A Report On The Accident That Killed Bill
Vukovich In The 1955 Indianapolis 500-Mile-Race
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A Report On The Accident That Killed Bill Vukovich In The 1955 Indianapolis 500-Mile-Race
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Vukie Could Not Give Up Racing By Art Rosenbaum, Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, May 31, 1955 Billy Vukovich, who died in the flames at Indianapolis Memorial Day, announced his retirement from auto racing in 1953. But he couldn't make it stick. Billy, described by his racing friends as the Nerveless Slovenian, dropped in to The Chronicle's sporting department in October of 1953 with J. C. Agajanian, wealthy Southern California car owner and race sponsor. Vukovich and Agajanian were pumping for a 100-Miler in Sacramento, in which Bill would ride. I asked Vukovich about his retirement announcement. "Yeah," he admitted, "I did say I'd quit after winning the 500. The percentages are against you. But I can't escape the old itch. If I don't get behind the wheel I'm too fidgety." With complete frankness, he then went on to explain he had made $60,000 for winning at Indianapolis, and that this race in Sacramento wouldn't mean anything, financially, because of his high income bracket. He had to feel the wheel, that's all. "Maybe I'll retire soon, at that," Vukovich went on. "If I win once more at Indianapolis, you can bet that's the end for Vukie. I'm 34 now - not too far to go. Yeah, I'll retire soon, but not right away." Vukovich did beat the hot bricks of Indianapolis the very next Memorial Day. He knew the eventual answer, but was back for a third title Monday. As he had explained, "I can't escape the old itch." |
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