Frigid Weather at Brickyard Time Trials

Given that the weather was such a huge factor in the first time trial event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the track was paved with bricks, I included the weather report from the front page of the December 18, 1909 Indianapolis Star. This weather report was published the same day as a series of articles reporting on the first day of the time trials.
 
While the forecasts relied on technologies that could be judged primitive by today's standards the most useful information is the report of the temperatures from the previous day - December 17. The day's low point was 12 degrees fahrenheit and that varied little as the high only reached 18. Note the use of the Star's editorial cartoon character, Jim Crow, who is depicted in a race car. Those in attendance, such as Howard Marmon, bundled up against the freezing air.