1956 – Bryan is Winner of ‘100’ for Third Time

 Smoking his trademark victory cigar, Jimmy Bryan is surrounded by well-wishers after winning his record third straight Hoosier Hundred at the State Fairgrounds. 

Indianapolis, Ind. (September 15, 1956) – Jimmy Bryan, the hard-driving cowboy from Phoenix, Ariz., took the lead in the national auto racing standings Saturday as he won his third straight Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Bryan, driving the Dean Van Lines Special to its fourth straight victory in the 100-mile race, was less than one car length ahead of Pat O'Connor of North Vernon, Ind., at the finish.

Bryan's 200 points brought his season total to 1,560 and pushed him ahead of injured Pat Flaherty of Chicago, who has 1,500.

The race was slowed repeatedly in the early laps by accidents, but there were no injuries. The purse totaled $29,510.

Jud Larson of Tulsa, Okla., set a record of 37.4 seconds for the one-mile track -in the time trials. Starting on the pole position, he led the race for 70 miles. Bryan caught him on the 71st and led the rest of the way.

Larson finished fourth, behind third-place Rodger Ward of Los Angeles. Al Keller of Green Acres City, Fla., came in fifth, the first five finishers all being on the same lap.

The time of the race was 1 hour, 14 minutes and 19.48 seconds, more than 5 minutes off the record.

About one-fourth of the race was run under the yellow light because of the accidents.

Tony Bettenhausen of Tinley Park, Ill., the winner at Syracuse, N.Y., last week, cracked up his Schmidt Special on the fifth lap. Jim Rathmann of Miami hit the rail on the 25th lap. Van Johnson of Burbank, Calif., wrecked his car in the time trials.

Earl Hotter of Oakland, Calif., spun out on the first turn of the first lap, and Johnny Thomson of Springfield, Mass., spun out on the 21st.

The race was delayed more than an hour by the muddy condition of the track, soaked by an early morning downpour. The going seemed to be especially sticky on the southeast turn, and all the spins and crashes occurred there.


Results –


1. Jimmy Bryan
2. Pat O’Conner
3. Rodger Ward
4. Jud Larson
5. Al Keller
6. Gene Hartley
7. Bob Veith
8. Andy Linden
9. Don Freeland
10.Mike Magill
11.Johnny Boyd
12.George Amick
13.Earl Motter
14.Elmer George
15.Jim Rathmann
16.Johnny Thomson
17.Tommy Hinnershitz
18.Tony Bettenhausen