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.The Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 15, 2002

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.

Memorial Day controversy 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. At the time, Memorial Day was a fixed-date holiday (May 30). 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".Sacco, p. 362 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.

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. 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. Racing on Sunday was also strongly opposed by management at the time. 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.

In subsequent years, the Indianapolis 500 would be held on Memorial Day (May 30) regardless of the day of the week through 1970. The only exceptions were when May 30 fell on a Sunday. In those cases, the race was held on Monday May 31 (the observed holiday). Memorial Day ceased to be a fixed-date holiday after the passage of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which took effect in 1971. The race moved permanently to Sunday starting in 1974.

Time trials

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

Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 11 Tommy Milton 7 Harry Hartz3 Dario Resta 221 Martín de Álzaga 27 Louis Zborowski 18 Pierre de Vizcaya 323 L. L. Corum25 Howdy Wilcox 5 Jimmy Murphy 48 Cliff Durant2 Ralph DePalma 29 Earl Cooper 54 Joe Boyer6 Eddie Hearne16 Christian Werner 631 Frank Elliott14 Christian Lautenschlager 35 Bennett Hill 726 Harlan Fengler 15 Max Sailer 28 Leon Duray 819 Prince de Cystria 22 Raúl Riganti 34 Wade Morton

Box score FinishStartNoNameEntrantCarQualRankLapsStatus111 Tommy Milton (Howdy Wilcox Laps 103–151)H.C.S. Motor CompanyMiller108.1701200 90.955 mph227 Harry HartzR. Cliff DurantMiller103.7003200 +3:15.73395 Jimmy Murphy R. Cliff DurantMiller104.0502200 +10:46.474146 Eddie Hearne(Earl Cooper 88–200)R. Cliff DurantMiller97.3009200 +16:24.065723 L. L. CorumBarber-WarnockFronty-Ford T86.65023200 +33:26.6461631 Frank Elliott(Dave Lewis Laps 109–138)R. Cliff DurantMiller93.25012200 +35:02.707108 Cliff Durant(Eddie Hearne Laps 98–116)(Eddie Hearne Laps 149–200)R. Cliff DurantMiller102.6504200 +35:16.1382015 Max Sailer (Karl Sailer Laps 73–200)Daimler Motoren GesellschaftMercedes90.55018200 +41:59.4392219 Prince de Cystria Prince de CystriaBugatti88.90021200 +56:34.61102434 Wade Morton (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 BrothersDuesenberg88.00022200 +1:10:14.81111516 Christian Werner (Max Sailer Laps 84–87)(Max Sailer Laps 112–126)(Christian Lautenschlager)Daimler Motoren GesellschaftMercedes95.20011200 +1:12:00.3412618 Pierre de Vizcaya Martín de ÁlzagaBugatti90.30019165Motor Age, June 7, 1923, p. 12Rod132128 Leon Duray(Lou Wilson Laps 133–136)R. Cliff DurantMiller89.90020136Rod1433 Dario Resta (Ernie Ansterburg Laps 71–80)(Joe Boyer Laps 81–88)Packard Motor Car CompanyPackard98.020888Differential15112 Ralph DePalma (Ernie Ansterburg)Packard Motor Car CompanyPackard100.420569Head gasket161926 Harlan Fengler (Lou Wilson Laps 46–69)R. Cliff DurantMiller90.7501769Gas tank17825 Howdy Wilcox H.C.S. Motor CompanyMiller81.0002460Clutch18134 Joe BoyerPackard Motor Car CompanyPackard98.800759Differential191835 Bennett Hill(Martín de Álzaga Laps 30–44)Harry A. MillerMiller91.2001644Crankshaft20527 Louis Zborowski Count L. ZborowskiBugatti91.8001541Rod211229 Earl Cooper(Tom Alley Laps 2–21)R. Cliff DurantMiller99.400621Crash BS222322 Raúl Riganti Martín de ÁlzagaBugatti95.3001019Gas line231714 Christian Lautenschlager Daimler Motoren GesellschaftMercedes93.2001314Crash T124421 Martín de Álzaga Martín de ÁlzagaBugatti92.900146Rod

Note: Relief drivers in parentheses

Former Indianapolis 500 winner

Indianapolis 500 Rookie

Race statistics

Lap Leaders Laps Leader1–2 Jimmy Murphy3 Tommy Milton4 Jimmy Murphy5 Tommy Milton6 Jimmy Murphy7–15 Tommy Milton16–20 Jimmy Murphy21–25 Tommy Milton26 Howdy Wilcox27 Tommy Milton28 Howdy Wilcox 29 Jimmy Murphy30–37 Tommy Milton38 Jimmy Murphy39–40 Howdy Wilcox41–43 Tommy Milton44–48 Howdy Wilcox49–52 Tommy Milton53 Howdy Wilcox54–62 Tommy Milton63 Cliff Durant64 Tommy Milton65–66 Cliff Durant67–73 Tommy Milton74 Cliff Durant75–103 Tommy Milton104–109 Harry Hartz110–150 Howdy Wilcox151–200 Tommy Milton

Total laps led Leader LapsTommy Milton 128Howdy Wilcox 51Jimmy Murphy 11Harry Hartz 6Cliff Durant 4

Race details For 1923, riding mechanics were made optional. Only one team (the Mercedes of Christian Lautenschlager) utilized one. First alternate: noneThe Talk of Gasoline Alley - 1070-AM WIBC, May 14, 2004

References