Peter DePaolo (April 6, 1898 – November 26, 1980) was a pioneering American racing driver, often called one of the greatest of his era and nicknamed “The Golden Man.” Born in Roseland, New Jersey, and raised in Philadelphia, he was the nephew of legendary driver Ralph DePalma. He began his career as DePalma’s riding mechanic after World War I, gaining fame in the 1920 Indianapolis 500 by climbing onto the hood of the speeding car to extinguish a fire. He also rode with DePalma to second place in the 1921 French Grand Prix.
DePaolo made his driving debut at the Indianapolis 500 in 1922 in a Frontenac, crashing after 110 laps. He competed in seven Indy 500s through 1930. His breakthrough came in 1925, driving a Duesenberg to victory at Indy by leading 115 laps and becoming the first driver to average over 100 mph (101.13 mph), earning a record $36,150 prize. He won the AAA National Championship that year.
He dominated from 1925–1927, securing ten National Championship race wins (mostly on board tracks), finishing third in points in 1926, and claiming his second AAA title in 1927 with a Miller front-drive car. He also finished second at Indy in 1927.
After a serious crash in Spain in 1934 that left him in a coma for 11 days, DePaolo retired from driving. He remained deeply involved in motorsports and, as car owner and team manager, guided Kelly Petillo to victory in the 1935 Indianapolis 500—becoming the first former Indy 500 winner to succeed as an owner in the event (with the win also marking the first for an Offenhauser-powered car). He served in the U.S. Army during World War II (reaching lieutenant colonel) and later helped bring Ford into factory-supported stock car racing in the 1950s–1960s, laying groundwork for iconic NASCAR teams like the Wood Brothers and Holman-Moody. He authored an autobiography, Wall Smacker, in the 1930s and remained an ambassador for racing into his later years. He passed away in Laguna Hills, California, leaving a legacy bridging the board-track era to modern stock car competition.
