INDIANA (USA)
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY 1908 > 1960
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1908 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
In 1908 Carl Fisher had plans of building a five mile track for car manafacturers to test and showcase there product.
Fisher who was the owner of the Prest-O-Lite headlight company enlisted three other partners to fund the venture, The group brought three hundred and twenty acres of farmland opposite Fishers headlight factory.
Early reports indicate that the original plans called for a three mile outer track and a two mile oval within the infield, These plans were soon scrapped as the proposed grand stand seating would not fit on the parcel of land.
After re-accessing it was decided to build a two point five mile banked oval track with grand stands on all sides.
The surface they layed was a mixture of gravel, limestone, tar and asphaltum oil all rolled with steam rollers to form a solid sealed surface.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway opens in 1908 two years before the first Indianapolis 500. Photo: unknown.
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1909 NATIONAL BALLOON RACE
On the 5th of June 1909 the first ever United States National Balloon race launched from the unfinished Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
1910 Winner of the handicap division was Dr Goethe Link and Russ Irvins balloon Indianapolis. Photo: unknown.
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1909 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAYOn the 14th of August 1909 the Federation of American Motorcyclists held a national championship race meeting at the new Indianapolis venue.
This first meeting was reported as a disaster, with the track surface breaking up conditions soon became dangerous, Because of the size of the track some riders were acheiving speeds of up to seventy miles per hour, the riders were in grave danger bouncing through the holes and ruts while putting on the show.
Some events on the day were cancelled as many riders refused to race.
Champion rider Jake De Rosier crashed his machine in spectacular fashion and suffered serious bone breaking injuries in the fall at this opening meeting.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been known through out the world as America's premier race track for motor cycles and cars.
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1909 JAKE DE ROSIER
Jake De Rosier was born in Quebec Canada in 1880 and came to America as a four year old. He started racing motorcycles as a teenager in 1901 and soon became known as a daring rider from his many wins and as well as his ability to bounce back after injuries.
By 1908 Jake had caught the eye of the Indian Motorcycle Company after his Federation of America Motorcyclist Championship win at Patterson, New Jersey, track, What followed was a contract that would see him race every week on then wooden board tracks, with many wins.
Now concidered the world champion, The opening meeting at the Indianapolis speedway would prove near fatel.
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During a match race with Californian rider Ed Lingenfilder Jake crashed heavily because of the crumbling and rough surface, smashing various bones and joints, his scull and severing major artories, Such was the extent of his injuries his continued to hemorrhage for a week.
Jakes ability to ride while injured amazed everyone when only weeks later on the 10th of September 1909, he entered a race at the Lowell track in New Jersey.
In 1910 Jake set a Federation of America Motorcyclist record at 79.6 mph on the 7th of February 1910, In 1911 he ran 90 concecitive miles to claim every Federation of America Motorcyclist speed record from 1 to 100 miles.
In June of 1911 Jake entered the Isle of Man TT Race, While he managed to set fast time in practice, he crashed out early in the race while leading the event, a few days later Jake returned to form winning a match race against English champion Charles Collier at the Brooklands circuit, on that occasion he set a new mile world record at 88.7 mph.
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After Jake returned from England in 1911, he had an argument with company founder George Hendee and was fired from Indian.
He was immediatly hired by Excelsior Motorcycles, He then set a kilometer speed record for Excelsior at 94 mph.
While Jake was widely respected for skills on the motorcycle, he spent much of his career injured, He suffered the most serious on the 12th of March 1912, Injuries to his left leg and the thigh were so extensive, he had to endure 3 corrective operations, loosing his life due to complications from the final attempt on the 25th of February 1913.
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Jake De Rosier astride the last bike he ever road.
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1909 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
3.2 million bricks were used to pave the surface of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
11th December 1909
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1910 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1910 INDIANAPOLIS 500 SLIDESHOW
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1910 NATIONAL AVIATION WEEK
National Aviation Week took place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway between the 13th and the 18th of June 1910, This six day aviation show featured appearances from the Wright Brothers.
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1911 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1912 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1913 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1914 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1915 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1916 INDIANAPOLIS 500
The 1916 race was shortened to 300 miles, some beleive it was because of the onset of world war 1, and others beleive it was to make the race more apealing to the public.
Eddie Rickenbacker led the first 9 laps before retiring with steering failure, Dario Resta then led 103 of 120 laps to win, Resta's ride on mechanic was Bob Dahnke, Only 21 cars faced the starter for the shortened event, Wilbur D'Alene finished second to Resta with Ralph Mulford 3rd.
1916 The starting grid for the shortened event.
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1916 DARIO RESTA & BOB DAHNKE
1916 EDDIE RICKENBACKER
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1917 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
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1918 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
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No motor racing events were held at the speedway because of World War 1, The military used it as an airfield.
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1919 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1920 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1921 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1922 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1923 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1924 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1925 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1926 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1927 INDIANAPOLIS 500
The 15th running of the Indianapolis 500 was held on the 30th of May 1927.
George Souders won the race by 8 laps, followed by Carl Devore and Tony Gulotta third.
1927 George Souders as a rookie won the 500 mile event that year in his Duesenberg. Photo: IRMA.
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1927 BOB McDONOUGH
1927 LEON DURAX
1927 PETE DePAOLO
1927 FRANK ELLIOT
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1928 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1929 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1930 INDIANAPOLIS 500
The 18th Indinapolis 500 was held on the 30th of May 1930.
Pole position winner Billy Arnold took the lead on lap three and was never headed, He went on to win the race and complete the five hundred miles in under five hours, without a co driver, he did however have an on board mechanic in Spider Matlock.
Paul Marshall would loose his life when he and his brother hit the outer wall, and flipping over the top, Pauls brother who was driving did survive but with serious injuries.
Position two was filled by Shorty Cantlon who was releived by Herman Schurch at the 2/3 mark of the race and Louis Scheider third.
1930 BILLY ARNOLD & SPIDER MATLOCK
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1930 CHAS MORAN Jr & GEO REED
1930 DAVE EVANS & THANE HOUSER
1930 FRANK FARMER & LEO SYKES
1930 HARRY H BUTCHER & JAMES R BUTCHER
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1931 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1932 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1933 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1934 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1935 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1936 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1937 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1938 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1939 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1939 Winner of the race Wilbur Shaw in the Boyle Maserati, pictured with his wife and mechanic Cotton Henning. Photo: Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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1940 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1941 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1946 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1946 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY SLIDESHOW
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1947 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1947 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY SLIDESHOW
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1948 INDIANAPOLIS 500
For the 2nd consecitive year the Blue Crown team mates of Mauri Rose and Bill Holland finished 1st and 2nd across the finish line, This made Rose a 3 time winner, Third place went to Duke Nalon.
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1948 MAURI ROSE
1948 CHEVROLET FLEETMASTER OFFICIAL PACECAR
1948 FRED AGABASHIAN
1948 TRAVIS "SPIDER" WEBB
1948 JIMMY JACKSON
1948 BILLY DEVORE
1948 - Billy Devore in the Pat Clancy Special, 6 wheels and 4 wheel drivern, finished 12th. Photos: unknown.
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1949 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1950 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1951 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1952 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1953 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1954 INDIANAPOLIS 500
The 38th running of the Indianapolis 500 was held on the 31st of May 1954.
1954 Bill Vukovich wins his 2nd consecutive Indianapolis 500, Bill would loose his life in an accident the following year. Photo: IRMA.
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1954 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY SLIDESHOW
(use controls to pause - forward or reverse 2 images)
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1955 INDIANAPOLIS 500
The 39th running of the Indianapolis 500 was held on the 30th of May 1955.
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1955 Rodger Ward prior to winning the annual 500 mile race. Photo: IRMA.
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1956 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1956 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY SLIDESHOW
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1957 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1957 TROY RUTTMAN
1957 Troy Ruttman in the John Zink Special which was an early AJ Watson Roadstar started off outside pole but had to with draw on about lap 13 with piston failure. Photo: IRMA facebook page.
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1958 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1958 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY SLIDESHOW
(use controls to pause - forward or reverse 1 image)
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1959 INDIANAPOLIS 500
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1959 INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY SLIDESHOW
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1960 INDIANAPOLIS 500
The 44th running of the Indianapolis 500 was held on the 30th of May 1960.
1960 Jim Hurtubise. Photo: IRMA.
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