Indianapolis 500 1959 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Rodger Ward won the Indianapolis 500 in a Watson roadster, claiming victory in one of the final Indy 500s to count toward the World Championship. The specialized American oval racing remained completely isolated from European Grand Prix competition, with roadsters powered by Offenhauser engines bearing no resemblance to Formula 1 machinery. Jim Rathmann finished second in another Watson, with Johnny Thomson third.

The Indianapolis 500's continued presence in the World Championship highlighted the artificial nature of the arrangement, as American and European racing communities operated in complete isolation. No European drivers or teams competed at Indianapolis, while American oval specialists never ventured to Monaco or other European circuits. The disconnect between the two racing cultures made Indianapolis' championship status increasingly anachronistic.

Ward's victory earned him eight championship points despite never racing in a traditional Grand Prix, illustrating the quirk that allowed drivers to score championship points without facing European competition. The awkward arrangement would persist for one more season before Indianapolis finally dropped from the World Championship after 1960, ending the pretense that American oval racing and European road racing belonged in the same championship.