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RACE: 23rd Indianapolis 500
DATE: May 30, 1935
WINNER: Kelly Petillo
AVERAGE SPEED: 106.240 mph
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WHAT HAPPENED: Petillo made nine career starts in the Indy 500 and finished on top in 1935 when he broke the speed record with an average of 106.240 mph and made Wilbur Shaw the runner-up for the second time in three years. Rex Mays won the first of his four poles but a mechanical failure knocked him out of the race after 123 laps. Safety again was at the forefront as drivers were required to wear helmets for the first time, and green and yellow lights were installed around the track. Still, three drivers and a mechanic died as a result of May crashes.
NOTABLE: Race organizers cut the race's fuel limit for the second straight year to 42 1/2 gallons.
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