| Peter DePaolo | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 DePaolo in 1925 | |||||||
| Born | Peter DePaolo (1898-04-06)April 6, 1898 | ||||||
| Died | November 26, 1980(1980-11-26) (aged 82) Laguna Hills, California, U.S. | ||||||
| Championship titles | |||||||
| AAAChampionship Car (1925,1927) Major victories Indianapolis 500 (1925) | |||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 55 races run over 10 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 1st (1925,1927) | ||||||
| First race | 1922 Beverly Hills 250 #1 (Beverly Hills) | ||||||
| Last race | 1930Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
| First win | 1925 Raisin Day Classic (Fresno) | ||||||
| Last win | 1927 50-mile Semi-Final (Charlotte) | ||||||
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Peter DePaolo (April 6, 1898 – November 26, 1980) was an Americanracing driver who is remembered as one of the greatest racers of his generation. He won the1925 Indianapolis 500, and was a two-time National Champion, winning in1925 and1927.
Peter DePaolo was born on April 6, 1898, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Pete saw his first race in 1919, where he watched his uncleRalph DePalma win from Pete's perch as DePalma'sriding mechanic.[1]
DePaolo drove in the1922 Indianapolis 500, finishing fourth. He suffered his worst career injury at the Kansas Cityboard track; his car rolled four times.[1] He spent three weeks in the hospital with a severely cut up face and two lost teeth.[1] Both men had been thrown from car and hisriding mechanic Harry "Cotton" Henning pulled DePaolo from the car. Henning spent several months in the hospital with a broken ankle and broken ribs.[1]
At the1925 Indianapolis 500, DePaolo pulled out to a huge lead. DePaolo's strategy in the race was to run the left side tires in theoil slick on the middle the track for two laps then runs his right side tires in the oil slick for two laps.[1] His fingers became badly blistered around the midpoint of the race, and car ownerFred Duesenberg pulled DePaolo out of the car in favor ofNorman Batten.[1] DePaolo had his hands repaired in the infield care center, and returned in the car after missing 21 laps.[1] Although his car had dropped to fifth position, DePaolo won that race and was on his way to the series' driver's championship. It was the first Indianapolis 500 to average over 100 miles per hour (101.127 mph), and DePaolo became the first driver to average more than 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) at the Indianapolis 500, recording 101.13 miles per hour (162.75 km/h) in his Duesenberg, a record that would stand until 1932 whenFred Frame hit 104.14 miles per hour (167.60 km/h).[2] DePaolo did not consider it his greatest win because he'd been relieved for 21 laps.
He founded his own team in 1927 and finished second in the1927 Indianapolis 500, and added two wins on his way to the series' driver's championship.
In 1934, DePaolo drove the Harry Miller four-wheel-drive car in races throughout Europe and Africa. At theAVUS course, near Berlin, while leading the race in a downpour, his engine threw two connecting rods which narrowly missed hittingAdolf Hitler in his trackside box seat.
DePaolo announced his retirement on October 17, 1934 on the birthday of his son, Tommy. Following an accident at a race inBarcelona, Spain where he crashed into a curb rather than hit children playing in the streets, he fell unconscious. He remained unconscious for almost two weeks and on three occasions, it was believed he would not recover. He came through and decided to retire for his family rather than lose his life.[3]
He was car owner and team manager forKelly Petillo's 1935 Indianapolis 500 victory.
DePaolo was a successfulNASCAR team owner from 1955 to 1957. His drivers finished second, third, and second in the final points standings during those seasons. His drivers accumulated 21 wins and 109 Top 10 finishes in 178 starts. The team later becameHolman-Moody.[1]
DePaolo sang "Back Home Again in Indiana" prior to the start of the Indianapolis 500 in 1971,[2] the only driver to do so as of 2025. He served as the Grand Marshall of the BiCentennial Parade inRoseland, Indiana in 1976. DePaolo Court in Roseland is named after him.
He died on November 26, 1980, at age 82.[4]
DePaolo has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
DePaolo has been awarded the following honors:
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| Preceded by | Indianapolis 500 Winner 1925 | Succeeded by |
