The 1927 Indianapolis 500, officially the 15th International 500-Mile Sweepstakes, took place on Monday, May 30, 1927, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It marked the first time in eight years that a full 33-car field started the race.
Frank Lockhart (the defending 1926 winner) started from the pole in his Miller and dominated early, leading for about 120 laps and nearly the entire first 300 miles. However, his car suffered mechanical failure (engine issues), forcing him to retire.
Rookie driver George Souders, a Purdue University student starting 22nd in a privately entered Duesenberg (entered by William S. White), took over the lead and held it for the final 51 laps. He drove a steady, conservative race and became the first driver to complete the full 500 miles solo (no relief driver or riding mechanic), winning by a massive margin of eight laps—the largest since 1913.
Order of the Day
Previous Winners
May 29, 1927
May 30, 1927
May 29, 1927
May 31, 1927
May 31, 1927