The 1923 Syracuse 100, was a 100-mile AAA-sanctioned event held on the one-mile dirt oval at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, New York, on September 15th. It drew a massive crowd of more than 65,000 spectators and featured many of the top drivers from the era. Tommy Milton, driving a Miller-powered car, dominated the race from early on after taking the lead from Harry Hartz. He went on to win in a time of 1 hour, 15 minutes, and 0.33 seconds, averaging nearly 80 mph and setting a new world’s record for 100 miles on a dirt track—shattering the previous mark by over 13 minutes.
Milton’s victory earned him a $5,000 prize and the American championship title for the distance on dirt. Harry Hartz finished second, roughly two miles behind, followed by Ira Vail in third, Ralph DePalma in fourth, Eddie Hearne in fifth, Frank Elliott in sixth, Leon Duray in seventh, and others including L. L. Corum, Jerry Wonderlich, and Bennett Hill (who was relieved by Phil Shafer). The event was a non-championship race within the 1923 AAA season, though it attracted many stars who also competed in the Indianapolis 500 and the official championship events that year.
This race highlighted the excitement of dirt-track racing at state fairgrounds during the golden age of American open-wheel racing, when board tracks and the Indy 500 were the primary championship venues but events like Syracuse drew huge local audiences. Tommy Milton had already won the 1923 Indianapolis 500 earlier that year, adding to his strong season.
September 16, 1923
September 16, 1923
September 16, 1923