1959 Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis Motor Speedway · 30 May 1959

Round 2🇺🇸 USA

Rodger Ward won the 1959 Indianapolis 500 for Watson from 6th on the grid, 23.28s ahead of Jim Rathmann. Paul Russo gained the most places, from 27th on the grid to 9th.

Fan rating

Ratings are only available for races from the 2026 season onwards.

Laps

200

First GP

1950

Indianapolis Motor Speedway history →

Weekend Points

Pos	Team	Points Breakdown	Pts
1	Watson Ward 8 + Rathmann 6 + Flaherty 0 + Rathmann 0	Ward 8 + Rathmann 6 + Flaherty 0 + Rathmann 0	14
2	Lesovsky Thomson 5 + Sutton 0	Thomson 5 + Sutton 0	5
3	Epperly Bettenhausen 3 + Goldsmith 2 + Boyd 0 + Bryan 0	Bettenhausen 3 + Goldsmith 2 + Boyd 0 + Bryan 0	5
4	Kurtis Kraft Carter 0 + Johnson 0 + Russo 0 + Daywalt 0 + Arnold 0 + McWithey 0 + Freeland 0 + Christie 0 + Grim 0 + Weyant 0 + Larson 0 + Amick 0	Carter 0 + Johnson 0 + Russo 0 + Daywalt 0 + Arnold 0 + McWithey 0 + Freeland 0 + Christie 0 + Grim 0 + Weyant 0 + Larson 0 + Amick 0	0
5	Kuzma Foyt 0 + Hartley 0 + Sachs 0 + Keller 0 + Cheesbourg 0	Foyt 0 + Hartley 0 + Sachs 0 + Keller 0 + Cheesbourg 0	0
6	Moore Veith 0	Veith 0	0
7	Dunn Herman 0	Herman 0	0
8	Elder Crawford 0	Crawford 0	0
9	Phillips Branson 0	Branson 0	0
10	Christensen Turner 0	Turner 0	0
11	Sutton Magill 0	Magill 0	0

Race Result

Pos	Driver	Team	Race time / Gap	Laps	Stops	Pts
1	Rodger Ward Watson	Watson	3:40:49.200	200	—	8
2	Jim Rathmann Watson	Watson	+23.280s	200	—	6
3	Johnny Thomson Lesovsky	Lesovsky	+50.640s	200	—	5
4	Tony Bettenhausen Epperly	Epperly	+1:47.090	200	—	3
5	Paul Goldsmith Epperly	Epperly	+2:06.440	200	—	2
6	Johnny Boyd Epperly	Epperly	+3:16.980	200	—	—
7	Duane Carter Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	+4:09.920	200	—	—
8	Eddie Johnson Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	+4:10.530	200	—	—
9	Paul Russo Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	+4:11.040	200	—	—
10	A. J. Foyt Kuzma	Kuzma	+4:14.480	200	—	—
11	Gene Hartley Kuzma	Kuzma	+5:42.480	200	—	—
12	Bob Veith Moore	Moore	+6:09.730	200	—	—
13	Al Herman Dunn	Dunn	+6:40.400	200	—	—
14	Jimmy Daywalt Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	+6:41.540	200	—	—
15	Chuck Arnold Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	+8:19.860	200	—	—
16	Jim McWithey Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	+11:41.690	200	—	—
DNF	Eddie Sachs Kuzma	Kuzma	DNF Spun off	182	—	—
DNF	Al Keller Kuzma	Kuzma	DNF Engine	163	—	—
DNF	Pat Flaherty Watson	Watson	DNF Accident	162	—	—
DNF	Dick Rathmann Watson	Watson	DNF Heat shield fire	150	—	—
DNF	Bill Cheesbourg Kuzma	Kuzma	DNF Magneto	147	—	—
DNF	Don Freeland Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	DNF Magneto	136	—	—
DNF	Ray Crawford Elder	Elder	DNF Accident	115	—	—
DNF	Don Branson Phillips	Phillips	DNF Suspension	112	—	—
DNF	Bob Christie Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	DNF Engine	109	—	—
DNF	Bobby Grim Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	DNF Magneto	85	—	—
DNF	Jack Turner Christensen	Christensen	DNF Fuel leak	47	—	—
DNF	Chuck Weyant Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	DNF Accident	45	—	—
DNF	Jud Larson Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	DNF Accident	45	—	—
DNF	Mike Magill Sutton	Sutton	DNF Accident	45	—	—
DNF	Red Amick Kurtis Kraft	Kurtis Kraft	DNF Accident	45	—	—
DNF	Len Sutton Lesovsky	Lesovsky	DNF Accident	34	—	—
DNF	Jimmy Bryan Epperly	Epperly	DNF Engine	1	—	—