It was a near life threatening event. Roose, 41, was the artist who painted the portrait of the 500-mile race winner each year. DECATUR, Ind., Oct. 30 (AP)Wilbur Shaw, 52, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as three-time winner of the 500-mile race, and two companions were killed in a plane crash near here late Saturday. Shaw finished first in the National Championship in 1937 and 1939, second in 1938 and 1940, and third in 1935. Homer Ginter, owner of the farm, said he heard a roar, looked up and saw the plane in pieces, 20 to 30 feet from the ground. ten died in the crash, apparently. SHAW CRASH INQUIRY ON; C. A. Shaw also tells how he met Tony Hulman and saved the Speedway. (AP) -- WILBUR SHAW, 52, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and three-time winner of the 500-mile race, and two companions were killed in a plane crash near Decatur Indiana late today. Shaws autobiography covers his life from childhood through the start of the 1952 Indianapolis 500. The track was full of holes and the grandstand was going to pieces. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Copyright Allen Brown 2000-2023. The Indianapolis "500" of the late Forties and early Fifties was a very special event through the work of Hulman and Shaw, although Hulman was always sure to point out that it was Wilbur putting it all together. Updated on April 06, 2018. The dapper Shaw was the ideal man to represent racing to automobile executives, whose cooperation Shaw realized was sorely needed. Part II Bill, Jr.s biography, will be up on Thursday. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6634586182301389";