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1960 Indianapolis 500

44th Indianapolis 500
Indy500winningcar1960.JPG
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body AAA / World Championship
Date May 30, 1960
Winner Jim Rathmann
Winning Entrant Ken-Paul
Average speed 138.767 mph (223.324 km/h)
Pole position Eddie Sachs
Pole speed 146.592 mph (235.917 km/h)
Most laps led Jim Rathmann (100)
Pre-race
Pace car Oldsmobile
Pace car driver Sam Hanks
Chronology
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1959 1961
United States  1960 Indianapolis 500
Race details
Race 3 of 10 in the 1960 Formula One season
Indianapolis Motor Speedway - Speedway.svg
Date 30 May 1960
Official name 44th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes
Location Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.023 km (2.500 mi)
Distance 200 laps, 804.675 km (500.000 mi)
Pole position
Driver Ewing-Offenhauser
Time 146.592 mph (235.917 km/h)
Fastest lap
Driver United States Jim Rathmann Watson-Offenhauser
Time 1:01.59
Podium
First Watson-Offenhauser
Second Watson-Offenhauser
Third Epperly-Offenhauser

The 44th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana on Monday, May 30, 1960. The event was part of the 1960 USAC National Championship Trail, and was included in the 1960 World Drivers Championship. It would be the final time World Championship points would be awarded at the Indy 500.

Often regarded as the greatest two-man duel in Indianapolis 500 history, the 1960 race saw a then-record 29 lead changes (a record that stood until 2012). Jim Rathmann and Rodger Ward battled out nearly the entire second half. Rathmann took the lead for good on lap 197 after Ward was forced to slow down with a worn out tire. Rathmann's margin of victory of 12.75 seconds was the second-closest finish in Indy history at the time.

The inaugural 500 Festival Open Invitation was held at the Speedway Golf Course in the four days leading up to the race.

Time trials was scheduled for four days, but the third day was rained out.

After Carburetion tests, Dempsey Wilson replaced Jimmy Daywalt as the driver for the #23 entry, and the car was moved to the rear of the starting grid.

The race started out with four contenders in the first half. Rodger Ward took the lead on lap 1 from the outside of the front row, but polesitter Eddie Sachs took the lead on lap 2. Two laps later, Ward was back in the lead, and the record-setting number of lead changes was already under way. Troy Ruttman and Jim Rathmann also took turns at the front. .

The first caution came out on lap 47, after Duane Carter spun in turn 3. He did not hit the wall, came to a rest in the infield grass, then continued in the race. Later, Jim McWithey came into the pits without any brakes. He brushed the inside pit wall trying to slow the car down, but continued through the pit lane and wasn't able to stop until he reached the infield grass in turn 1. Later in the race, Eddie Russo and Wayne Weiler also suffer single-car crashes.


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