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
Qualifying Results Date Driver Lap 1(mph) Lap 2(mph) Lap 3(mph) Lap 4(mph) Average Speed(mph)5/26/1927 Frank Lockhart120.192119.474119.824120.918120.100
Starting grid RowInsideMiddleOutside 12 Frank Lockhart 3 Pete DePaolo 12 Leon Duray 21 Harry Hartz19 Ralph Hepburn15 Cliff Woodbury 314 Bob McDonogh7 Dave Lewis4 Bennett Hill 48 Norman Batten22 Jack Petticord 9 Pete Kreis 55 Frank Elliott25 Cliff Bergere 10 Earl Devore 617 W. E. Shattuc26 Dutch Baumann 16 Eddie Hearne 729 Wilbur Shaw 44 Al Melcher 18 Jules Ellingboe 832 George Souders 43 Louis Schneider 38 Babe Stapp 96 Tommy Milton 41 Wade Morton27 Tony Gulotta 1021 Dave Evans 35 Al Cotey 23 Fred Lecklider 1124 Benny Shoaff 42 Jim Hill 31 Fred Frame
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 FinishStartNoNameEntrantCarQualRankLapsStatus12232 George Souders William S. WhiteDuesenberg111.55112200 97.545 mph21510 Earl Devore(Zeke Meyer Laps 97–152)F. P. CramerMiller107.49723200 +12:02.8732727 Tony Gulotta(Pete DePaolo Laps 86–92)Anthony GulottaMiller107.76522200 +14:32.8041929 Wilbur Shaw (Louis Meyer Laps 77–129)Fred ClemonsMiller104.46532200 +14:38.9752821 Dave Evans (Steve Nemesh Laps 57–82)David E. EvansDuesenberg107.36025200 +22:54.636714 Bob McDonogh(Pete DePaolo Laps 113–200)Cooper Engineering CompanyCooper–Miller113.1758200 +24:16.2671816 Eddie Hearne(Harry Hartz Laps 47–81)(Leon Duray Laps 116–130)(Ira Vail Laps 131–154)Harry HartzMiller105.11531200 +25:32.668256 Tommy Milton (C. W. Van Ranst Laps 82–106)(Ralph Hepburn Laps 107–200)Tommy MiltonDetroit–Miller108.75820200 +45:03.1391425 Cliff Bergere (Wesley Crawford Laps 96–108)(Wesley Crawford Laps 147–176)Muller BrothersMiller108.82019200 +1:07:46.9910135 Frank Elliott(Fred Frame Laps 54–100)Frank ElliottMiller109.68217200 +1:15:52.61113331 Fred Frame (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. DolfingerMiller106.85927199Flagged123242 Jim Hill (Don Ostrander Laps 30–87)(Don Ostrander Laps 108–115)(Don Ostrander Laps 176–197)Earl DevoreMiller107.39224197Flagged133124 Benny Shoaff (Babe Stapp Laps 69–103)(Babe Stapp Laps 173–198)Duesenberg BrothersDuesenberg110.15213198Rear end gears142641 Wade Morton(Ralph Holmes Laps 34–63)(Freddie Winnai Laps 64–131)(Ralph Holmes Laps 140–152)Duesenberg BrothersDuesenberg108.07521152Crash152044 Al Melcher (Jack Petticord Laps 44–129)(Fred Lecklider Laps 130–143)(Jack Petticord Laps 143–144)Charles HaaseMiller102.91833144Supercharger162343 Louis Schneider (L. L. Corum Laps 88–97)(Dutch Baumann Laps 125–135)Fred LeckliderMiller109.91015137Timing gears17129 Pete KreisCooper Engineering CompanyCooper–Miller109.90016123Front axle1812 Frank Lockhart (Harry Hartz Laps 101–123)Frank S. LockhartMiller120.1001120Rod19615 Cliff Woodbury(Ralph Hepburn Laps 71–80)Cliff WoodburyMiller113.2007108Supercharger201726 Dutch Baumann Harry S. MillerMiller106.0782990Pinion shaft212935 Al Cotey (Eddie Burbach Laps 63–87)Al CoteyMiller106.2952887Universal joint221617 W. E. ShattucDr. W. E. Shattuc, M.D.Miller107.0602683Valve233023 Fred Lecklider(Henry Kohlert Laps 17–49)Henry KohlertMiller105.7293049Crash T124519 Ralph HepburnCliff WoodburyMiller114.209539Fuel tank leak2541 Harry HartzHarry HartzMiller116.739438Crankshaft2623 Peter DePaolo Peter DePaoloMiller119.510231Supercharger27312 Leon DurayLeon DurayMiller118.788326Fuel tank leak2894 Bennett HillCooper Engineering CompanyMiller112.0131026Shackle bolt292118 Jules EllingboeEarl CooperMiller113.239625Crash T430108 Norman BattenNorman K. BattenFengler–Miller111.9401124Caught fire312438 Babe Stapp Duesenberg BrothersDuesenberg109.5551824Universal joint321122 Jack Petticord Cliff WoodburyMiller109.9201422Supercharger3387 Dave LewisDave LewisMiller112.275921Front axle
Note: Relief drivers in parentheses
Former Indianapolis 500 winner
Indianapolis 500 Rookie
Race statistics
Lap Leaders Laps Leader1-81 Frank Lockhart82–90 Dutch Baumann91–119 Frank Lockhart120–149 Pete DePaolo150–200 George Souders
Total laps led Leader LapsFrank Lockhart 110George Souders 51Pete DePaolo 30Dutch Baumann 9
Race details
For 1927, riding mechanics were optional; 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