1962 Indianapolis 500

The 46th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Wednesday, May 30, 1962.

46th Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning bodyUSAC
Season1962 USAC season
DateMay 30, 1962
WinnerRodger Ward
Winning teamLeader Cards
Average speed140.293 mph (225.780 km/h)
Pole positionParnelli Jones
Pole speed150.370 mph (241.997 km/h)
Fastest qualifierParnelli Jones
Rookie of the YearJim McElreath
Most laps ledParnelli Jones (120)
Pre-race ceremonies
National anthemPurdue Band
"Back Home Again in Indiana"C. David Cochard
Starting CommandTony Hulman
Pace carStudebaker Lark Daytona Convertible
Pace car driverSam Hanks
StarterPat Vidan[1]
Honorary refereeRobert A. Stranahan, Jr.[1]
Estimated attendance230,000[2]
TV in the United States
NetworkN/A
AnnouncersN/A
Nielsen RatingsN/A / N/A
Chronology
Previous Next
1961 1963

A historic pole day as Parnelli Jones breaks the 150 mph (240 km/h) barrier in qualifying. Rodger Ward and Len Sutton finish 1st-2nd for Leader Cards Racing.

The 1962 Indy 500 marked the final 500 wherein the entire 33-car field consisted of U.S.-born participants. It was also the first race held with the track surface paved entirely in asphalt, with just the ceremonial single yard of bricks exposed at the start/finish line.

Time trials

Time trials was scheduled for four days.

  • Saturday May 12 – Pole Day time trials
    • Len Sutton was the first driver to make an assault on the track record. His fourth lap of 149.900 mph was a new one-lap track record.
    • Parnelli Jones becomes the first driver to break the 150 mph barrier. His first lap was run at 150.729 mph, a new all-time one-lap track record. All four of his laps were over 150 mph, and his four-lap average came in at 150.370 mph. Jones was rewarded by having 150 silver dollars poured into his helmet by Phil Hedback of Bryant Heating & Cooling.[3]
  • Sunday May 13 – Second day time trials
    • The 13th proved to be an unlucky day for Norm Hall, whose previous crash in car #25 left him unscathed, but today, he looped out the #41 Forbes Special on the Southwest Turn, hit the wall backwards and was severely injured, including a fractured left leg and possible skull fracture. Jim Rathmann and Troy Ruttman both were flagged off by their crews after they failed to get sufficent speed to qualify. Eddie Sachs could not reach an acceptable speed and a new engine has been ordered for his Dean-Autolite Special machine. Dan Gurney left for Holland to compete in the Holland Grand Prix. Qualifiers this day were Eddie Johnson #32 at 146.592 and Bob Veith #96 at 146.157.
  • Saturday May 19 – Third day time trials
  • Sunday May 20 – Fourth day time trials

Race recap

First half

Parnelli Jones took the lead at the start, and led the first 59 laps. The first incident on the track occurred on lap 17. A four-car crash in turn four involved Jack Turner, Bob Christie, Allen Crowe, and Chuck Rodee. A lengthy yellow light period was needed to clean up the incident.

Second half

Rodger Ward led the final 31 laps en route to victory. It was his second 500 win, after winning also in 1959. His Leader Cards teammate Len Sutton finished second, accomplishing the first team "sweep" of 1st-2nd since the Blue Crown team did it in 1947 and 1948.

After dominating much of the early race, Parnelli Jones, who started on the pole and led 120 laps, finished 7th. Jones chances for victory faded around the lap 125 mark when he lost his brakes. Unable to easily bring his car to a halt during pit stops, his crew put out tires so he could bump up against them or ride over them in order to help stop the car.

Box score
Finish Start No Name Qual Rank Laps Led Status
1 2 3 Rodger Ward  W  149.371 2 200 66 Running
2 4 7 Len Sutton 149.328 4 200 9 Running
3 27 2 Eddie Sachs 146.431 27 200 0 Running
4 12 27 Don Davis 147.209 12 200 0 Running
5 3 54 Bobby Marshman 149.347 3 200 0 Running
6 7 15 Jim McElreath  R  149.025 7 200 0 Running
7 1 98 Parnelli Jones 150.370 1 200 120 Running
8 24 12 Lloyd Ruby 146.520 24 200 0 Running
9 23 44 Jim Rathmann  W  146.610 21 200 0 Running
10 28 38 Johnny Boyd 147.047 14 200 0 Running
11 6 4 Shorty Templeman 149.050 6 200 0 Running
12 11 14 Don Branson 147.312 11 200 0 Running
13 29 91 Jim Hurtubise 146.963 17 200 0 Running
14 32 86 Ebb Rose 146.336 30 200 0 Running
15 10 5 Bud Tingelstad 147.753 10 200 0 Running
16 9 17 Roger McCluskey 147.759 9 168 3 Spun T2
17 17 21 Elmer George
(Relieved by Paul Russo; 74 laps)
(Relieved by A. J. Foyt; 21 laps)		 146.092 33 146 0 Engine
18 30 26 Troy Ruttman  W  146.765 19 140 0 Piston
19 15 18 Bobby Grim 146.604 22 96 0 Oil Leak
20 8 34 Dan Gurney  R  147.886 8 92 0 Rear End
21 16 19 Chuck Hulse  R  146.377 28 91 0 Fuel Pump
22 33 79 Jimmy Daywalt 146.318 31 74 0 Transmission
23 5 1 A. J. Foyt  W  149.074 5 69 2 Lost wheel
24 13 9 Dick Rathmann 147.161 13 51 0 Magneto
25 18 32 Eddie Johnson 146.592 23 38 0 Magneto
26 26 53 Paul Goldsmith 146.437 26 26 0 Magneto
27 20 88 Gene Hartley
(Relieved by Bill Cheesbourg; 21 laps)		 146.969 15 23 0 Steering
28 14 62 Paul Russo 146.687 20 20 0 Piston
29 25 45 Jack Turner 146.496 25 17 0 Crash FS
30 31 29 Bob Christie 146.341 29 17 0 Crash FS
31 22 83 Allen Crowe  R  146.831 18 17 0 Crash FS
32 21 67 Chuck Rodee  R  146.969 16 17 0 Crash FS
33 19 96 Bob Veith 146.157 32 12 0 Engine

Alternates

Failed to qualify

Race statistics

Broadcasting

Radio

The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network. Sid Collins served as chief announcer. Fred Agabashian served as "driver expert." Newcomer Howdy Bell joined the crew, serving as a turn reporter. It was his first of over 40 years with the network. Turn reporter Mike Ahern, who debuted on the radio crew a year earlier, missed the 1962 race due to being in the Army.[7] He would return in 1963.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network
Booth AnnouncersTurn ReportersPit/garage reporters

Chief Announcer: Sid Collins
Driver expert: Fred Agabashian
Statistician: Charlie Brockman

Turn 1: Bill Frosh
Turn 2: Howdy Bell
Backstretch: Bernie Herman
Turn 3: Lou Palmer
Turn 4: Jim Shelton

 Jack Shapiro (north)
Luke Walton (center)
John Peterson (south)


Television

A few minutes of highlights were shown on ABC's "Wide World Of Sports".

  • 1962 winning car (Ward)
  • 1962 pole position winning car (Jones)

Notes

References
  1. Fox, Jack C. (1994). The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 (4th ed.). Carl Hungness Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 0-915088-05-3.
  2. Campbell, Don G. (May 31, 1962). "500 Crowd is Star Of Own Show". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 2, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 19, 2006. Network Indiana.
  4. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
  5. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. May 8, 2011. WFNI.
  6. "1962 International 500 Mile Sweepstakes". ChampCarStats.com. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  7. The Talk of Gasoline Alley. September 6, 2018. WFNI.

Works cited
1961 Indianapolis 500
A. J. Foyt		 1962 Indianapolis 500
Rodger Ward		 1963 Indianapolis 500
Parnelli Jones
Preceded by
139.130 mph
(1961 Indianapolis 500)		 Record for the fastest average speed
140.293 mph		 Succeeded by
143.137 mph
(1963 Indianapolis 500)
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