It's true, Carl Fisher got all the attention when it came to the four founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But there's a good chance he couldn't have pulled it off without a great supporting cast. That's where James Allison, Arthur C. Newby and Frank Wheeler come in. Each made significant contributions to launching the great Speedway. I have obituaries for each of these men and plan to add more articles focusing on them over time.

Jim Allison's Family Tree

Attached here is a nice article on Jim Allison's family in the generations leading up to his birth. It was submitted by the author, Dixie Kline Richardson and was originally published in the January 26, 2015 Spencer Evening World.
About Barney Oldfield

Thanks to auto racing history researcher Ken Parrotte we have the attached entertaining article about Barney Oldfield. Published September 13, 1909 in the Oklahoma City Daily Pointer, it orignally appeared in the New York American. The writer was C.E. Van Loan, a top humor and sports author of the age.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Trophies

Auto racing history researcher Ken Parrotte comes through again with a topic that is interesting and informative. He has compiled a list of all trophies offered by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in its 110+ year history. Today's race fans associate IMS with the Borg-Warner, but there is much, much more.
William H. Pickens

Thanks to auto racing history researcher Ken Parrotte we can all enjoy articles attached here that provide insight to race promoter William Hickman Pickens.
Wheeler Schebler Trophy Story

Enjoy Ken Parrotte's definitive piece on the Wheeler-Schebler Tropy.
Wheeler Schebler Trophy Story

Enjoy Ken Parrotte's definitive piece on the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy. Check out these additional links for more content about the trophy and even more links to more fully explore its history.
 
Oldfield 1903 Empire City World Record

Thanks to Ken Parrotte, we have for our pleasure solid information in a pair of articles about Barney Oldfield's closed-course mile track record set in July 1903 at the Empire City horse track.

This category contains feature stories on auto racing history that have been published in Indianapolis Motor Speedway Programs and historical publications. Most of the articles pertain to per-WWI auto racing, but others cover more recent history. Among the subjects covered are: Barney Oldfield, the 1914 Cactus Derby; Jim Clark racing in NASCAR; Jim Hurtubise racing in NASCAR; an interview with John Surtees; the 1909 Motorcycle meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; the first French Grand Prix; the Vanderbilt Cup; the 1937 Indianapolis 500; Wilbur Shaw; Cannon Ball Baker; Holmon and Moody; Indianapolis 500 relief drivers; Ralph De Palma; Smokey Yunick; the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Harvest Classic; Rudolf Carraciola; Dan Gurney and Johnny Aitken. The articles are a mix of biographical pieces and stories of milestone events in auto racing history.

1917 No Indianapolis 500

There was no Indianapolis 500 in 1917 due to World War I. The facility was made available to the U.S. military who used it as a depot and for airplane pilot training. This is an article I wrote for the 2017 Indianapolis 500 event program.
David Loney Bruce-Brown

The attached is probably the best biographical article about David Bruce-Brown in the world. I wrote this for the 2009 Indianapolis 500 event program.
Check out our collection of additional David Bruce-Brown content at the links below.
 
S-74 Fiat
Secrets of the Marmon Wasp

This article I wrote for the 2016 Indianapolis 500 program dispels the long-held inaccurate belief that the Marmon Wasp was designed for the first Indianapolis 500. It was not.