| Race Name: | 8th Indianapolis 500 |
| Race Logo: | 1920 Indianapolis 500 program cover.jpg |
| Sanction: | AAA |
| Date: | May 31, 1920 |
| Winner: | Gaston Chevrolet |
| Team: | William Small Company |
| Mph: | 88.618mi/h |
| Pole: | Ralph DePalma |
| Pole Speed: | 99.15mi/h |
| Leader: | Joe Boyer (93) |
| Pace Car: | Marmon 6 (Model 34) |
| Pace Driver: | Barney Oldfield |
| Starter: | E. C. Patterson[1] |
| Honorary: | Clifford C. Ireland |
| Attendance: | 120,000[2] (up 10k from previous year) |
| Previous: | 1919 |
| Next: | 1921 |
The 8th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1920.
Ralph DePalma held a two lap lead when the car stalled on lap 187. His riding mechanic Pete DePaolo ran to the pits to get a can of gasoline, thinking they were out of fuel. DePalma was able to get the car rolling again, and the two rejoined the race. However, during the delay, the lead went to Gaston Chevrolet. Chevrolet himself ran out of fuel on lap 197, but he was able to coast to the pits and refuel. Chevrolet held on to win. Seven months later, he was fatally injured in a crash at Beverly Hills.
Chevrolet won the race without a single tire change, a remarkable feat at the time. Chevrolet was accompanied by riding mechanic John Bresnahan. Chevrolet's victory was the last by a driver born outside of the United States until George Robson's victory in the 1946 running.
Four-lap qualifying runs were introduced in 1920. Previously one-lap runs were used. Ralph DePalma won the pole position at 99.65mph. None of his four laps matched the track record (104.78mph) set the previous year.
| Qualifying Results | |||||||
| Date | Driver | Lap 1 (mph) | Lap 2 (mph) | Lap 3 (mph) | Lap 4 (mph) | Average Speed (mph) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/26/1920 | Ralph DePalma | 98.1 | 99.4 | 99.5 | 99.95 | 99.65 | |
| Row | Inside | Inside Center | Outside Center | Outside | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pace car position | 2 | 6 |  Joe Boyer | 3 | Louis Chevrolet | ||
| 2 | 26 |  Jean Chassagne | 8 | Art Klein | 4 | Gaston Chevrolet | 5 | Roscoe Sarles |
| 3 | 7 | 31 | Eddie Hearne | 9 | Ray Howard | 10 | Tommy Milton | |
| 4 | 29 | Eddie O'Donnell | 34 | Willie Haupt | 32 | 12 | ||
| 5 | 17 | André Boillot | 15 |  Pete Henderson | 25 | 28 | ||
| 6 | 18 | 16 | 19 | Jean Porporato | 33 | Ralph Mulford | ||
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses[5]
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
| Lap Leaders | ||
|---|---|---|
| Laps | Leader | |
| 1–11 | Joe Boyer | |
| 12 | Art Klein | |
| 13 | Jean Chassagne | |
| 14–37 | Joe Boyer | |
| 38–42 | Ralph DePalma | |
| 43–62 | Joe Boyer | |
| 63–69 | René Thomas | |
| 70–107 | Joe Boyer | |
| 108–112 | René Thomas | |
| 113–186 | Ralph DePalma | |
| 187–200 | Gaston Chevrolet | |
| Total laps led | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Laps |
| Joe Boyer | 93 |
| Ralph DePalma | 79 |
| Gaston Chevrolet | 14 |
| René Thomas | 12 |
| Jean Chassagne | 1 |
| Art Klein | 1 |