After two wins and leading 485 laps out of a possible 656 (74%), Bill Vukovich (36) was killed on lap 57 of the Indy 500 after crashing out of the lead


Monday 30th May 1955

After two wins and leading 485 laps out of a possible 656 (74%), Bill Vukovich (36) was killed on lap 57 of the Indy 500 after crashing out of the lead. Rodger Ward broke a rear axle and a back marker tangled with him in front of Vukovich, whose car hits them and vaults over the backstretch wall into a car park. Bob Sweikert won after Art Cross blows his engine on lap 169 and Don Freeland lost drive on lap 179.

Bill Vukovich left behind an amazing legacy on several fronts. In the five 500s he competed in, he led an astonishing 71.7% of the laps he drove in competition on the 2.5mi oval and to this day is the only driver to lead the most laps in three consecutive years. His son, Bill II, went on to drive in the 500 12 times, was named Rookie of the Year in 1968, and had a best finish of 3rd in 1974. His grandson Bill III also competed at Indy, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1988, and scoring a best finish of 12th in 1989 before tragically being killed in a sprint car race in California in 1990


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