1954 – Vukovich Grabs ‘500’ Gold and Glory

 

Bill Vukovich is greeted in victory lane after winning his second Indianapolis 500.

Indianapolis, Ind. (May 31, 1954) – Without taking any credit from a great driver in Bill Vukovich’s second straight 500-mile victory on Monday, the cold statistics show that his pit crew deserves a big chunk of the cash when the purse is distributed later.

Jack McGrath, who holds the Indianapolis Motor Speedway qualifying record, set out to run off from the field, much like Vukovich did last year, screaming around the 2.5-mile track at over 140 miles per hour.

But Vukovich won and McGrath finished third behind hard-driving Jimmy Bryan.

Vukovich, of Fresno, Calif., finished a minute ahead of Bryan at the checkered and almost a minute and a half ahead of McGrath.

Vukovich had made two pit stops for fuel and tires and his crew got him back on the track with a total loss of 1 minute and 42 seconds. Bryan had to make three pit stops which totaled 2 minutes and 4 seconds. McGrath stopped three times for a total of 3 minutes and 39 seconds, including once when his engine stalled.

The short, dark, and untalkative Vukovich pushed his fuel injector special to a new record of 130.840 miles per hour.

McGrath, another Californian from Pasadena, had a phenomenal average speed of 139.869 miles per hour for the first 50 miles and Bryan was hardly a car length behind him the entire time. McGrath later reported he was forced to slow his pace because of magneto issues.

Vukovich got ahead of Bryan during one of the latter’s pit stops and stayed in front until the end.

Jimmy Daywalt, later involved in a spectacular accident, led eight laps; McGrath 53; Bryan 45; Sam Hanks of Burbank, Calif., one; and Art Cross of LaPorte, Ind., last year’s runner-up to Vukovich, two.

The fourth-place finisher was Troy Ruttman of Salem, Ind., and Mike Nazaruk of North Bellmore, N.Y., was fifth.

Jimmy Bryan drove the last 70 miles with broke shock absorbers and the vibration left him sick and exhausted. Hovering near unconsciousness for about five minutes at the end, he finally summoned enough strength to quip.

“You know, this is harder than working for a living,” Bryan said afterwards.


Results –

1. Bill Vukovich
2. Jimmy Bryan
3. Jack McGrath
4. Troy Ruttman
5. Mike Nazaruk
6. Fred Agabashian
7. Don Freeland
8. Paul Russo
9. Larry Crockett
10.Cal Niday
11.Art Cross
12.Chuck Stevenson
13.Manny Ayulo
14.Bob Sweikert
15.Duane Carter
16.Ernie McCoy
17.Jimmy Reese
18.Ed Elisian
19.Frank Armi
20.Sam Hanks
21.Pat O’Conner
22.Rodger Ward
23.Gene Hartley
24.Johnny Thomson
25.Andy Linden
26.Jerry Hoyt
27.Jimmy Daywalt
28.Jim Rathmann
29.Tony Bettenhausen
30.Spider Webb
31.Len Duncan
32.Johnnie Parson
33.Bill Homeier

The iconic photo of an exhausted Bill Vukovich sitting on the work bench of his garage after his 500-mile victory.