Pete DePaolo

Pete DePaolo

Pete DePaolo (born April 15, 1898 in Roseland, New Jersey - died November 26, 1980) was an American race car driver. He won the 1925 Indianapolis 500.

Racing career

Pete saw his first race in 1919, where he watched his uncle Ralph DePalma win. He drove his first Indianapolis 500 in 1920.

He pulled out to a huge lead in the 1925 Indianapolis 500. His fingers became badly blistered around the midpoint of the race, and car owner Fred Duesenberg pulled DePaolo out of the car. DePaolo had his hands repaired in the infield care center, and returned in the car after missing 21 laps. He had dropped to fifth. He raced his way to the win on his way to the series drivers championship. The race was the first Indianapolis 500 to average over 100 miles per hour (101.270 mph). Pete did not consider this to be his greatest win (since he was replaced for 21 laps).

He began his only team in 1927. He finished second in the Indianapolis 500, and added two wins on his way to the series drivers championship.

He decided to retire after he was in a coma for 11 days after crashing in Spain in 1934.

Indy 500 results

Awards

*He was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1995.
*He was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1995.

Writer

*He wrote his biography in the book "Wall Smacker", published in 1935

*DePaolo was an Associate Editor at "Speed Age" magazine when he wrote an eight part series "I Drove The Boards" from July 1951 through August 1952.

External links

* [http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/depaolop.shtml Biography]
* [http://www.racing-reference.info/owner?id=depaope01 NASCAR owners page at racing-reference.info]
* [http://home.flash.net/~dralstin/stories/Depaolo.htm Miscellaneous race highlights]
* [http://www.mshf.com/index.htm?/hof/depaolo_peter.htm Motorsports Hall of Fame of America]

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