Mauri Rose won his first Indianapolis 500 in 1941, he was a co winner with Floyd Davis and that has its own story but todays blog will focus on his back to back wins in 1947 and 1948. Mauri Rose was born in Columbus, Ohio on May 26, 1906. Rose first drove in the Indianapolis 500 in 1933. He started in 42nd position and finished in 35th. The following year the cars would be limited to 33 and it has remained that way ever since.
Mauri qualified in 3rd position for the 1947 race. Ted Horn won the pole and Bill Holland, Mauri’s teammate, was the fastest qualifier but started in 8th position. Holland led most of the race. Team owner Lou Moore had the team put out signs saying EZY to both Holland and Rose. Holland followed the sign but Rose continued to push. When Rose passed Holland on lap 193 Holland believed that Rose was only unlapping himself. Holland was unaware that Rose was passing for the lead and Holland even waved at Rose as he passed. Post race Holland was furious when he realized that Rose and won and wanted to know why he hadn’t been told that Rose was also on the lead lap. While some believed that team owner, Lou Moore, and veteran driver Rose were teaming up against the rookie it has been denied by both Moore and Rose. Rose even said that is would be foolish for Moore to do that because Holland was signed to receive 30% of the total purse while Rose received 40%.
Mauri Rose was greeting in Victory Lane by movie star, Carole Landis, who had been flown in as a guest of Borg Warner. For several more years leading ladies would serve as guests of Borg Warner in Victory Lane.
The 32nd running of the Indianapolis 500 took place in 1948. Rex Mays won the pole position. Bill Holland started 2nd and Mauri Rose started 3rd with the Blue Crown Specials driven by Rose and Holland, running 5mph faster than the previous year. Sid Collins joined WIBC as a turn reporter on the south end of the track.
Duke Nalon was having a good race and looked to be on his way to Victory Lane but the crew failed to fill his tank and he ran out of gas with about 30 miles left in the race. He pulled into the pits. Rose went on to win his third race. He did it at a record breaking 119.814 and only made one pit stop. Bill Holland was again runner up.
In Victory Lane, Rose apologized to actress Barbara Briton as he refused to receive the congratulatory kiss from her until he could kiss his fiancé, Mary Ruth Wentworth.
I have found several interesting things to note on Rose’s career. Rose (with few exceptions) only raced in the Indianapolis 500. He would take his lunch break from the nearby Allison Engine Company and practice on the track before returning to work. Rose raced in the Indianapolis 500 15 times. He won three. After a crash in the 1951 race he retired from racing and was hired by General Motors. At GM, Rose played a critical role in the development of the first production Corvette. Thanks to Rose’s role the car was a successful racecar.
With all those accomplishments on his resume Rose considers his greatest achievement to be designing and developing hand controls so that those with limited use of their legs may be able to drive. Both of Rose’s children were disabled by polio so it is understandable why he deems this his greatest achievement.
Rose was the third three time winner of the 500 joining Louis Meyer and Wilber Shaw. He was the second back to back winner, joining Wilbur Shaw.
Mauri Rose was given the honor of driving the pace car in 1967. He died on New Year’s Day 1981. He was 74.
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