Lee Wallard won the 35th Indianapolis 500 despite losing brakes, a damaged exhaust, and a broken shock absorber, earning him the nickname 'Cinderella Man'.
Key Facts
- Race number
- 35th running of the Indianapolis 500
- Date
- May 30, 1951
- Winner
- Lee Wallard
- Cars running at finish
- 8
- Estimated weight lost by Wallard
- 15 pounds
- Pole position
- Duke Nalon (Novi)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 35th Indianapolis 500 was held on May 30, 1951, as part of the AAA National Championship Trail and the 1951 World Championship of Drivers. Duke Nalon, returning after severe burns from a 1949 crash, claimed pole position in a Novi, while heavy mechanical attrition set the stage for an unpredictable race.
Lee Wallard drove to victory despite his car losing its brakes, suffering a damaged exhaust pipe, and breaking a shock absorber mounting. Only eight cars were still running at the finish. Wallard endured serious chafing from a fire-retardant outfit worn without an undershirt, and three-time winner Mauri Rose crashed and flipped on lap 126, ending his Indy career.
Wallard's unlikely win earned him the nickname 'Cinderella Man,' but his racing career was effectively ended about a week later when he suffered severe burns in a crash at Reading. Mauri Rose retired from driving following his crash, closing out a storied Indy career after 15 starts.