Bill Vukovich, master of Indianapolis

Bill Vukovich won the Indianapolis 500 in 1953 and 1954, when the race counted toward the World Championship, and was leading it again when he was killed in 1955.

Bill Vukovich was born on 13 December 1918 and grew up in the farming country around Fresno, California. Before he raced at Indianapolis he made his name in midget cars, driving for the Edelbrock team, winning the United Racing Association midget championships of 1945 and 1946 on the West Coast and the 1950 AAA National Midget title.

In the 1950s the Indianapolis 500 was a round of the World Championship, and every one of Vukovich's five championship starts came there. His first, in 1951, ended early, and he was classified 29th. In 1952 he charged forward from the middle of the third row and led 150 laps before a steering failure stopped him eight laps from the finish, leaving him 17th.

The following year he put things right. Starting from pole position in 1953, he won the race, and in 1954 he won it again, becoming the first back to back winner of the 500 while it was part of the championship. He also set three fastest laps at the Speedway and won two other AAA National Championship races in his career.

Vukovich returned in 1955 chasing a third straight win and was leading the race on 30 May when he was caught up in an accident involving slower cars ahead of him and was killed. His World Championship record shows 5 starts, 2 wins, 1 pole position, 3 fastest laps and 2 podiums. He remains the only driver to lead the most laps at Indianapolis in three consecutive years.

0 world titles, 2 wins, 1 pole positions, 5 starts.

Teams

Victories

• Indianapolis 500 1954
• Indianapolis 500 1953