The 11th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Wednesday, May 30, 1923. After winning previously in 1921, Tommy Milton became the first multiple winner of the Indianapolis 500. Howdy Wilcox (the 1919 winner) drove relief for Milton in laps 103–151. During the break, Milton had to have his hands bandaged due to blisters, and changed his shoes due to crimping of his toes.[3]

11th Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning bodyAAA
DateMay 30, 1923
WinnerTommy Milton
Winning EntrantH.C.S. Motor Car Company
Average speed90.954 mph (146.376 km/h)
Pole positionTommy Milton
Pole speed108.170 mph (174.083 km/h)
Most laps ledTommy Milton (128)
Pre-race
Pace carDuesenberg
Pace car driverFred Duesenberg
StarterEddie Rickenbacker[1]
Honorary refereeJohn Oliver La Gorce[1]
Estimated attendance150,000[2]
Chronology
Previous Next
1922 1924
1923 start.

On lap 22, Tom Alley (driving Earl Cooper's entry) wrecked on the backstretch, going through the wall, and killed 16-year-old spectator Bert Shoup. Alley and two other spectators were injured.[4]

Memorial Day controversy

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In January 1923, about four months before the race, the Indiana Legislature passed a bill prohibiting commercialized sporting events, including the Indianapolis 500, from being held on Memorial Day.[5] Some veterans groups, and proponents of the measure, led by senator Robert L. Moorhead, were displeased with the way the holiday had become "...a day for games, races, and revelry, instead of a day of memory and tears".[6] The bill sparked a heated debate, whereby the local American Legion issued a public proclamation opposing the law, on the grounds of free expression, and being "un-American" in principle.[7]

The issue created a potential schedule shake-up, which could have moved the race to the proceeding Saturday (May 26), or forced an outright cancellation.[8][9] Speedway management was leery about permanently moving the race to a Saturday, since many spectators worked on Saturdays, and they preferred to have the race on a holiday. Officials in the city of Indianapolis even proposed making the Saturday before Memorial Day a city holiday, to ensure the race was held on a holiday. On March 5, after consulting legal experts, Governor Warren T. McCray vetoed the bill, calling it "class legislation" and therefore unconstitutional.[10]

Time trials

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Milton's winning car

Four-lap (10 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. Tommy Milton won the pole with a record speed of over 108mph. Five cars qualified with average speeds of over 100mph.

Starting grid

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Row Inside Middle Outside
1 1   Tommy Milton  W  7   Harry Hartz 3   Dario Resta  W 
2 21   Martín de Álzaga  R  27   Louis Zborowski  R  18   Pierre de Vizcaya  R 
3 23   L. L. Corum 25   Howdy Wilcox  W  5   Jimmy Murphy  W 
4 8   Cliff Durant 2   Ralph DePalma  W  29   Earl Cooper
5 4   Joe Boyer 6   Eddie Hearne 16   Christian Werner  R 
6 31   Frank Elliott 14   Christian Lautenschlager  R  35   Bennett Hill
7 26   Harlan Fengler  R  15   Max Sailer  R  28   Leon Duray
8 19   Prince de Cystria  R  22   Raúl Riganti  R  34   Wade Morton  R 
R Indianapolis 500 rookie
W Indianapolis 500 winner


Box score

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Finish Start No Name Entrant Chassis Engine Qual Rank Laps Time/Retired
1 1 1   Tommy Milton  W 
(Howdy Wilcox Laps 103–151)
H.C.S. Motor Company Miller Miller 108.170 1 200 5:29:50.17
2 2 7   Harry Hartz R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 103.700 3 200 5:33:05
3 9 5   Jimmy Murphy  W  R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 104.050 2 200 5:40:36.64
4 14 6   Eddie Hearne
(Earl Cooper 88–200)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 97.300 9 200 5:46:14.23
5 7 23   L. L. Corum Barber-Warnock Ford T Fronty-Ford 86.650 23 200 6:03:16.81
6 16 31   Frank Elliott
(Dave Lewis Laps 109–138)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 93.250 12 200 6:04:52.37
7 10 8   Cliff Durant
(Eddie Hearne Laps 98–116)
(Eddie Hearne Laps 149–200)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 102.650 4 200 6:05:06.30
8 20 15   Max Sailer  R 
(Karl Sailer Laps 73–200)
Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft Mercedes Mercedes 90.550 18 200 6:11:49.60
9 22 19   Prince de Cystria  R  Prince de Cystria Bugatti Bugatti 88.900 21 200 6:26:24.78
10 24 34   Wade Morton  R 
(Jerry Wunderlich Laps 30–53)
(Thane Houser)
(Phil Shafer Laps 65–87)
(Jerry Wunderlich Laps 88–100)
(Ora Haibe Laps 101–160)
(Phil Shafer Laps 172–200)
Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 88.000 22 200 6:40:04.98
11 15 16   Christian Werner  R 
(Max Sailer Laps 84–87)
(Max Sailer Laps 112–126)
(Christian Lautenschlager)
Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft Mercedes Mercedes 95.200 11 200 6:41:50.51
12 6 18   Pierre de Vizcaya  R  Martín de Álzaga Bugatti Bugatti 90.300 19 165[11] Rod
13 21 28   Leon Duray
(Lou Wilson Laps 133–136)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 89.900 20 136 Rod
14 3 3   Dario Resta  W 
(Ernie Ansterburg Laps 71–80)
(Joe Boyer Laps 81–88)
Packard Motor Car Company Packard Packard 98.020 8 88 Differential
15 11 2   Ralph DePalma  W 
(Ernie Ansterburg)
Packard Motor Car Company Packard Packard 100.420 5 69 Head gasket
16 19 26   Harlan Fengler  R 
(Lou Wilson Laps 46–69)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 90.750 17 69 Gas tank
17 8 25   Howdy Wilcox  W  H.C.S. Motor Company Miller Miller 81.000 24 60 Clutch
18 13 4   Joe Boyer Packard Motor Car Company Packard Packard 98.800 7 59 Differential
19 18 35   Bennett Hill
(Martín de Álzaga Laps 30–44)
Harry A. Miller Miller Miller 91.200 16 44 Crankshaft
20 5 27   Louis Zborowski  R  Count L. Zborowski Bugatti Bugatti 91.800 15 41 Rod
21 12 29   Earl Cooper
(Tom Alley Laps 2–21)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 99.400 6 21 Crash BS
22 23 22   Raúl Riganti  R  Martín de Álzaga Bugatti Bugatti 95.300 10 19 Gas line
23 17 14   Christian Lautenschlager  R  Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft Mercedes Mercedes 93.200 13 14 Crash T1
24 4 21   Martín de Álzaga  R  Martín de Álzaga Bugatti Bugatti 92.900 14 6 Rod
[12][13][14]

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses[15]

 W  Former Indianapolis 500 winner

 R  Indianapolis 500 Rookie

Race statistics

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Race details

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References

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  1. ^ a b Fox, Jack C. (1994). The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994 (4th ed.). Carl Hungness Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 0-915088-05-3.
  2. ^ Patton, W. Blaine (May 31, 1923). "Sterling Pilot Takes Laurels Second Time In Speedway Classic". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. 
  3. ^ The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 15, 2002
  4. ^ "Thousands witness auto speeders race". The Ottawa Evening Citizen. May 31, 1923.
  5. ^ "Bill for Bible in schools is killed". The Indianapolis Times. January 25, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved January 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  6. ^ Sacco, p. 362
  7. ^ "District Legion Advisors Oppose Memorial Day Bill". The Indianapolis Star. January 31, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved January 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  8. ^ "Speedway Race May Be Run Despite Law". The Daily Republican. February 28, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved January 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  9. ^ Ash, Eddie (January 24, 1923). "Much labor to undo if speed race isn't held". The Indianapolis Times. p. 6. Retrieved January 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  10. ^ "McCray sends measure back to Senate without signing; veto vote fails to override". The Indianapolis Star. March 6, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved January 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com. 
  11. ^ Motor Age, June 7, 1923, p. 12
  12. ^ "Indianapolis 500 1923". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  13. ^ "Official Results of the Indianapolis 500". Indianapolis 500 Archives - Chuck's Toyland. Motor Age. 1923-06-07. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
  14. ^ Popely, Rick; Riggs, L. Spencer (1998). The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. ISBN 0-7853-2798-3.
  15. ^ "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1923". ChampCarStats.com.
  16. ^ Blazier, John E.; Rollings, Tom (1994). Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics. Stephen Rettig. ASIN B0006QASDW.
  17. ^ The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004


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