Sport: Win for Ward

The 500-mile Indianapolis auto race started taking its toll early. Defending Champion Jimmy Bryan quit after only two laps, when his Belond Special, hastily rebuilt after a disastrous engine freeze-up only one week before, developed clutch trouble. Mike Magill went to the hospital with neck injuries after hitting the Speedway wall on the 47th lap. Ray Crawford hit a wall on the 121st lap, suffered broken ribs. But through the pile-ups nothing bothered 38-year-old Veteran Rodger Ward of Los Angeles, a onetime fighter pilot who had never finished higher than eighth in eight previous “500” races. He nursed the dirty-white Leader Card Special in front to stay on the 86th lap, sped home the winner by a tight 23 sec. over Veteran Jim Rathmann. Ward’s average speed—135.857 m.p.h.—was a new record for the race, earned him well over $100.000 in prize money.