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| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | AAA | ||||
| Date | May 31, 1920 | ||||
| Winner | Gaston Chevrolet | ||||
| Winning Entrant | William Small Company | ||||
| Average speed | 88.618 mph (142.617 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position | Ralph DePalma | ||||
| Pole speed | 99.150 mph (159.566 km/h) | ||||
| Most laps led | Joe Boyer (93) | ||||
| Pre-race | |||||
| Pace car | Marmon 6 (Model 34) | ||||
| Pace car driver | Barney Oldfield | ||||
| Starter | E. C. Patterson[1] | ||||
| Honorary referee | Clifford C. Ireland[1] | ||||
| Estimated attendance | 120,000[2] (up 10k from previous year) | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
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The8th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at theIndianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1920.
Ralph DePalma held a two lap lead when the car stalled on lap 187. Hisriding mechanicPete DePaolo ran to the pits to get a can of gasoline, thinking they were out of fuel. DePalma was able to get the car rolling again, and the two rejoined the race. However, during the delay, the lead went toGaston Chevrolet. Chevrolet himself ran out of fuel on lap 197, but he was able to coast to the pits and refuel. Chevrolet held on to win. About six months later, he was fatally injured in a crash atBeverly Hills.
Chevrolet won the race without a single tire change, a remarkable feat at the time. Chevrolet was accompanied by riding mechanic John Bresnahan. Chevrolet's victory was the last by a driver born outside of the United States untilGeorge Robson's victory in the1946 running.
Four-lap (10 miles (16 km)) qualifying runs were introduced in 1920. Previously one-lap runs were used.Ralph DePalma won the pole position at 99.65 mph (160.37 km/h). None of his four laps matched the track record (104.78 mph (168.63 km/h)) set the previous year.
| Qualifying Results | ||||||
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) | Lap 2 (mph) | Lap 3 (mph) | Lap 4 (mph) | Average Speed (mph) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/26/1920 | Ralph DePalma | 98.1 | 99.4 | 99.5 | 99.95 | 99.65 |
| Row | Inside | Inside Center | Outside Center | Outside | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pace car position | 2 |  Ralph DePalma W | 6 | Joe Boyer | 3 | Louis Chevrolet | |
| 2 | 26 |  Jean Chassagne | 8 | Art Klein | 4 | Gaston Chevrolet | 5 | Roscoe Sarles |
| 3 | 7 | Bennett Hill R | 31 | Eddie Hearne | 9 | Ray Howard | 10 | Tommy Milton |
| 4 | 29 | Eddie O'Donnell | 34 | Willie Haupt | 32 | John Boling R | 12 | Jimmy Murphy R |
| 5 | 17 | André Boillot | 15 |  Pete Henderson | 25 | René Thomas W | 28 | Joe Thomas R |
| 6 | 18 | Howdy Wilcox W | 16 | Jules Goux W | 19 | Jean Porporato | 33 | Ralph Mulford |
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses[5]
W Former Indianapolis 500 winner
R Indianapolis 500 Rookie
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| 1919 Indianapolis 500 Howdy Wilcox | 1920 Indianapolis 500 Gaston Chevrolet | 1921 Indianapolis 500 Tommy Milton |