1957 Indianapolis 500

Entrants

Giuseppe Farina was the only European driver on the entry list but has withdrawn. His teammate Keith Andrews was killed during practice on 15 May when his car slid on the backstretch and backed into the inside pit wall; Farina had no backup car and pulled out of the event.

With Farina’s withdrawal, this race is contested entirely by USAC National Championship regulars. No Formula One World Championship drivers are competing here, and no Indianapolis drivers will appear at the European rounds.

Practice and qualifying

Rain affected several practice days, and the second qualifying day was washed out entirely. On pole day, showers delayed proceedings for nearly four hours; only nine cars completed timed runs. Pat O’Connor took pole position at 143.948 mph. Paul Russo, in one of the Novi Specials, was the outright fastest qualifier at 144.817 mph from the third qualifying day, faster than O’Connor’s pole time from the previous weekend.

On the pace lap, Elmer George struck the back of Eddie Russo’s car on the backstretch, eliminating both before the green flag. Thirty-one cars took the start.

Track changes

The Speedway has introduced a new pit lane separated from the mainstretch by an inside wall for the first time, along with a new Master Control Tower for broadcasting, timing, and scoring. The pit lane is paved in concrete, with a grass strip running its length for sign board men. The field also lines up in the pit area single-file rather than in the traditional eleven rows of three on the racing surface, assembling into grid formation on the pace lap.