The Cummins Special holds a couple of Indianapolis 500 records even though it did not win the 1931 race. The car was entered by the Cummins Engine Company of Columbus, Indiana.
Eddie Rickenbacker, the Speedway president and the president of the AAA Contest Board, was concerned that there would be a full field for the 1930 Indianapolis 500. He decided to relax the rules and allowed stock-block engines up to 366 cubic inches. Rickenbacker agreed to allow Cummins to enter the 1931 race providing it had a qualifying speed of 80 mph. Since it had a guaranteed entry, the car would not be entitled to any winnings.
The company’s founder, Clessie Cummins, had worked as a chauffeur for the Irwin family in Columbus and had owned an automobile repair shop in Columbus. He also was a member of the pit crew for the victorious Marmon Wasp in the 1911 Indianapolis 500. Inspired by the work of Rudolf Diesel, he developed the first Cummins diesel engine as a licensee of R. M. Hvid Company. The company was founded on February 3, 1919, with funds provided by William G. Irwin, a successful Columbus banker. In its early years, the company made diesel engines for the agricultural industry. In 1924, it unveiled the Model F for boats and commercial road vehicles. When the Great Depression interrupted the yacht business, the company turned to the automotive business.
In a test of the powertrain at Daytona Beach, Cummins set a diesel speed record of 100.755 mph on February 7, 1931. After touring Washington, D.C., the car returned to Columbus where it was modified by Augie Duesenberg for the 1931 Indianapolis 500. Duesenberg installed a 4-cylinder Cummins marine engine into a Duesenberg Model A chassis. The engine, which weighed 1600 pounds, was modified with aluminum pistons and two intake valves but retained a single exhaust valve. The Cummins Diesel Special qualified at 98.871 mph which was the 43rd fastest speed.
The Cummins Diesel Special (#8) was driven from the factory in Columbus to the Speedway on race day. With driver Dave Evans and riding mechanic Thane Houser, the fuel-efficient engine ran the entire race without stopping. It was the first and only racer in the history of the Speedway to do this. Unlike today when the race is stopped after the winner crosses the start/finish line, the racers were allowed to finish the race regardless of how long the race took. The Cummins Diesel Special crossed the finish line 38 minutes behind the winner for 13th place. Its average speed was 86.170 mph. The racer used only 31 gallons of diesel at a cost of $1.40.
In mid-August, the car was placed in the back of a Cummins Model-U powered Marion truck. The truck, driven by Clessie Cummins and accompanied by Dave Evans, went from New York to Los Angeles in 126 hours. The logged running time was 97 hours, establishing two new records. The total cost of fuel for the trip was $11.22.
In order to further test the new engine, Clessie Cummins accompanied by Dave Evans completed 14,600 nonstop miles around IMS with a Model-H powered Indiana truck by Christmas Eve. They were replaced in the truck by Don Cummins and J. Chambers who continued to drive the truck. It pulled into the pits at 2 p.m. on December 26 having completed over 15,000 miles. The truck had been running continuously for 14 days.
In 1934, Cummins returned to the Indianapolis 500 with two Duesenberg-chassis cars powered by an experimental, supercharged, aluminum engine. Clessie Cummins used the race to test each of the engines. One of the cars had a four-stroke engine and the other car had a two-stroke engine. Each engine produced approximately 135 horsepower.
The four-stroke engine car qualified in 22nd place with Dave Evans as the pilot. The two-stroke engine, driven by Wilburn (Stubby) Stubblefield, qualified 29th. The # 6 car driven by Dave Evans made its first pitstop at about 200 miles. While re-entering the race, the transmission was damaged by the rapid acceleration and the car finished in 19th place. Evans, Cummins’ top driver, replaced Stubblefield in the # 5 car after his car failed. The second car was the last car to finish the 500 miles and was awarded 12th place. At the end, the car was trailing smoke and was overheating. After the car was turned off, the pistons seized in the cylinders.
With the test complete, the four-stroke engine car was lengthened to accommodate a four-stroke, six-cylinder engine. Wild Bill Cummings set a flying mile diesel speed record of 133.023 mph on March 1, 1935, at Daytona Beach. The following day, he went 137.195 mph. The car also set two five-mile records. Since the trial was not sanctioned, these records were not recognized.
Cummins returned three more times to participate in the Indianapolis 500. Those tales will appear next week.