1950 Indianapolis 500

Championship standings

Fangio and Farina are level at the top of the standings after Monaco, with Fagioli also in contention from his second-place finish at Silverstone.

Previous race

At Monaco, Fangio won from pole to bring himself level with Farina in the championship. Ascari finished second to give Ferrari a strong debut, with Chiron third in a Maserati. A first-lap accident triggered by a wave from the harbour flooding the track at Tabac Corner eliminated nine of the nineteen starters, including Farina and Fagioli. González, who had damaged his Maserati in the pile-up but was running second, retired on the following lap when his car caught fire; he suffered burns. Villoresi, after fighting back through the field, was also forced out with an axle problem.

Background

The 34th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is included as a championship round for the first time, at the lobbying of Indianapolis Motor Speedway vice president Theodore E. “Pop” Meyers. The race is sanctioned by the AAA under National Championship regulations — not Formula One specifications — and is expected to attract no crossover between the two worlds. Giuseppe Farina and Franco Rol submitted Maserati entries, but their cars never arrived; the field will race without any European competitors.

The race is scheduled for 200 laps over 500 miles. Walt Faulkner claimed pole position in time trials with a record run of 134.343 mph.

Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck are at the track during the month to film scenes for the film To Please a Lady, set around the Indianapolis 500.