Furthermore, the race ending early due to rain supposedly saved Parsons's day allowing him to secure the victory before the engine let go.

However, the engine block crack was proved to be an urban myth,[4] and it was said to be a very minor but acceptable level of porosity, which did not significantly affect the performance.

Parsons's win saw him score 9 points and move to a temporary first-place tie (after 3 races on the Formula One season calendar) in the first ever World Drivers' Championship, alongside Nino Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio, and also saw him become the first American to win a World Championship race.

[18] The drivers also earned separate points (on a different scale) towards the respective AAA or USAC national championships.

Giuseppe Farina and Franco Rol submitted Maserati entries, but their cars never arrived, and the race took place without any European competitors.

Sid Collins moved into the booth for the first time to serve as analyst, and conducted the victory lane interview at the conclusion of the race.

WIBC personality Sid Collins was named as a replacement, however, Slater was able to arrive in time for race day.

Collins claims he burned his trousers on Parsons's hot exhaust pipe during the interview, which took place in the rain.

Booth Announcer: Bill Slater Analyst: Sid Collins South turns: Easy Gwynn North turns: Jim Shelton The race was carried live for the second year in a row on local television on WFBM-TV channel 6 of Indianapolis.