|| *Comments on the 1959 Indianapolis 500:* View the most recent comment <#11> | Post a comment <#post> Tweet 1. Biscuits in a Red Bull posted: 10.31.2011 - 3:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sutton spun and hit the wall backwards. Technically he crashed out. Mike Magill somehow survives a massive flip as he hits the spinning Jud Larson and jumps him. 2. RaceFanX posted: 09.12.2012 - 10:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Rodger Ward dominates on the way to the first of his two Indy 500 wins. Ward took the lead just passed the 3/8ths mark of the race and checked out to lead the rest of the way and win by over 23 seconds. Pat Flaherty makes his first and only start in the Indy 500 after his victory in 1956. Irish Pat led 11 laps early in his Brickyard comeback but eventually crashed out. Ward's winning car from this race is at the Indy 500 museum. The pace car for this Indy 500 was a Buick Electra 225. 3. RaceFanX posted: 09.12.2012 - 10:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jerry Unser and Bob Cortner were both killed in separate practice crashes leading up to this race. 4. Schroeder51 posted: 03.14.2015 - 3:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First Indy 500 starts for Jim McWithey, Don Branson, Bobby Grim, and Red Amick. Only Indy 500 start for Chuck Arnold. Last Indy 500 starts for Pat Flaherty, Ray Crawford, Chuck Weyant, Jud Larson, and Mike Magill. 5. Schroeder51 posted: 03.14.2015 - 9:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Add to DNQs: Elmer George, #21 Dean Van Lines (Did not qualify) Paul Russo, #34 Novi Diesel (Did not qualify) Wayne Weiler, #39 Massaglia Hotel (Entry declined, failed physical) Dempsey Wilson, #41 Sumar (Did not qualify) Rex Easton, #45 Bardahl/Gerhardt (Did not qualify) Johnnie Parsons, #45 Bardahal/Gerhardt (Did not qualify) Jimmy Davies, #53 Greenman-Castles (Did not qualify) Don Edmunds, #57 Helse (Did not qualify) Russ Congdon, #72 Speed Enterprise (Did not finish rookie test) Don Edmunds, #76 Braund Plywood (Did not qualify) Van Johnson, #76 Braund Plywood (Did not qualify) Andy Furci, #91 Binter (Did not qualify) Van Johnson, #91 Binter (Did not qualify) 6. Schroeder51 posted: 12.24.2015 - 9:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew: Kelly Petillo Petillo, the 1935 Indy 500 winner, filed an entry in an attempt to compete in the race for the first time since 1941. However, his entry was declined-officially, due to his age (he was 55 1/2 years old). Petillo had numerous run-ins with the law after his Indy 500 win, and had spent several terms in prison for various charges (including attempted rape and murder)-in fact, he had only recently been paroled when he attempted to enter this race. He took offense at being barred from attempting to qualify and filed a lawsuit against the Speedway and USAC for $50,000. Source: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19590526&id=1MhaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8HYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6524,3108796&hl=en 7. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 01.30.2016 - 7:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Qualifying results: 1. Johnny Thomson-145.9 MPH 2. Eddie Sachs-145.42 MPH 3. Jimmy Daywalt-144.68 MPH 4. Jim Rathmann-144.43 MPH 5. Dick Rathmann-144.24 MPH 6. Bobby Grim-144.22 MPH 7. Rodger Ward-144.03 MPH 8. Bob Veith-144.02 MPH 9. Eddie Johnson-144 MPH 10. Gene Hartley-143.57 MPH 11. Jack Turner-143.47 MPH 12. Don Branson-143.31 MPH 13. Bob Christie-143.24 MPH 14. Don Freeland-143.05 MPH 15. Red Amick-142.92 MPH 16. Johnny Boyd-142.81 MPH 17. Duane Carter-142.79 MPH 18. Tony Bettenhausen-142.72 MPH 19. Paul Goldsmith-142.67 MPH 20. A. J. Foyt-142.64 MPH 21. Pat Flaherty-142.39 MPH 22. Paul Russo-142.38 MPH 23. Jud Larson-142.29 MPH 24. Chuck Arnold-142.11 MPH 25. Jimmy Bryan-142.11 MPH 26. Len Sutton-142.1 MPH 27. Al Keller-142.05 MPH 28. Chuck Weyant-141.95 MPH 29. Al Herman-142.93 MPH 30. Bill Cheesbourg-141.78 MPH 31. Mike Magill-141.48 MPH 32. Ray Crawford-141.34 MPH 33. Jim McWithey-141.21 MPH 8. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 02.04.2016 - 5:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew: Wayne Weiler-#39 Massaglia Hotel Weiler was the original intended driver for the car that Rex Easton failed to qualify with, but he failed a physical exam and was not allowed to participate. Russ Congdon-#72 Speed Enterprise Congdon did appear at the track during the month of May, but didn't complete his rookie test and did not make a qualifying attempt. 9. Jolly Mean Giant posted: 03.21.2017 - 11:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First alternate: Rex Easton 10. RaceFanX posted: 04.05.2020 - 12:20 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ralph Liguori had a unique entry for his race as he drove the same Indy-style Maserati 420M, again backed by Italy's El Dorado ice cream company, that had been used by Sterling Moss in the prior year's Race of Two Worlds at Monza. Ultimately though Liguori and his team couldn't find the speed to put the Italian racer in the top-33 and they failed to qualify. 11. JollyMeanGiant posted: 03.03.2021 - 1:22 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 38 cars completed full runs during qualifying. Rex Easton in the #39, Bill Homeier in the #62, Ralph Ligouri in the #12, Shorty Templeman in the #76 and Eddie Russo in the #98 were not fast enough to make the field. (Not sure of the exact order they qualified in but Easton was the first alternate so he was 34th fastest) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: