Tuesday 30th May 1933

The largest Indianapolis 500 field to date with 42 starters. Louis Meyer won after one of the most violent races ever, with five drivers or mechanics killed and several others seriously injured. During practice, Bill Denver and his riding mechanic Bob Hurst were killed in a crash. On race day, Mark Billman was killed in a crash on lap 79 while Lester Spangler and his riding mechanic G.L. “Monk” Jordan were killed in a crash on lap 132. It was the fifth straight year at least one competitor would die in a crash during the month. The standard Victory Banquet after the race as not held, and the predominance of safety as chief concern for race organizers began ‘in force’. Prior to the 1933 race, Howdy Wilcox II (no relation to the 1919 winner) was disqualified when officials found out that he was a diabetic.