The 1928 Indianapolis 500, officially the 16th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, took place on May 30, 1928, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It marked the first Indy 500 under new Speedway president Eddie Rickenbacker (the famed World War I flying ace who had acquired control of the track).
This race highlighted the competitive edge of supercharged front-wheel-drive Miller cars, which dominated qualifying by sweeping the front row. Leon Duray (in a Miller) captured the pole position with a strong qualifying performance of 122.391 mph.
The race itself saw dramatic late-race action. With about 20 laps remaining, Tony Gulotta held the lead, followed closely by Jimmy Gleason and Louis Meyer. Mechanical failures played a key role: Gulotta’s engine suffered a cracked water jacket while in contention for victory, forcing him out and opening the door for others.
Louis Meyer, a 23-year-old rookie entrant (though he had relieved in 1927), drove a steady race in his #14 Miller (entered by Alden Sampson II). He led only 19 laps total but conserved his car effectively and inherited the lead after the late retirements. Meyer went on to win by nearly a full lap over runner-up Lou Moore (with relief help from Louis Schneider), with a race time of 5:01:33.750 and an average speed of 99.482 mph.
This victory was the first of Meyer’s three Indy 500 wins (he later triumphed in 1933 and 1936, becoming the first three-time winner in the event’s history). The 1928 race featured 33 starters competing over the full 200 laps/500 miles, with no major weather interruptions noted.
May 29, 1928
May 29, 1928
May 30, 1928
May 31, 1928