1924 Indianapolis 500
{{short description|12th running of the Indianapolis 500}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox Indy500 1911to1941
| race_name = 12th Indianapolis 500
| race_logo = 1924 Indianapolis 500 program cover.jpg
| sanction = AAA
| date = May 30, 1924
| winner = L. L. Corum and
Joe Boyer (co-winners)
| team = Duesenberg
| mph = {{convert|98.234|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}
| pole = Jimmy Murphy
| pole_speed = {{convert|108.037|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}
| leader = Earl Cooper (119)
| pace_car = Cole V8
| pace_driver = Lew Pettijohn
| starter = W. S. Gilbreath{{cite book|last=Fox|first=Jack C.|title =The Illustrated History of the Indianapolis 500 1911-1994|publisher =Carl Hungness Publishing|edition=4th|date=1994|pages=22|language=en|isbn=0-915088-05-3}}
| honorary = Henry Ford
| attendance = 135,000-140,000{{cite news|title=Boyer Relieves 'Duesie' Pilot In 106th, Finishing; Corum Officially Wins|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11445630/|first=W. Blaine|last=Patton|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|page=1|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 31, 1924|access-date=June 3, 2017}}{{Open access}}
| previous = 1923
| next = 1925
}}
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
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
!Row !colspan=2 width="195"|Inside !colspan=2 width="195"|Middle !colspan=2 width="195"|Outside |
| 1
|align="center" width="20"|2 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jimmy Murphy {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}} |align="center" width="20"|4 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Harry Hartz |align="center" width="20"|5 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tommy Milton {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}} |
|---|
| 2
|align="center" width="20"|9 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Joe Boyer |align="center" width="20"|3 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bennett Hill |align="center" width="20"|8 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Earl Cooper |
| 3
|align="center" width="20"|18 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jules Ellingboe |align="center" width="20"|16 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Cliff Durant |align="center" width="20"|32 | {{flagicon|FRA}} Antoine Mourre {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |
| 4
|align="center" width="20"|10 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ernie Ansterburg {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |align="center" width="20"|7 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jerry Wunderlich |align="center" width="20"|21 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Frank Elliott |
| 5
|align="center" width="20"|12 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pete DePaolo |align="center" width="20"|1 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Eddie Hearne |align="center" width="20"|6 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ira Vail |
| 6
|align="center" width="20"|14 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Fred Comer {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |align="center" width="20"|31 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ora Haibe |align="center" width="20"|19 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bob McDonogh {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |
| 7
|align="center" width="20"|26 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bill Hunt {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |align="center" width="20"|28 | {{flagicon|GBR}} Alfred Moss {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |align="center" width="20"|15 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} L. L. Corum |
| 8
|align="center" width="20"|27 | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Fred Harder {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |colspan="4"| |
{{legend|orange|text=R|Indianapolis 500 rookie|border=solid 1px darkgray}}
{{legend|gold|text=W|Indianapolis 500 winner|border=solid 1px darkgray}}
Race summary
Image:Indy500winningcar1924.jpg
File:LLCorumJoeBoyer1924.jpg (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!"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
| class="wikitable"
!Finish !Start !No !Name !Entrant !Chassis !Engine !Qual !Rank !Laps !Status |
| 1
|21 |15 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} L. L. Corum (Laps 1–111) |93.330 |16 |200 |Running |
|---|
| 2
|6 |8 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Earl Cooper |103.900 |6 |200 |Running |
| 3
|1 |2 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Jimmy Murphy {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}} |108.030 |1 |200 |Running |
| 4
|2 |4 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Harry Hartz |107.130 |2 |200 |Running |
| 5
|5 |3 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Bennett Hill |104.840 |5 |200 |Running |
| 6
|13 |12 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Peter DePaolo |99.280 |13 |200 |Running |
| 7
|16 |14 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Fred Comer {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |92.880 |17 |200 |Running |
| 8
|15 |6 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Ira Vail |96.400 |15 |200 |Running |
| 9
|9 |32 |{{Flagicon|FRA}} Antoine Mourre {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |99.490 |9 |200 |Running |
| 10
|18 |19 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Bob McDonogh {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |91.550 |19 |200 |Running |
| 11
|7 |18 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Jules Ellingboe |102.600 |7 |200 |Running |
| 12
|11 |7 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Jerry Wunderlich |99.360 |11 |200 |Running |
| 13
|8 |16 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Cliff Durant |101.610 |8 |199 |Out of gas |
| 14
|19 |26 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Bill Hunt {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |Barber-Warnock |85.040 |21 |191 |Flagged |
| 15
|17 |31 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Ora Haibe |Albert Schmidt |92.810 |18 |182 |Flagged |
| 16
|20 |28 |{{Flagicon|GBR}} Alfred Moss {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |Barber-Warnock |85.270 |20 |177 |Flagged |
| 17
|22 |27 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Fred Harder {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |Barber-Warnock |82.770 |22 |177 |Flagged |
| 18
|4 |9 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Joe Boyer |104.840 |4 |176 |Crash T1 |
| 19
|14 |1 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Eddie Hearne |99.230 |14 |151 |Fuel line |
| 20
|12 |21 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Frank Elliott |99.310 |12 |149 |Gas tank |
| 21
|3 |5 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Tommy Milton {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}} |105.200 |3 |110 |Gas tank |
| 22
|10 |10 |{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Ernie Ansterburg {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} |99.400 |10 |2 |Crash T2 |
| colspan=12 style="text-align:center"| {{cite web|title=Indianapolis 500 1924 |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19989 |work=Ultimate Racing History |access-date=15 January 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205040326/http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19989 |archive-date=5 February 2013 |url-status=live }}{{cite book|title=The Indianapolis 500 Chronicle|publisher=Publications International, Ltd.|first1=Rick|last1=Popely|first2=L. Spencer|last2=Riggs|date=1998|ISBN=0-7853-2798-3|location=Lincolnwood, Illinois}} |
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses{{cite news|url=https://www.champcarstats.com/races/192402.htm|title=International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1924|publisher=ChampCarStats.com}}
{{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}} Former Indianapolis 500 winner
{{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}} Indianapolis 500 Rookie
=Race statistics=
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break|width=30%}}
| class="wikitable"
!colspan=2|Lap Leaders | |
| Laps
! Leader | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Boyer |
| 2–41 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 42 | Earl Cooper |
| 43 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 44–105 | Earl Cooper |
| 106–120 | Jimmy Murphy |
| 121–176 | Earl Cooper |
| 177–200 | Joe Boyer |
{{col-break|width=70%}}
| class="wikitable"
!colspan=2|Total laps led | |
| Leader
! Laps | |
|---|---|
| Earl Cooper | 119 |
| Jimmy Murphy | 56 |
| Joe Boyer | 25 |
{{col-end}}
Race details
- For 1924, riding mechanics were optional,{{cite book
|last=Blazier, John E. |author2=Rollings, Tom
|title=Forgotten Heroes of the Speedways: The Riding Mechanics
|date=1994}} 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
{{reflist}}
{{Grand Prix race report
| Name_of_race = Indianapolis 500
| Year_of_race = 1924
| Previous_race_in_season = 1923 Italian Grand Prix
| Next_race_in_season = 1924 French Grand Prix
| Previous_year's_race = 1923 Indianapolis 500
| Next_year's_race = 1925 Indianapolis 500
}}
{{Indy 500 Walker
| Previous_race = 1923
| Previous_winner = Tommy Milton
| This_race = 1924
| This_winner = L. L. Corum and Joe Boyer
| Next_race = 1925
| Next_winner = Peter DePaolo
| Fastest_average_speed = 98.234
| Previous_fastest_average_speed = 94.484 {{nobold|mph
{{small|(1922 Indianapolis 500)}}}}
| Next_fastest_average_speed = 101.127 {{nobold|mph
{{small|(1925 Indianapolis 500)}}}}
}}
{{Indy 500}}