Ralph DePalma
Ralph DePalma | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Champ Car career | |||||||
100 races run over 23 years | |||||||
Best finish | 4th (1916, 1920) | ||||||
First race | 1909 Wheeler-Schebler Trophy (Indianapolis) | ||||||
Last race | 1933 Syracuse 100 (Syracuse) | ||||||
First win | 1909 Long Island Stock Car Derby, Class A (Riverhead) | ||||||
Last win | 1921 25-mile Heat #1 (Beverly Hills) | ||||||
|
Raffaele "Ralph" DePalma (occasionally spelt De Palma, December 19, 1882 – March 31, 1956) was an American
Biography
Born in
DePalma was immediately successful in car racing. In 1911, DePalma won the first Milwaukee Mile[4] Championship Car race. However, he is still remembered for the dramatic manner in which he lost the 1912 Indianapolis 500. After leading the race for 196 of the 200 laps, his Mercedes cracked a piston and with only 2 laps remaining; he and his mechanic had to push the car across the finish line to take eleventh place.[3] At that time, only cars completing the full 200 laps received any prize money. This Mercedes remains on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.
He went on to perform strongly that year,[1] but was almost killed in an accident on October 5 at the Grand Prize held in a road course in Milwaukee. After being impaled by a corn stalk, he was hospitalized for 11 weeks;[2] he recovered and was back to racing the following spring.
In 1912 and again in 1914, DePalma won the
DePalma was an intense competitor but one of the most popular racers with his fellow drivers and the fans because of his good sportsmanship, a quality he displayed on and off the track. In June 1917 he lost to
In 1923, he established the DePalma Manufacturing Company in Detroit to build race cars and engines for automobiles and aircraft.[citation needed]
DePalma later competed in stock cars until he retired from racing in 1936.[1] In his career, he competed in 2,889 races in America and Europe and won 2,557, according to his Associated Press obituary that appeared in the Detroit Free Press on April 1, 1956.[2] He was an honorary referee for the Indianapolis 500, the last time in 1954.[3]
Death
DePalma died at his home in South Pasadena, California, from cancer on March 31, 1956, at age 73.[2][6][7] He was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Film appearances
DePalma had a small role in the 1920 Hollywood film High Speed and in 1924 played the part of the Champion in an action/drama film written by Wilfred Lucas titled Racing for Life. He also had a cameo in The Cool Hot Rod (1953).
Family
DePalma is the brother of 500 competitor
Awards
- In 1973, he was made a posthumous member of the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan.
- In 1991, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.[1]
- He was named to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1991.
- He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992.[10]
- He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.[11]
- In 2006, DePalma was inducted into the Elgin (IL) Sports Hall of Fame.
Motorsports career results
Indianapolis 500 results
|
|
- DePalma's total of 612 laps led stood as the all-time Indianapolis lap leader record until Al Unser surpassed him on the 200th lap of the 1987 Indianapolis 500.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Biography". International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on July 6, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g "DePalma, Oldtime Racing Great, Dies". Detroit Free Press. April 1, 1956.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Biography". Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. 1992. Archived from the original on October 29, 2008. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- ^ Early years at the Milwaukee Mile Archived 2007-05-02 at archive.today
- ^ a b c Yates, Brock The Indianapolis 500: The Story of the Speedway. 1956. Harper Bros., New York. Page 25.
- ^ "Ralph De Palma, Noted Racer, Dies. Driver Triumphed in 1915 at Indianapolis. Elected to Sport's Hall of Fame". The New York Times. Associated Press. April 1, 1956. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
- ^ "Death Comes to DePalma. Famed Racing Driver Succumbs to Cancer". Los Angeles Times. April 1, 1956. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
- ^ Indianapolis 500 - Family Participation Archived 2012-03-08 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Yates, Brock The Indianapolis 500: The Story of the Speedway. 1956. Page 27.
- ^ Ralph DePalma at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
- ^ "AMA Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame | Ralph DePalma". hof.motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved January 13, 2024.