Indianapolis 500
1959 Indianapolis 500
Podium
RATWatson
2
WARWatson
1
THOLesovsky
3
Key facts
WinnerWAR3:40:49.200 from P6
PoleTHO4:06.730
Fastest lapTHO1:01.890 on lap 64
Finishers33 / 33classified
Race result
| Pos | Driver | Team | Grid | +/- | Laps | Time / gap | Pts | Fastest lap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WARRodger Ward | Watson | 6 | ▲5 | 200 | 3:40:49.200 | 8 | – |
| 2 | RATJim Rathmann | Watson | 3 | ▲1 | 200 | +23.277s | 6 | – |
| 3 | THOJohnny Thomson | Lesovsky | 1 | ▼2 | 200 | +50.640s | 5 | 1:01.890 |
| 4 | BETTony Bettenhausen | Epperly | 15 | ▲11 | 200 | +107.090s | 3 | – |
| 5 | GOLPaul Goldsmith | Epperly | 16 | ▲11 | 200 | +126.439s | 2 | – |
| 6 | BOYJohnny Boyd | Epperly | 11 | ▲5 | 200 | +196.979s | – | |
| 7 | CARDuane Carter | Kurtis Kraft | 12 | ▲5 | 200 | +249.920s | – | |
| 8 | JOHEddie Johnson | Kurtis Kraft | 8 | – | 200 | +250.530s | – | |
| 9 | RUSPaul Russo | Kurtis Kraft | 27 | ▲18 | 200 | +251.040s | – | |
| 10 | FOYAnthony Joseph Foyt | Kuzma | 17 | ▲7 | 200 | +254.479s | – | |
| 11 | HARGene Hartley | Kuzma | 9 | ▼2 | 200 | +342.479s | – | |
| 12 | VEIBob Veith | Moore | 7 | ▼5 | 200 | +369.729s | – | |
| 13 | HERAl Herman | Dunn | 23 | ▲10 | 200 | +400.399s | – | |
| 14 | DAYJimmy Daywalt | Kurtis Kraft | 13 | ▼1 | 200 | +401.540s | – | |
| 15 | ARNChuck Arnold | Kurtis Kraft | 21 | ▲6 | 200 | +499.859s | – | |
| 16 | MCWJim McWithey | Kurtis Kraft | 33 | ▲17 | 200 | +701.689s | – | |
| 17 | SACEddie Sachs | Kuzma | 2 | ▼15 | 182 | +18 laps | – | |
| 18 | KELAl Keller | Kuzma | 28 | ▲10 | 163 | +37 laps | – | |
| 19 | FLAPat Flaherty | Watson | 18 | ▼1 | 162 | +38 laps | – | |
| 20 | DRADick Rathmann | Watson | 4 | ▼16 | 150 | +50 laps | – | |
| 21 | CHEBill Cheesbourg | Kuzma | 30 | ▲9 | 147 | +53 laps | – | |
| 22 | FREDon Freeland | Kurtis Kraft | 25 | ▲3 | 136 | +64 laps | – | |
| 23 | CRARay Crawford | Elder | 32 | ▲9 | 115 | +85 laps | – | |
| 24 | DBRDon Branson | Phillips | 10 | ▼14 | 112 | +88 laps | – | |
| 25 | CHRBob Christie | Kurtis Kraft | 24 | ▼1 | 109 | +91 laps | – | |
| 26 | GRIBobby Grim | Kurtis Kraft | 5 | ▼21 | 85 | +115 laps | – | |
| 27 | TURJack Turner | Christensen | 14 | ▼13 | 47 | +153 laps | – | |
| 28 | WEYChuck Weyant | Kurtis Kraft | 29 | ▲1 | 45 | +155 laps | – | |
| 29 | LARJud Larson | Kurtis Kraft | 19 | ▼10 | 45 | +155 laps | – | |
| 30 | MAGMike Magill | Sutton | 31 | ▲1 | 45 | +155 laps | – | |
| 31 | AMIRed Amick | Kurtis Kraft | 26 | ▼5 | 45 | +155 laps | – | |
| 32 | SUTLen Sutton | Lesovsky | 22 | ▼10 | 34 | +166 laps | – | |
| 33 | BRYJimmy Bryan | Epperly | 20 | ▼13 | 1 | +199 laps | – |
Qualifying
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time | Gap to pole |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | THOJohnny Thomson | Lesovsky | 4:06.730 | |
| 2 | SACEddie Sachs | Kuzma | 4:07.550 | +0.820s |
| 3 | RATJim Rathmann | Watson | 4:09.250 | +2.520s |
| 4 | DRADick Rathmann | Watson | 4:09.570 | +2.840s |
| 5 | GRIBobby Grim | Kurtis Kraft | 4:09.610 | +2.880s |
| 6 | WARRodger Ward | Watson | 4:09.940 | +3.210s |
| 7 | VEIBob Veith | Moore | 4:09.960 | +3.230s |
| 8 | JOHEddie Johnson | Kurtis Kraft | 4:10.000 | +3.270s |
| 9 | HARGene Hartley | Kuzma | 4:10.740 | +4.010s |
| 10 | DBRDon Branson | Phillips | 4:11.200 | +4.470s |
| 11 | BOYJohnny Boyd | Epperly | 4:12.080 | +5.350s |
| 12 | CARDuane Carter | Kurtis Kraft | 4:12.110 | +5.380s |
| 13 | DAYJimmy Daywalt | Kurtis Kraft | 4:08.820 | +2.090s |
| 14 | TURJack Turner | Christensen | 4:10.910 | +4.180s |
| 15 | BETTony Bettenhausen | Epperly | 4:12.240 | +5.510s |
| 16 | GOLPaul Goldsmith | Epperly | 4:12.330 | +5.600s |
| 17 | FOYAnthony Joseph Foyt | Kuzma | 4:12.370 | +5.640s |
| 18 | FLAPat Flaherty | Watson | 4:12.810 | +6.080s |
| 19 | LARJud Larson | Kurtis Kraft | 4:12.990 | +6.260s |
| 20 | BRYJimmy Bryan | Epperly | 4:13.310 | +6.580s |
| 21 | ARNChuck Arnold | Kurtis Kraft | 4:13.310 | +6.580s |
| 22 | SUTLen Sutton | Lesovsky | 4:13.330 | +6.600s |
| 23 | HERAl Herman | Dunn | 4:13.630 | +6.900s |
| 24 | CHRBob Christie | Kurtis Kraft | 4:11.320 | +4.590s |
| 25 | FREDon Freeland | Kurtis Kraft | 4:11.650 | +4.920s |
| 26 | AMIRed Amick | Kurtis Kraft | 4:11.880 | +5.150s |
| 27 | RUSPaul Russo | Kurtis Kraft | 4:12.840 | +6.110s |
| 28 | KELAl Keller | Kuzma | 4:13.420 | +6.690s |
| 29 | WEYChuck Weyant | Kurtis Kraft | 4:13.610 | +6.880s |
| 30 | CHEBill Cheesbourg | Kuzma | 4:13.900 | +7.170s |
| 31 | MAGMike Magill | Sutton | 4:14.450 | +7.720s |
| 32 | CRARay Crawford | Elder | 4:14.690 | +7.960s |
| 33 | MCWJim McWithey | Kurtis Kraft | 4:14.930 | +8.200s |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Previous winners here
| 1958 | Jimmy Bryan | Epperly |
| 1957 | Sam Hanks | Epperly |
| 1956 | Pat Flaherty | Watson |
| 1955 | Bob Sweikert | Kurtis Kraft |
| 1954 | Bill Vukovich | Kurtis Kraft |
| 1953 | Bill Vukovich | Kurtis Kraft |
| 1952 | Troy Ruttman | Kuzma |
| 1951 | Lee Wallard | Kurtis Kraft |
| 1950 | Johnnie Parsons | Kurtis Kraft |
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