled for qualifying was rained out.

Saturday May 25 – Third day time trials

Paul Russo (144.817 mph) was the fastest driver of the day, in one of the Novi Specials. Russo was the fastest qualifier in the field, as his speed was faster than the pole position time from the previous weekend.

Sunday May 26 – Fourth day time trials

Rain and winds plagued the final day of time trials. Twenty three cars entered the day looking to fill the final 11 positions. A total of 43 attempts were made, with 9 cars bumped.

Tony Bettenhausen (142.439 mph) was the fastest driver of the day, driving one of the 500 hp Novi Specials. Bill Cheesbourg needed two cars to make the field. His first attempt was too slow. But late in the day, he got in Cliff Griffith's car, and at a speed of 141.565 mph, bumped Johnnie Parsons from the lineup.^[11]

Qualifying results

Grid

Row	Inside			Middle			Outside
1	12		Pat O'Connor Sumar Special Chapman Root Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 143.948 mph (231.662 km/h)	88		Eddie Sachs  R  Peter Schmidt Special Peter Schmidt Kuzma, Offenhauser 143.872 mph (231.540 km/h)	52		Troy Ruttman  W  John Zink Special John Zink Watson, Offenhauser 142.772 mph (229.769 km/h)
2	14		Fred Agabashian Bowes Seal Fast Special George Bignotti Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 142.557 mph (229.423 km/h)	6		Johnny Boyd Bowes Seal Fast Special George Bignotti Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 142.102 mph (228.691 km/h)	5		Jimmy Reece Hoyt Machine Special Fred Sommer Kurtis 500C, Offenhauser 142.006 mph (228.537 km/h)
3	83		Ed Elisian McNamara Special Lee Elkins Kurtis 500C, Offenhauser 141.777 mph (228.168 km/h)	16		Al Keller Bardahl/Clancy Special Pat Clancy Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 141.398 mph (227.558 km/h)	23		Elmer George  R  Travelon Trailer Special Ernest Ruiz Kurtis 500B, Offenhauser 140.729 mph (226.481 km/h)
4	54		Paul Russo Novi Auto Air Conditioner Special Novi Racing Corp Kurtis 500F, Novi SC 144.817 mph (233.060 km/h)	10		Johnny Thomson D-A Lubricant Special Racing Associates Kuzma, Offenhauser 143.529 mph (230.988 km/h)	73		Andy Linden McNamara/Veedol Special Lee Elkins Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 143.244 mph (230.529 km/h)
5	9		Sam Hanks Belond Exhaust Special George Salih Salih, Offenhauser 142.812 mph (229.834 km/h)	22		Gene Hartley Massaglia Hotels Special Hart Fullerton Lesovsky, Offenhauser 141.271 mph (227.354 km/h)	1		Jimmy Bryan Dean Van Lines Special Al Dean Kuzma R, Offenhauser 141.188 mph (227.220 km/h)
6	7		Bob Veith Bob Estes Special Bob Estes Phillips, Offenhauser 141.016 mph (226.943 km/h)	18		Johnnie Parsons  W  Sumar Special Chapman Root Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 140.784 mph (226.570 km/h)	77		Mike Magill  R  Dayton Steel Foundry Special George Walther Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 140.411 mph (225.970 km/h)
7	19		Jack Turner Bardahl Special Pat Clancy Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 140.367 mph (225.899 km/h)	43		Eddie Johnson Chapman Special Harry Allen Chapman Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 140.171 mph (225.583 km/h)	3		Don Freeland Ansted Rotary Ansted-Thompson Racing Kurtis 500D, Offenhauser 139.649 mph (224.743 km/h)
8	27		Tony Bettenhausen Novi Auto Air Conditioner Special Novi Racing Corp. Kurtis 500F, Novi SC 142.439 mph (229.233 km/h)	31		Bill Cheesbourg  R  Schildmeier Seal Line Special J.S. Donaldson Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 141.565 mph (227.827 km/h)	8		Rodger Ward Wolcott Fuel Injection Special Roger Wolcott Lesovsky, Offenhauser SC 141.321 mph (227.434 km/h)
9	82		Chuck Weyant Central Excavating Special Pete Salemi Kurtis 500C, Offenhauser 141.105 mph (227.086 km/h)	55		Eddie Russo Sclavi & Amos Special Fred Sclavi Kurtis 500C, Offenhauser 140.862 mph (226.695 km/h)	92		Don Edmunds  R  McKay Special Roy McKay Kurtis 500G, Offenhauser 140.449 mph (226.031 km/h)
10	48		Marshall Teague Sumar Special Chapman Root Kurtis 500C, Offenhauser 140.329 mph (225.838 km/h)	57		Jimmy Daywalt Helse Special H.H. Johnson Kurtis 500C, Offenhauser 140.203 mph (225.635 km/h)	89		Al Herman Dunn Engineering Special Harry Dunn Dunn, Offenhauser 140.007 mph (225.319 km/h)
11	28		Johnnie Tolan Greenman-Casale Special Lysle Greenman Kuzma, Offenhauser 139.884 mph (225.121 km/h)	26		Jim Rathmann Chiropractic Special Lindsey Hopkins Epperly, Offenhauser 139.806 mph (224.996 km/h)	95		Bob Christie Jones & Maley Special Jones & Maley Kurtis 500C, Offenhauser 139.779 mph (224.952 km/h)
Sources:[12][13][14]

First alternate

Failed to Qualify

 R  = Indianapolis 500 rookie
 W  = Former Indianapolis 500 winner

Race summary

First half

On the backstretch during the pace lap, Elmer George hit the back of Eddie Russo's car, putting both cars out of the race before the start. Only 31 cars took the green flag.

Polesitter Pat O'Connor took the lead at the start and led the first four laps. Troy Ruttman led laps 5–6. O'Connor re-took the lead for laps 7–9, but Ruttman led laps 10–11, until blowing the engine. Paul Russo took the lead on lap 12, and in the first twelve laps there had already been four lead changes between three drivers.

Second half

Sam Hanks took the lead for the final time on lap 135.

Race results

Box score

Pos	Grid	No	Driver	Chassis	Engine	Laps	Led	Time/Status	F1 Points	USAC Points
1	13	9	Sam Hanks	Salih	Offenhauser	200	136	3:41:14.25	8	1000
2	32	26	Jim Rathmann	Epperly	Offenhauser	200	24	+21.46	71	800
3	15	1	Jimmy Bryan	Kuzma R	Offenhauser	200	0	+2:13.97	4	700
4	10	54	Paul Russo	Kurtis 500F	Novi SC	200	24	+2:56.86	3	600
5	12	73	Andy Linden	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	200	0	+3:14.27	2	500
6	5	6	Johnny Boyd	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	200	0	+4:35.27		400
7	28	48	Marshall Teague	Kurtis 500C	Offenhauser	200	0	+4:45.58		300
8	1	12	Pat O'Connor	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	200	7	+5:33.15		250
9	16	7	Bob Veith	Phillips	Offenhauser	200	0	+6:17.11		200
10	14	22	Gene Hartley	Lesovsky	Offenhauser	200	0	+7:10.12		150
11	19	19	Jack Turner	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	200	0	+7:56.07		100
12	11	10	Johnny Thomson	Kuzma	Offenhauser	199	5	+1 Lap		50
13	33	95	Bob Christie	Kurtis 500C	Offenhauser	197	0	+3 Laps
14	25	82	Chuck Weyant	Kurtis 500C	Offenhauser	196	0	+4 Laps
15	22	27	Tony Bettenhausen	Kurtis 500F	Novi SC	195	0	+5 Laps
16	17	18	Johnnie Parsons  W	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	195	0	+5 Laps
17	21	3	Don Freeland	Kurtis 500D	Offenhauser	192	0	+8 Laps
18	6	5	Jimmy Reece	Kurtis 500C	Offenhauser	182	0	Throttle
19	27	92	Don Edmunds  R	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	170	0	Spun Off
20	31	28	Johnnie Tolan	Kuzma	Offenhauser	138	0	Clutch
21	30	89	Al Herman	Dunn	Offenhauser	111	0	Accident
22	4	14	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	107	0	Fuel Leak
23	2	88	Eddie Sachs  R	Kuzma	Offenhauser	105	0	Fuel Leak
24	18	77	Mike Magill  R	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	101	0	Accident
25	20	43	Eddie Johnson	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	93	0	Wheel Bearing
26	23	31	Bill Cheesbourg  R	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	81	0	Fuel Leak
27	8	16	Al Keller	Kurtis 500G	Offenhauser	75	0	Accident
28	29	57	Jimmy Daywalt	Kurtis 500C	Offenhauser	53	0	Accident
29	7	83	Ed Elisian	Kurtis 500C	Offenhauser	51	0	Timing gear
30	24	8	Rodger Ward	Lesovsky	Offenhauser SC	27	0	Supercharger
31	3	52	Troy Ruttman  W	Watson	Offenhauser	13	4	Oil leak
32	26	55	Eddie Russo	Kurtis 500C	Offenhauser	0	0	Accident
33	9	23	Elmer George  R	Kurtis 500B	Offenhauser	0	0	Accident
Sources:[18][19]

Notes

• ^1 – Includes 1 point for fastest lead lap.
•  R  = Indianapolis 500 rookie
•  W  = Former Indianapolis 500 winner

Race notes

• Fastest Lead Lap:
  Jim Rathmann
  – 1:02.75
• Sam Hanks was the only driver in the field using the British made Lodge Spark Plugs. The other 32 drivers all had the American Champion brand installed.^[20]
• Dick Rathmann qualified, but was mugged the night before the race. He was replaced in the car by Johnnie Parsons.^[21]
• First Indianapolis 500 starts for Eddie Sachs, Mike Magill, Bill Cheesbourg, and Elmer George.
• Only Indianapolis 500 start for Don Edmunds.
• Last Indianapolis 500 starts for Sam Hanks, Andy Linden, Marshall Teague, and Fred Agabashian.

Broadcasting

Radio

The race was carried live on the

Charlie Brockman conducted the winner's interview in victory lane.

Championship standings after the race

World Drivers' Championship standings

	Pos	Driver	Points
	1	Juan Manuel Fangio	17
28	2	Sam Hanks	8
27	3	Jim Rathmann	7
2	4	Jean Behra	6
2	5	Tony Brooks	6
Source:[24]

• Note: Only the top five positions are included.

USAC National Championship Trail standings

Gallery

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 1957 Indianapolis 500.

• 
  1957 pace car

References