1923 Indianapolis 500

11th Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body	AAA
Date	May 30, 1923
Winner	Tommy Milton
Winning Entrant	H.C.S. Motor Company
Average speed	90.954 mph (146.376 km/h)
Pole position	Tommy Milton
Pole speed	108.170 mph (174.083 km/h)
Most laps led	Tommy Milton (128)
Pre-race
Pace car	Duesenberg
Pace car driver	Fred Duesenberg
Chronology
Previous Next 1922 1924

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.^[1]

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.^[2]

Time trials

Four-lap (10 mile) qualifying runs were utilized.

Results

Finish	Start	No	Name	Qual	Rank	Laps	Led	Status
1	1	1	Tommy Milton (W) (Relieved by Howdy Wilcox Laps 103-151)	108.170	1	200	128	Running
2	2	7	Harry Hartz	103.700	3	200	6	Running
3	9	5	Jimmy Murphy (W)	104.050	2	200	11	Running
4	14	6	Eddie Hearne	97.300	9	200	0	Running
5	7	23	L. L. Corum	86.650	23	200	0	Running
6	16	31	Frank Elliott	93.250	12	200	0	Running
7	10	8	Cliff Durant	102.650	4	200	4	Running
8	20	15	Max Sailer (R)	90.550	18	200	0	Running
9	22	19	Prince Decystria (R)	88.900	21	200	0	Running
10	24	34	Wade Morton (R)	88.000	22	200	0	Running
11	15	16	Christian Werner (R)	95.200	11	200	0	Running
12	6	18	Pierre De Vizcaya (R)	90.300	19	166	0	Rod
13	21	28	Leon Duray	89.900	20	136	0	Rod
14	3	4	Dario Resta (W)	98.020	8	88	0	Differential
15	11	2	Ralph DePalma (W)	100.420	5	69	0	Head gasket
16	19	26	Harlan Fengler (R)	90.750	17	69	0	Gas tank
17	8	25	Howdy Wilcox (W)	81.000	24	60	51	Clutch
18	13	3	Joe Boyer	98.800	7	59	0	Differential
19	18	35	Bennett Hill	91.200	16	44	0	Crankshaft
20	5	27	Louis Zborowski (R)	91.800	15	41	0	Rod
21	12	29	Earl Cooper	99.400	6	21	0	Crash BS
22	23	22	Raúl Riganti (R)	95.300	10	19	0	Gas line
23	17	14	Christian Lautenschlager (R)	93.200	13	14	0	Crash T1
24	4	21	Martín de Álzaga (R)	92.900	14	6	0	Rod
[3]

Race details

• For 1923, riding mechanics were made optional.^[4] Only one team (the Mercedes of Christian Lautenschlager) utilized one.
• First alternate: none^[5]

References

1. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 15, 2002
2. "Thousands witness auto speeders race". The Ottawa Evening Citizen. May 31, 1923.
3. "Indianapolis 500 1923". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on 15 January 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
4. Blazier, John E.; Rollings, Tom (1994). Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics. Stephen Rettig. ASIN B0006QASDW.
5. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004