On This Date in Minnesota History: May 30

May 30, 1921 – Tommy Milton of St. Paul, world’s champion motor racing driver, piloted an American-made car to the finish line first in the ninth renewal of the International Sweepstakes race, the 500-mile classic of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Tommy Milton
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c7/Tommy_Milton.jpg

Milton’s victory came as the result of a beautifully driven race, which was won after Ralph De Palma, ruling favorite, had set such a terrific pace for the first 250 miles that all but one of the foreign-made cars, including his own, were forced from the track through mechanical trouble or minor accidents.

Of the 23 entrants, only eight completed the 500 miles and seven of these were American-made machines. Ralph Mulford, driving another American-built machine, was awarded ninth position, without finishing, after all the others had dropped by the wayside.

Milton established a new track record for cars of not more than 183 cubic inches piston displacement, by completing the 500 miles in five hours, 34 minutes and 44.65 seconds, an average of 89.62 miles per hour. The fastest time ever made in the Speedway races was but twenty-hundredths of a mile faster per hour, that mark being made by De Palma in 1915, with a larger motor.

The victory brought Milton nearly $36,000 in prize money, $20,000 for first place; $6,200 in lap prizes, and the balance in special prizes given by accessory companies.

The Minneapolis Messenger; “Milton Wins Classic; St. Paul Pilot Averages 89.62 Miles an Hour. Victory Purse of $36,000; Only Eight of Twenty-three Starters Finish.”; June 4, 1921; p. 1.

Tommy Milton with Barney Oldfield and Louis Chevrolet before the 1921 Indianapolis 500

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tommy_Milton_1921.jpg

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