11/01/2025
Race Day 1941 Indianapolis 500: Wichita Falls native and Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame Inductee George Barringer looks down at his race car that was among the cars destroyed when the garage area caught fire on the morning of the race.
Wilbur Shaw, with his foot on the car, looks over the remains of one of the cars lost in 1941 Gasoline Alley fire. The fire started early on race morning and quickly spread through the old wooden garages. The men are looking at George Barringer's revolutionary rear engine, four-wheel drive Miller, sponsored by Gulf. It was completely destroyed in the fire and did not start the race. Wilbur Shaw, starting on the outside of the front row appeared to be on his way to his third consecutive 500 win, when a wheel collapsed, putting him into the wall. He had not gotten one of his wheels to balance and had marked it with chalk. He always believed that the chalk had been washed away by firemen's hoses. George Barringer in the hat. Driver, Deacon Litz, is the other man.
