The 32nd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1948.
For the second year in a row, the Blue Crown Spark Plug teammates Mauri Rose and Bill Holland finished 1st-2nd. Rose became the second driver to win the Indianapolis 500 in consecutive years. Unlike the previous year's race, no controversy surrounds the results. Coupled with his co-victory in 1941, Rose became the third three-time winner at Indy.
Fourth place finisher Ted Horn completed a noteworthy record of nine consecutive races from 1936 to 1948 completing 1,799 out of a possible 1,800 laps. His nine consecutive finishes of 4th or better (however, with no victories) is the best such streak in Indy history. The only lap he missed in 1940 was due to being flagged for a rain shower.
Duke Nalon's third-place finish would be the best-ever result for the popular Novi engine.The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 20, 2007
Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 15 Rex Mays2 Bill Holland3 Mauri Rose 261 Jimmy Jackson1 Ted Horn74 Doc Williams 336 Bill Cantrell 98 Johnny Mantz 34 Les Anderson 455 Joie Chitwood54 Duke Nalon4 Charles Van Acker 552 Jack McGrath 63 Hal Cole76 Sam Hanks 68 Emil Andres9 George Connor64 Hal Robson 731 Chet Miller19 Billy Devore35 Mack Hellings 86 Tony Bettenhausen7 Tommy Hinnershitz53 Bill Sheffler 925 Paul Russo65 Harry McQuinn33 Johnny Mauro 1091 Lee Wallard 16 Duane Carter 51 Spider Webb 1186 Mike Salay 26 Fred Agabashian17 Mel Hansen
Alternates First alternate: Johnny Shackleford (#48)The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
Failed to Qualify
Walt Ader (#15, #45) Manny Ayulo (#88) Henry Banks (#38) Cliff Bergere (#12, #85) Walt Brown (#69) Jim Brubaker (#14) Red Byron (#43) Bob Droeger (#44) Louis Durant (#29) Milt Fankhouser (#23) Myron Fohr (#32) Ken Fowler (#41) Roland Free (#73) Andy Granatelli (#39, #59) Art Hartsfeld (#27) Ralph Hepburn (#12) - Fatal accident Jackie Holmes (#24, #93) Ronney Householder (#68) George Lynch (#56) George Metzler (#47) Al Miller (#66) Cowboy O'Rourke (#45) Johnnie Parsons (#39) Joe Perkins (#62) Ralph Pratt (#87) Charlie Rogers (#89) Pete Romcevich (#49) Loral Tansy (#71) Joel Thorne (#57) Louis Tomei (#10) Eddie Zalucki (#21)
Box score FinishStartNoNameChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus133 Mauri Rose DiedtOffenhauser129.1294200 119.814 mph222 Bill HollandDiedtOffenhauser129.5153200 +1:23.7731154 Duke NalonKurtis KraftNovi131.6031200 +3:46.45451 Ted HornMaseratiMaserati126.5659200 +4:07.1452135 Mack Hellings Kurtis KraftOffenhauser127.9686200 +14:15.1961463 Hal ColeKurtis KraftOffenhauser124.39118200 +18:27.5372891 Lee Wallard MeyerOffenhauser128.4205200 +24:23.6782733 Johnny Mauro (Louis Durant Laps 112–140)Alfa RomeoAlfa Romeo121.79033198Flagged9237 Tommy HinnershitzKurtis KraftOffenhauser125.12214198Flagged10461 Jimmy JacksonDiedtOffenhauser127.5107193Spindle11124 Charles Van AckerStevensOffenhauser125.44013192Flagged122019 Billy DevoreKurtis KraftOffenhauser123.96721190Flagged13898 Johnny Mantz Kurtis KraftOffenhauser122.79127185Flagged14226 Tony BettenhausenStevensOffenhauser126.39610167Clutch151864 Hal RobsonAdamsOffenhauser122.79626164Valve16736 Bill Cantrell StevensFageol123.73322161Steering171055 Joie Chitwood(Paul Russo Laps 54–74)(Johnny Shackleford laps 106–136)ShawOffenhauser124.61915138Fuel leak182453 Bill ShefflerBrommeOffenhauser124.52917132Spark plugs1915 Rex MaysKurtis KraftWinfield130.5772129Fuel leak201931 Chet Miller(Ken Fowler laps 30–50)(Louis Tomei laps 51–108)Mercedes-Benz W154Mercedes127.2498108Oil trouble211352 Jack McGrath BrommeOffenhauser124.5801670Stalled222916 Duane Carter WetterothOffenhauser126.0151159Lost wheel233226 Fred AgabashianKurtis KraftDuray122.7372858Oil line24934 Les AndersonKurtis KraftOffenhauser122.3373058Gears253317 Mel HansenAdamsSparks122.1173242Too slow261576 Sam HanksAdamsSparks124.2661934Clutch273051 Spider Webb BrommeOffenhauser125.5451227Oil line28179 George ConnorStevensOffenhauser123.0182524Drive shaft29674 Doc WilliamsCooperOffenhauser124.1512019Clutch303186 Mike Salay WetterothOffenhauser123.3932413Stalled31168 Emil AndresKurtis KraftOffenhauser123.5502311Steering322525 Paul RussoMaseratiMaserati122.595297Oil leak332665 Harry McQuinnMaseratiMaserati122.154311Supercharger
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
Race statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–17 Rex Mays18–72 Ted Horn73–91 Rex Mays92–100 Duke Nalon101–123 Mauri Rose124–142 Ted Horn143–200 Mauri Rose
Total laps led Driver LapsMauri Rose 81Ted Horn 74Rex Mays 36Duke Nalon 9
Yellow Lights: 10 minutes, 40 seconds Laps* Reason60–69 Duane Carter lost wheel in turn 2, spun on backstretch* – Approximate lap counts
Broadcasting Radio The race was carried live on the Mutual Broadcasting System, the precursor to the IMS Radio Network. The broadcast was sponsored by Perfect Circle Piston Rings and Bill Slater served as the anchor. The broadcast feature live coverage of the start, the finish, and live updates throughout the race.
Sid Collins, from WIBC, joined the crew for the first time, serving as a turn reporter at the south end of the track.
Gallery
See also 1948 AAA Championship Car season
Notes Works cited
References