Wilbur Shaw

Warren Wilbur Shaw (October 31, 1902 – October 30, 1954) was an American racing driver. The second three-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 (1937, 1939 and 1940), he is also remembered for serving as president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death in 1954.

Early life

Shaw was born in Shelbyville, Indiana on October 31, 1902. At 16, he moved to Indianapolis and found work in multiple automotive-related jobs. In the 1941 race, Shaw was injured when his car crashed; it was later discovered that a defective wheel had been placed on his car.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President

During World War II, Shaw was hired by the tire manufacturer Firestone Tire and Rubber Company to test a synthetic rubber automobile tire at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), which had been closed due to the war. He was dismayed at the dilapidated condition of the racetrack and quickly contacted then-owner Eddie Rickenbacker, the World War I flying ace and president and founder of Eastern Air Lines. When the United States entered World War II, ending racing at Indianapolis and elsewhere for the duration, Rickenbacker padlocked the gates, and the racecourse slowly begin to disintegrate.

During a meeting soon after the test, Rickenbacker informed Shaw that what was left of the track would be demolished, and the land turned into a housing subdivision. Shaw sent out letters to the major car manufacturers trying to find a backer to buy the speedway. However, all indicated that should they buy the IMS they would turn it into a private testing facility for their own cars only.

Shaw then met Terre Haute businessman Tony Hulman who had inherited his family's business, Hulman & Company, a wholesale grocer and producer of coffee and baking powder, Clabber Girl.

A lifelong fan of automobile racing in general and the "500" in particular, Hulman listened with great interest to what Shaw had to say. Despite what Hulman saw amongst the weeds and deterioration when Shaw took him to Indianapolis, he purchased the Speedway from Rickenbacker in November 1945 for the sum of $750,000.

Other work and legacy

Shaw was the automotive test evaluator for Popular Science magazine. As the automotive test evaluator, Shaw's articles were superior to those of his contemporaries in that they gave consistently accurate reports without relying on Popular Science'''s lead in the marketplace over competitors such as Mechanix Illustrated''.

Shaw's highly regarded autobiography, "Gentlemen, Start your Engines," was published in 1955, and covers events through 1953.

As of 2025, Shaw is the last Indiana native to win the Indianapolis 500.

Awards and honors

Shaw has been inducted into the following halls of fame: Auto Racing Hall of Fame (1963) Automotive Hall of Fame (1987) National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1990) International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1991) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1991)

Shaw has been awarded the following honors:

Automotive Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Citation (1951)

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results