| Race Name: | 43rd Indianapolis 500 |
| Sanction: | USAC |
| Date: | May 30, 1959 |
| Winner: | Rodger Ward |
| Team: | Leader Cards |
| Mph: | 135.857mi/h |
| Pole: | Johnny Thomson |
| Pole Speed: | 145.908mi/h |
| Leader: | Rodger Ward (130) |
| Pace Car: | Buick Electra 225 |
| Pace Driver: | Sam Hanks |
| Starter: | Bill Vanderwater[1] |
| Honorary: | Vernon Bellman |
| Attendance: | 180,000[2] |
| Previous: | 1958 |
| Next: | 1960 |
The 43rd International 500-Mile Sweepstakes was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 30, 1959. The event was part of the 1959 USAC National Championship Trail and was also race 2 of 9 in the 1959 World Championship of Drivers.
Rodger Ward earned the first of two career Indy 500 victories. A record sixteen cars completed the full 500 miles.
All cars were required to have roll bars for the first time.[3]
Two drivers, Jerry Unser and Bob Cortner, were killed in separate crashes during the month. On May 2, Unser lost control in Turn Four, spun, and flipped down the main stretch. The car caught fire and Unser suffered significant burns; he died from complications of his burns on May 17. On May 19, rookie Cortner crashed in turn three after being pushed by a wind gust. He was killed instantly of head injuries.[4]
On the morning of pole day, Tony Bettenhausen suffered a bad crash during a practice run. His car hit the outside wall and flipped over the inside guardrail. Bettenhausen escaped the crash with only minor injuries, and would qualify on the second weekend of time trials.
After three years of retirement, Duane Carter returned to the cockpit, and qualified for his ninth Indianapolis 500 start.
Time trials were scheduled for four days:
| Row | Inside | Middle | Outside | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 |  Johnny Thomson | 44 | Eddie Sachs | 16 | Jim Rathmann |
| 2 | 73 | Dick Rathmann | 48 | 5 | Rodger Ward | |
| 3 | 74 | Bob Veith | 19 | Eddie Johnson | 88 | Gene Hartley |
| 4 | 9 | 33 | Johnny Boyd | 37 | Duane Carter | |
| 5 | 66 | Jimmy Daywalt | 24 | Jack Turner | 1 | Tony Bettenhausen |
| 6 | 99 | Paul Goldsmith | 10 | A. J. Foyt | 64 | |
| 7 | 7 | Jud Larson | 6 | 71 | ||
| 8 | 8 | Len Sutton | 89 | Al Herman | 65 | Bob Christie |
| 9 | 15 | Don Freeland | 87 | 45 | Paul Russo | |
| 10 | 57 | Al Keller | 47 | Chuck Weyant | 53 | Bill Cheesbourg |
| 11 | 77 | Mike Magill | 49 | Ray Crawford | 58 | |
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilized Firestone tires.
| Lap Leaders | ||
|---|---|---|
| Laps | Leader | |
| 1–4 | Johnny Thomson | |
| 5–12 | Rodger Ward | |
| 13 | Jim Rathmann | |
| 14–16 | Rodger Ward | |
| 17–30 | Jim Rathmann | |
| 31 | Pat Flaherty | |
| 32–33 | Jim Rathmann | |
| 34–40 | Pat Flaherty | |
| 41–42 | Jim Rathmann | |
| 43–45 | Pat Flaherty | |
| 46–48 | Rodger Ward | |
| 49–84 | Johnny Thomson | |
| 85–200 | Rodger Ward | |
| Total laps led | |
|---|---|
| Driver | Laps |
| Rodger Ward | 130 |
| Johnny Thomson | 40 |
| Jim Rathmann | 19 |
| Pat Flaherty | 11 |
| Type: | F1 |
| Country: | USA |
| Grand Prix: | Indianapolis 500 |
| Year: | 1959 |
| Race No: | 2 |
| Season No: | 9 |
| Previous Round: | 1959 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Next Round: | 1959 Dutch Grand Prix |
| Course Mi: | 2.500 |
| Course Km: | 4.023 |
| Distance Laps: | 200 |
| Distance Mi: | 500.000 |
| Distance Km: | 804.672 |
The Indianapolis 500 was included in the FIA World Championship of Drivers from 1950 through 1960. The race was sanctioned by AAA through 1955, and then by USAC beginning in 1956. At the time the new world championship was announced and first organized by the CSI, the United States did not yet have a Grand Prix. Indianapolis Motor Speedway vice president and general manager Theodore E. "Pop" Meyers lobbied that the Indianapolis 500 be selected as the race to represent the country and to pay points towards the world championship.[12] [13]
Drivers competing at the Indianapolis 500 in 1950 through 1960 were credited with participation in and earned points towards the World Championship of Drivers.[14] However, the machines competing at Indianapolis were not necessarily run to Formula One specifications and regulations.[15] The drivers also earned separate points (on a different scale) towards the respective AAA or USAC national championships. No points, however, were awarded by the FIA towards the World Constructors' Championship.
The 1959 Indianapolis 500 was round 2 of 9 on the 1959 World Championship. The event, however, failed to attract interest from any of the regular competitors on the Grand Prix circuit, particularly since it was held only one day prior to the Dutch Grand Prix. Race winner Rodger Ward earned 8 points towards the World Championship. Ward also competed in the U.S. Grand Prix at Sebring. He finished tenth in the final season standings.
| Pos | Driver | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Jack Brabham | 9 | ||
| 23 | 2 | Rodger Ward | 8 | |
| 1 | 3 |  Tony Brooks | 6 | |
| 21 | 4 | Jim Rathmann | 6 | |
| 20 | 5 | Johnny Thomson | 5 | |
| Source: [16] | ||||
The race was carried live on the IMS Radio Network. Sid Collins served as chief announcer. Fred Agabashian joined the crew for the first time as "driver expert." The broadcast reached 385 affiliates, including Fairbanks, Alaska.[17]