The 12th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1924.
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 Jimmy Murphy 4 Harry Hartz5 Tommy Milton 29 Joe Boyer3 Bennett Hill8 Earl Cooper 318 Jules Ellingboe16 Cliff Durant32 Antoine Mourre 410 Ernie Ansterburg 7 Jerry Wunderlich21 Frank Elliott 512 Pete DePaolo1 Eddie Hearne6 Ira Vail 614 Fred Comer 31 Ora Haibe19 Bob McDonogh 726 Bill Hunt 28 Alfred Moss 15 L. L. Corum 827 Fred Harder
Race summary
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!"Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 58
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.Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p.58-61
Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantCarQualRankLapsStatus12115 L. L. Corum (Laps 1–111) Joe Boyer (Laps 112–200)DuesenbergDuesenberg93.33016200 98.236 mph268 Earl CooperEarl CooperMiller103.9006200 +1:23.97312 Jimmy Murphy Jimmy MurphyMiller108.0301200 +3:02.18424 Harry HartzR. Cliff DurantMiller107.1302200 +5:21.18553 Bennett HillHarry A. MillerMiller104.8405200 +5:36.8661312 Peter DePaoloDuesenberg BrothersDuesenberg99.28013200 +12:45.3471614 Fred Comer (Wade Morton Laps 99–120)R. Cliff DurantMiller92.88017200 +15:43.708156 Ira Vail(C. W. Van Ranst Laps 162–200)Ira VailMiller96.40015200 +19:06.869932 Antoine Mourre Antoine MourreMiller99.4909200 +21:32.41101819 Bob McDonogh Harry A. MillerMiller91.55019200 +26:03.5211718 Jules EllingboeHarry A. MillerMiller102.6007200 +26:13.3812117 Jerry Wunderlich(Wade Morton Laps 31–90)(Wade Morton Laps 158–187)R. Cliff DurantMiller99.36011200 +45:33.6113816 Cliff Durant(Phil Shafer Laps 91–110)(Eddie Hearne)R. Cliff DurantMiller101.6108199Out of gas141926 Bill Hunt Barber-WarnockFronty-Ford T85.04021191Flagged151731 Ora Haibe(Elmer Dempsey Laps 101–121)Albert SchmidtMercedes92.81018182Flagged162028 Alfred Moss Barber-WarnockFronty-Ford T85.27020177Flagged172227 Fred Harder Barber-WarnockFronty-Ford T82.77022177Flagged1849 Joe Boyer(Ernie Ansterburg Laps 93–158)(Thane Houser Laps 176) Duesenberg BrothersDuesenberg104.8404176Crash T119141 Eddie Hearne(Cliff Durant Laps 123–137)R. Cliff DurantMiller99.23014151Fuel line201221 Frank ElliottFrank R. ElliottMiller99.31012149Gas tank2135 Tommy Milton Tommy MiltonMiller105.2003110Gas tank221010 Ernie Ansterburg DuesenbergDuesenberg99.400102Crash T2
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
Race statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1 Joe Boyer2–41 Jimmy Murphy42 Earl Cooper43 Jimmy Murphy44–105 Earl Cooper106–120 Jimmy Murphy121–176 Earl Cooper177–200 Joe Boyer
Total laps led Leader LapsEarl Cooper 119Jimmy Murphy 56Joe Boyer 25
Race details For 1924, riding mechanics were optional, however, no teams utilized them. First alternate: noneThe Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004 Eddie Hearne was the lone entry in the race who competed in the inaugural Indy 500
References