the 1912 Indianapolis 500, after leading 196 laps and holding a five-lap lead with 10 miles to go, de Palma’s 1908 Mercedes began hammering itself to death with a broken piston rod. He pushed it across the finish line, because he made a deal that he wouldn't get paid unless he finished the race

 

Eddie Rickenbacker, a driver in the race, said, “The cheers and applause were even louder for this man than the winner. De Palma had failed, but he had failed in a wonderful way". 

 The cruelty of the misfortune was accentuated by the fact that de Palma had outclassed the field. In the entire history of the Indy 500 only one driver has led more laps in a single race. Billy Arnold led 198 laps in his 1930 winning effort.

https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/news-multimedia/news/2020/01/02/1912-ralph-de-palma-inspirational-in-victory-and-defeat