Published evidence

1955 Indianapolis 500 · qualifying

A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.

THE HISTORICAL RECORD

Profile & context

Name: 1955 Indianapolis 500 · qualifying

PROVENANCE

Sources behind this page

F1DB

v2026.17.0 · session/44-qualifying

Original reference ↗

Historical source & scope

F1DB v2026.17.0 · CC BY 4.0. Normalisation, links and calculations by MotorPedia. Original source observations retained.

Source-reported facts are not independent historical confirmation. Missing times and points remain unknown; source-rounded points retain their published precision. Constructor, entrant and team identities are kept distinct.

Grand Prix context

1955 Indianapolis 500 · Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Technical formula: US national regulations. World Championship membership is separate from technical regulations.

1955 Formula 1 World Championship · round 3

Race classification

Source participant rows: shared cars and nonstarters retained
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details	Points
1	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft	3:53:59.530 · 200 laps · offenhauser	8
2	Tony Bettenhausen	Kurtis Kraft	3:56:43.090 · 200 laps · offenhauser	3
2	Paul Russo	Kurtis Kraft	Shared drive · Time not recorded · offenhauser	3
3	Jimmy Davies	Kurtis Kraft	3:57:31.890 · 200 laps · offenhauser	4
4	Johnny Thomson	Kuzma	3:57:38.440 · 200 laps · offenhauser	3
5	Walt Faulkner	Kurtis Kraft	3:59:16.700 · 200 laps · offenhauser	1
5	Bill Homeier	Kurtis Kraft	Shared drive · Time not recorded · offenhauser	1
6	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft	3:59:57.470 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
7	Al Herman	Kurtis Kraft	4:00:23.770 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
8	Pat O'Connor	Kurtis Kraft	4:00:41.130 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
9	Jimmy Daywalt	Kurtis Kraft	4:01:09.340 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
10	Pat Flaherty	Kurtis Kraft	4:01:46.070 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
11	Duane Carter	Kuzma	Time not recorded · 197 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
12	Chuck Weyant	Kurtis Kraft	Time not recorded · 196 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
13	Eddie Johnson	Trevis	Time not recorded · 196 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
14	Jim Rathmann	Epperly	Time not recorded · 191 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
15	Don Freeland	Phillips	Transmission · Time not recorded · 178 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
16	Cal Niday	Kurtis Kraft	Accident · Time not recorded · 170 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
17	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft	Engine · Time not recorded · 168 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
18	Shorty Templeman	Trevis	Transmission · Time not recorded · 142 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
19	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft	Transmission · Time not recorded · 134 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
20	Keith Andrews	Schroeder	Fuel pump · Time not recorded · 120 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
21	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft	Magneto · Time not recorded · 119 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
22	Eddie Russo	Pawl	Ignition · Time not recorded · 112 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
23	Ray Crawford	Kurtis Kraft	Engine · Time not recorded · 111 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
24	Jimmy Bryan	Kuzma	Fuel pump · Time not recorded · 90 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
25	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft	Fatal accident · Time not recorded · 56 laps · offenhauser	1
26	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft	Magneto · Time not recorded · 54 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
27	Al Keller	Kurtis Kraft	Accident · Time not recorded · 54 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
28	Rodger Ward	Kuzma	Accident · Time not recorded · 53 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
29	Johnny Boyd	Kurtis Kraft	Accident · Time not recorded · 53 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
30	Ed Elisian	Kurtis Kraft	Retirement · Time not recorded · 53 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
31	Jerry Hoyt	Stevens	Oil leak · Time not recorded · 40 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
32	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft	Spun off · Time not recorded · 39 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
33	Jimmy Reece	Pankratz	Engine · Time not recorded · 10 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable

Qualifying

Recorded qualifying order; Q1/Q2/Q3 and earlier formats remain distinct in original evidence
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
1	Jerry Hoyt	Stevens	4:17.060 · offenhauser
2	Tony Bettenhausen	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.170 · offenhauser
3	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft	4:12.490 · offenhauser
4	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft	4:13.640 · offenhauser
5	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft	4:15.190 · offenhauser
6	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft	4:16.800 · offenhauser
7	Walt Faulkner	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.580 · offenhauser
8	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.810 · offenhauser
9	Cal Niday	Kurtis Kraft	4:16.590 · offenhauser
10	Jimmy Davies	Kurtis Kraft	4:16.640 · offenhauser
11	Jimmy Bryan	Kuzma	4:16.580 · offenhauser
12	Pat Flaherty	Kurtis Kraft	4:16.870 · offenhauser
13	Eddie Russo	Pawl	4:16.930 · offenhauser
14	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.150 · offenhauser
15	Jimmy Reece	Pankratz	4:17.160 · offenhauser
16	Al Herman	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.490 · offenhauser
17	Jimmy Daywalt	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.220 · offenhauser
18	Duane Carter	Kuzma	4:18.380 · offenhauser
19	Pat O'Connor	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.380 · offenhauser
20	Jim Rathmann	Epperly	4:19.540 · offenhauser
21	Don Freeland	Phillips	4:17.390 · offenhauser
22	Al Keller	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.970 · offenhauser
23	Ray Crawford	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.610 · offenhauser
24	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft	4:19.460 · offenhauser
25	Chuck Weyant	Kurtis Kraft	4:20.750 · offenhauser
26	Johnny Boyd	Kurtis Kraft	4:22.810 · offenhauser
27	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft	4:23.140 · offenhauser
28	Keith Andrews	Schroeder	4:24.610 · offenhauser
29	Ed Elisian	Kurtis Kraft	4:26.010 · offenhauser
30	Rodger Ward	Kuzma	4:26.570 · offenhauser
31	Shorty Templeman	Trevis	4:26.640 · offenhauser
32	Eddie Johnson	Trevis	4:27.760 · offenhauser
33	Johnny Thomson	Kuzma	4:28.430 · offenhauser

Starting grid

Recorded grid; pole awards are not inferred from starting position
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
1	Jerry Hoyt	Stevens	4:17.060 · offenhauser
2	Tony Bettenhausen	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.170 · offenhauser
3	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft	4:12.490 · offenhauser
4	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft	4:13.640 · offenhauser
5	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft	4:15.190 · offenhauser
6	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft	4:16.800 · offenhauser
7	Walt Faulkner	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.580 · offenhauser
8	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.810 · offenhauser
9	Cal Niday	Kurtis Kraft	4:16.590 · offenhauser
10	Jimmy Davies	Kurtis Kraft	4:16.640 · offenhauser
11	Jimmy Bryan	Kuzma	4:16.580 · offenhauser
12	Pat Flaherty	Kurtis Kraft	4:16.870 · offenhauser
13	Eddie Russo	Pawl	4:16.930 · offenhauser
14	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.150 · offenhauser
15	Jimmy Reece	Pankratz	4:17.160 · offenhauser
16	Al Herman	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.490 · offenhauser
17	Jimmy Daywalt	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.220 · offenhauser
18	Duane Carter	Kuzma	4:18.380 · offenhauser
19	Pat O'Connor	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.380 · offenhauser
20	Jim Rathmann	Epperly	4:19.540 · offenhauser
21	Don Freeland	Phillips	4:17.390 · offenhauser
22	Al Keller	Kurtis Kraft	4:17.970 · offenhauser
23	Ray Crawford	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.610 · offenhauser
24	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft	4:19.460 · offenhauser
25	Chuck Weyant	Kurtis Kraft	4:20.750 · offenhauser
26	Johnny Boyd	Kurtis Kraft	4:22.810 · offenhauser
27	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft	4:23.140 · offenhauser
28	Keith Andrews	Schroeder	4:24.610 · offenhauser
29	Ed Elisian	Kurtis Kraft	4:26.010 · offenhauser
30	Rodger Ward	Kuzma	4:26.570 · offenhauser
31	Shorty Templeman	Trevis	4:26.640 · offenhauser
32	Eddie Johnson	Trevis	4:27.760 · offenhauser
33	Johnny Thomson	Kuzma	4:28.430 · offenhauser

Championship progression

Driver standings after this championship round
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details	Points
1	Maurice Trintignant	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	11.33
2	Juan Manuel Fangio	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	10
3	Bob Sweikert	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	8
4	Nino Farina	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	6.33
5	Eugenio Castellotti	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	6
6	Jimmy Davies	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	4
7	Tony Bettenhausen	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
7	Paul Russo	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
9	Johnny Thomson	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
10	José Froilán González	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
11	Jean Behra	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
11	Cesare Perdisa	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
13	Roberto Mieres	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
13	Luigi Villoresi	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
15	Umberto Maglioli	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1.33
16	Hans Herrmann	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1
16	Karl Kling	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1
16	Stirling Moss	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1
19	Walt Faulkner	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1
19	Bill Homeier	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1
21	Bill Vukovich	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1