Bill Spence (racing driver)
William Spence (June 9, 1906 – May 30, 1929) was an American racecar driver. He was killed in the 1929 Indianapolis 500 after making contact with the inside wall in turn 2. This accident was caught on film by the makers of the 1929 silent film Speedway and the horrific crash can be seen in the last reel. In the captured film, Spence's front right tire hits the inside wall, indicating the car has previously spun. The car then rotates counterclockwise, and the right side appears to hit a rut or indentation in the track, causing the car to flip, landing upside down. Spence suffered a fractured skull.[1]
Spence also served as a relief driver in the 1928 Indianapolis 500 for Billy Arnold.
Indianapolis 500 results[]
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References[]
- ^ "Bill Spence Killed". Ellensburg Daily Record. Associated Press. May 31, 1929. Retrieved 2012-10-09.
... at the accident which resulted in the passing of Bill Spence from a fractured skull a short time after his car had turned over early in the contest. ...
See also[]
- List of Indianapolis fatalities
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- American racing drivers
- Racing drivers killed while racing
- Indianapolis 500 drivers
- Sports deaths in Indiana
- 1906 births
- 1929 deaths
- Filmed deaths in sports
- Racing drivers from Los Angeles
- American auto racing biography stubs