Charles Basle at Morris Park

This image is of Charles Basle in H.L. Bowden's 90 horsepower Mercedes at the Morris Park race track on May 21, 1905. Basle, who raced in the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911, won acclaim on this occasion for defeating track legend Barney Oldfield in a best of three heats match race. Basle won both of the first two heats, making it unnecessary to run a third. Oldfield drove the Peerless Green Dragon in the match race. Oldfield's racer was rated at 60 horsepower and his 30 horsepower handicap was accentuated by the greater than average length of Morris Park at 1.3 miles.