Indianapolis 500 Speedway Race 1941 Web Site from Martha's Vineyard Island WebSite Updated Feb,29,2005 Site by Don Macdonald I recently came across a photo album of the 1941 Indy 500 race. Many of the photo's were not sharp  but a little extra time in photoshop helped them quite a bit. Some are not very good at all but I will present them as a matter of historical interest. Many of the news paper articles will not print well for the web so I will present the text in edited format so you will have a good grasp of the total event. NO 16 FLOYDE DAVIS Car:  noc-Out Hose Clamp Special; Motor Offenhauser.  At age 30 from Springfield Il. He competed in 1937, but did not finish, his car cracking into the wall on the back  stretch when he was in 20 miles of the finish. Did not qualify in 1938. In 1939 out at 107 miles with clutch trouble and last year was flagged down when Shaw won. Qualified this year at 121.106. Occupation general  contractor. NO 3 MAURI ROSE Car: Elgin Piston Pin Special; Motor Maserati. Age: 35 Home: Columbus, Ohio. Started Indy in1933, forced out at 125 miles, In 1934 finished 2nd; In 1935 out at 257 miles; In 1936  finished fourth: In 1937 out at 375 miles;in 1938 out at 412 miles; In 1939 finished eighth; Last year came in third. Qualified this year at 128.691 for pole position. Occupation at Allison Engineering Co. Mario  Rose was the 100-mile leader, went out of the race on the 61st lap in car 3 and shortly re entered as Floyde Davis' relief  REX MAYS  NO 1 Car: Bowes Seal Fast Special; Motor Lou Meyer; Age 28; Home is Glendale, California. Pacfic Coast Racing Champion in 1934 and 1935. Champion driver of 1940. Raced Indy first in 1934, forced out at 132 miles, in 1935 out at 307 miles. In 1936 out at 480 miles; In 1937 out at 60 miles; in 1938 out at 1120 miles; in 1939 out at 362 miles with engine trouble. Finished second last year. Qualified this year at 128.301. Occupation; owns and races miget racers. TED HORN: No 4  Car: Thorn Special; Motor, Sparks. Finished Third;  Age 31 from Hawthorn, NJ. Started as a dirt track racer in 1927. Appeared at Indy first in 1935 being forced out of competition at 360 miles. Finished second in 1936; third in 1937; and fourth in 1938 and 1939. Last year he finished fourth. Qualified this year at 124.297. Occupation is racing RALPH HEPBURN  NO 54  4th Place: Car; Bowes Seal Fast Special; motor Offenhauser. Age 35 from VanNuys Ca. Came to Indy first in 1925, forced out at 365 miles; in 1926 was 8th; in 1927 out after a spin at 200 miles; in 1928 out at 120 miles; in 1929 at 39 miles, did not compete in 1930; in 1931 third;; in 1932 did not compete; in 1933 out at 82 miles; in 1934 out at 402 miles; in 1935 placed fifth; in 1936 out at 490 miles; in 1937 second; 2.16 seconds behind Wilber Shaw; in 1938 did not qualify; in 1939, his car being driven by Bob Swanson was wrecked in the crash that killed Floyd Roberts; last year was forced out at 116 miles with brake trouble; qualified this year at 120.653. Works as an oil co executive. Hepburn's brand new racer A V8 edition of May's Car The majority of cars in this  years Five Hundred Field have seen a season or more of competition and tried on dirt tracks as well as the Indianapolis bricks. Ralph's car is the creation of Bud Winfield, the mechanical master mind for the Bowes Seal-Fast racing team. Brand new the car has been cast from the same pattern as the one his team mate, Rex Mays, will drive except that it is set up as a V8 motor instead of the Mays' straight- in -line eight cylinder motor. The car also boasts a new gadget: a sort of radiator atop the motor. Air flowing through it cools the gas of the super-charger and permits greater intake. Hep is one of the grand old veterans of racing at the age of 45. He has been coming to Indianapolis since 1923. This year he has one of the fastest cars on the track. Cliff Berg'ere the movie stunt ace has come back to Indianapolis for his 14th effort to win the the 500 mile race is riding an improved mount this year. Cliff is one of the few driver/owners in the game. His car  is the same job in whch Floyd Roberts set the 500 mile record of 117.200 mph in 1938. He will drive the same car this year with several important changes. Moore worked all winter to recondition it with a larger tank  for more high power fuel, improved wheels for better handling and a non collapsible oil line. Although he is one of the top drivers today, he was such a poor dirt track driver 18 years ago it led to his becoming a  stunt man. CLIFF BERG'ERE Fifth Place: Car: Noc Out Hose Clamp Special; motor, Offenhauser; Age 44 from Hollwood, Calif; races at Ascot Speedway in Los Angeles in 1923, 1924 and 1925. Came to Indy in 1927  finishing ninth. In 1928 forced out after 15 miles with a broken timing gear; in 1929 finished ninth; in 1930 did not compete; in 1931 finished ninth; in 1932 finished third; 1933 finished 11th; 1934 seventh; 1935,  ran out of gas at 494 miles; 1936 out at 250 miles, then drove relief; 1937, fifth; 1938 out at 385 miles with a broken connecting rod, thewn drove relief finishing 6th. The photographs on this web site are the property of Don Macdonald and may not be reproduced with out written permission A Martha's Vineyard Web Site developed by Classic Car Collectors Return to Classic Car Collector Web Site