1959 Indianapolis 500

Date	Saturday, 30 May 1959
Winner	Rodger Ward Watson-Offenhauser
Pole position	Johnny Thomson Lesovsky-Offenhauser
Fastest lap	Johnny Thomson Lesovsky-Offenhauser
Circuit	Indianapolis, 200 laps
Round	2 of 9
Race numbers	77th World Championship race
More 1959 season
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Race result

Pos		Driver	Constructor	Laps	Time	Points
1	+5	(USA) Rodger Ward	Watson-Offenhauser	200	3hr 40m 49.200s	8
2	+1	(USA) Jim Rathmann	Watson-Offenhauser	200	+23.277s	6
3	-2	(USA) Johnny Thomson	Lesovsky-Offenhauser	200		5 FL
4	+11	(USA) Tony Bettenhausen	Epperly-Offenhauser	200		3
5	+11	(USA) Paul Goldsmith	Epperly-Offenhauser	200		2
6	+5	(USA) Johnny Boyd	Epperly-Offenhauser	200
7	+5	(USA) Duane Carter	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	200
8		(USA) Eddie Johnson	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	200
9	+18	(USA) Paul Russo	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	200
10	+7	(USA) AJ Foyt	Kuzma-Offenhauser	200
11	-2	(USA) Gene Hartley	Kuzma-Offenhauser	200
12	-5	(USA) Bob Veith	Moore-Offenhauser	200
13	+10	(USA) Al Herman	Dunn-Offenhauser	200
14	-1	(USA) Jimmy Daywalt	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	200
15	+6	(USA) Chuck Arnold	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	200
16	+17	(USA) Jim McWithey	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	200
17	-15	(USA) Eddie Sachs	Kuzma-Offenhauser	182	DNF
18	+10	(USA) Al Keller	Kuzma-Offenhauser	163	DNF
19	-1	(USA) Pat Flaherty	Watson-Offenhauser	162	DNF
20	-16	(USA) Dick Rathmann	Watson-Offenhauser	150	DNF
21	+9	(USA) Bill Cheesbourg	Kuzma-Offenhauser	147	DNF
22	+3	(USA) Don Freeland	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	136	DNF
23	+9	(USA) Ray Crawford	Elder-Offenhauser	115	DNF
24	-14	(USA) Don Branson	Phillips-Offenhauser	112	DNF
25	-1	(USA) Bob Christie	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	109	DNF
26	-21	(USA) Bobby Grim	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	85	DNF
27	-13	(USA) Jack Turner	Christensen-Offenhauser	47	DNF
28	+1	(USA) Chuck Weyant	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	45	DNF
29	-10	(USA) Jud Larson	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	45	DNF
30	+1	(USA) Mike Magill	Sutton-Offenhauser	45	DNF
31	-5	(USA) Red Amick	Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser	45	DNF
32	-10	(USA) Len Sutton	Lesovsky-Offenhauser	34	DNF
33	-13	(USA) Jimmy Bryan	Epperly-Offenhauser	1	DNF

Championship standings

How the championship standings stood post-race.

Driver

Pos	Driver	Points
1	(AUS) Jack Brabham	9
2	(USA) Rodger Ward	8
3	(GBR) Tony Brooks	6
=	(USA) Jim Rathmann	6
5	(USA) Johnny Thompson	5
6	(FRA) Maurice Trintignant	4
7	(USA) Phil Hill	3
=	(USA) Tony Bettenhausen	3
9	(NZL) Bruce McLaren	2
=	(USA) Paul Goldsmith	2

Constructor

Pos	Constructor	Points
1	Cooper-Climax	8
2	Ferrari	6

Stats & milestones

Race debut: Red Amick; Chuck Arnold (only start); Don Branson; Bobby Grim; Jim McWithey; Christensen; Elder (only start); Sutton (only start)
Last start: Bill Cheesbourg; Ray Crawford; Jimmy Daywalt; Pat Flaherty; Al Keller; Jud Larson; Mike Magill; Paul Russo; Jack Turner; Chuck Weyant; Dunn; Moore
Wins: 1st and only for Rodger Ward (22nd different winner, 9th American driver); 2nd for Watson (first since 1956)
Race 1-2: 1st for Watson (7th different constructor to finish 1-2)
Podiums: 3rd for Jim Rathmann (first for Watson); 1st for Rodger Ward (62nd different podium finisher, 26th American driver); 1st and only for Johnny Thomson (63rd different podium finisher, 27th American driver); 2nd & 3rd for Watson (first since 1956); 1st and only for Lesovsky (18th different podium finisher)
Poles: 1st and only for Johnny Thomson (19th different polesitter, 10th American driver); 1st and only for Lesovsky (11th different polesitter)
Fastest laps: 1st and only for Johnny Thomson (25th different fastest lap setter, 9th American driver); 1st and only for Lesovsky (11th different fastest lap setter)
Front row starts: 2nd for Eddie Sachs (last for Kuzma); 2nd for Jim Rathmann (first for Watson); 1st and only for Johnny Thomson (45th different front row starter, 22nd American driver)
Points finishes: 4th and last for Tony Bettenhausen; 1st for Rodger Ward & Paul Goldsmith (99th & 100th different point scorers, 35th & 36th American drivers)