1924 Indianapolis 500

Last updated

12th Indianapolis 500
1924 Indianapolis 500 program cover.jpg
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis 500
Sanctioning body AAA
DateMay 30, 1924
Winner L. L. Corum and
Joe Boyer (co-winners)
Winning Entrant Duesenberg
Average speed98.234 mph (158.092 km/h)
Pole position Jimmy Murphy
Pole speed108.037 mph (173.869 km/h)
Most laps led Earl Cooper (119)
Pre-race
Pace car Cole V8
Pace car driverLew Pettijohn
Starter W. S. Gilbreath [1]
Honorary referee Henry Ford [1]
Estimated attendance135,000-140,000 [2]
Chronology
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1923 1925

The 12th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1924.

Contents

L. L. Corum started the race in the #15 entry, and was relieved during the race by Joe Boyer. Boyer proceeded to drive the car to victory, and both drivers were credited as "co-winners" for the 1924 race.

Boyer led the first lap of the race in his original #9 entry. After Boyer got out of the car and took over the #15, the #9 entry continued in the race, taken over by Ernie Ansterburg, Corum, and later Thane Houser. Houser crashed the car after 176 laps, and Boyer's original car was credited with 18th place.

Time trials

Four-lap (10 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. Jimmy Murphy won the pole position with a speed of over 108 mph.

Starting grid

RowInsideMiddleOutside
12 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jimmy Murphy  W 4 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry Hartz 5 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tommy Milton  W 
29 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joe Boyer 3 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bennett Hill 8 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Earl Cooper
318 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jules Ellingboe 16 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Cliff Durant 32 Flag of France.svg Antoine Mourre  R 
410 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ernie Ansterburg  R 7 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jerry Wunderlich 21 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Elliott
512 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Pete DePaolo 1 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eddie Hearne 6 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ira Vail
614 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Comer  R 31 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ora Haibe 19 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bob McDonogh  R 
726 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Hunt  R 28 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alfred Moss  R 15 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg L. L. Corum
827 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Harder  R 
R Indianapolis 500 rookie
W Indianapolis 500 winner

Race summary

The 1924 winning car Indy500winningcar1924.jpg
The 1924 winning car
Co-winners L. L. Corum (left) and Joe Boyer (right) LLCorumJoeBoyer1924.jpg
Co-winners L. L. Corum (left) and Joe Boyer (right)

After Joe Boyer, in his original car, led the first lap, Jimmy Murphy took the lead. By half-distance, Murphy led while Earl Cooper held 2nd. Fred Duesenberg, incensed that his lead car was behind four Miller vehicles, called Boyer into the pits, as his car had fallen behind with unscheduled pit stops. He then waved in his 5th-place car, driven by L. L. Corum, and installed Boyer in it. Duesenberg reportedly told him, "Catch them," referring to the Millers, "or burn this ship!" [3]

Boyer re-entered the race with Corum's car and soon passed Bennett Hill and Harry Hartz. With 40 laps to go, he was about 1 mile behind leader Jimmy Murphy and Earl Cooper, turning laps at up to 104 mph.

Murphy was signaled that Boyer was rapidly closing and upped his pace, but he soon cut a tire and had to pit. Cooper assumed the lead but suffered the same fate after pushing harder. Cooper sped out of the pits and closed on Boyer. With 12 laps to go, Cooper made a passing attempt in turn 1, but skidded and again cut a tire, prompting another pit stop. Boyer then eased his pace to win the 500 with a record average speed of over 98 mph. [4]

Box score

FinishStartNoNameEntrantChassisEngineQualRankLapsStatus
12115 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg L. L. Corum (Laps 1–111)
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joe Boyer (Laps 112–200)
Duesenberg Duesenberg Duesenberg 93.33016200Running
268 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Earl Cooper Earl Cooper Miller Miller 103.9006200Running
312 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jimmy Murphy  W  Jimmy Murphy Miller Miller 108.0301200Running
424 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry Hartz R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 107.1302200Running
553 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bennett Hill Harry A. Miller Miller Miller 104.8405200Running
61312 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Peter DePaolo Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 99.28013200Running
71614 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Comer  R 
(Wade Morton Laps 99–120)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 92.88017200Running
8156 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ira Vail
(C. W. Van Ranst Laps 162–200)
Ira Vail Miller Miller 96.40015200Running
9932 Flag of France.svg Antoine Mourre  R  Antoine Mourre Miller Miller 99.4909200Running
101819 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bob McDonogh  R  Harry A. Miller Miller Miller 91.55019200Running
11718 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jules Ellingboe Harry A. Miller Miller Miller 102.6007200Running
12117 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jerry Wunderlich
(Wade Morton Laps 31–90)
(Wade Morton Laps 158–187)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 99.36011200Running
13816 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Cliff Durant
(Phil Shafer Laps 91–110)
(Eddie Hearne)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 101.6108199Out of gas
141926 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Hunt  R Barber-Warnock Ford T Fronty-Ford 85.04021191Flagged
151731 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ora Haibe
(Elmer Dempsey Laps 101–121)
Albert Schmidt Mercedes Mercedes 92.81018182Flagged
162028 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alfred Moss  R Barber-Warnock Ford T Fronty-Ford 85.27020177Flagged
172227 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Harder  R Barber-Warnock Ford T Fronty-Ford 82.77022177Flagged
1849 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Joe Boyer
(Ernie Ansterburg Laps 93–158)
(Thane Houser Laps 176)
Duesenberg Brothers Duesenberg Duesenberg 104.8404176Crash T1
19141 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eddie Hearne
(Cliff Durant Laps 123–137)
R. Cliff Durant Miller Miller 99.23014151Fuel line
201221 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Frank Elliott Frank R. Elliott Miller Miller 99.31012149Gas tank
2135 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Tommy Milton  W  Tommy Milton Miller Miller 105.2003110Gas tank
221010 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Ernie Ansterburg  R  Duesenberg Duesenberg Duesenberg 99.400102Crash T2
[5] [6]

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses [7]

 W  Former Indianapolis 500 winner

 R  Indianapolis 500 Rookie

Race statistics

Race details

References

  1. 1 2 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, 1924). "Boyer Relieves 'Duesie' Pilot In 106th, Finishing; Corum Officially Wins". The Indianapolis Star. p. 1. Retrieved June 3, 2017 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 58
  4. Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p.58-61
  5. "Indianapolis 500 1924". Ultimate Racing History. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  6. Popely, Rick; Riggs, L. Spencer (1998). The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd. ISBN   0-7853-2798-3.
  7. "International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1924". ChampCarStats.com.
  8. Blazier, John E.; Rollings, Tom (1994). Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics.
  9. The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004
Grand Prix Race
Previous race:
1923 Italian Grand Prix
1924 Grand Prix season
Grandes Épreuves
Next race:
1924 French Grand Prix
Previous race:
1923 Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500 Next race:
1925 Indianapolis 500
1923 Indianapolis 500
Tommy Milton
1924 Indianapolis 500
L. L. Corum and Joe Boyer
1925 Indianapolis 500
Peter DePaolo
Preceded by
94.484 mph
(1922 Indianapolis 500)
Record for the fastest average speed
98.234 mph
Succeeded by