Bill vukovich biography

INDIANAPOLIS -- On the morning of the day he would die at Indianapolis Motor Speedway vying for his third straight Indianapolis 500 victory, Bill Vukovich did things he had never done before on a race day.

They were strange, over-the-top, sentimental, emotional, touching, odd things.

It was almost as if he knew.

After the 36-year-old Vukovich got ready on that race morning on May 30, 1955, he gave his wife, Esther, a kiss.

Moments later, he walked back to Esther and gave her another kiss.

"What was that for?" his wife asked him. Vukovich smiled. "Can't a man kiss his own wife?" He then drained his wallet, except for one dollar bill he would use for breakfast, and handed it to Esther, telling her, "I won't be needing (the money)."

But he did talk about needing luck that morning, something he had never referenced in his four previous Indy 500s, including the consecutive races he had won in 19