Wilbur Shaw won the Indianapolis 500 three times, but had his biggest influence on the race after his own driving career was over.

He first raced at Indy in 1927, and had 2nd-place finishes in 1933 and 1935 before his first win in 1937 followed by two more in 1939 and 1940. After three years of inactivity during WWII, the Speedway was in deteriorated condition and then-owner Eddie Rickenbacker was thinking of selling the land to developers. Shaw embarked on a campaign to save the track and found a buyer -- Tony Hulman. Shaw became general manager, a post he held until his death in a plane crash in 1954.