George Souders
{{Short description|American racing driver (1900–1976)}}
{{Infobox racing driver
| name = George Souders
| image = George Souders 1927.jpg
| caption = Souders in 1927
| birth_name = George Raymond Souders
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1900|09|11}}
| birth_place = Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1976|07|26|1900|09|11}}
| death_place = Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
| titles = Major victories
Indianapolis 500 (1927)
| module1 =
{{Infobox Champ Car driver|embed=yes
| Total_Champ_Races = 3
| Years_In_Champ = 2
| Best_Champ_Pos = 3rd (1927)
| First_Champ_Race = 1927 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
| Last_Champ_Race = 1928 Detroit 100 (Detroit)
| First_Champ_Win = 1927 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
| Champ_Wins = 1
| Champ_Podiums = 2
| Champ_Poles = 0
}}}}
George Raymond Souders (September 11, 1900 – July 26, 1976) was an American racing driver who won the 1927 Indianapolis 500.{{cite news|title=George Souders Won 1927 500|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78297736/george-souders-1900-1976/|newspaper=The Indianapolis News|page=19|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 26, 1976|accessdate=May 25, 2021}}{{Open access}}
Born in Lafayette, Indiana, George Souders led the last 51 laps of the 1927 race after starting in 22nd position as a race rookie.
Early life
Souders attended Jefferson High School, in Lafayette, Indiana, graduating in 1918 as class president.{{Cite web |last=Kriebel |first=Bob |title=Lafayette's Indianapolis 500 champion |url=https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/motor/2016/05/13/lafayettes-indianapolis-500-champion/83412422/ |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=Journal and Courier |language=en-US}} He then attended Purdue University, studying mechanical engineering.
Driving career
For a book on the history of the "500," Souders offered a summation of his career:
"I quit Purdue when my father died. I worked in a garage and rode on dirt tracks. That car I rode on 1927, it was smooth handling. And the engine was the smallest to ever win at Indianapolis. The piston displacement was just under 90 (cubic inches). The car was the most expensive the Duesenbergs ever built for racing. It cost around $50,000, I was told. A year later (1928) I finished third at Indianapolis. In the summer of '28 I raced in Detroit--a $1000 race, nothing much, and was guaranteed $750 just for showing up--but...you want to win. Anyway, I had an awful spill. I was unconscious six months and never raced after that."
Death
Souders died in Indianapolis, Indiana on July 26, 1976.{{Cite news |date=1976-07-27 |title=George Souders, 75, Dies; Won Indy 500 Race in '27 |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/07/27/archives/george-souders-75-dies-won-indy-500-race-in-27.html |access-date=2023-10-08 |issn=0362-4331}}
Motorsports career results
= Indianapolis 500 results =
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Year
!Car !Start !Qual !Rank !Finish !Laps !Led !Retired |
|---|
| 1927
|32 |22 |111.551 |12 |style="background:green;color:white"|1 |200 |51 |Running |
| 1928
|3 |12 |111.444 |16 |3 |200 |16 |Running |
| colspan=6|Totals
|400 |67 | |
{{col-break|gap=1em}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |
| Starts
|2 |
|---|
| Poles
|0 |
| Front Row
|0 |
| Wins
|1 |
| Top 5
|2 |
| Top 10
|2 |
| Retired
|0 |
{{col-end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/SoudersGeorge.htm George Souders - ChampCarStats.com]
- {{Find a Grave|6130}} - Headstone death date of July 28, 1976 is incorrect.
- [http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/LWFWIW/focusLWFWIW.php?db=LWF&db2=ms&n=596 George Souders - Motorsport Memorial]
- {{Racing-Reference driver|George_Souders}}
{{S-start}}
{{Succession box|before=Frank Lockhart|title=Indianapolis 500 Winner|years=1927|after=Louis Meyer}}
{{S-end}}
{{Indy 500 winners}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Souders, George}}
Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers
Category:Indianapolis 500 winners
Category:Sportspeople from Lafayette, Indiana
Category:Racing drivers from Indiana