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1927 Indianapolis 500

{{short description|15th running of the Indianapolis 500}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox Indy500 1911to1941

| race_name = 15th Indianapolis 500

| race_logo = 1927 Indianapolis 500 program cover.jpg

| sanction = AAA

| date = May 30, 1927

| winner = George Souders

| team = William S. White

| mph = {{convert|97.545|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}

| pole = Frank Lockhart

| pole_speed = {{convert|120.100|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}

| leader = Frank Lockhart (110)

| pace_car = LaSalle V-8 Series 303

| pace_driver = Willard "Big Boy" Rader

| starter = George Townsend{{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 = Charles F. Kettering

| attendance = 135,000{{cite news|title=Hoosier Averages 97.45 Miles An Hour In 500-Mile Grind|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/11445496/|first=W. Blaine|last=Patton|newspaper=The Indianapolis Star|page=1|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 31, 1927|access-date=June 3, 2017}}{{Open access}}

| previous = 1926

| next = 1928

}}

The 15th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 30, 1927.

First-time starter George Souders won by eight laps, the largest margin since 1913. Souders became the first driver to win the full-500 mile race solo, with neither help from a relief driver, nor accompanied by a riding mechanic.

Time trials

Four-lap (10 mile) qualifying runs were utilized. Frank Lockhart won the pole position with a speed of 120.10 mph. Lockhart set a new 1-lap track record on his final lap.

For the first time, all 33 qualifiers exceeded 100 mph for average speed.Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 72

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
align="center"

|colspan=7|Qualifying Results

align="center"

! Date !! Driver !! Lap 1
(mph) !! Lap 2
(mph) !! Lap 3
(mph) !! Lap 4
(mph) !! Average Speed
(mph)

align="center"

|5/26/1927

Frank Lockhart120.192119.474119.824120.918120.100

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}} Frank Lockhart {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|3

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pete DePaolo {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|12

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Leon Duray

2

|align="center" width="20"|1

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Harry Hartz

|align="center" width="20"|19

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Ralph Hepburn

|align="center" width="20"|15

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Cliff Woodbury

3

|align="center" width="20"|14

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bob McDonogh

|align="center" width="20"|7

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Dave Lewis

|align="center" width="20"|4

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bennett Hill

4

|align="center" width="20"|8

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Norman Batten

|align="center" width="20"|22

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jack Petticord {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|9

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pete Kreis

5

|align="center" width="20"|5

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Frank Elliott

|align="center" width="20"|25

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Cliff Bergere {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|10

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Earl Devore

6

|align="center" width="20"|17

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} W. E. Shattuc

|align="center" width="20"|26

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Dutch Baumann {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|16

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Eddie Hearne

7

|align="center" width="20"|29

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Wilbur Shaw {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|44

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Al Melcher {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|18

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jules Ellingboe

8

|align="center" width="20"|32

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} George Souders {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|43

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Louis Schneider {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|38

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Babe Stapp {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

9

|align="center" width="20"|6

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tommy Milton {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|41

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Wade Morton

|align="center" width="20"|27

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Gulotta

10

|align="center" width="20"|21

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Dave Evans {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|35

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Al Cotey {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|23

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Fred Lecklider

11

|align="center" width="20"|24

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Benny Shoaff {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|42

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jim Hill {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|align="center" width="20"|31

| {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Fred Frame {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

{{legend|orange|text=R|Indianapolis 500 rookie|border=solid 1px darkgray}}

{{legend|gold|text=W|Indianapolis 500 winner|border=solid 1px darkgray}}

Race summary

At the start, polesitter Lockhart took the lead and dominated the first half of the race. At the halfway point, he had won almost $10,000 in lap prize money. But on lap 120, his Miller broke a connecting rod, and he was out of the race. He reportedly stepped out, shrugged, smiled, and asked for a hot dog.Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p.72

After Lockhart's retirement, Pete DePaolo took the lead, driving in relief for Bob McDonogh after his own car dropped out. But a supercharger problem required an extended, unscheduled pit stop to repair. With 60 laps to go, George Souders first took the lead. He steadily pulled away from Babe Stapp, both in Duesenbergs, and cruised to victory by over 12 minutes. Stapp (driving relief for Benny Shoaff), seemingly on his way to second place, broke a rear axle with a lap and a half to go, and the car finished out of the top ten.Book "The Indianapolis 500: A Complete Pictorial History" p. 72-75

Box score

class="wikitable"

!Finish

!Start

!No

!Name

!Entrant

!Chassis

!Engine

!Qual

!Rank

!Laps

!Status

1

|22

|32

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} George Souders {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|William S. White

|Duesenberg

|Duesenberg

|111.551

|12

|200

|Running

2

|15

|10

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Earl Devore
(Zeke Meyer Laps 97–152)

|F. P. Cramer

|Miller

|Miller

|107.497

|23

|200

|Running

3

|27

|27

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Tony Gulotta
(Pete DePaolo Laps 86–92)

|Anthony Gulotta

|Miller

|Miller

|107.765

|22

|200

|Running

4

|19

|29

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Wilbur Shaw {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(Louis Meyer Laps 77–129)

|Fred Clemons

|Miller

|Miller

|104.465

|32

|200

|Running

5

|28

|21

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Dave Evans {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(Steve Nemesh Laps 57–82)

|David E. Evans

|Duesenberg

|Duesenberg

|107.360

|25

|200

|Running

6

|7

|14

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Bob McDonogh
(Pete DePaolo Laps 113–200)

|Cooper Engineering Company

|Cooper

|Miller

|113.175

|8

|200

|Running

7

|18

|16

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Eddie Hearne
(Harry Hartz Laps 47–81)
(Leon Duray Laps 116–130)
(Ira Vail Laps 131–154)

|Harry Hartz

|Miller

|Miller

|105.115

|31

|200

|Running

8

|25

|6

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Tommy Milton {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}
(C. W. Van Ranst Laps 82–106)
(Ralph Hepburn Laps 107–200)

|Tommy Milton

|Detroit

|Miller

|108.758

|20

|200

|Running

9

|14

|25

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Cliff Bergere {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(Wesley Crawford Laps 96–108)
(Wesley Crawford Laps 147–176)

|Muller Brothers

|Miller

|Miller

|108.820

|19

|200

|Running

10

|13

|5

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Frank Elliott
(Fred Frame Laps 54–100)

|Frank Elliott

|Miller

|Miller

|109.682

|17

|200

|Running

11

|33

|31

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Fred Frame {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(George Fernic Laps 6–68)
(George Abell Laps 69–76)
(George Fernic Laps 77–123)
(George Abell Laps 124–127)
(George Fernic Laps 128–199)

|O. B. Dolfinger

|Miller

|Miller

|106.859

|27

|199

|Flagged

12

|32

|42

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Jim Hill {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(Don Ostrander Laps 30–87)
(Don Ostrander Laps 108–115)
(Don Ostrander Laps 176–197)

|Earl Devore

|Miller

|Miller

|107.392

|24

|197

|Flagged

13

|31

|24

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Benny Shoaff {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(Babe Stapp Laps 69–103)
(Babe Stapp Laps 173–198)

|Duesenberg Brothers

|Duesenberg

|Duesenberg

|110.152

|13

|198

|Rear end gears

14

|26

|41

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Wade Morton
(Ralph Holmes Laps 34–63)
(Freddie Winnai Laps 64–131)
(Ralph Holmes Laps 140–152)

|Duesenberg Brothers

|Duesenberg

|Duesenberg

|108.075

|21

|152

|Crash

15

|20

|44

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Al Melcher {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(Jack Petticord Laps 44–129)
(Fred Lecklider Laps 130–143)
(Jack Petticord Laps 143–144)

|Charles Haase

|Miller

|Miller

|102.918

|33

|144

|Supercharger

16

|23

|43

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Louis Schneider {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(L. L. Corum Laps 88–97)
(Dutch Baumann Laps 125–135)

|Fred Lecklider

|Miller

|Miller

|109.910

|15

|137

|Timing gears

17

|12

|9

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Pete Kreis

|Cooper Engineering Company

|Cooper

|Miller

|109.900

|16

|123

|Front axle

18

|1

|2

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Frank Lockhart {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}
(Harry Hartz Laps 101–123)

|Frank S. Lockhart

|Miller

|Miller

|120.100

|1

|120

|Rod

19

|6

|15

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Cliff Woodbury
(Ralph Hepburn Laps 71–80)

|Cliff Woodbury

|Miller

|Miller

|113.200

|7

|108

|Supercharger

20

|17

|26

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Dutch Baumann {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|Harry S. Miller

|Miller

|Miller

|106.078

|29

|90

|Pinion shaft

21

|29

|35

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Al Cotey {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}
(Eddie Burbach Laps 63–87)

|Al Cotey

|Miller

|Miller

|106.295

|28

|87

|Universal joint

22

|16

|17

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} W. E. Shattuc

|Dr. W. E. Shattuc, M.D.

|Miller

|Miller

|107.060

|26

|83

|Valve

23

|30

|23

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Fred Lecklider
(Henry Kohlert Laps 17–49)

|Henry Kohlert

|Miller

|Miller

|105.729

|30

|49

|Crash T1

24

|5

|19

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Ralph Hepburn

|Cliff Woodbury

|Miller

|Miller

|114.209

|5

|39

|Fuel tank leak

25

|4

|1

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Harry Hartz

|Harry Hartz

|Miller

|Miller

|116.739

|4

|38

|Crankshaft

26

|2

|3

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Peter DePaolo {{Color box|gold|W|border=silver}}

|Peter DePaolo

|Miller

|Miller

|119.510

|2

|31

|Supercharger

27

|3

|12

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Leon Duray

|Leon Duray

|Miller

|Miller

|118.788

|3

|26

|Fuel tank leak

28

|9

|4

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Bennett Hill

|Cooper Engineering Company

|Miller

|Miller

|112.013

|10

|26

|Shackle bolt

29

|21

|18

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Jules Ellingboe

|Earl Cooper

|Miller

|Miller

|113.239

|6

|25

|Crash T4

30

|10

|8

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Norman Batten

|Norman K. Batten

|Fengler

|Miller

|111.940

|11

|24

|Caught fire

31

|24

|38

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Babe Stapp {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|Duesenberg Brothers

|Duesenberg

|Duesenberg

|109.555

|18

|24

|Universal joint

32

|11

|22

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Jack Petticord {{Color box|orange|R|border=silver}}

|Cliff Woodbury

|Miller

|Miller

|109.920

|14

|22

|Supercharger

33

|8

|7

|{{Flagicon|USA|1912}} Dave Lewis

|Dave Lewis

|Miller

|Miller

|112.275

|9

|21

|Front axle

colspan=12 style="text-align:center"| {{cite web|title=Indianapolis 500 1927 |url=http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19986 |work=Ultimate Racing History |access-date=16 January 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205085914/http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=19986 |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/192703.htm|title=International 500 Mile Sweepstakes – May 30, 1927|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

1-81Frank Lockhart
82–90Dutch Baumann
91–119Frank Lockhart
120–149Pete DePaolo
150–200George Souders

{{col-break|width=70%}}

class="wikitable"

!colspan=2|Total laps led

Leader

! Laps

Frank Lockhart110
George Souders51
Pete DePaolo30
Dutch Baumann9

{{col-end}}

Race details

For 1927, 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.

Eddie Hearne was the only driver in the field who had competed at the inaugural Indy 500. This would be the final time a driver from the inaugural race would compete.

References

{{reflist}}

{{Grand Prix race report|

Name_of_race = Indianapolis 500 |

Year_of_race = 1927 |

Previous_race_in_season = 1926 Italian Grand Prix |

Next_race_in_season = 1927 French Grand Prix |

Previous_year's_race = 1926 Indianapolis 500 |

Next_year's_race = 1928 Indianapolis 500

}}

{{Indy 500}}

Category:Indianapolis 500 races

Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis 500

Category:May 1927 sports events in the United States