WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Back to the Brickyard: Ralph DePalma

Episode Date: October 31, 2024

The story of one of the early greats at Indianapolis.

Welcome to Back to the Brickyard, your spot for Indianapolis 500 History here at Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm Christian Papuil. Ralph De Palma was one of the most dominant drivers of the early Speedway days. He came to India as a rookie for the inaugural race of 1911, leading four laps and finishing sixth. The next year, De Palma started fourth and was in the lead by lap three. He led every lap from lap 3 to lap 198 until crankshaft failure caused him to coast to a stop on the front stretch with just over a lap to go. De Palma's 196 laps lead that day is still an all-time record for a non-winner. After a poor 1913 and a no-show in 1914, De Palma returned to the track in 1915.

He started second and led 132 total laps. The Palma suffered mechanical failure this time as well, but was able to nurse his car to the finish for his first and only Indy 500 victory. After World War I, De Palma returned to the speedway in 1919. He led the first 65 laps, but a bad pit stop in lap 103 put him 10 laps out of the lead. De Palma won the pole in both 1920 and 1921. In 1920, he led 79 laps and was two laps ahead of second-place Gaston Chevrolet when his car stalled in lap 187. It was even worse the next year when De Palma led 108 of the first 112 laps, only to suffer a connecting rod failure. Although De Palma only won 1-500, his 612 laps lead were an all-time speedway record

until it was broken by Al Anser and then Scott Dixon. You have been listening to Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM. I'm Christian Papuil, and I'll catch you the next time we go back to the Brickyard.