Pete DePaolo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter DePaolo
DePaolo in 1925
Born	Peter DePaolo (1898-04-06)April 6, 1898 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	November 26, 1980(1980-11-26) (aged 82) Laguna Hills, California, U.S.
Championship titles
AAA Championship Car (1925, 1927) Major victories Indianapolis 500 (1925)
Champ Car career
55 races run over 10 years
Best finish	1st (1925, 1927)
First race	1922 Beverly Hills 250 #1 (Beverly Hills)
Last race	1930 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
First win	1925 Raisin Day Classic (Fresno)
Last win	1927 50-mile Semi-Final (Charlotte)
Wins Podiums Poles 10 21 5

Peter DePaolo (born April 6, 1898 – died November 26, 1980) was a famous American racing driver. Many people remember him as one of the best racers of his time. He won the exciting 1925 Indianapolis 500 race. He also became a National Champion twice, first in 1925 and again in 1927.

Early Life and First Race

Peter DePaolo was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 6, 1898. He saw his very first car race in 1919. During that race, he watched his uncle, Ralph DePalma, win. Pete was actually helping his uncle as a "riding mechanic." This was a person who rode in the car with the driver to help with repairs or give information during the race.

Peter DePaolo's Racing Career

DePaolo started his own racing career in the 1922 Indianapolis 500 race. He finished in fourth place, which was a great start! However, he had a very serious accident at a "board track" in Kansas City. Board tracks were race tracks made of wooden planks. His car rolled over four times. He spent three weeks in the hospital with a badly cut face and lost two teeth. His riding mechanic, Harry "Cotton" Henning, was also badly hurt.

Winning the Indianapolis 500

At the 1925 Indianapolis 500, DePaolo quickly took a huge lead. His clever plan was to drive his car so that its left tires would run in an oil slick on the track for two laps. Then, he would switch and run his right tires in the oil slick for two laps. This strategy helped him keep control.

During the race, his fingers became very blistered. The car owner, Fred Duesenberg, pulled DePaolo out of the car. Another driver, Norm Batten, took his place. DePaolo quickly got his hands treated at the infield care center. He returned to the race after missing 21 laps. Even though his car had dropped to fifth place, DePaolo managed to win the race! This victory helped him become the series' driver's champion that year.

It was a historic win because it was the first Indianapolis 500 where the average speed was over 100 miles per hour. DePaolo's Duesenberg car averaged 101.13 mph. Even with this amazing achievement, DePaolo didn't think it was his best win. This was because he had been out of the car for 21 laps.

DePaolo racing in 1925

More Championships and Challenges

In 1927, Peter DePaolo started his own racing team. He finished second in the 1927 Indianapolis 500. He also won two more races, which helped him win his second series' driver's championship.

In 1934, DePaolo drove a special four-wheel-drive car in races across Europe and Africa. During a race near Berlin, Germany, he was leading in heavy rain. Suddenly, his engine had a problem. Two parts called "connecting rods" broke off. They flew out and just barely missed hitting Adolf Hitler, who was watching the race.

DePaolo decided to stop racing in 1934. This decision came after he was in a coma for 11 days following a serious accident in Spain.

Life as a Car Owner

After retiring from driving, DePaolo became a successful car owner and team manager. In 1935, his driver, Kelly Petillo, won the Indianapolis 500.

DePaolo also owned a successful NASCAR team from 1955 to 1957. His team's drivers often finished near the top in the final points standings. They had 21 wins and finished in the top 10 a total of 109 times in 178 races. This team later became known as Holman Moody, which is also famous in racing history.

Peter DePaolo as a Writer

DePaolo with his wife

Peter DePaolo also shared his experiences through writing.

• He wrote his life story in a book called Wall Smacker, which was published in 1935. In the book, he described racing on a board track as "a great sensation, tearing around a board speedway dodging holes and flying timber."
• From 1951 to 1952, DePaolo was an editor at Speed Age magazine. He wrote an eight-part series for the magazine called "I Drove The Boards."

Later Life and Legacy

In 1971, Peter DePaolo sang the song "Back Home Again in Indiana" before the start of the Indianapolis 500. He was the only driver to do this until 2019. In 1976, he was the Grand Marshall for the BiCentennial Parade in Roseland. A street in Roseland, DePaolo Court, is named after him.

Peter DePaolo passed away on November 26, 1980, when he was 82 years old.

Awards and Honors

Peter DePaolo received many awards and honors for his contributions to racing. He has been inducted into several important halls of fame:

• Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1963)
• Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1995)
• National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1995)

He also received the Automotive Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Citation in 1969.

Images for kids

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  DePaolo in 1925

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  DePaolo racing in 1925

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  DePaolo with his wife