The 29th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1941.

His teammate Mauri Rose started the race on the pole position in the #3 car, but his dropped out early with spark plug trouble.

Sam Hanks was injured in a practice crash the day before the race and withdrew.

The fire was put out, but the site smoldered throughout the day, and smoke continued to rise even after the race had safely started.

Going down the mainstretch, the car lost control, and hit the outside wall, rupturing the gas tank.

Shaw was drenched with fuel, and suffered a back injury which left him immobile for several minutes.

He did participate in a special private tire test at the Speedway during World War II and became president of the track in 1946.

Car owner Lou Moore was apparently unsatisfied with Davis' performance thus far in the race, and ordered Rose to take over.

Speedway president Eddie Rickenbacker did not attend the race, and instead listened to it on the radio.

[17] He was recovering from injuries suffered in a near-fatal plane crash a few months before the race.