17 replies to this topic

[Collombin]

Member of the Champion 100 mph club, that is. Sorry for the slightly clickbaity title.

As many will know, from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s one of the most prestigious achievements for an Indy 500 driver was to attain membership of the Champion 100mph club. This was done by driving the full 200 laps (without relief assistance) at an average speed of over 100mph.

The club died off at the end of the 1960s, and most references state that the final membership list consisted of 124 members. The final two to make the list were Denny Hulme and Ronnie Duman for finishing respectively 4th and 6th in 1968. The 1969 race had no new qualifying members, and the club had ceased to be by the time Al Unser qualified by winning in 1970.

This would seem to make Ronnie Duman the final driver to gain membership. However, the few contemporary sources that I have all say he was only credited with 199 laps. His engine blew on the final corner, and although he did make it across the line, it was implied that as starter Pat Vidan was already showing both the red and chequered flags then the race was officially over just before Duman made it.

A cruel way to miss out on club membership if so, and sadly just days later Duman was killed in that horrific accident at Milwaukee. Pure speculation, but did this have any influence on the officials or the club membership? Nowadays many sources credit him with completing the full 200 laps, but I don't know if this change was made within his lifetime.

I assume he was granted Champion 100mph club membership (posthumously of course) as part of that 1968 cohort, but don't know that for sure.

Does anyone know more?

Edited by Collombin, 08 July 2024 - 18:42.

[WINO]

All period sources that I have claim that Ronnie Duman crossed the line with 200 laps in his favor, for an official 6th place finish.

[Collombin]

All period sources that I have claim that Ronnie Duman crossed the line with 200 laps in his favor, for an official 6th place finish.

With all mine saying 199 this is intriguing! The 6th place finish is not in any doubt.

[WINO]

With five subsequent finishers taking the checkered flag behind Ronnie Duman, would there be any doubt about him crossing the line on this 200th lap?

 

My sources are definitely period, none for some alternative universe reason after he perished at Milwaukee later on.

 

Your Pat Vidan's red/checkered flag claim does not make any sense, since all the drivers still running were credited for the laps they completed after the checkered was waved.

Edited by WINO, 09 July 2024 - 00:04.

[Collombin]

Your Pat Vidan's red/checkered flag claim does not make any sense, since all the drivers still running were credited for the laps they completed after the checkered was waved.

There is no doubt that he physically completed 200 laps, but the wording in the yearbook implied that that flag combo ended the race before Duman could be credited with the 200 laps - and he is listed as Flagged, 199 laps. Two other sources (magazines rather than newspapers though) agree.

Yes, it surprised me that he wouldn't be allowed to complete the lap he was on, but I don't know exactly how they operated that particular procedure after deciding that enough's enough several minutes after the winner had finished.

I would be interested to know what it said on the official results, as aren't they published at 8am the day after the race and considered final? If they say Duman did 200 laps then the 199 was clearly a mistake officially corrected during the scoring review. If it says 199, how, when and why was it subsequently changed - if indeed it ever was?

Edited by Collombin, 09 July 2024 - 07:16.

[B Squared]

I'm pretty sure I have the 1968 Indianapolis newspaper for this race. Is this one of the sources you are looking at? If not, I'll see if I can find it and report what they say the results were.

[Collombin]

I'm pretty sure I have the 1968 Indianapolis newspaper for this race. Is this one of the sources you are looking at? If not, I'll see if I can find it and report what they say the results were.

I have no newspaper sources at all, so yes this would be very useful, thank you Brian.

You are also just the man to confirm if Pete DePaolo did think so highly of the club that in hindsight he would never have stopped for relief in 1925 - seems very likely, as he would have become the club's first ever member!

[B Squared]

Peter did rue that decision, with the benefit of hindsight. That is one of many things I distinctly remember talking to Peter about. He was in no way bitter about it, he just thought it would have been so neat to have been the first to have done it.

Another source you might not have is The Fabulous Novi Story supplements by C. Lee Norquest. The 1968 supplement has Ronnie Duman completing 199 laps.

[Collombin]

Thank you, my only contemporary (ish) sources are the Clymer yearbook (pretty much compiled by Mr and Mrs Donald Davidson at that stage I believe) and a book of magazine articles that include reports by Frank Falkner and Henry Manney. All say 199 laps.

The 1969 media track reports include Duman as a 100mph club member, whilst more modern sources are divided (and of less value). The Popely history book gives Duman as a rather confusing (and probably unique) "200 - Flagged", the Autocourse book credits 200 laps, whilst champcarstats goes for 199, and Wikipedia 200, for what that's worth.

Edited by Collombin, 09 July 2024 - 10:54.

[B Squared]

https://www.indianap...ce-results/1968

The official results from IMS have Ronnie completing 200 laps.

I found my 1968 raceday newspaper (with a very neat color photo of Joe Leonard in the Lotus 56 being pushed by Vince Granatelli on a Wheelhorse tractor) but not the day after with results yet. I also know I have the Autoweek race coverage issue, I'll continue to look further, but off to the shop now.

[Collombin]

Thank you Brian, a paper that went to press after the 8am morning results listing would be especially useful. I want to believe the Indy website listing but there's always a possibility that it was compiled much later after some amendment had been made. It would be nice to know if Ronnie got the credit within his all too brief remaining lifetime, especially as nobody else ever joined the club.

[B Squared]

This is Rick Duman's shop, Ronnie's son, I've talked to him a few times at a mutual friends. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to help you out with your question too.

https://www.turn4restorations.com/

[ChiliFan]

Newspapers.com has the May 31 and June 1 editions of the Indianapolis Star, with unofficial results published on May 31 stating 199 laps completed. The June 1 edition contains the official results showing 199 laps, and also giving a race time of 3:21:12.09 and average speed of 148.224.

[Collombin]

a race time of 3:21:12.09 and average speed of 148.224.

= 497.04 miles.

Hmmm.

Ps. Forgot to say thank you!

Edited by Collombin, 09 July 2024 - 12:31.

[Collombin]

After a bit of trial and error googling I found a similar question on the old racing history groups forum posted by Steve Zautke (the Milwaukee Mile historian) back in 2001. He had already spoken to Ronnie's son and to Donald Davidson. His query did not get any replies but he did say that he'd been told that friends of Duman had petitioned USAC to get him posthumously credited with 200 laps in order to achieve the requirements for entry to the Champion 100 mile an hour club.

It does therefore look like this is the most likely sequence of events, as I had originally speculated (but hoped was not the case).

[B Squared]

Thanks for the follow up, interesting.

[Collombin]

And thanks for your assistance with it, and to the others who helped too.

[B Squared]

Steve Z. is a friend and trusted; in fact when I've spoken to Rick Duman, it's been with Steve nearby.