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Home / Seasons / 1959 F1 World Championship Season / 1959 Indianapolis 500

1959 Indianapolis 500

Date
Winner
Pole position
Fastest lap
CircuitIndianapolis, 200 laps
Round2 of 9
Race numbers77th World Championship race
More 1959 season
More Indianapolis 500

Race result

PosDriverConstructorLapsTimePoints
1+5(USA) Rodger WardWatson-Offenhauser2003hr 40m 49.200s8
2+1(USA) Jim RathmannWatson-Offenhauser200+23.277s6
3-2(USA) Johnny ThomsonLesovsky-Offenhauser200 5 FL
4+11(USA) Tony BettenhausenEpperly-Offenhauser200 3
5+11(USA) Paul GoldsmithEpperly-Offenhauser200 2
6+5(USA) Johnny BoydEpperly-Offenhauser200  
7+5(USA) Duane CarterKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser200  
8 (USA) Eddie JohnsonKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser200  
9+18(USA) Paul RussoKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser200  
10+7(USA) AJ FoytKuzma-Offenhauser200  
11-2(USA) Gene HartleyKuzma-Offenhauser200  
12-5(USA) Bob VeithMoore-Offenhauser200  
13+10(USA) Al HermanDunn-Offenhauser200  
14-1(USA) Jimmy DaywaltKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser200  
15+6(USA) Chuck ArnoldKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser200  
16+17(USA) Jim McWitheyKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser200  
17-15(USA) Eddie SachsKuzma-Offenhauser182DNF 
18+10(USA) Al KellerKuzma-Offenhauser163DNF 
19-1(USA) Pat FlahertyWatson-Offenhauser162DNF 
20-16(USA) Dick RathmannWatson-Offenhauser150DNF 
21+9(USA) Bill CheesbourgKuzma-Offenhauser147DNF 
22+3(USA) Don FreelandKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser136DNF 
23+9(USA) Ray CrawfordElder-Offenhauser115DNF 
24-14(USA) Don BransonPhillips-Offenhauser112DNF 
25-1(USA) Bob ChristieKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser109DNF 
26-21(USA) Bobby GrimKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser85DNF 
27-13(USA) Jack TurnerChristensen-Offenhauser47DNF 
28+1(USA) Chuck WeyantKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser45DNF 
29-10(USA) Jud LarsonKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser45DNF 
30+1(USA) Mike MagillSutton-Offenhauser45DNF 
31-5(USA) Red AmickKurtis Kraft-Offenhauser45DNF 
32-10(USA) Len SuttonLesovsky-Offenhauser34DNF 
33-13(USA) Jimmy BryanEpperly-Offenhauser1DNF 

Championship standings

How the championship standings stood post-race.

Driver

PosDriverPoints
1(AUS) Jack Brabham9
2(USA) Rodger Ward8
3(GBR) Tony Brooks6
=(USA) Jim Rathmann6
5(USA) Johnny Thompson5
6(FRA) Maurice Trintignant4
7(USA) Phil Hill3
=(USA) Tony Bettenhausen3
9(NZL) Bruce McLaren2
=(USA) Paul Goldsmith2

Constructor

PosConstructorPoints
1Cooper-Climax8
2Ferrari6

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)