Conceived by Jim Travers, built by Frank Kurtis, and driven by Bill Vukovich, a single, revolutionary KK500A chassis dominated the Indy 500 from 1952 through 1954 as no other car and driver before or since. Jud Phillips and A. J. Watson built a close copy of this car for Bob Estes in 1954 that was driven by Don Freeland. Kurtis continued to develop his Roadster into the KK500D that Bob Sweikert drove to victory in 1955. For several years Kurtis Kraft Roadsters (or copies of them) took many of the starting spots at the Indy 500, before being replaced by later designs.