# 1923 Indianapolis 500

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.
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. 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". 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. 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.

## 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

| Row | Inside | Inside | Middle | Middle | Outside | 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 |

## Box score

| 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 | 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 |
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
W Former Indianapolis 500 winner
R Indianapolis 500 Rookie

### Race statistics

Lap Leaders :
| Laps | Leader |
| 1–2 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 3 | Tommy Milton |
| 4 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 5 | Tommy Milton |
| 6 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 7–15 | Tommy Milton |
| 16–20 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 21–25 | Tommy Milton |
| 26 | Howdy Wilcox |
| 27 | Tommy Milton |
| 28 | Howdy Wilcox |
| 29 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 30–37 | Tommy Milton |
| 38 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 39–40 | Howdy Wilcox |
| 41–43 | Tommy Milton |
| 44–48 | Howdy Wilcox |
| 49–52 | Tommy Milton |
| 53 | Howdy Wilcox |
| 54–62 | Tommy Milton |
| 63 | Cliff Durant |
| 64 | Tommy Milton |
| 65–66 | Cliff Durant |
| 67–73 | Tommy Milton |
| 74 | Cliff Durant |
| 75–103 | Tommy Milton |
| 104–109 | Harry Hartz |
| 110–150 | Howdy Wilcox |
| 151–200 | Tommy Milton |
Total laps led :
| Leader | Laps |
| Tommy Milton | 128 |
| Howdy Wilcox | 51 |
| Jimmy Murphy | 11 |
| Harry Hartz | 6 |
| Cliff Durant | 4 |

## Race details

* For 1923, riding mechanics were made optional. Only one team (the Mercedes of Christian Lautenschlager) utilized one.
* First alternate: none