One of the greatest, and nice with it—that was Ralph De Palma. He won well over 2,500 of his 3,000 or so races and other speed events, and was a superstar who was much liked for his sunny disposition and sportsmanship. That was never more clearly the case than when he led the 1912 Indianapolis 500 in his Mercedes Grey Ghost for an incredible 197 laps. But on the 198th a con rod went, so the car coughed and spluttered…
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