1956 Indianapolis 500
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Winner |
|
| Pole position |
|
| Fastest lap | |
| Circuit | Indianapolis, 200 laps |
| Round | 3 of 8 |
| Race numbers | 51st World Championship race |
| More 1956 season | |
| More Indianapolis 500 |
Race result
| Pos | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (USA) Pat Flaherty | Watson-Offenhauser | 200 | 3hr 53m 28.840s | 8 | |
| 2 | +11 | (USA) Sam Hanks | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 200 | +20.450s | 6 |
| 3 | +23 | (USA) Don Freeland | Phillips-Offenhauser | 200 | 4 | |
| 4 | +2 | (USA) Johnnie Parsons | Kuzma-Offenhauser | 200 | 3 | |
| 5 | -1 | (USA) Dick Rathmann | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 200 | 2 | |
| 6 | +4 | (USA) Bob Sweikert | Kuzma-Offenhauser | 200 | ||
| 7 | +16 | (USA) Bob Veith | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 200 | ||
| 8 | +7 | (USA) Rodger Ward | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 200 | ||
| 9 | +12 | (USA) Jimmy Reece | Lesovsky-Offenhauser | 200 | ||
| 10 | +20 | (USA) Cliff Griffith | Stevens-Offenhauser | 199 | +1 lap | |
| 11 | +11 | (USA) Gene Hartley | Kuzma-Offenhauser | 196 | +4 laps | |
| 12 | -5 | (USA) Fred Agabashian | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 196 | +4 laps | |
| 13 | +12 | (USA) Bob Christie | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 196 | +4 laps | |
| 14 | +14 | (USA) Al Keller | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 195 | +5 laps | |
| 15 | +17 | (USA) Eddie Johnson | Kuzma-Offenhauser | 195 | +5 laps | |
| 16 | +13 | (USA) Billy Garrett | Kuzma-Offenhauser | 194 | +6 laps | |
| 17 | +16 | (USA) Duke Dinsmore | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 191 | +9 laps | |
| 18 | -15 | (USA) Pat O’Connor | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 187 | +13 laps | |
| 19 | (USA) Jimmy Bryan | Kuzma-Offenhauser | 185 | +15 laps | ||
| 20 | -18 | (USA) Jim Rathmann | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 175 | DNF | |
| 21 | +10 | (USA) Johnnie Tolan | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 173 | DNF | |
| 22 | -17 | (USA) Tony Bettenhausen | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 160 | DNF | |
| 23 | -9 |
| Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 160 | DNF | |
| 24 | -8 | (USA) Jimmy Daywalt | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 134 | DNF | |
| 25 | -1 | (USA) Jack Turner | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 131 | DNF | |
| 26 | -6 | (USA) Keith Andrews | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 94 | DNF | |
| 27 | -18 | (USA) Andy Linden | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 90 | DNF | |
| 28 | -1 | (USA) Al Herman | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 74 | DNF | |
| 29 | -12 | (USA) Ray Crawford | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 49 | DNF | |
| 30 | -18 | (USA) Johnny Boyd | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 35 | DNF | |
| 31 | -20 | (USA) Troy Ruttman | Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser | 22 | DNF | |
| 32 | -32 | (USA) Johnny Thomson | Kuzma-Offenhauser | 22 | DNF | |
| 33 | -25 | (USA) Paul Russo | Kurtis Kraft-Novi | 21 | DNF | 1 FL |
Championship standings
How the championship standings stood post-race.
Driver
| Pos | Driver | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | (FRA) Jean Behra | 10 |
| 2 | (ARG) Juan Manuel Fangio | 9 |
| 3 | (GBR) Stirling Moss | 8 |
| = | (USA) Pat Flaherty | 8 |
| 5 | (USA) Sam Hanks | 6 |
| 6 | (ITA) Luigi Musso | 4 |
| 7 | (GBR) Mike Hawthorn | 4 |
| = | (USA) Don Freeland | 4 |
| 9 | (GBR) Peter Collins | 3 |
| 10 | (USA) Johnnie Parsons | 3 |
| 11 | (BEL) Olivier Gendebien | 2 |
| = | (BRA) Hermano da Silva Ramos | 2 |
| = | (USA) Dick Rathmann | 2 |
| 14 | (ITA) Gerino Gerini | 1.5 |
| = | (BRA) Chico Landi | 1.5 |
| = | (ITA) Eugenio Castellotti | 1.5 |
| 17 | (USA) Paul Russo | 1 |
Constructor
The Constructors’ championship did not begin until 1958.
Statistics & milestones
- Race debut
- Bob Christie
- Billy Garrett
- Johnnie Tolan
- Jack Turner
- Bob Veith
- Last start
- Keith Andrews
- Duke Dinsmore
- Cliff Griffith
- Bob Sweikert
- Stevens
- Wins
- 1st and only for Pat Flaherty (16th different winner, 6th American driver)
- 1st for Watson (7th different winner; last until 1959)
- Podiums
- 3rd for Sam Hanks (last for Kurtis Kraft)
- 1st and only for Pat Flaherty (46th different podium finisher, 19th American driver)
- 1st and only for Don Freeland (47th different podium finisher, 20th American driver)
- 15th for Kurtis Kraft
- 1st for Watson (12th different podium finisher, last until 1959)
- 1st and only for Phillips (13th different podium finisher)
- Poles
- 1st and only for Pat Flaherty (13th different polesitter, 7th American driver)
- 1st for Watson (8th different polesitter)
- Fastest laps
- 1st and only for Paul Russo (18th different fastest lap setter, 5th American driver)
- 7th and last for Kurtis Kraft
- Front row starts
- 1st and only for Pat Flaherty (32nd different front row starter, 14th American driver)
- 1st for Jim Rathmann (only front row start for Kurtis Kraft) & Pat O’Connor (33rd & 34th different front row starters, 15th & 16th American drivers)
- Points finishes
- 2nd and last for Johnnie Parsons
- 1st and only for Pat Flaherty, Don Freeland & Dick Rathmann (77th-79th different point scorers, 27th-29th American drivers)
- Pole & win
- 1st and only for Pat Flaherty (7th different driver to win from pole, 2nd American driver)