Joseph Boyer Jr. (May 30, 1890 – September 2, 1924) was an American racing driver, and a winner of the 1924 Indianapolis 500.
| Joe Boyer | |||||||
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Boyer at Tacoma Speedway in 1920
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| Born | Joseph Boyer Jr. (1890-05-30)May 30, 1890 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. | ||||||
| Died | September 2, 1924(1924-09-02) (aged 34) Tipton, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||
| Championship titles | |||||||
| Major victories Indianapolis 500 (1924) | |||||||
| Champ Car career | |||||||
| 28 races run over 7 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 21st (tie) (1923) | ||||||
| First race | 1917 George Washington Sweepstakes (Ascot Speedway) | ||||||
| Last race | 1924 Fall Classic (Altoona) | ||||||
| First win | 1919 Autumn Classic (Uniontown) | ||||||
| Last win | 1924 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis) | ||||||
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Boyer was born on May 30, 1890, in St. Louis, Missouri and grew up in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Joe Boyer Senior and Clara Libby. He became wealthy due to his father owning Burroughs Adding Machine Company and Chicago Numatic.
At the 1924 Indianapolis 500, Boyer participated in two different cars during the race. In his original entry (#9), he qualified 4th. Boyer experienced mechanical troubles, and on the 109th lap he was given relief. His relief driver went on to race that car until lap 176, when he crashed in Turn 1. On lap 111, Boyer took over car #15 from L. L. Corum. Boyer charged to the front of the field, and led the last 24 laps in Corum's car.
Corum and Boyer were scored as "co-winners," the first time in Indianapolis 500 history such a designation had been assigned. In three previous Indianapolis 500s (1911, 1912, 1923), a winning driver had been given relief help during the race, qualifying, starting, and finishing in the same car. 1924 was the first time one driver relieved another entirely, and had gone on to win.
Boyer died on September 2, 1924, from injuries sustained in a crash at Altoona SpeedwayinTyrone, Pennsylvania the day before.[1][2]
Boyer has been inducted into the following halls of fame:
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Joe Boyer of Detroit, injured yesterday in the 250-mile automobile classic at the Altoona Speedway, died at a local hospital at 12:23 this morning.
Joe Boyer, speed king of the automobile world, went to his death on the ... and veteran racing men said it was a little short of miraculous that the car, ...
| Preceded by | Indianapolis 500 Winner 1924 |
Succeeded by |