The 1940 Indianapolis 500 was the 28th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing”. The event was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana, United States on Thursday, 30 May 1940. Rex Mays started on pole position and Wilbur Shaw was the race winner. Having also won in 1937 and 1939, this was Shaw’s third and final Indy 500 victory.
1940 Indianapolis 500 Race Result
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Chassis | Engine | Tire | Started | Laps | Total Time | Laps Led | Status | Avg. Speed | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Wilbur Shaw | Maserati | Maserati | Firestone | 2 | 200 | 4:22:31.17 | 136 | Running | 114.277 | $30,725 |
| 2 | 33 | Rex Mays | Stevens | Winfield | Firestone | 1 | 200 | +1:14.14 | 59 | Running | 113.742 | $15,950 |
| 3 | 7 | Mauri Rose | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | Firestone | 3 | 200 | 5 | Running | 113.572 | $6,688 | |
| 4 | 3 | Ted Horn | Miller | Miller | Firestone | 4 | 199 | 0 | Running | $4,575 | ||
| 5 | 8 | Joel Thorne | Adams | Sparks | Firestone | 10 | 197 | 0 | Running | $3,850 | ||
| 6 | 32 | Bob Swanson | Stevens | Sampson | Firestone | 20 | 196 | 0 | Running | $2,463 | ||
| 7 | 9 | Frank Wearne | Stevens | Offenhauser | Firestone | 7 | 195 | 0 | Running | $2,038 | ||
| 8 | 31 | Mel Hansen | Wetteroth | Miller | Firestone | 5 | 194 | 0 | Running | $1,813 | ||
| 9 | 16 | Frank Brisko | Stevens | Brisko | Firestone | 8 | 193 | 0 | Running | $1,863 | ||
| 10 | 49 | Rene LeBegue | Maserati | Maserati | Firestone | 31 | 192 | 0 | Running | $1,488 | ||
| 11 | 41 | Harry McQuinn | A.R.-Weil | Alfa Romeo | Firestone | 15 | 192 | 0 | Running | $938 | ||
| 12 | 25 | Emil Andres | Stevens | Offenhauser | Firestone | 22 | 192 | 0 | Running | $788 | ||
| 13 | 28 | Sam Hanks | Weil | Duray | Firestone | 14 | 192 | 0 | Running | $650 | ||
| 14 | 6 | George Barringer | Weil | Offenhauser | Firestone | 16 | 191 | 0 | Running | $620 | ||
| 15 | 42 | Joie Chitwood | Adams | Offenhauser | Firestone | 26 | 190 | 0 | Running | $615 | ||
| 16 | 26 | Louis Tomei | Miller | Offenhauser | Firestone | 18 | 190 | 0 | Exhaust | $610 | ||
| 17 | 34 | Chet Miller | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo | Firestone | 27 | 189 | 0 | Running | $605 | ||
| 18 | 14 | Billy DeVore | Shaw | Offenhauser | Firestone | 32 | 181 | 0 | Running | $600 | ||
| 19 | 44 | Al Putnam | Adams | Offenhauser | Firestone | 28 | 179 | 0 | Running | $595 | ||
| 20 | 61 | Floyd Davis | Lencki | Lencki | Firestone | 33 | 157 | 0 | Running | $590 | ||
| 21 | 35 | Kelly Petillo | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | Firestone | 13 | 128 | 0 | Bearing | $660 | ||
| 22 | 21 | Duke Nalon | Silnes | Offenhauser | Firestone | 25 | 120 | 0 | Rod | $580 | ||
| 23 | 17 | George Robson | Miller-Ford | Offenhauser | Firestone | 23 | 67 | 0 | Shock absorber | $575 | ||
| 24 | 24 | Babe Stapp | Stevens | Offenhauser | Firestone | 12 | 64 | 0 | Oil line | $595 | ||
| 25 | 36 | Doc Williams | Cooper | Miller | Firestone | 19 | 61 | 0 | Oil line | $590 | ||
| 26 | 10 | George Connor | Lencki | Lencki | Firestone | 17 | 52 | 0 | Rod | $610 | ||
| 27 | 5 | Cliff Bergere | Wetteroth | Offenhauser | Firestone | 6 | 51 | 0 | Oil line | $605 | ||
| 28 | 38 | Paul Russo | Blume | Brisko | Firestone | 29 | 48 | 0 | Oil leak | $550 | ||
| 29 | 54 | Ralph Hepburn | Miller-Ford | Offenhauser | Firestone | 21 | 47 | 0 | Steering | $595 | ||
| 30 | 58 | Al Miller | Alfa Romeo | Alfa Romeo | Firestone | 30 | 41 | 0 | Clutch | $540 | ||
| 31 | 19 | Russ Snowberger | Snowberger | Miller | Firestone | 11 | 38 | 0 | Water pump | $535 | ||
| 32 | 27 | Tommy Hinnershitz | Adams | Offenhauser | Firestone | 9 | 32 | 0 | Accident | $530 | ||
| 33 | 29 | Raul Riganti | Maserati | Maserati | Firestone | 24 | 24 | 0 | Accident | $500 |