Bill Spence (racing driver) explained

Bill Spence

Birth Name:

William Kettley Kimball

Birth Date:

9 June 1906

Birth Place:

Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Death Place:

Speedway, Indiana, U.S.

Module1:

Embed:	yes
Total Champ Races:	4
Years In Champ:	2
Best Champ Pos:	10th (1928)
First Champ Race:	1928 Detroit 100 (Detroit)
Last Champ Race:	1929 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Champ Wins:	0
Champ Podiums:	0
Champ Poles:	0

William Kettley Spence (born William Kettley Kimball, June 9, 1906 – May 30, 1929)^[1] was an American racing driver.

Death

Spence was killed in the 1929 Indianapolis 500 after making contact with the inside wall in Turn 2. This accident was caught on film by the makers of the 1929 silent film Speedway. In the captured film, Spence's front right tire hits the inside wall, indicating the car has previously spun. The car then rotates counterclockwise, and the right side appears to hit a rut or indentation in the track, causing the car to flip, landing upside down. Spence suffered a fractured skull.^[2]

Spence also served as a relief driver in the 1928 Indianapolis 500 for Billy Arnold.^[3]

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

Year	Car	Start	Qual	Rank	Finish	Laps	Led	Retired
1929	10	12	111.649	16	32	0	0	Crash T2
Totals						0	0

Starts	1
Poles	0
Front Row	0
Wins	0
Top 5	0
Top 10	0
Retired	1

Notes and References

Web site: Motorsport Memorial - Bill Spence . 31 March 2023 . Motorsport Memorial.
News: Associated Press . Bill Spence Killed . ... at the accident which resulted in the passing of Bill Spence from a fractured skull a short time after his car had turned over early in the contest. ... . . May 31, 1929 . 2012-10-09 .
Web site: Brown . Allen . Bill Spence . 2024-01-29 . OldRacingCars.com . en.