Name – Bill Vukovich

Height 5’ 9"

Weight 165

Age 36

Birthplace – Alameda, California

Nickname(s) – Vuky, The Mad Russian,

Lives – Fresno, California

Day Job – Service Station Owner

Worst Fear – Finishing Second

Favorite Race Track – Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Marital Status – Married, Esther

Main fault – Too Courageous for my own good

Stay in Condition by – Biking 15 miles a day, exercise, lifting weights, skipping rope and a special diet.

The reason reporters don’t like you – Because I don’t make any money for them.  Because I'm too grouchy with them.  They are always wanting something.  If only they would just want to talk instead of asking questions.

Impression of running 500 Mile Race – All mental concentration.

Craziest Offer After Winning Indy -- $1000 a week to join a thrill circus.

Future Goals – Security for family.  Take dancing lessons so my wife and I can go out dancing.

Children – Bill and Marlene

Favorite Mechanics – Jim Travers and Frank Coon

Favorite Car – Fuel Injection Special

Favorite Spare Time Activities – Being with the family, playing with the kids.

Least Favorite Activity – Driving a tractor in Fresno in July.

Most Difficult Race – 1953 Indy 500

Favorite Singer – Dean Martin

Biggest Break in Racing – Getting ride in Indy car by Wilbur Shaw and then getting noticed by Howard Keck.

The thing you always tell Rookies – If anything happens in front of them always go to the right.

The thing you always avoid at Indy in May – All the parties.

First Time You Wanted To Be Race Driver – Looking at a roller coaster at a Carnival and then seeing Floyd Roberts race.

Current Dream – to Drive Streamliner Car at Indy – win three straight Indys.

Least Favorite Race – Pan-American Road Race

Scores to Settle – To prove to the critics I belong with the all-time greats

Personal Cars – 1953 Ford Convertible, 1954 Dodge Convertible

Main Dislikes -- Being a hero or called immortal, drivers who don’t keep promises, and working in the Fresno grape fields.

On Drivers that run nitro – Let them do it. I’ll outrun them anyway. Even before they blow their engines.

Most unusual car you’ve ever been in competition with – A VW Beetle in the Mexican Road Race.

Future goals in racing – None. You can only live for the present.

Most Unusual Track Driven – Chrysler Proving Grounds. Was paid $5,000.

Least favorite kind of music – This new "Rock 'n' Roll" music.

Favorite TV Shows – Ed Sullivan Show, I Love Lucy, Dragnet, Ozzie & Harriet

Most Important Person(s) in Life – Wife, Howard Keck

Favorite Radio Show – Gunsmoke.  Used to be Inner Sanctum but not on anymore.

Favorite Drink – Milk

Smoke – No

Drink – No

Parties -- No

The thing most people don’t know about -- That I would never ask for a relief driver.

Favorite tasting Oil – Bardahl

Favorite Movie(s) – The Big Wheel, To Please a Lady

Hero – Bob Swanson

Most frequently traveled road – Highway 99 in central California.

The First Thing you thought about after winning Indy in ’53 – Going to my garage.

Most Difficult part of being Indy Winner – Making sure of getting the best investment on the winnings.

Most feared competitors – Jack McGrath, Jimmy Bryan

Goal after being retired from racing – Own a string of service stations and quickie car washes.

Favorite Food – Anything Yugoslavian. Ice cream

On the critics who won’t concede your greatness – If I win they won’t have much to say anymore will they?.

Ever on Cover of Sports Illustrated? – No

On Women Someday Being Race Drivers – Don’t care who races as long as I’m ahead of them.

Funniest thing about racing – How other drivers stand around and talk about who is going to come in second.

Most difficult thing about the night before the 500 -- Being able to sleep with the cars running at 16^th Street Speedway down the street.

Method of transportation to the track on Raceday – Walk

What People think about you after have known you an hour – That I’m a loner, am unfriendly, have a very small circle of friends, don’t talk to strangers, have deep dark personality and shut everybody out.

What Your Oldest Friends Think of you – That I am a family man, want security for my family and am a great guy.

Do you enjoy these types of interviews -- Not at all.  I only did this because the questions seemed interesting.