Published evidence

1952 Indianapolis 500 · race

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

THE HISTORICAL RECORD

Profile & context

Name: 1952 Indianapolis 500 · race

PROVENANCE

Sources behind this page

F1DB

v2026.17.0 · session/17-race

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

1952 Indianapolis 500 · Indianapolis Motor Speedway

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

1952 Formula 1 World Championship · round 2

Race classification

Source participant rows: shared cars and nonstarters retained
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details	Points
1	Troy Ruttman	Kuzma	3:52:41.880 · 200 laps · offenhauser	8
2	Jim Rathmann	Kurtis Kraft	3:56:44.209 · 200 laps · offenhauser	6
3	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft	3:58:53.490 · 200 laps · offenhauser	4
4	Duane Carter	Lesovsky	3:59:30.220 · 200 laps · offenhauser	3
5	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft	4:01:22.030 · 200 laps · offenhauser	2
6	Jimmy Bryan	Kurtis Kraft	4:02:06.200 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
7	Jimmy Reece	Kurtis Kraft	4:03:17.120 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
8	George Connor	Kurtis Kraft	4:04:42.490 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
9	Cliff Griffith	Kurtis Kraft	4:05:05.640 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
10	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft	4:06:19.660 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
11	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft	4:07:03.600 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
12	Jim Rigsby	Watson	4:08:46.981 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
13	Joe James	Kurtis Kraft	4:09:37.530 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
14	Bill Schindler	Stevens	4:11:30.540 · 200 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
15	George Fonder	Sherman	Time not recorded · 197 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
16	Eddie Johnson	Trevis	Time not recorded · 193 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
17	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft	Steering · Time not recorded · 191 laps · offenhauser	1
18	Chuck Stevenson	Kurtis Kraft	Time not recorded · 187 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
19	Henry Banks	Lesovsky	Time not recorded · 184 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
20	Manny Ayulo	Lesovsky	Time not recorded · 184 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
21	Johnny McDowell	Kurtis Kraft	Time not recorded · 182 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
22	Spider Webb	Bromme	Oil leak · Time not recorded · 162 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
23	Rodger Ward	Kurtis Kraft	Oil pressure · Time not recorded · 130 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
24	Tony Bettenhausen	Deidt	Oil pressure · Time not recorded · 93 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
25	Duke Nalon	Kurtis Kraft	Supercharger · Time not recorded · 84 laps · novi	Unknown / not applicable
26	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft	Differential · Time not recorded · 77 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
27	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft	Turbocharger · Time not recorded · 71 laps · cummins	Unknown / not applicable
28	Gene Hartley	Kurtis Kraft	Exhaust · Time not recorded · 65 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
29	Bob Scott	Kurtis Kraft	Transmission · Time not recorded · 49 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
30	Chet Miller	Kurtis Kraft	Supercharger · Time not recorded · 41 laps · novi	Unknown / not applicable
31	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	Wheel · Time not recorded · 40 laps · ferrari	Unknown / not applicable
32	Bobby Ball	Stevens	Gearbox · Time not recorded · 34 laps · offenhauser	Unknown / not applicable
33	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft	Oil pump · Time not recorded · 20 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	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft	4:20.850 · cummins
2	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft	4:22.770 · offenhauser
3	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft	4:23.420 · offenhauser
4	Duke Nalon	Kurtis Kraft	4:24.340 · novi
5	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft	4:25.220 · offenhauser
6	Duane Carter	Lesovsky	4:25.640 · offenhauser
7	Troy Ruttman	Kuzma	4:25.950 · offenhauser
8	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft	4:20.470 · offenhauser
9	Cliff Griffith	Kurtis Kraft	4:23.510 · offenhauser
10	Jim Rathmann	Kurtis Kraft	4:24.040 · offenhauser
11	Chuck Stevenson	Kurtis Kraft	4:24.430 · offenhauser
12	Henry Banks	Lesovsky	4:24.780 · offenhauser
13	George Fonder	Sherman	4:24.810 · offenhauser
14	George Connor	Kurtis Kraft	4:25.470 · offenhauser
15	Bill Schindler	Stevens	4:26.690 · offenhauser
16	Joe James	Kurtis Kraft	4:26.760 · offenhauser
17	Bobby Ball	Stevens	4:27.210 · offenhauser
18	Gene Hartley	Kurtis Kraft	4:27.970 · offenhauser
19	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	4:28.040 · ferrari
20	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.080 · offenhauser
21	Jimmy Bryan	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.370 · offenhauser
22	Rodger Ward	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.380 · offenhauser
23	Jimmy Reece	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.670 · offenhauser
24	Eddie Johnson	Trevis	4:28.710 · offenhauser
25	Bob Scott	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.750 · offenhauser
26	Jim Rigsby	Watson	4:28.850 · offenhauser
27	Chet Miller	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.930 · novi
28	Manny Ayulo	Lesovsky	4:24.740 · offenhauser
29	Spider Webb	Bromme	4:24.800 · offenhauser
30	Tony Bettenhausen	Deidt	4:25.910 · offenhauser
31	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft	4:26.020 · offenhauser
32	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft	4:26.700 · offenhauser
33	Johnny McDowell	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.780 · offenhauser

Starting grid

Recorded grid; pole awards are not inferred from starting position
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
1	Fred Agabashian	Kurtis Kraft	4:20.850 · cummins
2	Andy Linden	Kurtis Kraft	4:22.770 · offenhauser
3	Jack McGrath	Kurtis Kraft	4:23.420 · offenhauser
4	Duke Nalon	Kurtis Kraft	4:24.340 · novi
5	Sam Hanks	Kurtis Kraft	4:25.220 · offenhauser
6	Duane Carter	Lesovsky	4:25.640 · offenhauser
7	Troy Ruttman	Kuzma	4:25.950 · offenhauser
8	Bill Vukovich	Kurtis Kraft	4:20.470 · offenhauser
9	Cliff Griffith	Kurtis Kraft	4:23.510 · offenhauser
10	Jim Rathmann	Kurtis Kraft	4:24.040 · offenhauser
11	Chuck Stevenson	Kurtis Kraft	4:24.430 · offenhauser
12	Henry Banks	Lesovsky	4:24.780 · offenhauser
13	George Fonder	Sherman	4:24.810 · offenhauser
14	George Connor	Kurtis Kraft	4:25.470 · offenhauser
15	Bill Schindler	Stevens	4:26.690 · offenhauser
16	Joe James	Kurtis Kraft	4:26.760 · offenhauser
17	Bobby Ball	Stevens	4:27.210 · offenhauser
18	Gene Hartley	Kurtis Kraft	4:27.970 · offenhauser
19	Alberto Ascari	Ferrari	4:28.040 · ferrari
20	Art Cross	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.080 · offenhauser
21	Jimmy Bryan	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.370 · offenhauser
22	Rodger Ward	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.380 · offenhauser
23	Jimmy Reece	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.670 · offenhauser
24	Eddie Johnson	Trevis	4:28.710 · offenhauser
25	Bob Scott	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.750 · offenhauser
26	Jim Rigsby	Watson	4:28.850 · offenhauser
27	Chet Miller	Kurtis Kraft	4:18.930 · novi
28	Manny Ayulo	Lesovsky	4:24.740 · offenhauser
29	Spider Webb	Bromme	4:24.800 · offenhauser
30	Tony Bettenhausen	Deidt	4:25.910 · offenhauser
31	Johnnie Parsons	Kurtis Kraft	4:26.020 · offenhauser
32	Bob Sweikert	Kurtis Kraft	4:26.700 · offenhauser
33	Johnny McDowell	Kurtis Kraft	4:28.780 · offenhauser

Championship progression

Driver standings after this championship round
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details	Points
1	Piero Taruffi	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	9
2	Troy Ruttman	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	8
3	Rudi Fischer	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	6
3	Jim Rathmann	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	6
5	Jean Behra	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	4
5	Sam Hanks	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	4
7	Ken Wharton	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
7	Duane Carter	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
9	Alan Brown	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
9	Art Cross	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
11	Bill Vukovich	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1