No one has won three 500's in a row.
Had the cards fallen right, he would
have won four in a row.

His rookie year was less than memorable
 with a 29th place finish after
 29 laps with an oil tank leak.

He came back in 1952 in the Howard Kech
fuel injection special to qualify in the
eighth starting position.  While leading
 with only eight laps to go,
the failure of a fifty cent part put him in
the wall taking away a victory.  
Bill had led 150 laps up to that point.

In 1953 Vuky was back in full stride and won
the pole position.  Race day brought record
temperatures and drivers fell by the way side.  Relief drivers were placed in many cars as the temperature climbed and
took its toll on the field.   When asked if he wanted relief, Vuky glared at his pit crew and kept on "Truckin".  
He would go on to lead 195 of the 200 laps that day.

The 1954 season brought problems early on with a 19th qualifying spot was all he could muster. .  However, in true Vukovich fashion, Bill marched through the field, leading 90 laps and took home victory number two.

It became apparent in 1955 the fuel injection special
 that had carried Bill to two consecutive
 victories would not be ready to compete
 so Bill signed on with Lindsey Hopkins.

A fifth place starting spot was what the new team
 came up with, however Vuky and Jack McGrath
were quickly battling for the lead in one of
the fiercest battles ever seen at the Brickyard.
To hold the lead, each man drove their race
car as they had never driven before.

Of the first fifty-six laps, Bill lead fifty of them. . 
He came off turn two on lap fifty-seven
when disaster set up in front of him as cars
crashed and blocked his path. He rode over
Johnny Boyd and out of the track
in a horrendous crash that ended upside
down in flames and claiming his life.

Bill was once asked how to get around the speedway.
He answered, put your foot on the floor and turn
left!! in trying to avoid the crash he turned right!

In five short years with 857 laps, Bill Vukovich
set records at Indy that still stand to this day.
He led 485 laps out of the 856 driven giving him an overall average of fifty-seven percent for lead laps.
After fifty years Bill Vukovich is ranked eighth
 in the all time lap leaders.  

Bill Vukovich was a champion who loved racing, lived racing and died racing!!
His memory will live on forever in the hearts of many.

May You Rest In Peace 
Ralph Corwin©
March 22, 2006