1948 – Indy 500 Moments: So, if I say “six-wheeler,” what do you think?

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If you are a racing fan and I say, six-wheeler, you will probably think of a Tyrrell P34. Of course, as you probably know, that fantastic car was not the only six-wheeler in the history of auto racing.

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Actually there was a six-wheel car back at the 1948 Indy 500. It was called the Pat Clancy Special, raced by Billy DeVore. It was a 4WD machine with power going to two rear axles. It was very quick in a straight-line, but really difficult to get around the corners of the Speedway.

Mr.Clancy was a former dirt track driver turned truck line owner and the six wheel’s idea came from one of his truck drivers. The car qualified in 20^th position and finished twelfth. The chassis was a Kurtis and the engine an Offenhauser.

Rookie Jackie Holmes qualified the car for the 1949 Indy 500 in 17^th position but was black-flagged for not keeping a safe racing speed.

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1935 – Indy 500 Moments: Jimmy, the riding mechanic

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Safety was a concern, so the Speedway installed the first green and yellow warning lights around the track, and made mandatory the use of helmets. However, life was tough at the Brickyard, not just for the drivers but also for the riding mechanics. 

“All drivers and mechanics dream of getting to go to Indianapolis, let alone participate. I was very fortunate. I go one time and I win the race,” said riding mechanic Jimmy Dunham who won the 1935 Indy 500 with driver Kelly Petillo.

And in a way, it was almost a miracle. Dunham was passing by Petillo’s garage when he saw him and his friends building the car for the Indy 500. He immediately offered his help, and ended being the riding mechanic.

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1919 – Indy 500 Moments: Thirty three for the first time

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WWI was over and races returned to the tracks. In 1919 the Indy 500 was named the “Liberty Sweepstakes,” honoring the end of the war and celebrated flying Ace, Eddie Rickenbacker.

The race was won by American driver Howdy Wilcox –the first American winner since Joe Dawson in 1912, and for the first time there were 33 starters.

Back in 1911, after the first Indy 500, the Board of the American Automobile Association (AAA) established a formula to set the maximum number of cars per event: A track could start one car per every 400ft of its length. Based on that calculation, theSpeedwaycould host 33.

However, for some reason or another it never happened until 1919… And it didn’t happen again until 1934. Since then, apart from 1947, 1979 and 1997, it’s always been 33.

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1916-Indy 500 Moments: When the Indy 500 was the Indy 300

In 1916 the Indy 500 was really the Indy 300. Manufacturers were dropping out of the race because of USAinvolvement in European hostilities during World War I and race organizers decided to cut the distance. The race was held on Tuesday May 30 and was won by Dario Resta driving a Peugeot.

It’s been the only Indy 500 scheduled for less than 500 miles. The race had 21 entries, and according to some sources seven cars were entered either by theSpeedwayor its owners in order to guarantee a strong field.

Eddie Rickenbacker was one of the entries. It was his fourth –and last, Indy 500. Shortly after the race he left for Europe and became fighter ace in WWI. Years later, he would become one of the owners of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (1927-1945).

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1914 – Indy 500 Moments: A very inexpensive race

Gas prices have been always a concern. Well, maybe I am exaggerating. Not always, but invention has been a constant path in the racing world.

After his Indy 500 victory in 1911 Ray Harroun retired (better said, he returned to his retirement as a driver) and continued his career as an engineer. In 1914 he was in charge of the Maxwell Team and developed a special carburetor, allowing his car to run on kerosene.

The car went the full distance for 9^th place and using just 30 gallons of kerosene. Considering that kerosene sold for six cents per gallon in those days, that was a very inexpensive Indy 500: US$1.80.

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1913 / Indy 500 Moments: Nothing like a good refreshment!

Foreign cars had competed the previous year. However, in 1913 the Indy 500 had several foreign teams and drivers, and French Jules Goux won the race driving a Peugeot.

Apparently, “Don’t drink and drive” didn’t apply back in 1913 since Monsieur Goux is reputed to have shared some champagne with his racing mechanic… during the race!

Actually, according to this video, more than one bottle! He did six pit stops and each time he drank some champagne. He later claimed that could not have won the Indy 500 without the refreshment….

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Indy 500 – 1911: The Yellow Jacket

Thus far, we’ve mentioned almost all of the important names surrounding the first Indy 500. However, we haven’t mentioned what was originally called the “Yellow Jacket”, the famous Marmon used to win the race.

Harroun was a part-time racer. His full-time job was as an engineer for the Marmon Motor Car Company, a company dedicated to building passenger cars. In total, they built approximately 250,000 automobiles between 1903 and 1933. Some of those exemplars of the early 20th century are still among us. Harroun designed the six-cylinder Marmon named Wasp due to its yellow and black color scheme, as well as its wasp-like silhouette, complete with a sharp and pointed tail. 

In those days, all racecars held two men: the driver and the riding mechanic. The riding mechanic’s job was to watch for overtaking cars from behind. Harroun, however, wanted to make the car lightweight and streamlined. To accomplish this, he designed the Wasp for just one person: the driver.

Apparently, Harroun heard there were calls to ban the Wasp because it was believed to be a hazard to others on track because there would be no riding mechanic to warn of overtaking rivals. As a solution, the creative Harroun mounted a rear-view mirror on his car. According to some sources (that I was unable to verify), Harroun recognized that he didn’t “invent” the rear-view mirror but adapted it from horse-drawn carriages.

 As far as I can tell, Harroun (and I will add Cyrus Patschke’s name to this portion of the story) still holds a record. No one has ever won the Indy 500 starting 28^th or worse. Just him…well, them!

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Indy 500: Honoring A.J. Foyt

After weeks of rumors it was finally and officially announced that it will be A.J. Foyt -the first four time winner of the Indy 500- and not Donald Trump, the person who will drive the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Pace Car at the 100^th anniversary race on Sunday, May 29^th.

Even though I think it was a good promotional idea for the Series to associate the Pace Car drive to Mr. Trump’s name (let’s face it: It made waves on the media!), this year marks the 50^th anniversary of Foyt’s first Indy 500 victory and the men deserves the honor. 

This will be his 54^th consecutive Indy 500 as a driver or team owner. He made a record 35 consecutive starts as a driver, winning the 1961, 1964, 1967 and 1977 editions, and again, as a team owner in 1999 with Swedish Kenny Brack as a driver.

So, in my humble opinion, I just can say thanks to Mrs. Mari George for asking Mr. Foyt to drive the Pace Car in such an important event

And since lately I have been posting notes about the first Indy 500 won by Ray Harroun, I would like to take this opportunity to share a nice video of Mr. Harroun and Mr. A.J.Foyt on TV show called “I’ve got a secret,” filmed almost 50 years ago. Enjoy! 

 

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1911: And the winners are…

Howard C. Marmon, president of Nordyke & Marmon, was sure. He had the winning car for the recently announced first-ever Indy 500 race: The Marmon Wasp. And he was also sure he had the right driver for the job: Ray Harroun, the 29 years old designer of the car and 1910 AAA National Champion.

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Harroun, however, had different ideas. He had announced his retirement from auto-racing and was not interested in coming back.

Marmon, who must have been one of those men who don’t take no for an answer, insisted. Finally, Harroun agreed to do it, as long as he could get the best relief driver available.

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1911: The Sound of Silence

Silent movies are special. The images, slightly faster than those of life itself, make our hearts race. Black and white images boost the imagination of a 21st century used to Technicolor.   

Music and posters tell a story; not the whole story, and not the stories behind the story. But a century later, the mind of the spectator is confronted with a story with no parallel: The extraordinary tale of those brave enough to face, in 1911, the first Indy 500.

It was September 1910. Carl Fisher, James Allison, Arthur Newby and Frank Wheeler, founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, were worried.

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