Early Indianapolis Motor Speedway

This collection of articles on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway focuses on the fascinating era from 1909 through 1920. There is a special focus on the events occurring prior to the first Indianapolis 500. There are lots of fascinating elements of this, such as the Aviation Week from June 1910, which featured the Wright Brothers and their star pilot Walter Brookins. I also have included articles on Speedway founder Carl Fisher, who enjoyed some success as a race driver in the early 1900's. Note the article on Fisher at Zanesville. This is when in 1903 his teammate, Earl Kiser, was involved in a spectacular accident that killed several spectators. Another fascinating topic is the little known 1916 Harvest Classic, which Fisher organized to generate revenue for the Speedway before shutting it down for the duration of World War I. Finally, note the article on Jake DeRosier, the motorcycle champion injured in the first motorized competition at the Speedway, the August 1909 motorcycle race.