Raffaele “Ralph” DePalma (December 18, 1882 – March 31, 1956) achieved great fame as an Italian-American race-car driving champion. His most notable victory was at the 1915 Indianapolis 500, and it’s estimated that he had around 2,000 race wins during his amazing 27-year-long career.
Let’s look back at some classic photos of DePalma.
Ralph DePalma at the 1914 French Grand Prix, 1914. (Photo Credit: Agence de presse Meurisse / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma racing his Packard ‘905’ Special – Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo Credit: LeSesne, Richard H. / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
DePalma and his riding mechanic pushing their car at the 1912 Indianapolis 500. (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma pushing his car at the 1912 Indianapolis 500 race. (Photo Credit: Bain News Service / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma and mechanic Tom Alley in the Mercedes that won 250-mile and 300-mile races at Elgin, Ill, Aug. 30 and 31, 1912. (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma (#12) and William Carlson (#10) at the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup race. (Photo Credit: Bain News Service / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma winning the 1914 Vanderbilt Cup race. (Photo Credit: Bain News Service / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma, winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. (Photo Credit: Bain News Service / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma in his Fiat at the 1912 French Grand Prix at Dieppe, 24 June 1912. (Photo Credit: Agence Rol / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma (Fiat, #42) and Fred Burgess (Calthorpe, #43) at the 1912 French Grand Prix at Dieppe. 25 June 1912. (Photo Credit: Agence Rol / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma in his Fiat at the 1912 French Grand Prix at Dieppe. (Photo Credit: Agence de presse Meurisse / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma in his Fiat at the 1912 French Grand Prix at Dieppe (Photo Credit: Agence de presse Meurisse / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma in his Fiat at the 1912 French Grand Prix at Dieppe, 25 June 1912. (Photo Credit: Agence Rol / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma at the 1914 French Grand Prix. (Photo Credit: Agence de presse Meurisse / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma and his Packard V-12 – Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo Credit: LeSesne, Richard H. / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma at the 1921 French Grand Prix. (Photo Credit: Agence de presse Meurisse / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma at the 1921 French Grand Prix, 21 July 1921. (Photo Credit: Agence Rol / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Ralph DePalma and his Packard V-12 in a crowd at Daytona in 1919. (Photo Credit: Unknown / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
Posed behind the wheel of his racer is driver Ralph De Palma and to his left is his mechanic, Lindley Bothwell. (Photo Credit: Lew Nichols Photography / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
