List of fatalities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Updated: 5/20/2026, 7:31:10 PM Wikipedia source
The following is a list of 74 individuals whose deaths have been related to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana: 42 drivers, 1 motorcyclist, 13 riding mechanics, and 18 others including a pit crew member, track personnel, and spectators have sustained fatal injuries or have had fatal medical conditions. The fatalities are connected with Championship Car racing at the track unless otherwise noted. Fifty-nine of the 74 fatalities have occurred as part of the Indianapolis 500 (including the race, qualifying, and practice). Fatalities have also occurred in conjunction with the precursors to the 500 (which took place in 1909 and 1910), the Brickyard 400, the Moto GP event, the Speedway's golf course, and during private testing. During World War I, while the Speedway was being used as a landing strip and a maintenance and refueling station for the 821st Aero Repair Squadron, at least one test pilot was fatally injured in a plane crash at the track. In July 1926, the Speedway neighborhood of Indianapolis voted to incorporate itself as an independent town, Speedway, Indiana.
Tables
· Fatalities
William Bourque
William Bourque
Name
William Bourque
Role
Driver
Date
August 19, 1909
Sanction
AAA
Event
Prest-O-Lite Trophy
Session
Race
Course of events
On the 58th lap of the 250-mile race, William Bourque glanced backwards momentarily when his Knox hit a rut, swerved into a ditch, flipped over and landed against the fence lining the outside of the frontstretch. Bourque was trapped under the car and his riding mechanic Harry Holcomb had struck a post with his head, being killed instantly. Bourqu
Harry Holcomb
Harry Holcomb
Name
Harry Holcomb
Role
Riding mechanic
Claude Kellum
Claude Kellum
Name
Claude Kellum
Role
Riding mechanic
Date
August 21, 1909
Sanction
AAA
Event
Wheeler-Schebler Trophy
Session
Race
Course of events
During the 300-mile race, Claude Kellum first served as the riding mechanic for Johnny Aitken, who was forced to retire with a cracked cylinder head after 40 laps. Kellum then relieved Robert Lyne as the riding mechanic for Charlie Merz. While driving down the frontstretch, Merz's National blew its right front tire, and the car flipped up into th
Omar Jolliffe
Omar Jolliffe
Name
Omar Jolliffe
Role
Spectator
James West
James West
Name
James West
Role
Spectator
Tom Kincade
Tom Kincade
Name
Tom Kincade
Role
Driver
Date
July 6, 1910
Event
National race car test
Session
Testing
Course of events
Tommy Kincade went off the embankment at the second turn and was crushed to death by his machine.
Sam Dickson
Sam Dickson
Name
Sam Dickson
Role
Riding mechanic
Date
May 30, 1911
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
Sam Dickson was the riding mechanic for Arthur Greiner and the first person killed during the Indianapolis 500. On lap twelve, one of the front wheels came off the American Simplex Greiner was driving, causing him to lose control and both men to be thrown from the car. While Greiner escaped with a broken arm, Dickson flew into a fence 20 feet (6.
Harry Martin
Harry Martin
Name
Harry Martin
Role
Driver
Date
June 26, 1913
Event
Stutz race car test
Session
Testing
Course of events
After a tire on the car Harry Martin was driving had blown out, the car skidded into the outside wall, bounced back, overturned and rolled down the first turn, pinning Martin and his riding mechanic Frank Agan under the wreckage. Martin was killed instantly, Agan survived serious injuries.
Albert Johnson
Albert Johnson
Name
Albert Johnson
Role
Driver
Date
October 4, 1915
Event
Packard race car test
Session
Testing
Course of events
A tire failure caused the car Albert Johnson was driving to roll over several times. He died on the operating table early the next morning. Johnson's riding mechanic Ross Robinson was injured.
Arthur Thurman
Arthur Thurman
Name
Arthur Thurman
Role
Driver
Date
May 31, 1919
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
The Thurman Special driven by Arthur Thurman turned over on lap 45. While Thurman was killed, his riding mechanic Nicholas Molinaro survived critical injuries.
Louis LeCocq
Louis LeCocq
Name
Louis LeCocq
Role
Driver
Date
Louis LeCocq's Roamer Special turned over on lap 96, causing the fuel tank to explode, and burst into flames. LeCocq was killed along with his riding mechanic Robert Bandini.
Robert Bandini
Robert Bandini
Name
Robert Bandini
Role
Riding mechanic
Bert Shoup
Bert Shoup
Name
Bert Shoup
Role
Spectator
Date
May 30, 1923
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
On lap 22, Tom Alley, who was relief driving for Earl Cooper, wrecked on the backstretch, going through the wall, and killed 15-year-old spectator Bert S. Shoup of Lafayette, Indiana. Alley and two other spectators were injured.
Herbert Jones
Herbert Jones
Name
Herbert Jones
Role
Driver
Date
May 27, 1926
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Qualifying
Course of events
After making contact with the turn four retaining wall, Herbert Jones's car shot across the track to the inside, tumbled and came to a stop upside down with Jones trapped inside. He sustained a fractured skull, and died the following day.
Bill Spence
Bill Spence
Name
Bill Spence
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1929
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
Bill Spence's Duesenberg turned over in turn two on lap ten, throwing him from the car when it hit the wall. He died of a fractured skull en route to the hospital.
Paul Marshall
Paul Marshall
Name
Paul Marshall
Role
Riding mechanic
Date
May 30, 1930
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
Paul Marshall was serving as the riding mechanic for his brother Cy Marshall when their car crashed in turn three on lap 29. Cy Marshall was seriously injured, but survived while Paul Marshall was killed.
Joe Caccia
Joe Caccia
Name
Joe Caccia
Role
Driver
Date
May 26, 1931
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Entering turn two, Joe Caccia lost control of his car, crashed through the outside wall, and hurtled 100 feet (30 m) down the embankment, crashing into a tree. Both Caccia and his riding mechanic Clarence Grove were thrown from the car, which burst into flames, enveloping both, and struck the racers when landing. They died at the scene.
Clarence Grove
Clarence Grove
Name
Clarence Grove
Role
Riding mechanic
Wilbur Brink
Wilbur Brink
Name
Wilbur Brink
Role
Bystander
Date
May 30, 1931
Sanction
Race
Event
On lap 162, Billy Arnold, the defending Indianapolis 500 winner, while leading, broke his rear axle as he negotiated the fourth turn. He lost control of his car and tumbled over the fourth turn wall. In the process, the rear tire from the broken axle was sent sailing into the air and out of the track. The tire bounced over the fence of the speed
Harry Cox
Harry Cox
Name
Harry Cox
Role
Riding mechanic
Date
May 25, 1932
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Qualifying
Course of events
Warming up his racer, in which Joe Caccia and Clarence Grove had died the year before, Bennie Benefiel crashed in turn one and went over the outside wall. The car fell 18 feet (5 m) to the ground and crashed into trees. Benefiel was seriously injured and his riding mechanic Harry Cox was killed.
Milton Jones
Milton Jones
Name
Milton Jones
Role
Driver
Date
May 27, 1932
Sanction
Practice
Event
Going into turn three, the car Jones was driving spun, and hit the outside wall backwards. It flipped up into the concrete wall, and rolled over several times. Both Jones and his riding mechanic Harold Gray were thrown from the car. Jones died in the hospital about six hours after the crash, while Gray survived, having sustained a broken arm and
Bill Denver
Bill Denver
Name
Bill Denver
Role
Driver
Date
May 28, 1933
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Qualifying
Course of events
Bill Denver and his riding mechanic Bob Hurst were killed on a warm-up lap in preparation for a qualifying run.
Bob Hurst
Bob Hurst
Name
Bob Hurst
Role
Riding mechanic
Mark Billman
Mark Billman
Name
Mark Billman
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1933
Sanction
Race
Event
On the 79th lap, Mark Billman in the Kemp-Mannix Special skidded on the second turn, hit the outside wall and finally came to rest with the car astride the wall. He was pinned between the left front wheel and the wall and it took 20 minutes to extricate him. His left arm was torn off, both legs were broken and he was internally injured. In spite
Lester Spangler
Lester Spangler
Name
Lester Spangler
Role
Driver
Date
Les Spangler and his riding mechanic "Monk" Jordan died in a crash on the 132nd lap. The car of Malcolm Fox spun coming out of turn one, and was rolling slowly towards the top of the track. Spangler tried to get by on the outside, but ran out of room and plowed into Fox's car head-on at over 100 mph (160 km/h). Spangler's car rolled over while s
G. L. Jordan
G. L. Jordan
Name
G. L. Jordan
Role
Riding mechanic
Pete Kreis
Pete Kreis
Name
Pete Kreis
Role
Driver
Date
May 25, 1934
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Coming out of the first turn, Pete Kreis lost control of his car, which smashed into and mounted the outside wall and from there tumbled 15 feet (4 m) before hitting a tree. Kreis, who was thrown from the car, was killed instantly. His riding mechanic Bob Hahn died shortly thereafter.
Bob Hahn
Bob Hahn
Name
Bob Hahn
Role
Riding mechanic
Johnny Hannon
Johnny Hannon
Name
Johnny Hannon
Role
Driver
Date
May 21, 1935
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Johnny Hannon was a rookie driver, making his first practice run. On his first lap at racing speed, he lost control of the car, and went over the turn three wall. He was thrown from the vehicle, which then landed on top of him. Hannon was killed instantly from a fractured skull while his riding mechanic Oscar Reeves was seriously injured. This
Stubby Stubblefield
Stubby Stubblefield
Name
Stubby Stubblefield
Role
Driver
Date
Qualifying
Sanction
Stubby Stubblefield's car rode over the wall in turn two, and flipped over, ejecting both him and his riding mechanic Leo Whitaker. The car ended up upside down and leaning against a fence, largely destroyed. The two racers died on the way to the hospital.
Leo Whitaker
Leo Whitaker
Name
Leo Whitaker
Role
Riding mechanic
Clay Weatherly
Clay Weatherly
Name
Clay Weatherly
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1935
Sanction
Race
Event
Clay Weatherly was driving the same car in which Johnny Hannon had a fatal crash nine days earlier while practicing. Moreover, in a practice run the throttle had stuck, forcing Weatherly to kill the engine to avoid another crash. On lap nine of the race, Weatherly's car crashed into the wall in turn four near Stand H, turned over, and both its oc
Otto Rohde
Otto Rohde
Name
Otto Rohde
Role
Pit attendant
Date
May 28, 1937
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
The Duesenberg driven by Overton Phillips burst into flames when its crankshaft broke and punctured the gas tank. The car spun into the pit area, where it crashed into and set afire a parked Studebaker racer and hit a group of pit attendants, killing George F. Warford, 42, of Indianapolis. Injured were Phillips and his riding mechanic Walter King
George Warford
George Warford
Name
George Warford
Role
Pit attendant
Albert Opalko
Albert Opalko
Name
Albert Opalko
Role
Riding mechanic
Date
Qualifying
Sanction
Having completed four of ten scheduled qualifying laps, Frank McGurk's car plunged through an inner rail, overturned and ejected both McGurk, who was hospitalized in serious condition but survived, and his riding mechanic Albert Opalko, who was killed. The crash was caused by a broken connecting rod. Opalko is the most recent driver to be fatally
Everett Spence
Everett Spence
Name
Everett Spence
Role
Spectator
Date
May 30, 1938
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
When the tire and rim came off a wheel of the Elgin Piston Special driven by Emil Andres, the car was sent spinning, rolled over three times, ejecting the driver, and only came to a stop after penetrating the inner rail. Andres, who had sustained multiple injuries, was hospitalized in serious condition. The tire and rim, while traveling through t
Floyd Roberts
Floyd Roberts
Name
Floyd Roberts
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1939
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Floyd Roberts was on lap 107, when Bob Swanson, who had just started relief driving for Ralph Hepburn, lost control of his car coming out of turn two and went sideways. Roberts's left front wheel came into contact with the right rear of Swanson's car, which ejected its driver before going up in smoke and fire, whi
Lawson Harris
Lawson Harris
Name
Lawson Harris
Role
Riding mechanic
Date
September 20, 1939
Event
Firestone tire test
Session
Testing
Course of events
Babe Stapp was rounding the first turn at approximately 116 mph (187 km/h), when a broken axle or tie-rod incapacitated the right front wheel of his car, which was rendered uncontrollable and crashed into a wall. Stapp's riding mechanic Lawson Harris was thrown to the ground and, having lost his helmet, sustained fatal head injuries. Stapp manage
George Bailey
George Bailey
Name
George Bailey
Role
Driver
Date
May 7, 1940
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
George Bailey lost control of his rear-engined Miller on the second turn. The car struck the outside wall and skidded across the track to the inside apron, set afire by its ruptured gas tank. Bailey, who was tossed out, died of severe burns a little later.
Shorty Cantlon
Shorty Cantlon
Name
Shorty Cantlon
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1947
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
Shorty Cantlon swerved to avoid Bill Holland's car, which had gone onto the inside grass and skidded back across the track. Cantlon's car went into the outside wall nearly head-on, causing him severe chest, leg and internal injuries. He died in the track hospital shortly afterward.
Ralph Hepburn
Ralph Hepburn
Name
Ralph Hepburn
Role
Driver
Date
May 16, 1948
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Ralph Hepburn's Novi became loose and swerved towards the infield entering turn three. Hepburn tried to correct it as he drove over the infield grass, causing the car to turn sharply to the right, and it hit the outside wall head-on at approximately 130 mph (210 km/h). A physician on the scene said Hepburn died instantly from a skull fracture and
George Metzler
George Metzler
Name
George Metzler
Role
Driver
Date
May 28, 1949
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
George Metzler crashed in turn one. He died of a crushed chest and head injuries in Methodist Hospital six days later.
Chet Miller
Chet Miller
Name
Chet Miller
Role
Driver
Date
May 15, 1953
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
After practicing all day, at 3:15 p ., Chet Miller was clocked with a lap of 138 mph (222 km/h) in his Novi Special. Going into turn one, he went too low, and the left-front wheel got into the apron and the car started skidding. The back end came around, and the car crashed into the outside wall nearly head-on in a crash similar to Ralph H
Carl Scarborough
Carl Scarborough
Name
Carl Scarborough
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1953
Sanction
Race
Event
During one of the hottest runnings of the 500, Carl Scarborough died of what was reported as heat prostration a short time after yielding his car to a relief driver on lap 70. According to speedway historian Donald Davidson, when Scarborough pulled into the pits, smoke or a small fire may have broken out on the car, which crews quickly doused with
Manny Ayulo
Manny Ayulo
Name
Manny Ayulo
Role
Driver
Date
May 16, 1955
Sanction
AAA
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Smashing into the concrete wall on the first turn, Manuel Ayulo sustained critical injuries. He died in Methodist Hospital the following day.
Bill Vukovich
Bill Vukovich
Name
Bill Vukovich
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1955
Sanction
Race
Event
Bill Vukovich, the two-time and reigning Indianapolis 500 champion, was leading the race when Rodger Ward broke his axle and spun his car on the backstretch near turn three, and came to a stop in the middle of the track. Behind him were Al Keller and Johnny Boyd. Keller, attempting to avoid Ward, swerved off the course, came back on and T-boned t
Keith Andrews
Keith Andrews
Name
Keith Andrews
Role
Driver
Date
May 15, 1957
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Keith Andrews was hired as a back-up driver to Giuseppe Farina. While negotiating turn four, Andrews got too low and lost control of his car, which skidded 755 feet (230 m) before smashing against the end of the inside retaining wall tail-first. The back end of the car shoved Andrews up against the steering wheel, breaking his neck and killing hi
Pat O'Connor
Pat O'Connor
Name
Pat O'Connor
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1958
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
On the opening lap, a 15-car pileup occurred in turn three. According to A. J. Foyt, Pat O'Connor's car hit that of Jimmy Reece, sailed 50 feet (15 m) in the air, landed upside down, and burst into flames. Although O'Connor was badly burned in the accident, medical officials said that he was probably killed instantly from a fractured skull. Rook
Jerry Unser
Jerry Unser
Name
Jerry Unser
Role
Driver
Date
May 2, 1959
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Coming out of turn four, Jerry Unser Jr. lost control of his car, which spun and hit the outside and inside walls. The fuel tank was punctured and the car caught fire. Unser was taken to the hospital with burns. He died of complications 15 days later. His death led the Speedway to require fireproof uniforms to be worn by all drivers while on th
Bob Cortner
Bob Cortner
Name
Bob Cortner
Role
Driver
Date
May 19, 1959
Sanction
On Monday, May 18, Bob Cortner passed his rookie test. The next day, Cortner took to the track for a practice run. Johnnie Parsons, who observed the accident, reported that the wind was blowing hard and that Cortner got caught in a crosswind. The car slid to the infield before shooting back across the track head-on into the outside wall. Cortne
William Craig
William Craig
Name
William Craig
Role
Spectator
Date
May 30, 1960
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
Two spectators in the infield, Fred H. Linder, 36, of Indianapolis, and William C. Craig, 37, of Zionsville, Indiana, were killed, and as many as 82 were injured, when a homemade scaffolding collapsed. Approximately 125–130 patrons had paid a small fee ($5–$10) to view the race from the 30 feet (9 m) tall scaffolding, erected by a private indivi
Fred Linder
Fred Linder
Name
Fred Linder
Role
Spectator
Tony Bettenhausen
Tony Bettenhausen
Name
Tony Bettenhausen
Role
Driver
Date
May 12, 1961
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Tony Bettenhausen Sr. was testing a Stearly Motor Freight Special for his friend Paul Russo. Down the main stretch, the car smashed into the outside wall of the track and then rolled 325 feet (99 m) along the barrier. The car came to rest entangled in the fence on top of the wall in front of Grandstand A, with the tail of the car on fire. Result
John Masariu
John Masariu
Name
John Masariu
Role
Safety worker
Date
May 30, 1961
Sanction
Race
Event
When Eddie Johnson hit the inside wall in turn four, a fire broke out on his car. A safety fire truck arrived and the flames were put out. Retreating from the scene, the truck driven by John B. Williams accidentally backed over his friend, John F. Masariu, 41, of Danville, Indiana, the principal of Ben Davis Junior High School, who was clearing a
Dave MacDonald
Dave MacDonald
Name
Dave MacDonald
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1964
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
Coming out of turn four on lap two, Dave MacDonald spun and crashed into the inside wall. The car exploded and went back onto the track, into the path of oncoming traffic. Eddie Sachs hit MacDonald's car, and his car caught fire as well. Sachs died instantly from blunt force injuries from the impact, but his body was only slightly burned. MacDo
Eddie Sachs
Eddie Sachs
Name
Eddie Sachs
Role
Driver
Jerry Albright
Jerry Albright
Name
Jerry Albright
Role
Maintenance worker
Date
July 21, 1964
Course of events
Two 17-year-old maintenance workers for the Speedway Golf Course, Jerome U. Albright of Valley Mills, Indiana and James P. Cross of Indianapolis, were fatally struck by lightning while seeking shelter in an outdoor restroom facility.
James Cross
James Cross
Name
James Cross
Role
Maintenance worker
Chuck Rodee
Chuck Rodee
Name
Chuck Rodee
Role
Driver
Date
May 14, 1966
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Qualifying
Course of events
Chuck Rodee spun on his second warm-up lap and his car hit the wall at the exit of turn one backwards. The impact appeared minor but the rigid chassis transferred virtually the entire force of the crash to the driver. Rodee sustained a ruptured aorta and lapsed into a coma. He was pronounced dead after emergency surgery failed to save him.
Mike Spence
Mike Spence
Name
Mike Spence
Role
Driver
Date
May 7, 1968
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Mike Spence joined the Lotus effort as a replacement for Jim Clark, who was killed during the Deutschland Trophäe, a Formula 2 round at Hockenheimring, a month earlier. Driving an STP-backed Lotus 56 "Wedge" turbine machine, Spence lost control in turn one at about 163 mph (262 km/h). He hit the outside wall, and slid along the wall for almost 40
Jim Malloy
Jim Malloy
Name
Jim Malloy
Role
Driver
Date
May 14, 1972
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
On the second day of time trials, Jim Malloy was participating in the morning practice session. At 10:21 a ., he was going down the backstretch into turn three when the car suddenly veered across the track, and hit the outside wall near the exit of turn three with the right-front. The car slid to a stop in the grass near turn four. Malloy, who
Art Pollard
Art Pollard
Name
Art Pollard
Role
Driver
Date
May 12, 1973
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
On pole day, Art Pollard was participating in the morning practice session. At 9:47 a ., after a lap of 192 mph (309 km/h), the car slammed the outside wall entering turn one. It spun towards the grass near the inside of the south short chute. The chassis dug into the grass and flipped upside-down, slid a short distance and then flipped back ov
Swede Savage
Swede Savage
Name
Swede Savage
Role
Driver
Date
May 30, 1973
Sanction
Race
Event
On the 59th lap, Swede Savage lost control as he exited turn four. His car twitched back and forth, and then slid across to the inside of the track at nearly top speed. It hit the angled inside wall nearly head-on. The force of the impact, with the car carrying a full load of fuel, caused it to explode in a plume of flame. The engine and transa
Armando Teran
Armando Teran
Name
Armando Teran
Role
Team member
Date
Armando M. Teran, 23, of Santa Monica, California, was a pit crew member for Graham McRae. Just moments after McRae's teammate Swede Savage had an ultimately fatal crash in turn four, Teran started sprinting up the pit lane. At the same time, a fire truck was signaled to head to the scene. Cleon Reynolds, the chief of the Speedway Fire Departmen
Leroy Elwell
Leroy Elwell
Name
Leroy Elwell
Role
Spectator
Date
May 26, 1974
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Pre-race
Course of events
Seated in Grandstand A, Leroy C. Elwell, 64, of Palm Beach, Florida, died of heart disease before the beginning of the race.
Tim Vail
Tim Vail
Name
Tim Vail
Role
Spectator
Date
May 22, 1980
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Course of events
On Carburetion Day, Timothy S. Vail, 19, of Indianapolis, was driving in the infamous "Snake Pit", the area in the turn one section of the infield where the finishing turns of the road course for cars and the opening turns of the road course for motorcycles are now. He attempted to avoid a large puddle of mud and his vehicle overturned. Vail died
Gordon Smiley
Gordon Smiley
Name
Gordon Smiley
Role
Driver
Date
May 15, 1982
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Qualifying
Course of events
On his second warm-up lap, Gordon Smiley's car began to oversteer while rounding the third turn, causing the car to slightly slide. When Smiley steered right to correct this, the front wheels gained grip suddenly, sending his car directly across the track and into the wall nose first at nearly 200 mph (320 km/h). The impact shattered the March ch
Lyle Kurtenbach
Lyle Kurtenbach
Name
Lyle Kurtenbach
Role
Spectator
Date
May 24, 1987
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Race
Course of events
On lap 130, Tony Bettenhausen Jr. lost a wheel in the third turn. Moments later, Roberto Guerrero hit the tire with his nose cone, launching it into the air. The tire went over the catch fence, and into the top row of the "K" grandstand (where the current North Vista stand is located), striking in the head Lyle G. Kurtenbach, 41, of Rothschild, W
Stephen White
Stephen White
Name
Stephen White
Role
Trespasser
Date
May 29, 1991
Course of events
Three days after the 1991 race, Stephen C. White, 31, of Indianapolis, entered the grounds of the speedway early on Wednesday, May 29. At some point before 7:30 a ., he started driving around the track in a GMC pickup truck. He completed three or four laps, approaching speeds of 100 mph (160 km/h). In an attempt to stop White, Luther Wray, a fo
Jovy Marcelo
Jovy Marcelo
Name
Jovy Marcelo
Role
Driver
Date
May 15, 1992
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Jovy Marcelo's car snapped around at warmup speed and impacted on the right side entering turn one at 172 mph (277 km/h). Marcelo was killed instantly by a basilar skull fracture.
Scott Brayton
Scott Brayton
Name
Scott Brayton
Role
Driver
Date
May 17, 1996
Sanction
USAC
Event
Indianapolis 500
Session
Practice
Course of events
Scott Brayton had won the pole position for the 1996 Indy 500 on Saturday, May 11. At 12:17 p . on Friday, May 17, Brayton, testing a back-up car, did a half-spin in the middle of turn two, the car scrubbing off almost no speed as it spun. Its left side impacted the wall at over 200 mph (320 km/h), and the force was such that Brayton's head also
Tony Renna
Tony Renna
Name
Tony Renna
Role
Driver
Date
October 22, 2003
Sanction
IRL
Event
Firestone tire test
Session
Firestone tire test
Course of events
Tony Renna had just recently signed with Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2004 season. Firestone was conducting an end of season tire test for the 2004 race on October 21–22, 2003. Reigning series champion Scott Dixon completed the first day of testing without incident, and the Ganassi team was changing the car over for Renna in order for him to test
Art Morris
Art Morris
Name
Art Morris
Role
Safety crew member
Date
August 6, 2004
Sanction
NASCAR
Event
Brickyard 400
Course of events
Arthur E. Morris, 64, of Anderson, Indiana, was a 20-year Safety Patrol seasonal employee. In the infield at approximately 7:30 a . on a practice day, he had a heart attack causing him to crash his motor scooter into a concrete wall. Having sustained head and arm injuries, Morris was admitted to Methodist Hospital where he was pronounced dead at
Peter Lenz
Peter Lenz
Name
Peter Lenz
Role
Rider
Date
August 29, 2010
Sanction
AMA/USGPRU
Event
Rev'It Moriwaki MD250H
Session
Race
Course of events
On the warm-up lap of race two of the USGPRU Moriwaki MD250H Powered by Honda championship event, Peter Lenz, 13, lost grip in the front when the motorcycle contacted the curbing at the exit of Turn 4 in the motorcycle layout (the exit of the Snake Pit, which is Turns 1-4 for motorcycles or Turns 12-14 for cars), resulting in a low-side crash. The
| Name | Role | Date | Sanction | Event | Session | Course of events |
| William Bourque | Driver | August 19, 1909 | AAA | Prest-O-Lite Trophy | Race | On the 58th lap of the 250-mile race, William Bourque glanced backwards momentarily when his Knox hit a rut, swerved into a ditch, flipped over and landed against the fence lining the outside of the frontstretch. Bourque was trapped under the car and his riding mechanic Harry Holcomb had struck a post with his head, being killed instantly. Bourqu |
| Harry Holcomb | Riding mechanic | |||||
| Claude Kellum | Riding mechanic | August 21, 1909 | AAA | Wheeler-Schebler Trophy | Race | During the 300-mile race, Claude Kellum first served as the riding mechanic for Johnny Aitken, who was forced to retire with a cracked cylinder head after 40 laps. Kellum then relieved Robert Lyne as the riding mechanic for Charlie Merz. While driving down the frontstretch, Merz's National blew its right front tire, and the car flipped up into th |
| Omar Jolliffe | Spectator | |||||
| James West | Spectator | |||||
| Tom Kincade | Driver | July 6, 1910 | National race car test | Testing | Tommy Kincade went off the embankment at the second turn and was crushed to death by his machine. | |
| Sam Dickson | Riding mechanic | May 30, 1911 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Race | Sam Dickson was the riding mechanic for Arthur Greiner and the first person killed during the Indianapolis 500. On lap twelve, one of the front wheels came off the American Simplex Greiner was driving, causing him to lose control and both men to be thrown from the car. While Greiner escaped with a broken arm, Dickson flew into a fence 20 feet (6. |
| Harry Martin | Driver | June 26, 1913 | Stutz race car test | Testing | After a tire on the car Harry Martin was driving had blown out, the car skidded into the outside wall, bounced back, overturned and rolled down the first turn, pinning Martin and his riding mechanic Frank Agan under the wreckage. Martin was killed instantly, Agan survived serious injuries. | |
| Albert Johnson | Driver | October 4, 1915 | Packard race car test | Testing | A tire failure caused the car Albert Johnson was driving to roll over several times. He died on the operating table early the next morning. Johnson's riding mechanic Ross Robinson was injured. | |
| Arthur Thurman | Driver | May 31, 1919 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Race | The Thurman Special driven by Arthur Thurman turned over on lap 45. While Thurman was killed, his riding mechanic Nicholas Molinaro survived critical injuries. |
| Louis LeCocq | Driver | Louis LeCocq's Roamer Special turned over on lap 96, causing the fuel tank to explode, and burst into flames. LeCocq was killed along with his riding mechanic Robert Bandini. | ||||
| Robert Bandini | Riding mechanic | |||||
| Bert Shoup | Spectator | May 30, 1923 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Race | On lap 22, Tom Alley, who was relief driving for Earl Cooper, wrecked on the backstretch, going through the wall, and killed 15-year-old spectator Bert S. Shoup of Lafayette, Indiana. Alley and two other spectators were injured. |
| Herbert Jones | Driver | May 27, 1926 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Qualifying | After making contact with the turn four retaining wall, Herbert Jones's car shot across the track to the inside, tumbled and came to a stop upside down with Jones trapped inside. He sustained a fractured skull, and died the following day. |
| Bill Spence | Driver | May 30, 1929 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Race | Bill Spence's Duesenberg turned over in turn two on lap ten, throwing him from the car when it hit the wall. He died of a fractured skull en route to the hospital. |
| Paul Marshall | Riding mechanic | May 30, 1930 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Race | Paul Marshall was serving as the riding mechanic for his brother Cy Marshall when their car crashed in turn three on lap 29. Cy Marshall was seriously injured, but survived while Paul Marshall was killed. |
| Joe Caccia | Driver | May 26, 1931 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | Entering turn two, Joe Caccia lost control of his car, crashed through the outside wall, and hurtled 100 feet (30 m) down the embankment, crashing into a tree. Both Caccia and his riding mechanic Clarence Grove were thrown from the car, which burst into flames, enveloping both, and struck the racers when landing. They died at the scene. |
| Clarence Grove | Riding mechanic | |||||
| Wilbur Brink | Bystander | May 30, 1931 | Race | On lap 162, Billy Arnold, the defending Indianapolis 500 winner, while leading, broke his rear axle as he negotiated the fourth turn. He lost control of his car and tumbled over the fourth turn wall. In the process, the rear tire from the broken axle was sent sailing into the air and out of the track. The tire bounced over the fence of the speed | ||
| Harry Cox | Riding mechanic | May 25, 1932 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Qualifying | Warming up his racer, in which Joe Caccia and Clarence Grove had died the year before, Bennie Benefiel crashed in turn one and went over the outside wall. The car fell 18 feet (5 m) to the ground and crashed into trees. Benefiel was seriously injured and his riding mechanic Harry Cox was killed. |
| Milton Jones | Driver | May 27, 1932 | Practice | Going into turn three, the car Jones was driving spun, and hit the outside wall backwards. It flipped up into the concrete wall, and rolled over several times. Both Jones and his riding mechanic Harold Gray were thrown from the car. Jones died in the hospital about six hours after the crash, while Gray survived, having sustained a broken arm and | ||
| Bill Denver | Driver | May 28, 1933 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Qualifying | Bill Denver and his riding mechanic Bob Hurst were killed on a warm-up lap in preparation for a qualifying run. |
| Bob Hurst | Riding mechanic | |||||
| Mark Billman | Driver | May 30, 1933 | Race | On the 79th lap, Mark Billman in the Kemp-Mannix Special skidded on the second turn, hit the outside wall and finally came to rest with the car astride the wall. He was pinned between the left front wheel and the wall and it took 20 minutes to extricate him. His left arm was torn off, both legs were broken and he was internally injured. In spite | ||
| Lester Spangler | Driver | Les Spangler and his riding mechanic "Monk" Jordan died in a crash on the 132nd lap. The car of Malcolm Fox spun coming out of turn one, and was rolling slowly towards the top of the track. Spangler tried to get by on the outside, but ran out of room and plowed into Fox's car head-on at over 100 mph (160 km/h). Spangler's car rolled over while s | ||||
| G. L. Jordan | Riding mechanic | |||||
| Pete Kreis | Driver | May 25, 1934 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | Coming out of the first turn, Pete Kreis lost control of his car, which smashed into and mounted the outside wall and from there tumbled 15 feet (4 m) before hitting a tree. Kreis, who was thrown from the car, was killed instantly. His riding mechanic Bob Hahn died shortly thereafter. |
| Bob Hahn | Riding mechanic | |||||
| Johnny Hannon | Driver | May 21, 1935 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | Johnny Hannon was a rookie driver, making his first practice run. On his first lap at racing speed, he lost control of the car, and went over the turn three wall. He was thrown from the vehicle, which then landed on top of him. Hannon was killed instantly from a fractured skull while his riding mechanic Oscar Reeves was seriously injured. This |
| Stubby Stubblefield | Driver | Qualifying | Stubby Stubblefield's car rode over the wall in turn two, and flipped over, ejecting both him and his riding mechanic Leo Whitaker. The car ended up upside down and leaning against a fence, largely destroyed. The two racers died on the way to the hospital. | |||
| Leo Whitaker | Riding mechanic | |||||
| Clay Weatherly | Driver | May 30, 1935 | Race | Clay Weatherly was driving the same car in which Johnny Hannon had a fatal crash nine days earlier while practicing. Moreover, in a practice run the throttle had stuck, forcing Weatherly to kill the engine to avoid another crash. On lap nine of the race, Weatherly's car crashed into the wall in turn four near Stand H, turned over, and both its oc | ||
| Otto Rohde | Pit attendant | May 28, 1937 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | The Duesenberg driven by Overton Phillips burst into flames when its crankshaft broke and punctured the gas tank. The car spun into the pit area, where it crashed into and set afire a parked Studebaker racer and hit a group of pit attendants, killing George F. Warford, 42, of Indianapolis. Injured were Phillips and his riding mechanic Walter King |
| George Warford | Pit attendant | |||||
| Albert Opalko | Riding mechanic | Qualifying | Having completed four of ten scheduled qualifying laps, Frank McGurk's car plunged through an inner rail, overturned and ejected both McGurk, who was hospitalized in serious condition but survived, and his riding mechanic Albert Opalko, who was killed. The crash was caused by a broken connecting rod. Opalko is the most recent driver to be fatally | |||
| Everett Spence | Spectator | May 30, 1938 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Race | When the tire and rim came off a wheel of the Elgin Piston Special driven by Emil Andres, the car was sent spinning, rolled over three times, ejecting the driver, and only came to a stop after penetrating the inner rail. Andres, who had sustained multiple injuries, was hospitalized in serious condition. The tire and rim, while traveling through t |
| Floyd Roberts | Driver | May 30, 1939 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Race | Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Floyd Roberts was on lap 107, when Bob Swanson, who had just started relief driving for Ralph Hepburn, lost control of his car coming out of turn two and went sideways. Roberts's left front wheel came into contact with the right rear of Swanson's car, which ejected its driver before going up in smoke and fire, whi |
| Lawson Harris | Riding mechanic | September 20, 1939 | Firestone tire test | Testing | Babe Stapp was rounding the first turn at approximately 116 mph (187 km/h), when a broken axle or tie-rod incapacitated the right front wheel of his car, which was rendered uncontrollable and crashed into a wall. Stapp's riding mechanic Lawson Harris was thrown to the ground and, having lost his helmet, sustained fatal head injuries. Stapp manage | |
| George Bailey | Driver | May 7, 1940 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | George Bailey lost control of his rear-engined Miller on the second turn. The car struck the outside wall and skidded across the track to the inside apron, set afire by its ruptured gas tank. Bailey, who was tossed out, died of severe burns a little later. |
| Shorty Cantlon | Driver | May 30, 1947 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Race | Shorty Cantlon swerved to avoid Bill Holland's car, which had gone onto the inside grass and skidded back across the track. Cantlon's car went into the outside wall nearly head-on, causing him severe chest, leg and internal injuries. He died in the track hospital shortly afterward. |
| Ralph Hepburn | Driver | May 16, 1948 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | Ralph Hepburn's Novi became loose and swerved towards the infield entering turn three. Hepburn tried to correct it as he drove over the infield grass, causing the car to turn sharply to the right, and it hit the outside wall head-on at approximately 130 mph (210 km/h). A physician on the scene said Hepburn died instantly from a skull fracture and |
| George Metzler | Driver | May 28, 1949 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | George Metzler crashed in turn one. He died of a crushed chest and head injuries in Methodist Hospital six days later. |
| Chet Miller | Driver | May 15, 1953 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | After practicing all day, at 3:15 p ., Chet Miller was clocked with a lap of 138 mph (222 km/h) in his Novi Special. Going into turn one, he went too low, and the left-front wheel got into the apron and the car started skidding. The back end came around, and the car crashed into the outside wall nearly head-on in a crash similar to Ralph H |
| Carl Scarborough | Driver | May 30, 1953 | Race | During one of the hottest runnings of the 500, Carl Scarborough died of what was reported as heat prostration a short time after yielding his car to a relief driver on lap 70. According to speedway historian Donald Davidson, when Scarborough pulled into the pits, smoke or a small fire may have broken out on the car, which crews quickly doused with | ||
| Manny Ayulo | Driver | May 16, 1955 | AAA | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | Smashing into the concrete wall on the first turn, Manuel Ayulo sustained critical injuries. He died in Methodist Hospital the following day. |
| Bill Vukovich | Driver | May 30, 1955 | Race | Bill Vukovich, the two-time and reigning Indianapolis 500 champion, was leading the race when Rodger Ward broke his axle and spun his car on the backstretch near turn three, and came to a stop in the middle of the track. Behind him were Al Keller and Johnny Boyd. Keller, attempting to avoid Ward, swerved off the course, came back on and T-boned t | ||
| Keith Andrews | Driver | May 15, 1957 | USAC | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | Keith Andrews was hired as a back-up driver to Giuseppe Farina. While negotiating turn four, Andrews got too low and lost control of his car, which skidded 755 feet (230 m) before smashing against the end of the inside retaining wall tail-first. The back end of the car shoved Andrews up against the steering wheel, breaking his neck and killing hi |
| Pat O'Connor | Driver | May 30, 1958 | USAC | Indianapolis 500 | Race | On the opening lap, a 15-car pileup occurred in turn three. According to A. J. Foyt, Pat O'Connor's car hit that of Jimmy Reece, sailed 50 feet (15 m) in the air, landed upside down, and burst into flames. Although O'Connor was badly burned in the accident, medical officials said that he was probably killed instantly from a fractured skull. Rook |
| Jerry Unser | Driver | May 2, 1959 | USAC | Indianapolis 500 | Practice | Coming out of turn four, Jerry Unser Jr. lost control of his car, which spun and hit the outside and inside walls. The fuel tank was punctured and the car caught fire. Unser was taken to the hospital with burns. He died of complications 15 days later. His death led the Speedway to require fireproof uniforms to be worn by all drivers while on th |
References
- The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, June 15, 2005
- WRTV Indianapolishttps://www.wrtv.com/sports/indycar/road-to-100/road-to-100-1926
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/56386195/
- The Evening Sentinelhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4cxUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-zsNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2054%2C4452818
- The San Francisco Callhttps://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SFC19100707.2.98
- The New York Timeshttps://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1911/05/31/104826117.pdf
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/3433797/
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.newspapers.com/newspage/105734605/
- The Indianapolis Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/3433820/
- The New York Timeshttps://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1919/06/01/97089594.pdf
- First Super Speedwayhttps://www.firstsuperspeedway.com/photo-gallery/howdy-wilcox-1919-indianapolis-500
- The Ottawa Evening Citizenhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bGAtAAAAIBAJ&sjid=adkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6699%2C6922107
- Lewiston Evening Journalhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wmggAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z2YFAAAAIBAJ&pg=872%2C4355922
- The Evening Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/3430439/
- The Indianapolis Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/65863069/
- St. Petersburg Timeshttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZgBPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=yk0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5884%2C2774717
- Nashua Telegraphhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Sh9AAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hqQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1853%2C4003497
- The Reading Eaglehttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eckxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Y-IFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3369%2C5858647
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/30275341/
- The Indianapolis Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/2302384/