I was 5 years old in 1955, at the time of this accident.  I remember well my father and mother coming home after the race and just SICK over the loss.  I am now almost 60 years old (have been attending the 500 since the early 60's) and read your website as if it
happened only yesterday.  My dad, now well into his 80's, will tell you that Vukovich was a great driver and his favorite.  (Not until later did he became a Foyt fan.)  I think that to this day Dec. 26, 2010 he still mourns his death.  I know my mother did until her death in the late 1990's.  Thank you for all of your research and reporting.  Next time I am in California, I am going to try to visit his resting place.
 

God speed,
Peggy Jo Rose
 

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October, 2009

     I know many of you had read my story in "Eye Witness Reports", that I submitted two years ago. I would like to go into a little more depth as to how much Vuky meant to me, and even a little more detail on the day he died. I was 15 years old at the time and living in Chicago. Nineteen fifty-five was the third 500 mile race that I attended along with my brother, twelve years my senior, but it was I, that always ordered the tickets. For this race, we were in Stand ‘B’ Penthouse. It was always referred to as the Indianapolis 500, as the abbreviated, ‘Indy", did not come into vogue until the early ‘60’s.

     Going back a bit, automobile racing became my passion in the early ‘50’s, and Bill Vukovich was my hero. He earned that title by dominating the 1952 Indianapolis 500 mile race, and then going on to win the ’53 and ’54 races while I was there cheering him on. There was no one better… no one even close. In that time period, I don’t think a day went by without me mentioning the name of Bill Vukovich to someone. My bedroom and basement walls we’re filled with racing photos and posters, mostly of Bill Vukovich. I even had a picture of him in my wallet. Friends would ask as to why some much of the same guy? I would respond by saying that he is my idol. He is the greatest driver ever to drive at Indianapolis. I still believe that today.

     I attended the 1955 Chicago Auto Show in March and met Indianapolis racer Walt Faulkner who was hosting the Lincoln display. Lincoln had won the then famous ‘Mexican Road Race’, and ‘Little Walt’ had finished second behind Ray Crawford. I asked Walt a number of questions, mostly about Vuky. Did you know him well? Did you two get along? Was he REALY that good? Can he do it again? All his answers were affirmative. I closed by asking Mr. Faulkner, "Tell Vuky I hope he wins again and that you come in second." He smiled and said OK. Walt would finish fifth in the ’55 race, only to die in a racing accident less than a year later. That era of automobile racing was very cruel.

     Race day eve, May 29, 1955 10:00 PM, my brother and I boarded our train to Indianapolis from Chicago’s Union Station. We had the luxury of a sleeping compartment, but I don’t think I slept an hour all night. Around 4:00 AM they parked the sleeper cars along a siding and ‘officially’ woke us up at 5:00, for those of us going to the race. Getting dressed, the race tickets fell out of my pocket, and luckily the conductor spotted them. Getting off the train I tore my jacket. Was this an Omen? It was just starting to get light, but it was cloudy, cold, and windy, very unlike the two previous years of sunny and hot weather. After skipping breakfast, we took the 6:00 AM shuttle train to the track, which was about a half hour ride. We would take the same shuttle, after the race, to downtown Indianapolis, and get our 5:30 PM train back to Chicago.

     Once at the track we checked out our race seats and I decided to walk around since the start was over three hours away. I crossed the track and walked behind the pits and over to the garages hoping to see Vuky and maybe some of the other drivers. I never saw Vukovich personally, except while he was in his racecar, and usually leading the race. I liked wandering around, then someone yelled, "There’s the winner!" My heart jumped as I looked thinking it was Vukovich. It turned out to be Jack McGrath, a co-favorite along with Vuky to win the race that day. After over 54 years, I remember thinking at that very moment, the worse thing that could possibly happen that day would be Bill Vukovich not winning. He had to. He was the best. He was my hero. No one could beat him.

     Much has been said about the start and the early laps of the race. Vuky took the lead, as usual, and every time he went by I smiled and waved, and yelled something like, "Go Bill." Then, after 56 laps, something bad happened. Bill Vukovich….. was dead. I can still hear public address announcer Tom Carnegie’s voice like it was yesterday. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is with deepest regret to make this announcement…" The most popular racecar driver in America, going for three wins in a row, and leading the race. My idol. My hero. I had trouble accepting this. My brother asked if I was OK. I nodded and sat there for the rest of the race while a number of people around us ether left their seats or were weeping, or both. It was bad. I wished the damn race were over.

     In those days the Indianapolis News printed many ‘Extras" as the race went on. One big headline was, "VUKY KILLED IN PILE-UP" another, "VUKOVICH BURNS TO DEATH". I bought all these, because I wanted to know what really happened. No accurate description of the accident was given over the PA. As before, and since, the ‘show’ went on, and is if nothing had happened. A young handsome fellow, Bob Sweikert, won the race. Thirteen months later, he too would die in a racecar. Eight of the top ten finishers of the ’55 event would perish doing what they loved best. That does not always comfort the survivors. For me, the worst HAD happened, Bill Vukovich did not win that day.

     On the train back to Chicago I read all the newspapers I’d purchased during the day. Only then did I know the violence of the crash. Vukovich’s car actually went over the wall and flipped end over end. God! My brother asked about next year, and I said I wasn’t sure. He said he didn’t think he wanted to go any more. He didn’t. I heard someone on the train that was at the race saying that the damn race should be banned. I almost agreed.

     Arriving in Chicago the early editions of both Chicago newspapers had front-page headlines of the Vukovich tragedy. I arrived home in time for the 11:00 o’clock news and that too was the leading story. They showed films of the aftermath of the accident, but not the crash itself. It wasn’t until a week later, at our local movie theater did they show the now oh-so-familiar crash sequence in the weekly Movietone News. I was almost horrified seeing for the first time the real impact of the accident. Yes, my idol was gone, and even though I spent many more years involved in racing, Bill Vukovich, in my mind and heart, could never replaced.

Ron Austin

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    In 1946 I was 9 years old.  In 1947 and ‘48 we were there also, sitting on the cold cement slab seats of Balboa Stadium in San Diego, California -- my dad and I. There was something happening there.  I was excited, tense, I was attuned, I loved it. Why? Because of my instincts. When in the presence of greatness you feel it. I had a full size picture of the Mad Russian Billy Vukovich in his #1 red Drake. I can still see it in my mind’s eye.  Wish I still had that picture. He was my idol. I was crazy about this guy. A roll model unbelievable, and inspirational in my life. Too bad we don’t have more of this caliber in today’s world. But for this tragic loss he would have had 3 straight wins at Indy. In my mind he did have 3 straight wins. Were it not for a bad break, a freak steering pin break in ‘52 it would have been 4 straight. The epitome of excellence in motion, a rare quality of style, of quite demure natural talent and guts that sets a true champion apart from the rest -- especially in this profession . An Icon In my book. The best of the best, and the best ever. A sad fan at this tragic loss, but still a fan.

     I was absolutely amazed when I ran across your website, an amazing tribute to the greatest race driver of our time.  For many years I often wondered why no one had ever written a book or done a documentary on Bill Vukovich, now all these things have been accomplished.

     I first learned about Bill Vukovich in 1952 at the age of 9, my father was listening to the "500" and I asked what he was doing, he said he was listening to a fellow "Slav" run away with the Indianapolis 500, he was heartbroken when the steering broke and Vuky’s car slid along the wall.   In those days all the Yugoslavian people in the central area of California had relatives scattered in several cities, my grandfather had relatives in San Francisco, Watsonville and Fresno, so Bill Vukovich became a hero to the area Slav communities.

     In 1953 I listened to the "500" with my dad, man what a joyous day when Vuky won the race, then in 1954 when he won again my granfather had a big lamb BBQ on Memorial Day, everybody was just so happy, my grandfather, dad and uncle couldn’t wait for 1955 when Vuky won 3 in a row, May 30^th 1955 everybody was gathered around the radio a my grandparents house, Vuky was way out front, such joy and happiness filled the room, then something happened and it was quiet as a tomb, then the announcement Vuky was dead, my father shut off the radio, none of my family ever listened to the "500" again.

     I had never experienced such a terrible day in my life, I couldn’t sleep good for months, I kept thinking 5 seconds faster or slower and he would still be with us, I prayed for him every night, collected or read everything I could about him, now 52 years later I still think of what could have been, this mans death effected me as much as my own mother and fathers passing.  For years I thought I was crazy feeling this tremendous loss for someone I never met or even knew, but I can see from your website I am not alone.

     The one good thing that came out of this is I became a diehard fan of the Indianapolis 500, I haven’t missed listening or watching every one since that day, as time passed A.J. Foyt became my favorite driver mostly because he reminded me of Vuky, not crazy about the media, could drive anything with wheels, loved to drive in the "500", and nothing but 1^st place meant anything to him, it meant you lost.

     So thank you so much for your website, keep adding pictures, videos and stories of the greatest race car driver of all-time, I must go through the pictures once or twice a week, I watch the videos and listen to the audio programs weekly, you have created a lasting tribute to a man idolized and missed by many.

Thank you so much;

Paul Matulich

California

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     I was just a small boy who happened to read the Cornelius Ryan account of the accident which appeared in the May 1956 issue of Colliers Magazine.  The one little detail that captured my imagination was that Vuky reportedly carried a single dollar bill as a good luck talisman.  I don't know why that would sear itself in my memory, but it did.  Some 50 years later, I still remember this and think of Vukovich. 

     May he and his wife rest in peace, and the remaining family members for whom Vukovich is so much more than mere shadows on safety film, derive some comfort in knowing that many members of the public remember this remarkable man decades later. 

     Again, thanks so much for your tireless efforts in making as accurate a report as available resources and lengthening memories will permit. Time's wrong way telescope has been stayed, if for just a moment, with this account.

     All good wishes to you and yours.

Sincerely, Ramon Boronda

     My Dad I went to see Bill Vukovich race midgets (at either Culver City or Ascot in Southern California) after he had won at Indy in 1954.  Drove a beautiful blue and white car with gold trim; number 45 as I recall.  From that time on Bill Vukovich was my favorite.  I was 9 years old.  I am now 62 and he still is.

     I remember my Dad and I sitting next to the radio listening to Sid Collins and the other announcers that day.  We were certain that Bill would be the first to win three in a row.  I will never forget the look on my Dad's face when the announcement came and the empty feeling in my stomach.  I was heartbroken.

     Bill Vukovich has been a symbol for me all my life.  You don't let up and you use your God given abilities the best you can.  To do less than that is to deny the gift.  I took my gifts and put then into sports and a few years later I was the American record holder for 3,000 and 5,000 meters in speedskating.

     Even after all these years there is still some hurt and disappointment left inside. Bill was going to win that day and in some ways he did, for there is truly no greater victory than victory over self and his passing instilled that desire and drive into many of us.

     Thanks, your website has allowed me to be part of the last ride of a true hero.

Bart Smith,  Las Vegas, Nevada

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